Best Debut Trailers of E3 (Part Two ~ Ranking 10-1)

Let us continue with ranking the best trailers at E3, shall we? And for those that have yet to check out the part one, go ahead and click here to get caught up. Go ahead. I'll wait right here until you do....

You good? Alright, cool. Now, let's get going with the top ten.

10. Tomb Raider

I admit. I played this game for the PlayStation (original PlayStation that is) for about a half hour and was not very pleased. I tried playing the sequels only to reach the same conclusion. Can't say I didn't try. Hearing about the reboot of the series had me interested; however, those flashbacks of being bored and confused still lingered. All that was washed away upon viewing the new and much improved origin story in Tomb Raider. Fanboy status confirmed. 

9. Beyond: Two Souls

Quantum Dream had already established a reputation for complete immersion through advanced technical graphics and focus on character development. Beyond: Two Souls was a further step in that direction. By bringing in a real actress in Ellen Page, this was more than just a game; it created a unique experience for players to get lost in.  

8. Rain

For those that remember this title, it was one of the most unforgettable debuts let alone games seen at E3. Rain created an atmospheric world rife with enemies and despair while dowsing up with a sprinkle of hope (sorry, I couldn't help myself). Players were only able to see the protagonist and characters during a downpour in a lonely, small town. All the boy wanted was to find and rescue his friend. Upon his journey, he got much more than he bargained for.

7. The Phantom Pain

Moby Dick Studios? Hey, it fooled me. Although by the end of this hospital visit from hell (literally) it was clear there was a very familiar inhabitant: Solid Snake. I mean Big Boss... You know who I'm talking about! Yet questions still remained as to how he ended up there, who his buddy was and why the government tried to keep everything on the hush. Forever. Kojima created such a masterpiece. Konami, you get a high five too.

6. Unravel

*Grab tissue and blows nose* Alright now that that's out of the way, I can continue. The moment this adorable title was...unraveled at E3 (I know, bad joke), gamers in attendance all declared their love for main character, Yarny. Now I know how cats feel. It has been a while since a character has jumped off the screen and into my heart; by the end of the trailer, that cute ball of animated yarn was number one on my must play list for 2016. 

5. Bioshock

Upon viewing the world premiere of the trailer, something felt different about this game. The tragic poetry spoken by Andrew Ryan, narrating this chilly title told us everything we needed to know. Funny thing is we just didn't know it yet. Its only until after the player completes this game do they understands the often uttered phrase "Would You Kindly?" Kevin Levine...you clever, clever man, you. 

4. The Last of Us

The Last of Us demonstrated the most realistic depiction of a zombie apocalypse in less than five minutes. Amazing. Naughty Dog is known for their meticulous attention to detail. Even though this was not the final build, all the aspects were there: crinkling of shoes over broken glass, concerned and intelligent AI (finally), an intuitive and likable side kick in Ellie and brutally, realistic combat mechanics. In a rare moment in gaming, players were not taking out "bad guys." The end of civilization is just not that simple. 

3. No Man's Sky

Saying that No Man's Sky had me in awe from the first scene is not doing it much justice. And to think its an indie title? A game out for my own nerd heart. After the show, I headed to YouTube and proceeded to replay the trailer back. Like three times...alright more like ten but who's counting? Take a look at this amazing title (coming out in August instead of June...boo) and you too will be amazed.

2. Mirrors Edge

A video created by EA and DICE about a free-running fugitive? Hmmm I don't know....whoa! Did she just tuck roll after leaping from a high building? Wait... now a zip-line?! Mix that all in with an intoxicating theme song and beautifully rendered (not to mention clean) landscape and you have Mirror's Edge. In my opinion, the game that reigned in the current generation's Xbox 360 and PS3 with a bang. I still get chills and nostalgic feels watching this trailer. Easily in my top five for best games I've played.

1. Gears of War

Before I begin this, I'd like to give this trailer and the cinematic sequels following it a huge standing ovation *claps furiously* 

Telling a story in a ten hour video game is tough enough. Gears of War's Mad World trailer did that and more. It spoke of the fall of humanity, the invasion of an alien race and depicted a lonely solider in his final fight for hope when all hope was lost. The background music was the final cherry on top for the feels fest. Anytime I hear this song on the radio, I flashback to how I felt when I saw this for the first time. So much emotion was stirred up in just 60 seconds. I'm not crying...you're crying! 

And that does it, folks. Do you agree with this list? Were there any I missed along the way? What was your favorite video game debut at E3? Let me know in the comment section below. Now if you will excuse me, I'll be playing back every trailer on this list. For research. Don't you judge me!

