Fun fact, if you go back 15 years from the mission this plays in (to december 31st 1995), it takes you to the day of the final mission and climax of ace combat zero
I notice you mention how much later this track is in the soundtrack vs Unsung War, and mention how it’s a callback. But 15 Years Ago is literally the first track you hear in the game’s story. It’s the opening scene, describing the events 15 years ago, that lead into the events of the game you’re about to play. So it’s actually the first time you encounter the leitmotif.
Yeah, it's later in the soundtrack because cutscene tracks are placed at the end, after all the gameplay tracks. Though it should be noted that 15 Years Ago *does* play in gameplay as well, in the final mission, if you finish off Grabacr and Ofnir quick enough and the characters have a moment to reminisce before the SOLG arrives for the final bossfight (so it transitions into The Unsung War and the two tracks combo with each other).
The Unsung War melody is used extremely well to biuld up to the moment the actual song plays. The versions used in the Kestrel's hanger and then for the Kestrel's sinking are perfect.
While it does play earlier, specifically in the cutscene with Nagase talking about Heierlark airbase in North Osea/South Belka, the opening track to the game is actually simply called "Razgriz." As mentioned by another commenter though, it does also play right before The Unsung War if you shoot down Grabacr and Ofnir within something like a minute.
Actually 15 Years Ago isn't the track you are thinking of. The song you are thinking of is Razgriz. 15 Years Ago is the track that plays if you shoot down Ofnir and Grabacr before the SOLG arrives, as well as during an earlier cutscene
I know you branched out to various different games to listen, and I love that. But man, I miss coming back to Ace Combat. And to stop by, even for a moment, to listen to 15 years ago is beautiful.
I played 5 for the first time a couple of months ago. can confirm it's a good experience! considering i only played 1,2,3 (international edition) and half of 4 until the disc failed :( so this year i decided to play through em all
This feels like coming back home, not only because of seeing you reacting to Ace Combat music again after for some time, but also the feeling of nostalgia this particular track gives off in several ways.
AC5... My first Ace Combat I ever played... It will always have a special place in my heart. And you couldn't have chosen a better song to remember it. *Cries in Razgriz.* 😢
I started off with 4 back when I was 9 or so. Way too young to have even the foggiest clue as to the deeper things going on beyond "War is Bad, but Planes are Rad". But now that I'm older, and I've gone back to it, 5 might be my favorite Ace Combat game. The music, the message, everything just came together beautifully. I hope someday we can get a remaster of the Golden Trilogy with the controls of 7. Hell, if they made it VR and HOTAS compatible, I doubt I'd see direct sunlight ever again...
15 years ago talks about echoes of the belkan war which would become the main reason for AC5 to start. I would like to recommend you to Mrs. Krista Yoslav or Sulejmani, both are very damn good and underrated piece from the series. And both have that sombering piece similar to Chandelier.
Marco, if you want the saddest and one of the most emotional pieces in all of ace combat, please review "Into the Dusk" from the same game. It is all reflective on the loss of a comrade just moments earlier. It's something that has not really been replicated in the games since and it holds lots of weight that I think you may value.
5:41 15 years ago actually plays pretty early on in the game, while The Unsung War plays during the climax of the final mission. Interestingly, it seems the way they arranged the soundtrack album was to have all the in-game tracks first, and then the cutscene tracks later. The very first track you hear in the game (besides the title and menu screen themes) is the 74th track in the album; Razgriz (Ace Combat 5 Main Theme), which is an equally introspective/reflective track as 15 years ago that again uses the same motif, but with string now instead of piano. it's this 74th track that plays as Genette says the line many AC fans know by heart: '15 years ago... there was a war.'
15 years ago can also play right before the climax of the final mission if you get there with enough time to spare. It's an absolutely beautiful cutscene where you and your wingmen reflect on the war and what's to come.
@@Kagira2006 That's the moments I always think of with this piece. It immediately makes me think of Chopper and his sacrifice, then you get "hey, I just remembered, my birthday's coming up next week" and the idea they've been so embroiled in this conflict he's not even had time to think about normal life.
For me, it was also effective but not in the same way because in the game, you can hear this track two times before The Unsung War, especially the second time just before The Unsung War kicks, it serves as a moment of reflection and nostalgia, looking back at what you accomplished, the good and bad moments before dealing with the threat. Glad you reacted to it after you heard it in the Live Symphony!
This is one of the first "sad" pieces that i ever heard in music and had a impact on me. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. P.S you do hear this twice i think before you hear unsung war which is pretty much the end of the game.
Also P.S.S I've never noticed that unsung war and 15 years ago are melodically related or anything and listening to it I still don't hear it but that's just probably my untrained ear. All this to say, is that you said that you don't have to tell us that if we are a Ace Combat fan but please say that because I've listened to this since I was a kid and I didn't notice so please don't feel like something is too obvious different prospectives are really important. Just thought I'd let you know that you showed me something I didn't know today about something that I thought I knew reasonably well.
