*CLICK. A grizzled dwarf blasts his blunderbuss at a raging Tauren as his pet bear charges to defend his master. An army of infernals charge into battle as a bleak storm brews overhead. A night elf struggles to defend herself from an orc warrior on a lush open plain. Atop a crumbling castle, a crazed wizard struggles to stun enemy advances. The hulking Tuaren smashes his totem on the ground and the title "World of Warcraft" assembles on screen.
Not too long ago, CG trailers of this quality were so rare, excitement and
anticipation overwhelmed me whenever a trailer was released or cinematic
cutscene unlocked. They were so well crafted and so scarce, cinematics were
what drew me in and what kept me playing. Blizzard and Square Enix's CG content
in particular, had such high production values they put everyone else to shame
(and still do). But now that cinematics are widely feasible by major publishers,
their quality has gone off a cliff.
What was once a unique marketing tool is now standard
practice across the AAA industry. Every major release these days has an
"epic" CG trailer somewhere in its marketing pipeline. They've become
stale and have lost the "awe" factor it instilled in gamers last
generation. Indeed, the luster and value that cinematics once offered have
almost completely eroded.
However, the problem isn't that they're everywhere; it's how
predictable and mind-numbingly uninteresting they've become. Cinematic trailers
today lack nuance and creativity; they spout bland action, explosions, and
badassery over anything else. The amount of effort and care that goes into the
majority of cinematic content today is disappointing. Where great CG trailers make
you forget that you're watching a piece of marketing, bad ones make their
marketing objectives all too apparent. Great cinematics tell stories, have
themes, are visually interesting, and show genuine creativity; the majority of
cinematic trailers today however, well... have this:
 |
| From cinematic trailers of Prey 2, BioShock 2, Dishonored, and PlanetSide 2 |
Gruff voiceovers, "epic" action, and shooting
stuff in first person seem to be the cookie cutter formula preferred by modern
cinematic trailers (and videogame advertising in general). They've become
boring and almost cringe-worthy as each cinematic tries to out-explosion the
last. However, among this sea of uninspired content, some have floated to the
top; this article aims to shine a spotlight on these few. Here are Game Nook's top five cinemtic trailers of this generation.
5. Dead
Island
It should be no surprise that Dead Island's reveal trailer
made it onto this list. This trailer alone is arguably a major contributing
factor for generating the amount of hype and success Dead Island received, and
rightly so. The trailer's clever reverse structure and haunting piano piece
perfectly complement its powerful narrative. It somehow manages to be
emotionally engaging despite its ridiculous setting. The Dead Island reveal
trailer is a great example of how an innovative and well executed cinematic can
gain widespread attention while also leaving a memorable, lasting impact.
4. StarCraft
II
StarCraft II's reveal offers something special even for
those like me who have no connection to the series. From the excellent pacing
to the marine's intricately detailed suit, the level of professionalism and execution
on display here is impressive. Where the majority of trailers aim to please gaming's
narrow demographic, Blizzard's cinematics are of such high quality, they contain
the capability to pique of interest of any entertainment enthusiast.
3. Final
Fantasy Versus XIII
Though this trailer hasn't been officially released (and is
in Japanese), it's powerful enough to earn a spot on this list. This leaked
trailer from 3 years ago is arguably a big reason why Final Fantasy Versus XIII
is so hotly anticipated among gaming circles. Its five minute runtime showcases
visually striking imagery, from a noire-like cityscape to an impressively
detailed throne room. Its score, dizzying action, direction, and CG quality are
all top notch. Like Blizzard, Square Enix's level of execution displays a level
of confidence and professionalism rarely seen from other developers. This
trailer brilliantly presents the potential for Final Fantasy's new direction in
dazzling fashion.
2. Deus Ex:
Human Revolution
By strictly looking at the trailers for DE:HR, you'd think Eidos
were making a movie. Their trailer's pacing, voiceovers, editing, and even their
credits seem to be influenced by trailers found in the film industry. This
attempt to mimic Hollywood's cinematic flair is a theme not just found in this
trailer, but throughout Human Revolution's marketing campaign. It's even
present during the game's magnificent opening credit sequence. Square Enix
could've failed miserably and further cemented Hollywood's opinion that
videogames are cheap and juvenile, but this trailer shows a level competence that
rivals the best of film media. From Micheal McCann's criminally underrated
score to its striking imagery, this trailer has every right to be on this list.
1. World of
Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
It's not very often for a trailer to grab you on such a
powerful level that you routinely go back to re watch it. In GameNook's
opinion, WotLk's trailer is the best cinematic of this generation. Most cinematics today consist of adrenaline-pumping action, but WotLK's slow
structure and minimalist approach shows that Blizzard is in a league of its
own. This trailer manages to be eerie, powerful, and tragic, emotions not
commonly associated with marketing material. The CG quality is top notch and
the cinematography is simply stunning. This is perhaps the only cinematic that
deserves to have the word "epic" attached to it.
Honorable Mentions:
Halo 3
Though its cinematic trailer didn't quite make the cut, Halo
3's marketing campaign was memorable enough to earn a spot on this second-tier
list. From its reveal trailer to Neill Blomkamp's live action shorts, Microsoft
produced quality, and in some cases, iconic marketing material for Halo 3. One
ad in particular however, stands out from the rest.
The predominant TV spot for Halo 3 wasn't an action packed
cinematic trailer, nor a bombastic gameplay trailer; Microsoft instead used
out-of-the-box thinking to market 2007's most anticipated game. Halo 3's
"believe" ad featured a convincingly detailed diorama of action
figures, a somber piano piece, and slow moving camera angles to depict the
Covenant's invasion of Earth.
Choosing subtlety over action is commendable; especially for
a major franchise like Halo. Microsoft could've easily had Master Chief
pummeling and shooting his way through enemies -much like Halo 4's TV spot- but
they decided to take a risk by doing something interesting instead. It's
refreshing to see this level of vision in an industry where videogame TV spots
are mostly always uncreative.
Gears of War 1 and 2
The launch trailers for Gears of War 1 and 2 are some of the best in-game
trailers this generation; which is hard to believe considering the series is known
for its dude bros, chainsaws, gruff voices, and gruesome violence. But GoW's trailers don't depict any of that. Instead,
Epic and Microsoft chose to focus on emotion, a trait that's universally
lacking in the series. Their approach paid off though, producing some of the
most memorable and well executed trailers of this console cycle.
No comments:
Post a Comment