u/SpecificDish9203

It's been almost a year but it's done.

So I was just checking out different stuff at the main menu (I was bored) and in the process I went over to the "Credits section". At the bottom, they mention their "licensing partners" aka The People who they had to pay to use their planes in the game. Strangely enough, I found only 3 companies, the ones you see in the picture. Seeing that they only have American Aircraft listed as "licensed" products. Does this mean that the other European or asian aircraft in the game (Gripen, Rafale, Borame, J-10, J-20, Tornado etc.) aren't licensed or they are and aren't mentioned in the credits.

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I know Russian aircraft are definitely not licensed and it's most likely not a big issue since No Major military franchise that has Russian vehicles or Weapons ever licenses them either (Battlefield, Ace Combat etc.), but I doubt The European aircraft can simply be "Put" into the game without repercussions or I'm missing something.

I don't think Chinese aircraft may appear since AC is a japanese Based IP after all but then again, I'd like to hear your opinions.

I don't know if either anyone else didn't notice or didn't feel like this needed attention but the way these shots are mirrored feels so Significance imo.

So the first scene is from the first mission when Gracemeria is invaded and We see Garuda 1 Aka Talisman Alongside the rest of the entire Air force Fly to defend Gracemeria Except Tailsman Has no wingman so shamrock is assigned as his wingman.

The 2nd scene is when the Emmerian air force starts to take back Gracemeria From Estovakia and here we see the Strigon team, preparing to take them on. Except Pasternak tells his peers to Go off and he decides to take them on himself.

Now let me compare.

First of all the 2 scenes feel way too similar in both how the aircraft form up to the Main leader, 2nd both scenes happen when you have the Main Team Fight to defend the same city.

Except there are a few differences here too.

The first scene focuses on both Tailsman and Shamrock when they fight for Gracemeria and we see an entire Fleet of aircraft also joining the fight.

But in the second scene, the Camera immediately focuses on Pasternak exclusively while everyone else is basically sidelined in a way. Most likely to foreshadow as to who's actually going to join the fight.

The other thing is that in the first scene, showing the entire Air force fighting for Gracemeria, showcases the importance of the fight, the bright blue skies and the somewhat positive atmosphere we see, it's all to give us that dramatic heroic anime Scene as the Heroic warriors fight to protect their city and their Countrymen.

But the second Scene is the complete opposite, The Yellow sky, smoggy atmosphere just showcases The depressing atmosphere, Strigon is fighting to defend Gracemeria but the thing is, You can just feel the Futile nature of this scene.

Why do they want to fight for a city that isn't theirs, even the fact that it's only them and not the entire Estovakian air force, just them and the leader in a Prototype Super plane (The only one too), it shows their desperate nature, the loneliness of the situation and the lack of morale right there and again, the camera focusing on the Nosferatu is to symbolize how there's nothing left for them except this one plane and the man in the cockpit. While The first scene showed the entire Emmerian air force showing multiple aircraft is obviously the complete opposite of this.

Not to mention how Both Garuda 1, Garuda 2 and Strigon 1 and Strigon 2 feel like mirrors of each other while still feeling opposites. Well, at least Strigon 2 and Garuda 2 feel like that. Shamrock had A wife and kid while Strigon 2 had a Girlfriend and in what I find to be unholy amounts of irony, Even when Emmerian won, shamrock lost his wife and kid while Strigon 2 Finally got married to his girlfriend. Even though Estovakia lost.

Ah well, enough ranting I suppose lmao.

I didn't unlock everything yet (I'll Probably unlock it all later)

but I finally did unlock the Fenrir by playing on ACE.

Personal Thoughts?

Pretty damn fun game ngl, the gun is kinda hard to use and the controls can be something to get used to but the game is pretty great though it does burn me out quick.

The story is kinda meh, seems to be some kind of attempt to criticize the Military industrial complex from what I can understand with the whole wanting to increase arms exports thing.

the missions are Great although some of them are pretty Freakin annoying (looking at you, Diversion and 07C).

The enemies (especially at ACE difficulty) are Absolute Diabolical, They're stuck to your tail like glue, You can't commit to one Bandit without getting Pinged by another one. the stealth fighters are especially Annoying to go against since they don't show up on datalink unless you have the noise pointed in their vicinity. The Missiles are your standard AC missiles, useless as hell unless the Enemy is Flying straight or you're in a head-on and God Forbid if you fly against Alect Squadron.

The Glepnir is pretty freaking badass when it comes to flying fortresses, way more Intimidating looking than any flying Super weapon I've seen. the Messon cannons were almost pretty damn cool to go against and I wouldn't mind seeing them or a variation of them come back in future AC games. The dialogue is Meh, Aside from the fact that everyone has a southern accent (Friend of mine thought the game was about a fictional Modern American Civil War cuz of the accents).

The Branching game paths is also a very unique and nice idea, I liked that the game had 2 different endings to it. (I liked the End of deception I ending, the aftermath cutscene specifically).

The Music is also pretty nice, my favorites are:

1. In Pursuit (Destroying the jammers in Mt. Nevara)

2. Unknown 2 (Night raid on the airbase)

3. Alect Squadron.

4. End of deception.

I liked the futuristic tone the game had since it takes place in 2020 and is pretty close to AC3, hence you see many futuristic aircraft in the hanger.

The game's Big bad super fighter, The Fenrir is definitely in my Top 10 when it comes to fictional fighters. Looks so damn badass, and he's a THICC Boi, very THICC.

probably the biggest Fighter jet in the game's history.

aside from that, I'd love to try the PS2 games but The LAG man, the Lag made them unplayable. I only tried to run AC 04 but it was basically unplayable. Right now, I'm planning on playing AC 3, the Japanese version is what I've heard is the best version. I was thinking of Downloading Joint Assault but from what I've heard, it's not great.

Welp, that's all, just wanted to share my thoughts lol. Have a great day, God bless.