Best Debut Trailers of E3 (Part 1 ~ Ranking 20-11)

There have been several trailers shown at E3 that hit the mark on stirring both emotions and excitement in gamers everywhere. The goal of the debut trailer is to capture attention from beginning to end, creating hype for the game in 3 minutes or less; the trailers listed below hit it right out of the park.

And yes, yes I know. Some may be saying "why did he rank that trailer there? What about this game and that game?" These are the trailers I feel did the best job at not only explaining the plot but also creating a great deal of hype. So much so that my wallet literally jumped out of my pocket and ran to the nearest game store to pre-order the game. Well... not literally.

I digress. It was tough to choose the best videos given all the great games that have graced many a press conferences. Starting with #20 in this two part series, here are the best E3 trailers (IMO). And just to make things a bit easier, the following trailers were taken from E3 2007-2015. Enjoy ;)

20. Let It Die 

This game, created from the twisted minds Grasshopper Manufacture Inc, has a unique take on hack and slash RPGs: gritty, brutal and downright nasty. Initially, I had no idea what I was watching. I imagined it was a Saw action game, taking the "game" to the streets. It is safe to say this violent title would make From Software blush. Take a gander at this interesting video and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. 

19. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune 

A few seconds into this trailer triggered something familiar: Tomb Raider with a male lead. Well...sort of. It piqued my interest with the action scenes, fighting mechanics and gorgeous character animation. Not to mention Naughty Dog (duh!) The witty and courageous hero of the story really pulled this debut all together.

18. Batman: Arkham City

Looking back at past Batman games, you'd be lucky to find one that deserves the rating of great let alone good. The cult classics that appeared on Nintendo and Sega were nostalgically decent. Arkham City set the new standard. Within 90 seconds, Rocksteady showed the world exactly how the Caped Crusader should be portrayed. Casting Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill the legendary rivals was a nice tough as well.

17. Mortal Kombat X 

Two sworn enemies and original ninjas of Mortal Kombat, battling to the death in a frozen forest at nighttime? One word: yassss! The hype was real after watching these duel slug it out. With new moves and mechanics demonstrated in this CG bout, excitement was definitely in the air. And what's an MK fight without a satisfyingly gruesome ending? Well done, Ed. Well done.

16. Killer Instinct 

I dreamed of an E3 where the room would go pitch black, a mumbled buzz radiates throughout the crowd in attendance. All of a sudden gamers begin to hear the familiar duh duh duh duhduh duh dun of the epic "combo breaker" happy fighting series Killer Instinct. The dream finally came true! It was such a treat to finally see the long time rumored Rare title back with a beautiful current gen upgrade. My poor N64 controllers were worn down after hours spent mastering Ultra Combos; sorry Xbox One, you're next.

15. Abzu

Traversing the unknown waters of the ocean is terrifying to say the least. Abzu makes the journey look peaceful and harmless by comparison. Games like this is why I've been inspired to play more indie titles. Telling a story with whimsically calming music and no dialog is powerful. I can't wait to explore the mysteries underwater. In this game, of course.

14. Bloodborne

Yes, the Souls games developed by From Software gave new credence to the term "rage quit," Never has a game been so frustrating and satisfying in the same playthrough since Super Mario Bros. Old school gamers appreciate the punishing difficulty in these games. More so, the scenery, story telling and monstrous bosses that will have you crying in your controller. That is, if its not smashed into a million pieces first. 

13. Final Fantasy XIII

This is what I will call a beautiful disaster. Stay with me, here. The trailer: beautiful graphics, gameplay and an amazing soundtrack. What had me most excited was a brief preview of the fighting system. It was fast paced and intense, a mix of turn based and real-time combat; what a great way to introduce Lightening. I've come to expect the best from the Final Fantasy series. What was shown at E3 did not let me down. What was released that had me face palming...hard. Needless to say, this had many in an awe from beginning to end.

12. Resident Evil 5

Like many games on this list, I followed the rumors, read every form thread and blog about the next installment in the Resident Evil series. It is rare to see a series get better and better with each volume; and as a huge fan I was anxious to see what direction they would take Chris and the gang. The juxtaposition of usual RE titles beginning in a dark, desolate location or mansion was a fresh take. The hordes of zombies and masked monster swinging an axe as if it were made out of cardboard? Sign me up!   

11. The Last Guardian

Even the toughest, hardened gamers shed a manly tear after watching this trailer. Calling back to the incredible games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, it immediately warmed our hearts. The bitter sweet journey appears to be present in The Last Guardian. A young boy befriending a gentle giant as it fights to defend him against evil foe. So precious. I just have one thing to say: if the giant, adorable bird-dog ends up biting the bullet near the end, I'm so done!

So how would you rate the list so far? What games would you have included? Let me know in the comment section below. Be on the look out for part two as I count down the top ten best trailers of E3.