"15 Years Ago" this one... along with "Near the Border" of AC Zero, are the 2 tracks that managed to make me tear up, as it's just the perfect music to evoke the feeling of what you've been through in the game and you're being rewarded for it, we at least for me. And as far as I know, it's not easy to get the track "15 Years Ago" to play in the story, you have to take down the enemy pilots with a lot of extra time (I think it's about the same duration as the track) and you'll hear dialogues from your wingmen reflecting on the journey it has been serving with them, and in all honesty it's the best reward.
15 years ago is by far the most beautiful Ace Combat music ever heard. The melody tells what it used to in the past 15 years ago along what the title supposed to which is reflecting the story of the main characters were been in such good memories.
I mentioned in a comment on your The Unsung War video that AC5 takes place 15 years after the events of AC0; this song is used when the game is reflecting upon the events, relationships, and especially atrocities, that came about during that war. And, given that AC5 was released before AC0, the fact that the song can give you a feeling of reflective regret and sadness over events that that player hasn't even witnessed yet is impressive, and that even added to the "ohhh, this is that" feeling of revelation when playing the latter for the first time.
What a delicious treat your coverage of Ace Combat music is. The back-to-back punches of various voices singing "The Journey Home" and then 15 Years Ago, should one get to hear it in the final mission, is up there in video game music 1-2 punches
NO WAY thank you SO MUCH for doing this ! I'm SO excited for you to listen some of the best ost's i've ever heard. I remember in a previous comment that i recommended you some of AC5 ost's, and seeing this video just fills me up with joy, even though maybe you didn't see my previous comment on one of your videos. One of my actual dreams of seeing someone reacting to AC5 music is finally achieved, and it's even better that it is you ! Ice cage mission got a very nice ost aswell, depite not having the powerful chords etc, it still gets the feeling of the mission just right. Kind regards from France :D
Fun fact 15 years ago is also a reference to Ace Combat Zero as this game takes place 15 years after the Belkan war, the events depicted in AC0. And funly enough a slightly different version of this theme is heard in the intro cinematic of AC5 while the narrator character Albert Genette (a reporter of the national broadcasting corporation of Osea, the US equivalent of Strangereal) gives a backstory through this monologue: 15 years ago, there was a war. Well, war has broken out here plenty of times before. They've tried to invade the southlands through the northern valley time and time again. Luck was never on their side, though, and their victories didn't last long. They didn't realize that times had changed. Facing one defeat after another, losing territory, and watching their nation dwindle, they built up their industrial strength to unprecedented heights and used it to wage one final battle against the world. That was 15 years ago... They fought ferociously but were utterly defeated. The Belkans then committed the unthinkable -- they used nuclear weapons on their own soil. Seeing this tragedy unfold before their own eyes, the victorious countries vowed to throw down their weapons. The world was once again at peace, and thanks to them, it seemed it would last forever. On a distant island, far away from civilization, the protectors of the peace take to the skies. (A jet flies by and the title is revealed)
Hey Marco, since you've been reacting to a lot of different songs from the ace combat franchise. Ace Combat 3 is quite different from other games. Mind Flow is a good start :)
Sometimes I wish I could wipe the memory of playing AC5 as a kid 14 years ago and experience it for the first time again... Gods it was such a damn good game... And the music was... Phenomenal.
Can't belive I missed this reaction somehow. Love all your AC music reactions, and AC5 and its soundtrack hold special place in my heart. For me it was 18 yeras ago since hearing that music piece for the first time.
I don't know how you can keep your cool like that. I started crying when the melody starts as memory came flooding back to all those years ago I played 5.
Always look forward to when you listen to Ace Combat music. Ace Combat 5 had a pretty long wild in-game story, makes for a lot of variety when it comes to background music. It was the defacto ace combat game I would have recommended to friends back then and the one that got me into the franchise.
This melody will forever mean “nostalgia” for all of those who’ve played AC, not just the ones that started playing in AC4, because it brings you back even to the early Ace combats, like the amazing AC3 (Japanese version Ofcourse) and makes me reflect in how all the stories within this franchise tie up together, seems like the nostalgia of playing all the games… since we were very young.., in other thoughts, does any one recognize the AC2 motif in the horn section that preludes the choral part in the Razgriz theme, just now, while invaded by the feelings of nostalgia being brought by this melancholic piano… when Marco switch to AC5’s main theme in order to contrast the main theme, those horns are the same that can be heard being played in AC2 last mission at the beginning
15 years ago? Time to break out my tissues! Hearing it on the final mission as the whole squadron is reflecting on everything is so powerful to me. Its just so full of hope and gives that feeling that everything will be just fine. Plus it plays as the sun is rising on new years after everyone has been fighting non stop through the night. I dont think I can handle putting it on while watching the sunrise on a mountain lol.
