FAQ: What was the best trailer from E3 2014? .

Now that E3 is behind us we started talking around the office about the good, the bad, and the meh. The one thing that really brought us all together was talk trailers and gameplay videos. We all had our own thoughts on which were the best.

 

 

The Division Cinematic Trailer

The Division has been keeping us on the edge of our seats since it was first revealed at E3 2013. But it was this year’s cinematic trailer that grabbed everyone by the heartstrings. For a minute and a half it goes through the heart wrenching story of loss that just one corner of New York City saw. It goes through a time lapse video of the city falling apart, you really feel the desperation deep down. And then, redemption. A group of heroic 20 somethings save the day, at least for one man. But you know deep down that this is a scene being repeated all across the city. You know that The Division is a story of hope and survival.

 

 

Halo 5: Guardians Trailer

The hallmarks of a good trailer vary from one person to another. For me, it’s all about being in the moment and nothing can do that better than the right score. I’ve watched plenty of the E3 2014 trailers… I’ve seen some fantastic games. Seeing as my number one MMO is already covered in the list, it falls to me to pick between two.

Either the Assassins Creed Unity trailer with the gorgeously done “Rule the World” by Lorde really setting the tone…. or the one that got the best reaction. I haven’t played Halo in years. Even now though, that score… that music. It’s a highway to all the right parts of my brain.

Nothing ever lasts forever sings Lorde as Assassins do their stabby bit. I don’t know… it seems like that little pavlovian response for Halo will.

Fable Legends Gameplay

E3 2014 was full of mad hype, but if I were to pick one game among the many great titles shown on stage, it’d have to be Fable Legends. I’ve always been fond of the Fable series, with its rich gameplay and witty fairytale-ish delivery. I have to admit, I’m a bit skeptical about its sudden transition to the multiplayer world from its storydriven roots; but along with that big chunk of doubt lies a lot of excitement and hype. I can’t wait to get back in the world of Albion, and hopefully uncover another world worthy of my time and effort.

No Man’s Sky Gameplay Trailer

In all honesty, I must say that I do prefer cinematic trailers over gameplay trailers. Nonetheless, I was quite taken by the No Man’s Sky Gameplay trailer of E3 2014. Simply because it was three minutes of uninterrupted gameplay never before seen of the game. I really dig the art style, vibrant colors, the abundance of flora and fauna and an epic grand scale space gameplay. What makes it better, all of it is seemingly procedurally generated. I can’t wait to try the game out for myself. In terms of exploring the final frontier that is space, I believe No Man’s Sky will definitely spike everybody’s curiosity.

 

Dead Island 2 Trailer

I have been extremely torn between games I think will turn out to be extremely fun and deciding which is truly the best trailer. I’m an avid fan of the Witcher series and Geralt looked particularly scrumptious in the latest trailer, but that’s not going to cut it. Sunset Overdrive may be one of the few reasons to go for XBOX One after all (PC Master Race), and the main character at least doesn’t look like a Copy of a Copy of a Copy (thanks, Trent) of all the other main characters announced this year, but even though it was fun, it wasn’t the best. My vote will go to Dead Island 2, because they’ve undeniably ‘done it again’. This is exactly the type of material you want to show your gamer friends, non-gamer friends, and maybe even your parents. Massive viral potential and great fun. It played like a short film, and shows insight and knowledge of their primary audience and makes viewers want to watch until the end. Think about it for a moment: how few game trailers make you wonder about the ending. Most just showcase all the elements of their game without creating a story around it. “You are the hero”, “Save the world!” Yes, we know. Dead Island already performed this great feat with their first game which turned a gimmick into an engaging drama. They weren’t asking you to be the hero, or to save the world. They were presenting you with an experience, and a powerful one. The first video inspired a great audience to try the game. While the title wasn’t exactly a massive success, it provided a game studio with a chance to create more and better content next time. That in my book is absolutely worth it, especially when a studio shows that they have humor. That’s why Dead Island 2 is the best video for E3 in 2014.

FIFA 2015 Gameplay Trailer

Surprisingly and unexpectedly, this was the game that me gave the goosebumps. Not capital G, though, but it was enough to impress me. It wasn’t just because it’s football season, but “feel the game” really got me. The copy for the trailer was really well-written I might actually think it was solely intended to reawaken my inner sport fangirlism. Which is very apt, since EA Sports’s new FIFA 15 game is boasting how ‘emotionally’ charged the AIs in the game could be. “But one magic moment lives in our hearts… forever.” I was only watching the gameplay trailer, but I wanted to grab any banner-looking cloth at home and wave it like crazy… as if I was part of crowd, holding my breath while watching the ball sweep past players in slow-mo and into the goal. I already quite forgot I was watching a 3D animated gameplay trailer—it was that crisp, that realistic. This, coming from someone who had only played a FIFA game on PC 6 years ago. Once. I think FIFA 15’s trailer had managed to pack whatever new offerings they have in this two-minute trailer: beautiful graphics, very animated and emotional characters, that goosebumps-inducing crowd reaction… Feel the game. That, I did.

E3 pulled on heartstrings, used some well timed football hype, and we got to see the next generation of games headed our way. Opinions were divided and everyone seems to be excited for something different. But we want to know what your favorite was.