Jonathan Underdown - In the Zone (Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault [2010])

Lyrics are in the captions. It’s basically the essential anime theme song for the IRL airplane pilots out there. So many different flavors of awesome here, from the optimistic lyrics depicting someone taking up flight duties for the first time, to the high-energy metal Guitar melody that simply never stops outside of a dozen seconds from the loop before playing again.

That Guitar solo near the end is also noteworthy, setting the aforementioned melody into a worthy climax. The addition of a high-impact Drum set and the Bass of well-varied pitches are just tips of the iceberg for why this track is as memorable as it is!

(Length before loop: Nearly 3.5 minutes)

Stephanie Cooke - Blue Skies [Infinity Remix] (Ace Combat Infinity [2014])

"No matter how far apart we may seem, we all live under the same wide blue sky. It connects us all." ~ legendgamer676

The lyrics are in the captions of the video linked below in either English or Spanish, it’s a legend of sound with a legacy worth keeping and listening to! It’s not just one of the few dominantly orchestral tracks to really hook me the whole way through, it’s a top-favorite legend that puts me on the verge of tears; a good melody with tangible emotion to it can go a long way to making almost anything sound appealing. To turn what was originally a chill, relaxing song of resolution from Ace Combat 04, into something more action-packed, was a serious risk that could've made fans unhappy, but oh my, did the risk pay off splendidly!

Can’t forget to mention the voices too with lyrics from the original, making it sound almost ethereal as you’re in for the mission of a lifetime. Like the track itself, it's essentially repurposed but surprisingly not all that different upon second glance, further showcasing the brilliant balance between what was changed, and what was kept. Contrary to what being in a shut-down Free-To-Play game suggests, this one’s not lost to time, as it’s also included in the multiplayer mode of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown; still a memorable battle theme for ages beyond to remember fondly.

If I had to pick which instruments gave this track the emotion behind it the most, I'd pick a top 3 consisting of the Violin in 1st place, the Trumpets in 2nd, and the Electric Guitar in 3rd. Near the 150 second mark, lies about 90 seconds of pure breathtaking brilliance that you have to hear to believe! And so, this makes for another wonderful track to be introduced to the list with. We both thrive and suffer under the skies, in the constant struggle known as life, and it's up to us to discover a clear path, in the midst of what our heads look up towards.

(Length before loop: 5.5+ minutes)

Skies Unknown (Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown [2019])

The ambience here is, as many have said, is akin to that of jet aircraft taking on and off, to the skies no less, with an atmosphere so mysterious and calming. It all lives up to the name of the game and music in spades! Not a bad track by any means, it’s just so specialized in that one area that there’s not much to talk about besides that

(Length before loop: 1+ minutes, album version has an extra 17 seconds at the end)