It takes about 3 notes for this to start bring tears to my eyes. I know it comes up earlier in the game but to me this tune brings memories of after you've defeated the Belkan squadrons, the last thing between you and the falling satellite. You then get a moment while you're flying to the decent point to reflect back on the game. The people that have died in the war, friends and allies included, those that chose to defect and join you and the lives the characters will return to once the job is done. It's a beautiful, sad and melancholic piece.
I love that you took a listen to this piece! Such an effective and emotional accompaniment to the cutscene it occurs in (which reflects on the events of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War). Love how gently the strings cradle the piano throughout the melody; the piano alone is gorgeous to listen to but I think what really gives it that emotional push is how well the strings complement it. Thank you for doing a react to another Ace Combat song!
Thank you for checking yet another AC5 soundtrack! I love how Keiki Kobayashi knows just how powerful and iconic that Unsung War motif is. You can even hear it in 'Zero'! Btw, another rendition of that motif that you should check is 'Peace (Epilogue)', which is the piece featured in the epilogue scene of the game.
Damn, I left a comment on another vid in the playlist saying he should just take a listen in his free time to this one and didn’t think it’d be on the channel 😂
I 100% recommend the Epilogue track from AC: Zero. It's almost an entirely Spanish Guitar version of Zero and fits so well as the final song in the game. Prologue is also great in that it's more setting the stage of the game according to the Journalist's accounts of the Demon Lord.
Everyone likes the big dog and bossfight songs, but 15 years ago has been my favorite Ace Combat song since i first played AC5 all those years ago. It's not an exaggeration to say AC5 changed my life when i played it as a kid, and i still routinely listen to the soundtrack and play through it at least once a year. This song plays twice that i know of in the game, the first is in a cutscene where your squadron is flying to an airbase to take command of some rookies. Your wingman nagase is reminiscing about being a rookie herself. The second time is in the final mission, if you take out the first enemy wave quick enough. "I see light to the east, dawn is breaking"
This track was always very special to my heart. It reminds me back to Christmas 2004 where my Dad bought me this game. He never liked video games, but let me play this at home while the family went out for the holidays. I reminisce playing this without a care in the world.
Still after all this time, I hear this music and am taken back to opening this game from my dad. It was the first game that he bought me for PS2 to get me to play something other than GTA (It was 2008 so I believe I was playing GTA:SA and I was 11ish). I fell in love with this franchise from just the first few missions. The music, the story and that fact that my father was sitting there with me through it, experiencing it with me. We bought 4 and Zero shortly after that. This music still raises my hairs of just feels. I'm actually fixing my old PS2 to introduce my wife to the game that gave me my Gamertag. Thank you for sharing this with us and I look forward to more of your content. Sorry I am a year late to the party
Ace Combat 5 was when the series really nailed its musical identity, not to say the previous games didn’t have bangers but I felt like this was when Keiki and the music team really stepped up their game
This is my favourite song in the ace combat series. I always shed a tear listening to it. I love AC5 so much that i managed to hunt the official soundtrack for CD along with Front Mission 5. I play 15 years ago often when i am in FFXIV. The bard performance is an awesome feature, albeit limited.
This song, The Journey Home in mission 27 with that radio effect on it, and the Unsung War are the holy trinity of Ace Combat 5 songs, they’re so good and perfectly fit their respective atmospheres
actually, 15 Years Ago plays well before The Unsung war in-game, it plays during an explanation of the events of the Belkan war, whereas the latter is used as the musical backdrop for a (really impressive) grand finale. the timing for the use of this song is absolutely perfect though 👌
The best place, in game, that this is used is during the Final Mission. If you finish the enemies off before the timer runs down, 15 Years Later starts up and your wingmen chatter between each other. Then, the timer runs down and it cuts. "Ocka Neiba to the Ghosts of Razgris! The SOLG had decended to an altitude low enough for you to attack. I know you can do this, DESTROY IT!" Then Unsung War kicks in. It's a powerful set of emotions and has stuck with me even years after I played the game myself.
As someone who just recently played this game, i can say that it's the best ace combat game. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster. PS: when it comes to music trcaks from ace combat 5, you should listen to "the journey home" and possibly "white bird part 2"
Despite being listed later on the OST, I believe "15 Years Ago" is actually heard fairly early, during the game's first act. (There's a section at the end of the OST that's just the cutscene music from throughout the whole game.) In fact, being the "final boss" track, Unsung War is probably the *last* time you'll hear that "Razgriz" leitmotif before the credits roll, and it's probably the outlier in terms of tone. Looking back at the in-game tracks, the clarion call part of Unsung War shows up right away in the first mission's tracks, Shorebirds and Open War. (I think this clarion call is actually more representative of Wardog Squadron, and it shows up in many of the Razgriz tracks as a callback to Wardog.) But the actual Razgriz melody doesn't show up in game until much later, in Into the Dusk, after which is shows up increasingly often, culminating in Unsung War. So actually, now that I think about it, 15 Years Ago may actually be the *first* time in the game the player hears the Razgriz theme, or at least one of the first times.
