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. 

Violence With A Purpose

Violence in video games...I know. So revolutionary right? It seems like we revisit this topic time and time again like it were clockwork. Conservative types and parental units fear they turn precious youth into psychopathic, brainless murder machines. We gamers are hardly that dramatic. Let's face it. We're used to it.

And when I say "it" I am referring to both the gruesome nature of the game of choice and the constant criticism of our entertainment. Is it a bad thing? Is it terrible that we rush to our local game stores, preorder and wait in line during a midnight launch of Bloodborne knowing of the content prior to the experience? If I were to answer the question it would be a no. Actually, a "hell no!" There are several reasons mature titles are enjoyed by us all. 

Look at this painting below:

What do you see? Those with a myopic view will simply state "that painting is violent! Outrage!" Broaden your view, if you will. Take in the colors, the shading, the intricate detail and story this piece delivers to the viewer. That, in a nutshell, is the point I am trying to make here. Gamers see more than just the blood and gore and violence of the game; the predictable mass will parody one another's opinion and simply repeat the same simple statement, calling for bans and fines and censorship. 

Take the newest game to spark such controversy: Hatred. For those that don't know the game I am referring to, go ahead and Google it. I'll wait....ok fine. Here's a trailer of this polarizing title below. Warning...this video is very graphic:

Just to give a little background, let's take a step back and briefly explain the story of Hatred: A man is on a mission to kill everyone. Yup. That's it. It's not to save his wife from a kidnapper. It's not to enact revenge on a longtime foe. He just wants to kill. Everyone. Period. After this piece hit the interwebs, the floodgates burst open and soon everyone had an opinion. I'm sure you can guess who was for and against such an intense, dark game.

Scanning through the comments on forums and YouTube, it wasn't to my surprise that several people came out in droves to support the game. Many were excited something like this was created. But why? A man kills innocents and the boys in blue who's job it is to protect and serve the people. My answer is this: gamers live to protect the games they love. 

It wasn't too long ago that the Grand Theft Auto series fell into the same boat. With the famous line of "a game that depicts the violence against hookers women in games" went viral. Female groups, politicians and everyone in between began to voice strong opinions to remove the game from store shelves. Some were successful (Oh, Australia...tsk tsk tsk). However, it was the infamous "Hot Coffee" mini game gave San Andreas most of its negative press. It became the only GTA game to receive an AO rating. 

Since its June 1st release, all eyes have been on Hatred. The ESRB didn't hesitate to slap the AO rating on this one. And they are correct in doing so. Let me explain...I believe in freedom of expression. I played and still enjoy the Gears of War series, Mortal Kombat, Grand Theft Auto, Bioshock Infinite, Hotline Miami and The Last of Us. All have their fair share of violent content. Yet there is a big difference between these games mentioned and Hatred: the premise, story and characters.

I love games that have incredible dialogue, unforgettable characters and are story driven. The violence within takes a backseat to a world that plays with your emotions and makes you think about decisions you make. Hatred does not have any of that. Hatred is a game with a violent premise, story, character and environment (You "execute" innocent victims to regain health, for Pete's sake!). No pathos or ethos. No underdog or antihero sentiment. Just a game that wants to take the first amendment and stretch it as far as it possibly can.

Pardon my French, but this pisses me off.

And this is what the creators want. They want people up in arms for and against this title. It puts the spotlight on them; this creates a name for them. Yet this is the very thing that gives "violent video games" a bad name. Without answering the "why" for a character to carry out such sickening acts on unarmed innocent AI who beg for their lives, more crap gets shoveled on top of the gaming community. Having said that, if people want to pick this up and play it, do it. No one should stop those of age from wanting to enjoy this game.

I'll give you an example:

I hate mushrooms on pretty much everything. You name it. I hate them. A man, let's call him Jim (sorry to the Jims who read this) enjoys them on his pizza. Just because I think they are disgusting does not give me the right to slap the pizza out of his hand. It's his choice to eat it. "Protecting" him from the mushrooms he loves does him no good. Those that deny others from enjoying something they love for their own self righteous reasons are wrong. 

