Ace Combat Zero: A Blind Playthrough Opinion
- Psyren
- Aug 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 24
Psyren - the newest member of the Skyward Flight Media content creation team - has started a playthrough of the so-called "Holy Trinity of Ace Combat" games. The three games released on the Sony PlayStation 2 which defined what the Ace Combat Series is perceived as. Rather than someone that is a veteran of the series that is overly familiar with these beloved games, Psyren has the fresh point of view of someone that only played Ace Combat 7 (2019). This is the first entry in a mini-series of his thoughts on the three games.
Thoughts on Ace Combat Zero
As I’ve only ever played Ace Combat 7 and never played any of the older Ace Combat games some of my fellow staff members thought it would be a good idea for me to go play these high praised titles. Now as I say I played AC7 I really only just “played it” half mindedly and gave no attention to the actual story (so cruel of me, right?) So, I wanted to hold myself to a standard of actually taking time to play such previous titles to see where the appreciation of them comes from in hopes of getting better enjoyment when I return to AC7 and when I touch Ace Combat 8.
My Overall Experience
So, I must say that going in blind I was very excited. I made it a strong point that I wanted little to know ahead of time before jumping into to play Ace Combat 0. The only thing I was made aware of was when this takes place in terms of timeline and how the story would be told like a documentary. While those were great to watch, my favorite thing was reading the Assault Records. These to me described the world extremely well. It had me just wanting to learn more about everyone and anyone.
Getting the emulation running was easy. The only major help I did need was learning controls, which with the help of Cubeboy was greatly appreciated. He even watched me play the first few missions helping get an understanding of just how certain special weapons work and the buying/selling of things. Besides that I played this game very casually. I felt if I knocked it out all in one or two sittings it would take away from the real experience I was searching for.
Some of my most favorite missions were the long drawn out ones. The need of having to go and rearm really put resource management to the test a bit. That on top of no checkpoints, which I loved. Be cruel, punish the player regardless. It kept me in check to be mindful of how I played. Then I remember when I first flew holding my controller differently. I’m not sure how common it is but the way I started holding it was clawing the right side. My index finger on triangle, middle finger on R1, and ring on R2. This helped me feel like I had fluid control of the aircraft and how I dogfight. There was an exact moment when I first flew like this that when I was dogfighting it felt like a true dance. Before it felt like each fight was like a chase of some sort but I had found that rhythm. No thought, just movement. I started smiling and laughing to myself from the feeling of just enjoyment.
I didn’t use many aircraft during my playthrough but for the ones I did they felt very unique. Each being tailored to certain roles and playstyles. My personal favorite being the Gripen, being truly biased. I flew it the moment I could and truly loved it. That being said I can’t deny that once I got the Su-37 Terminator fights with normal enemies felt so unfair. It was a true beast of the skies that never let me down.
Parts That Truly Stuck Out
Now with that all said there are some certain aspects that did truly stick out to me. Things that while playing I just couldn’t keep replaying in my head over and over again. Now they most likely aren’t things most people would latch onto but things I wanted to draw closer attention to personally.
Theme: The telling of Squads like they’re knights while also having the game mechanic Ace style was an amazing touch. This really made me feel like I as the player was choosing what path of the warrior I wanted to go. Was I as ruthless as they said I was or did I fight with knightly honour. From the Round Table to Excalibur it’s hard to miss what they wanted to go for.
Soundtrack: Now I don't think I can give higher praise to the music of this game. Hangar music to squadron music was just nothing but bangers. I would also expect nothing less from the final battle as well. Every moment fit the theme extremely well and evoked me to feel the drama. When the squadrons flew in and I heard that guitar hit I knew the fight was on. It's one of the things I think most people really overlook nowadays whenever they discuss a game. Sure the mechanics of how said enemy fights may be critical but what really puts the player’s mindset where the developer wants it to be is music.
Pixy: So I must say after finishing the game and learning how everyone sees Pixy as the best rival, I just can’t see it. My opinions on him didn't dawn on me until the second phase of the fight with him. Hearing his ideals and side comments he was making were just so contradicting. It was almost like a child was trying to talk to me about themselves and just couldn't make up their mind. It would’ve made more sense for him to act this way post war, and instead double down harder on his ideals during the fight. Almost like the fight with you helped him realize the error of his ways.
With everything put together I’m really glad I played this game. I feel like I finally have a foothold of what the Ace Combat world is. I’m already eyeing up the next game to play with such glee and ready to dive even deeper into the franchise.
About the Writer
A passionate enthusiast of military aviation and history, Psyren discovered a deep fascination with the power and stories behind combat aircraft in 2020. This passion drives them to learn about the aircraft, the aviators, and the key turning points that have shaped the course of military aviation over time. [Read Profile]