This reminds me a lot of the work of Jo Blankenburg in the field of trailer score music. Lied vom Leben, Awakening, the Entirety of his Elysium album for Position Music come to mind.
before the unsung war plays, there's a rival squadron battle just before it. A countdown happens while this dogfight is going on. the countdown until a giant kill sattilite is de-orbited onto a capital city. once the countdown reaches zero, the rival squadron self destructs. because reasons. HOWEVER if you kill the rivals before the countdown reaches a certian point, your squadron reflects on the missions they've been on and how they're glad the war is over. This song plays during that reflection while you wait for the kill sattilite to drop low enough for you to attack and shoot it down.
How did I miss this reaction?! I absolutely adore 15 years ago. So many songs in the AC 5 OST have the main theme, "Razgriz", sprinkled in. It's just so good. For real, if you haven't listened to the main theme from AC 5, give it a listen. Only about 1:42 long, but it just warms the soul.
If you call this place North Osea. People will yelled at you and says "This is South Belka." - Kei Nagase. This quote pop out when I listen to this song.
The use of that Unsung War melody in Zero from AC0 surprised me the first time I heard it, hearing the Razgriz chorus in the middle of that chaos was wonderful
Into the Dusk uses the same motif as this, but is so much sadder, especially if you know the context of why the song is being played. (if you know, you know)
I knew you'd listen to this one eventually. It's so sad, makes me tear up nearly every time. So sad for the story as well. I'm sure others have informed you, but I'll do it as well. There's a lot of talk about the Nation Belka, for what it represented and what it did. Long story short, Belka as a nation was really separated into North and South. The founding and true Belka was in the north, while the newer and less historic region was in the south. In the war, Belka was losing. The allied forces were advancing from the south. Once it got bad enough, South Belka stopped fighting and surrendered. The North Belkan's saw this as a betrayal, and with their backs against the wall... they did it. They dropped seven nukes on their own soil, some on cities, to stop the allied advance. That's why this is so sad. I can't even imagine something like that happening.
Man... I really, really want (and probably all Ace Combat fans!) want a remake of AC4, AC5, AC ZERO, AC7 and available for all platforms... I would play those for the rest of my life!!!
You should give a listen to a few more tracks from Project Wingman as well. You could even listen to them in pairs, because Deadalus isn't the same without Midnight Light. Showdown + Peacekeeper I is also a beautiful combination. There's also a video on youtube of Kings combined with the next track, Coronation, with dialogue from the game laid over it.
You already listened to the unsung war, now it was 15 years ago, only one song is missing from this mission: "Winter Storm" a somewhat underappreciated but still very good music, that completes this last mission
Im curious how'd you react seeing the Game trailers and intros. Since they use the same music but with combined visuals. and give you those little context pieces as well. See how they may change or reaffirm your analysis
Fun fact, if you go back 15 years from the mission this plays in (to december 31st 1995), it takes you to the day of the final mission and climax of ace combat zero
A lovely bit of careful story setup, an example of the level of detail put into the crafting of Strangereal as a setting.
I approve of randomly cutting to Unsung War on every future reaction vid.
Lmfaooooo listen. Happily.
the cutscenes where this music is played makes it even more powerful
Arkbird, chopper death, last mission. Jesus....
15 Years Ago... there was a war.
I notice you mention how much later this track is in the soundtrack vs Unsung War, and mention how it’s a callback.
But 15 Years Ago is literally the first track you hear in the game’s story. It’s the opening scene, describing the events 15 years ago, that lead into the events of the game you’re about to play. So it’s actually the first time you encounter the leitmotif.
Yeah, it's later in the soundtrack because cutscene tracks are placed at the end, after all the gameplay tracks. Though it should be noted that 15 Years Ago *does* play in gameplay as well, in the final mission, if you finish off Grabacr and Ofnir quick enough and the characters have a moment to reminisce before the SOLG arrives for the final bossfight (so it transitions into The Unsung War and the two tracks combo with each other).
@@yfxxiii Yeah. That was a really great touch. Both a little reward for top level play and a touching drama moment between action scenes.
The Unsung War melody is used extremely well to biuld up to the moment the actual song plays.
The versions used in the Kestrel's hanger and then for the Kestrel's sinking are perfect.
While it does play earlier, specifically in the cutscene with Nagase talking about Heierlark airbase in North Osea/South Belka, the opening track to the game is actually simply called "Razgriz." As mentioned by another commenter though, it does also play right before The Unsung War if you shoot down Grabacr and Ofnir within something like a minute.
Actually 15 Years Ago isn't the track you are thinking of. The song you are thinking of is Razgriz. 15 Years Ago is the track that plays if you shoot down Ofnir and Grabacr before the SOLG arrives, as well as during an earlier cutscene
I know you branched out to various different games to listen, and I love that. But man, I miss coming back to Ace Combat. And to stop by, even for a moment, to listen to 15 years ago is beautiful.
Well here we are back to ace combat ;)
This brings back so many childhood memories. I cannot express enough how much I wish to experience this game again for the first time.