Will I play this game? Of course not. As I mentioned earlier in this post, it fails to meet my interest of an epic story, character development and sincere emotional string tugging. Its just a brute slaughtering folks for fun. The main appeal of the game is on shock value alone. Attacking civilians that are ill equipped to defend themselves is morbid in my eyes. Not my cup of tea. 

As I write this, the game is being enjoyed by thousands of gamers everywhere. For those that do, I just have this to say: please game responsibly. I do not ask that you share my opinions. I'm just a gamer defending what, at times, can't (or shouldn't) be defended. 

Missing: Have You Seen These Games?

Over the years, watching E3, gaming award shows and internet specials, groundbreaking and exciting video game titles have been announced. These were a mix of next-gen experiences and soon-to-come titles from well-known developers. Unfortunately, as with many anticipated titles, they were hit with delays....and more delays...and another delay.... (Damn, will these games ever be released?) I thought this and asked my computer screen this question; well, screamed is more like it. 

And the frustrations continued until, ultimately, these big budget titles faded into the background; these were replaced by other addicting and amazing games that tided me over until I thought, "wait, wasn't that one game supposed to come out right about now? Where is it?" I'm sure many of you will have the same reaction as I go through this list.

These were the titles that were top of mind soon after wondering what was missing (after being promised for like EVER) from developers. I've even given my predictions of their status for the future: It's Alive, Life Support and Vaporware. Let's dive right in shall we?

Cyberpunk 2077

This futuristic, RPG title from CD Projekt Red (the creators of The Witcher Series) was first seen by gamers in 2012 with an estimated release in 2016. Being a sci-fi fan, the geek in me could not be contained. I wondered when I would be able to dive in the cyberpunk universe, especially with such a flashy debut trailer. However, this was the last time any gameplay or trailer footage would be shown.

As of today, the title is currently being put on the backburner as CD Projekt Red focuses on The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. In an interview with Gamespot, developer Michal Platkow-Gilewski gave a short response about Cyberberpunk:

"Everyone is working crazy hard to give gamers around the world an RPG to remember. Worry not, Cyberpunk 2077 is OK, it’s time will come."

Since that interview in early 2015, no word has been heard since.

Release date: Unknown

Best Guess: December 31, 2077

Status: Life Support *Beep Beep*

Fortnite

Just the title alone will create an "Oh yeah!" moment for many reading this article. This game, developed by Epic Games, made its debut in 2011. If Team Fortress 2 and Sunset Overdrive has a baby, it would be very close to birthing Fortnite. In the game, players explore the large terrain, gather materials to build a fort and set traps to deter waves of enemies from entering the fortress. Similar to Team Fortress 2, there are several classes, each with specialized weapons and gadgets used to obliterate enemies with satisfying explosions. Sounds awesome, right? That's what I said!

Unlike the other titles listed here, this game is far from vaporware status. It was just a forgotten title, buried underneath other releases. The alpha version of the game was released in 2014, given a tentative release window in 2015. There is hope we will learn more about this game at this year’s E3 or sooner (I hope it's sooner). 

Above is recent alpha gameplay of Fortnite. Enjoy the chaos and get ready for mayhem!

Release Date: 2015

Best Guess: November 2015

Status: It's Alive!

The Last Guardian

Oh boy....where do I begin with this one? Nowadays, I refer to this game as The Lost Guardian. Gamers were treated to its debut at 2009 E3; this brought back some major feels from earlier games ICO and The Shadow of the Colossus. For those that have yet to play either of those titles, I highly recommend them. It is a feels-fest (copy written).

Like ICO, featuring a young child escorting a lady through dungeons and castles while solving puzzles, Team ICO has replaced the young lady with a large, flying creature (insert Neverending Story joke here) Both work together to defeat and avoid guards who pursue them while solving puzzles to escape danger. The game is visually stunning and soft on the eyes. Given the developer's track record, something tells me this will be another tear jerker.

