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.