I played 5 for the first time a couple of months ago. can confirm it's a good experience! considering i only played 1,2,3 (international edition) and half of 4 until the disc failed :( so this year i decided to play through em all
This feels like coming back home, not only because of seeing you reacting to Ace Combat music again after for some time, but also the feeling of nostalgia this particular track gives off in several ways.
:)
AC5... My first Ace Combat I ever played... It will always have a special place in my heart. And you couldn't have chosen a better song to remember it. *Cries in Razgriz.* 😢
I started off with 4 back when I was 9 or so. Way too young to have even the foggiest clue as to the deeper things going on beyond "War is Bad, but Planes are Rad".
But now that I'm older, and I've gone back to it, 5 might be my favorite Ace Combat game. The music, the message, everything just came together beautifully.
I hope someday we can get a remaster of the Golden Trilogy with the controls of 7. Hell, if they made it VR and HOTAS compatible, I doubt I'd see direct sunlight ever again...
Never forget chooper.....never
@@elgallant56 "Into The Dusk." 😭
@@mannyfur6756 that mission still breaks me to this day
we need an an ace combat 7 graphical remake/remaster of ace combat 5 best one out of all of them
>
15 years ago talks about echoes of the belkan war which would become the main reason for AC5 to start.
I would like to recommend you to Mrs. Krista Yoslav or Sulejmani, both are very damn good and underrated piece from the series. And both have that sombering piece similar to Chandelier.
Also Varcolac from AC:JA
Marco, if you want the saddest and one of the most emotional pieces in all of ace combat, please review "Into the Dusk" from the same game. It is all reflective on the loss of a comrade just moments earlier. It's something that has not really been replicated in the games since and it holds lots of weight that I think you may value.
5:41 15 years ago actually plays pretty early on in the game, while The Unsung War plays during the climax of the final mission. Interestingly, it seems the way they arranged the soundtrack album was to have all the in-game tracks first, and then the cutscene tracks later. The very first track you hear in the game (besides the title and menu screen themes) is the 74th track in the album; Razgriz (Ace Combat 5 Main Theme), which is an equally introspective/reflective track as 15 years ago that again uses the same motif, but with string now instead of piano.
it's this 74th track that plays as Genette says the line many AC fans know by heart: '15 years ago... there was a war.'
15 years ago can also play right before the climax of the final mission if you get there with enough time to spare. It's an absolutely beautiful cutscene where you and your wingmen reflect on the war and what's to come.
@@Kagira2006 That's the moments I always think of with this piece. It immediately makes me think of Chopper and his sacrifice, then you get "hey, I just remembered, my birthday's coming up next week" and the idea they've been so embroiled in this conflict he's not even had time to think about normal life.
For me, it was also effective but not in the same way because in the game, you can hear this track two times before The Unsung War, especially the second time just before The Unsung War kicks, it serves as a moment of reflection and nostalgia, looking back at what you accomplished, the good and bad moments before dealing with the threat.
Glad you reacted to it after you heard it in the Live Symphony!
There's also "Into the Dusk", which is a yet more somber rendition of 15 Years Ago
this game is an OST masterpiece
When they designed the gameplay and story around the soundtrack
all Ace Combats are.
I mean, you’re not wrong
15 Years Ago......
There was a war.
Man,It is impossible not to shed a tear when this songs plays, so many memories this one brings back.
I am so happy u are exploring more of ace combat 5 music
“15 years ago there was a war well wars have happened hear before”
This is one of the first "sad" pieces that i ever heard in music and had a impact on me. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. P.S you do hear this twice i think before you hear unsung war which is pretty much the end of the game.
Also P.S.S I've never noticed that unsung war and 15 years ago are melodically related or anything and listening to it I still don't hear it but that's just probably my untrained ear. All this to say, is that you said that you don't have to tell us that if we are a Ace Combat fan but please say that because I've listened to this since I was a kid and I didn't notice so please don't feel like something is too obvious different prospectives are really important. Just thought I'd let you know that you showed me something I didn't know today about something that I thought I knew reasonably well.
15 Years Ago always stuck with me as a song for unity and friendship/teamship because of the cutscenes where it plays at.
"15 Years Ago" this one... along with "Near the Border" of AC Zero, are the 2 tracks that managed to make me tear up, as it's just the perfect music to evoke the feeling of what you've been through in the game and you're being rewarded for it, we at least for me.
And as far as I know, it's not easy to get the track "15 Years Ago" to play in the story, you have to take down the enemy pilots with a lot of extra time (I think it's about the same duration as the track) and you'll hear dialogues from your wingmen reflecting on the journey it has been serving with them, and in all honesty it's the best reward.
15 years ago is by far the most beautiful Ace Combat music ever heard. The melody tells what it used to in the past 15 years ago along what the title supposed to which is reflecting the story of the main characters were been in such good memories.