Yet this game has seen several years (make that eight and counting) of delays, creating much doubt in the minds of gamers whether it is truly alive or dead in the water. It has been speculated that issues between creator Ueda and Sony have led to these setbacks; last year, a story surfaced where The Last Guardian trademark expired. In an interview with Kotaku, Ueda responded with this:

"Talks with Sony Computer Entertainment on The Last Guardian have been ironed out, and we're making progress under completely new conditions."

Sony later renewed the trademark soon after the news hit the web. Coincidence? I think not.

Release Date: Unknown

Best Guess: ????

Status: Vaporware

 Agent

To continue with the pattern of titles cast away into the land of the lost, here's one that showed some promise at E3 2009. Rockstar and Take Two created such fervor for their newest game Agent; the game takes place during the Cold War with gameplay based on co-op espionage, stealth and assassination missions. A closed beta was opened for a lucky couple of players, building more excitement for an eminent release. This all sounds pretty exciting. So what all was released to get us excited for the game? 

These four images are all that exist of Agent since its debut in 2009. In 2011, Take Two confirmed the game was still in development. Hooray! Yet...on the contrary, it was noted the trademark for Agent expired; this all but confirmed mission failed until a bright light peaked through the clouds.

In 2013, Take Two registered two new trademarks for this spy, action title. This gives hope to gamers who have been looking forward to diving into the game. Given such popular releases such as the Bioshock, Borderlands and Grand Theft Auto titles, developers have had their hands full; this is my excuse as to why there has been no further...anything about this game since 2009 (You owe me one, Take Two).

This title isn't exactly vapor ware. There is still life left, if feint at best. I guess the mission isn't yet impossible to complete (Shut up. I thought it was funny).

Release Date: Unknown

Best Guess: December 2017

Status: Life Support *Beep Beep*

 Huxley

This is an interesting gem of a game. Announced at E3 2009, it was promised to be an epic MMOFPS with marketplaces, towns to resupply before battle and players to meet for awesome co-op combat. Boasting the then high definition (and ultra-sexy) Unreal Engine 3 graphics, those in attendance were in awe of such incredible sprites. The game itself sounded very interesting: a team-based, chaotic FPS taking place in a futuristic wasteland where two factions fight for bragging rights and dominance. Pretty sweet, right?

Huxley was well on its way to materializing into a game many could get their hands on. After a closed beta in 2009 and open beta in 2010, my money was halfway out of my pocket...until some bad news came along. The Korean services for the game would be cancelled, drastically affecting development. Webzen was then later announced to self-host the title. A game changing hands mid development? Not a good sign.

To this day, the release date for the US and UK are still unknown. This gives a shred of hope to the game being more than vaporware. However, it does not seem to be much to hang onto.

Release Date: Unknown

Best Guess: ????

Status: Vaporware

Honorable Mention: Star Wars 1313

As a Star Wars fan, I was really looking forward to enjoying every minute of this next generation title. Star Wars 1313 first made its debut at E3 2012. The teaser above showed off incredible graphics, heart stopping action and nail-biting cliffhangers (literally and figuratively). The game tells the story of a young Boba Fett and his early days as a Bounty Hunter. He follows in the footsteps of his father, training to become a legend and future member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

However, after Disney purchased Lucas Arts, all those dreams of being a Star Wars Bounty Hunter slowly died (so much for the happiest place in the world). Disney did not serve gamers with smiles and joy when it was announced Star Wars 1313 was shelved until further notice.

To make matters worse, the trademark for this futuristic action title was not renewed by Disney at the end of 2013. I'm sure it just slipped their minds, right? Right?!! I digress... other than a silver lining of the game possibly being released via partnership with an outside company (Bethesda, Bioware step up!), 1313 seems more like 0000. 

Release Date: Unknown

Best Guess: ????

Status: Vaporware

So what do you guys think? Are these titles dead in the water or do they have some life still left in them with a possible release? Make sure you comment below and let your voices be heard. Until next time, folks!