The developers of Ace Combat 7 reached a point where compromise was no longer an option. Without a truly cathartic moment, the experience felt incomplete, so they chose to rework parts of an almost finished game.

The Ace Combat series has never been truly mainstream, yet anyone who has spent time with it knows how emotionally powerful it can be. Music has always been central to that identity, elevating intense aerial combat into unforgettable moments. This was especially true for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, which was originally planned for a 2017 release but ultimately launched two years later. While improved use of Unreal Engine 4 played a role, another key factor was the feeling that the game still lacked a defining emotional peak.

The Moment They Refused to Let Go

Although it may sound unusual for an arcade-style flight game, epic tone is fundamental to Ace Combat. Near the end of development, producer Kazutoki Kono felt something essential was missing. He found the solution where the series has always excelled: in music. An entire mission was rewritten to guarantee at least one moment capable of delivering genuine catharsis. “I realized I didn’t get goosebumps. If it doesn’t move me, it won’t move anyone else,” Kono explained, adding that everything was technically ready, yet impossible to ship without that emotional response.

He then contacted composer Keiki Kobayashi with a single request: a masterpiece. According to Kono, Kobayashi accepted without hesitation. “He said ‘understood.’ No complaints. He sent a draft with notes, and we recorded it immediately.” The result was Daredevil, now one of the most iconic tracks in Ace Combat 7. The delay was not caused solely by this decision, but reworking a nearly finished game was a major risk, reflected even in the track’s name. “Adding music after release is madness. That’s why we called it Daredevil,” Kono stated.

What matters most is that an entire mission was choreographed around the music. Action, drama, and sound converge in a single climax. Spoilers ahead: the defining moment arrives when Trigger destroys the final Arsenal Bird, delivering the decisive blow to Erusea. Originally lacking shields, the aircraft was redesigned in missions 12 and 19 to feel nearly invincible, allowing the final version to perfectly synchronize dialogue, action, and music. Daredevil ultimately ensured that at least one of the twenty missions delivered true emotional payoff.

Source: 3djuegos