I mentioned in a comment on your The Unsung War video that AC5 takes place 15 years after the events of AC0; this song is used when the game is reflecting upon the events, relationships, and especially atrocities, that came about during that war. And, given that AC5 was released before AC0, the fact that the song can give you a feeling of reflective regret and sadness over events that that player hasn't even witnessed yet is impressive, and that even added to the "ohhh, this is that" feeling of revelation when playing the latter for the first time.
When you start Mission 12 of Ace Combat 0 and see "June 6th 1995"
What a delicious treat your coverage of Ace Combat music is. The back-to-back punches of various voices singing "The Journey Home" and then 15 Years Ago, should one get to hear it in the final mission, is up there in video game music 1-2 punches
"And the sun will continue to rise, now and forever."
NO WAY thank you SO MUCH for doing this !
I'm SO excited for you to listen some of the best ost's i've ever heard.
I remember in a previous comment that i recommended you some of AC5 ost's, and seeing this video just fills me up with joy, even though maybe you didn't see my previous comment on one of your videos.
One of my actual dreams of seeing someone reacting to AC5 music is finally achieved, and it's even better that it is you !
Ice cage mission got a very nice ost aswell, depite not having the powerful chords etc, it still gets the feeling of the mission just right.
Kind regards from France :D
Fun fact 15 years ago is also a reference to Ace Combat Zero as this game takes place 15 years after the Belkan war, the events depicted in AC0. And funly enough a slightly different version of this theme is heard in the intro cinematic of AC5 while the narrator character Albert Genette (a reporter of the national broadcasting corporation of Osea, the US equivalent of Strangereal) gives a backstory through this monologue:
15 years ago, there was a war.
Well, war has broken out here plenty of times before.
They've tried to invade the southlands through the northern valley time and time again. Luck was never on their side, though, and their victories didn't last long.
They didn't realize that times had changed. Facing one defeat after another, losing territory, and watching their nation dwindle, they built up their industrial strength to unprecedented heights and used it to wage one final battle against the world.
That was 15 years ago...
They fought ferociously but were utterly defeated. The Belkans then committed the unthinkable -- they used nuclear weapons on their own soil. Seeing this tragedy unfold before their own eyes, the victorious countries vowed to throw down their weapons.
The world was once again at peace, and thanks to them, it seemed it would last forever.
On a distant island, far away from civilization, the protectors of the peace take to the skies. (A jet flies by and the title is revealed)
Hey Marco, since you've been reacting to a lot of different songs from the ace combat franchise. Ace Combat 3 is quite different from other games.
Mind Flow is a good start :)
Sometimes I wish I could wipe the memory of playing AC5 as a kid 14 years ago and experience it for the first time again... Gods it was such a damn good game... And the music was... Phenomenal.
Can't belive I missed this reaction somehow. Love all your AC music reactions, and AC5 and its soundtrack hold special place in my heart. For me it was 18 yeras ago since hearing that music piece for the first time.
15 Years ago was one of the few game soundtracks that made me tear up, what a piece!
I don't know how you can keep your cool like that. I started crying when the melody starts as memory came flooding back to all those years ago I played 5.
Always look forward to when you listen to Ace Combat music. Ace Combat 5 had a pretty long wild in-game story, makes for a lot of variety when it comes to background music. It was the defacto ace combat game I would have recommended to friends back then and the one that got me into the franchise.
We wre getting close to the 15 years ago for ace combat 5.... and to this day still makes me cry a little.
This melody will forever mean “nostalgia” for all of those who’ve played AC, not just the ones that started playing in AC4, because it brings you back even to the early Ace combats, like the amazing AC3 (Japanese version Ofcourse) and makes me reflect in how all the stories within this franchise tie up together, seems like the nostalgia of playing all the games… since we were very young.., in other thoughts, does any one recognize the AC2 motif in the horn section that preludes the choral part in the Razgriz theme, just now, while invaded by the feelings of nostalgia being brought by this melancholic piano… when Marco switch to AC5’s main theme in order to contrast the main theme, those horns are the same that can be heard being played in AC2 last mission at the beginning
15 years ago? Time to break out my tissues! Hearing it on the final mission as the whole squadron is reflecting on everything is so powerful to me. Its just so full of hope and gives that feeling that everything will be just fine. Plus it plays as the sun is rising on new years after everyone has been fighting non stop through the night. I dont think I can handle putting it on while watching the sunrise on a mountain lol.
It takes about 3 notes for this to start bring tears to my eyes. I know it comes up earlier in the game but to me this tune brings memories of after you've defeated the Belkan squadrons, the last thing between you and the falling satellite. You then get a moment while you're flying to the decent point to reflect back on the game. The people that have died in the war, friends and allies included, those that chose to defect and join you and the lives the characters will return to once the job is done. It's a beautiful, sad and melancholic piece.
Such a beautiful song. Thank you for reacting to it!
Yay! i've been waiting for this one for a while. So iconic.
I just gave Unsung War a listen earlier why you gotta make me double cry bro
I love that you took a listen to this piece! Such an effective and emotional accompaniment to the cutscene it occurs in (which reflects on the events of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War). Love how gently the strings cradle the piano throughout the melody; the piano alone is gorgeous to listen to but I think what really gives it that emotional push is how well the strings complement it.
