Best Trailers of E3 2021
It’s often said that the best part of any Superbowl isn’t the matchup on the field but the million-dollar per minute commercials. I’m not sure if that’s true but I do know that this year’s E3 was all about the trailers. Absent the auditoriums of screaming fans, celebrity cameos and live technical snafus, the show’s glitter and glam rested entirely on those forward-facing showcases designed to whet the appetite for what’s to come, while invariably unleashing torrents of digital ink excoriating one company or another for their worst appearance ever.Â
The truth is that, some legit disappointments and missteps aside, gamers have a lot to look forward to even if only most of the games come to fruition and hit their targets. Here, in no particular order, are some of the best trailers from this all-virtual E3.
Elden Ring (Bandai Namco)
Fans looking forward to From Software’s highly anticipated collaboration between Dark Souls guru Hidetaka Miyazaki and fantasy master George R.R. Martin got two things they’ve been salivating for: extended gameplay footage and a release date (January 21, 2022). In typical From fashion, there was just enough ambiguity to keep legions of commentators guessing about what it all means for many months to come.
Far Cry 6 (Ubisoft)
Far Cry 6 is no surprise, nor is the master-class level acting of Giancarlo Esposito, but the dramatic new cinematic trailer revealed at the Ubisoft Forward event reminded us how good that game could potentially be.
Redfall (Xbox/Bethesda)
I don’t know about anyone else, but this upcoming vampire-slayer action game gave me serious Buffy flashbacks with its combination of snarky wit and ensemble of distinctive characters. By the look of it, vampires are going to be the new zombies, with at least two Bloodlines: The Masquerade-based games coming out in the next year or so.
Guardians of the Galaxy (Square Enix)
The general consensus of the interwebs is that Square Enix’s showing at E3 was one of the more lackluster events of the show. That said, there were some surprises, maybe no more so than the new trailer for the upcoming (October 2021) Guardians of the Galaxy game, which looks like it comes at least close to hitting the mark for fans of the Marvel comics and/or films.
Battlefield 2042
After a lot of negative press and fan ire over the semi-debacle that was Battlefield V, Battlefield 2042 looks to be a return to violent form, with a trailer bursting with high tech war toys and a stratospheric body count.
Metroid Dread (Nintendo)
Despite the Nintendo presentation having all the excitement and production values of a corporate training film, in between segments on where the restrooms were located and how to contact human resources, it managed to wake us up long enough to care about the sequel to Breath of the Wild, Mario Golf and best of all, the first 2D Metroid game in over fifteen years.
This is only a small sample. Rocksmith+ and Just Dance 2022 reminded us that music games are still a thing and Avatar might be on our radar again. The dinosaurs of Jurassic Park are coming out of extinction once more for Jurassic World Evolution 2 and Mario+Rabbids will be saving the galaxy, or at least the Sparks.
The Outer Worlds 2 (Xbox/Bethesda)
Let’s end with the hilariously self-serious and perfectly pitched trailer for The Outer Worlds 2, a sequel to an action game known for its imaginative stories and sense of ironic humor.
Do you agree with our list of best trailers of E3? Did we miss one? What was your favorite trailer from this years all virtual event? Let us know in the comments below, or give us a shout on Facebook and Twitter.
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