Thank you for doing a react to another Ace Combat song!
Such an insane song ❤ And Nagase is life
Thank you for checking yet another AC5 soundtrack! I love how Keiki Kobayashi knows just how powerful and iconic that Unsung War motif is. You can even hear it in 'Zero'!
Btw, another rendition of that motif that you should check is 'Peace (Epilogue)', which is the piece featured in the epilogue scene of the game.
Damn, I left a comment on another vid in the playlist saying he should just take a listen in his free time to this one and didn’t think it’d be on the channel 😂
"15 Years ago....there was a war....."
This is why I think ACE 5 is the best ACE story wise. I legit cried when a character dies.
AC4 was my first Ace Combat game but 5 was my favorite by far. Such a great and emotional game, would not expect that from a jet flight sim.
I 100% recommend the Epilogue track from AC: Zero. It's almost an entirely Spanish Guitar version of Zero and fits so well as the final song in the game. Prologue is also great in that it's more setting the stage of the game according to the Journalist's accounts of the Demon Lord.
fr I absolutely love the epilogue track. The perfect piece to cap off an amazing game
Everyone likes the big dog and bossfight songs, but 15 years ago has been my favorite Ace Combat song since i first played AC5 all those years ago.
It's not an exaggeration to say AC5 changed my life when i played it as a kid, and i still routinely listen to the soundtrack and play through it at least once a year.
This song plays twice that i know of in the game, the first is in a cutscene where your squadron is flying to an airbase to take command of some rookies. Your wingman nagase is reminiscing about being a rookie herself. The second time is in the final mission, if you take out the first enemy wave quick enough. "I see light to the east, dawn is breaking"
Ace Combat my beloved
This track was always very special to my heart. It reminds me back to Christmas 2004 where my Dad bought me this game. He never liked video games, but let me play this at home while the family went out for the holidays. I reminisce playing this without a care in the world.
The AC5 soundtrack never fails to give me goosebumps.
This is also the same leitmotif they used in the announcement trailer to Ace Combat 7.
Which was a good sign.
1:45 ここからのフレーズが一番好き。「君のやってきたことは上手くいった。どうか安心すると良い。」と言われているようだ。
Still after all this time, I hear this music and am taken back to opening this game from my dad. It was the first game that he bought me for PS2 to get me to play something other than GTA (It was 2008 so I believe I was playing GTA:SA and I was 11ish). I fell in love with this franchise from just the first few missions. The music, the story and that fact that my father was sitting there with me through it, experiencing it with me. We bought 4 and Zero shortly after that. This music still raises my hairs of just feels. I'm actually fixing my old PS2 to introduce my wife to the game that gave me my Gamertag. Thank you for sharing this with us and I look forward to more of your content. Sorry I am a year late to the party
No such a thing as late. You’re right on time!
Ace Combat 5 was when the series really nailed its musical identity, not to say the previous games didn’t have bangers but I felt like this was when Keiki and the music team really stepped up their game
This is my favourite song in the ace combat series. I always shed a tear listening to it. I love AC5 so much that i managed to hunt the official soundtrack for CD along with Front Mission 5.
I play 15 years ago often when i am in FFXIV. The bard performance is an awesome feature, albeit limited.
One of my favourite OST in the whole franchise!
Can't wait for the Journey home (on radio) from Ace Combat 5!
Love your videos, Marco. Keep it up!
I always loved AC5 music. It all ties together form start to end and fits each part. I love that you hear parts of each squadrons main theme in this.
This song, The Journey Home in mission 27 with that radio effect on it, and the Unsung War are the holy trinity of Ace Combat 5 songs, they’re so good and perfectly fit their respective atmospheres
actually, 15 Years Ago plays well before The Unsung war in-game, it plays during an explanation of the events of the Belkan war, whereas the latter is used as the musical backdrop for a (really impressive) grand finale. the timing for the use of this song is absolutely perfect though 👌
The best place, in game, that this is used is during the Final Mission.
If you finish the enemies off before the timer runs down, 15 Years Later starts up and your wingmen chatter between each other.
Then, the timer runs down and it cuts.
"Ocka Neiba to the Ghosts of Razgris! The SOLG had decended to an altitude low enough for you to attack. I know you can do this, DESTROY IT!"
Then Unsung War kicks in.
It's a powerful set of emotions and has stuck with me even years after I played the game myself.
As someone who just recently played this game, i can say that it's the best ace combat game. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster.
PS: when it comes to music trcaks from ace combat 5, you should listen to "the journey home" and possibly "white bird part 2"
Despite being listed later on the OST, I believe "15 Years Ago" is actually heard fairly early, during the game's first act. (There's a section at the end of the OST that's just the cutscene music from throughout the whole game.) In fact, being the "final boss" track, Unsung War is probably the *last* time you'll hear that "Razgriz" leitmotif before the credits roll, and it's probably the outlier in terms of tone.
Looking back at the in-game tracks, the clarion call part of Unsung War shows up right away in the first mission's tracks, Shorebirds and Open War. (I think this clarion call is actually more representative of Wardog Squadron, and it shows up in many of the Razgriz tracks as a callback to Wardog.) But the actual Razgriz melody doesn't show up in game until much later, in Into the Dusk, after which is shows up increasingly often, culminating in Unsung War. So actually, now that I think about it, 15 Years Ago may actually be the *first* time in the game the player hears the Razgriz theme, or at least one of the first times.
This reminds me a lot of the work of Jo Blankenburg in the field of trailer score music. Lied vom Leben, Awakening, the Entirety of his Elysium album for Position Music come to mind.
before the unsung war plays, there's a rival squadron battle just before it. A countdown happens while this dogfight is going on. the countdown until a giant kill sattilite is de-orbited onto a capital city. once the countdown reaches zero, the rival squadron self destructs. because reasons.
HOWEVER if you kill the rivals before the countdown reaches a certian point, your squadron reflects on the missions they've been on and how they're glad the war is over. This song plays during that reflection while you wait for the kill sattilite to drop low enough for you to attack and shoot it down.
Now you must complete the emotional roller coaster with "into the dusk" in AC5
How did I miss this reaction?! I absolutely adore 15 years ago. So many songs in the AC 5 OST have the main theme, "Razgriz", sprinkled in. It's just so good. For real, if you haven't listened to the main theme from AC 5, give it a listen. Only about 1:42 long, but it just warms the soul.
If you call this place North Osea. People will yelled at you and says "This is South Belka." - Kei Nagase.
This quote pop out when I listen to this song.
_15 years ago, there was a war..._
I will take any excuse to listen to Unsung War again, so thanks. 😁
i know nothing about ace combat but the music sounds incredible
The ost for Ace Combat 4, 5, and Zero will always have a special place in my heart
Cant wait to hear the music of AC8
Belka did nothing wrong
Well said brother 🫡
The use of that Unsung War melody in Zero from AC0 surprised me the first time I heard it, hearing the Razgriz chorus in the middle of that chaos was wonderful
I would also recommend "Ace combat Zero epilogue, across the boarder" thats another really good accompanying song to the main theme
This was one of the only games i ever played on console. Still brings me back.
Really awesome.
15 years ago.. there was a war
Into the Dusk uses the same motif as this, but is so much sadder, especially if you know the context of why the song is being played.
(if you know, you know)
Merlon - Ace Combat Zero i like a lot
One of my faves
Imagine playing the game while listening to the soundtrack........
I knew you'd listen to this one eventually. It's so sad, makes me tear up nearly every time. So sad for the story as well.
I'm sure others have informed you, but I'll do it as well. There's a lot of talk about the Nation Belka, for what it represented and what it did. Long story short, Belka as a nation was really separated into North and South. The founding and true Belka was in the north, while the newer and less historic region was in the south. In the war, Belka was losing. The allied forces were advancing from the south. Once it got bad enough, South Belka stopped fighting and surrendered. The North Belkan's saw this as a betrayal, and with their backs against the wall... they did it. They dropped seven nukes on their own soil, some on cities, to stop the allied advance.
That's why this is so sad. I can't even imagine something like that happening.
This song hits WAAAY harder when it shows up in the end mission..
Ooh listen to the Moscow orchestra’s piece in the game! It’s super awesome!!!
Warsaw Philharmonic?
Man... I really, really want (and probably all Ace Combat fans!) want a remake of AC4, AC5, AC ZERO, AC7 and available for all platforms... I would play those for the rest of my life!!!
Megalith Agnus Day from AC 4 still has a special place in my heart!
Should be listening to Galm 2's theme from Zero, too, if we want to talk about contrastingly themed tunes, too.
I hope you get to react to The Journey Home! (Maybe even both versions?) It is one of my brother and I's favorite track from this game!
You should give a listen to a few more tracks from Project Wingman as well.
You could even listen to them in pairs, because Deadalus isn't the same without Midnight Light. Showdown + Peacekeeper I is also a beautiful combination. There's also a video on youtube of Kings combined with the next track, Coronation, with dialogue from the game laid over it.
I see light to the east, morning's coming....
Going dark aren't we. Try Comona. That should lightened up the mood 👍
You already listened to the unsung war, now it was 15 years ago, only one song is missing from this mission: "Winter Storm" a somewhat underappreciated but still very good music, that completes this last mission
Im curious how'd you react seeing the Game trailers and intros. Since they use the same music but with combined visuals. and give you those little context pieces as well. See how they may change or reaffirm your analysis
i see a bass in the background! would love to see you play it sometime. :)
Good one, Marco. Now waiting for Into The Dusk 😂
If there's a song that will make a guy shed a manly tear, it's this one.
It is definitely raining indoors right now...
I cryed when I hear blue skies from AC 4