Favorite Cinematic Game Trailers of 2019
Surprisingly, I've never made my own "Favorite trailers of [XXXX] list before, so this will be my first! Whenever I read other lists for "Best Game Trailers of [XXXX]" I usually find myself feeling the trailers were selected less on the artistry of the trailer making, and more on how excited the writer was to see ANY footage from a hotly anticipated game. This might be fine for them and their publication, but I want readers of my list to watch the trailers, and feel inspired, wowed, and maybe even moved.
I'm starting with my favorite cinematic trailers from 2019; I put them in their own YouTube playlist which you can watch here. I carefully put them in an order which I think makes them fun watch all in one go if you're so inclined (it's about 12 minutes long)
Planet Zoo Announcement Trailer
This is a DELIGHTFUL trailer befitting of the game's aesthetic and premise. The music puts a smile on my face, and makes me want to clap along. Despite being a pre-rendered depiction of the game it feels like an idealized gameplay session. From the roads showing up to the baby elephant playing with a giant soccer ball, I feel endlessly tickled by things popping up as the zoo forms. This isn't my type of game, but this trailer still makes me want to live in this idyllic and charming world.
Fall Guys Reveal Trailer
I love how fun this trailer is! This is another great example of using pre-rendered CG to showcase gameplay via a tightly choreographed sequence of obstacles and mishaps. The tickering number counter of fall guys moving ever closer to 1 clearly communicates the Battle Royale style of game. The motion graphics are awash in bright, eye popping colors matching the characters. The trailer never lingers on one particular obstacle for very long, sparking the imagination about the potential variety of gameplay. This trailer is easy to understand, contains a satisfying story arc, and looks fun as heck!
My Friend Pedro Launch Trailer
I love this trailer's animation, humor and choreography. It's silly as heck, and I find myself saying "Haha, what!?" just as often as I say "Ohhhhhh, SHIIIIIIII..." The action is so clean and readable with wonderful poses and keyframes. The mix of slow motion and quick shots make the pacing incredibly dynamic, and the soundtrack really gets my heart pumping. Despite being completely animated, it makes me want to go into the world and become this badass character shooting their way through scores of bad guys.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
I'm not sure what could stand up to the charm of Ikumi Nakamura's infamous intro, but this trailer is certainly up to the task. This trailer has amazing CG production, and a disturbing atmosphere dripping with mystery. I love how this trailer starts with a normal looking Tokyo, and then things slowly get weirder and weirder until before we know it we're questioning the nature of a bowl of ramen. The music and sound design do an impressive job of creating an unsettling and otherworldly atmosphere. I can't help but want to know more after watching this!
The Last of Us Remastered - From the Beginning
A simple in concept, but amazingly well executed one shot of Ellie's journey told through her face and body. The dialogue and sound effects are a well edited summation of everything she's gone through. it's mesmerizing to see her face and clothing seamlessly change amid gunfire and blood splattering on her face until she's unrecognizable from the first frame of the trailer. Even had I not played the game, I'd be curious what the heck happened to this character. Absolutely inspiring example of what can be done through the medium of video games!
Death Loop
Snappy editing, tight writing, and amazing CG production illustrate the story of two people stuck in a time loop endlessly killing each other. I love how the stylized motion graphics and grindhouse trappings combined with the trailer-ized version of "Nowhere to Run" by Martha and the Vandellas makes it stand out from other games which trade on a gritty realistic aesthetic. The overlapping dialogue nicely contrasts the mindsets of the protagonists. Beautiful cinematography and a mix of fantastical and grounded action choreography make it always exciting to watch from beginning to end.
Kerbal Space Program 2
Awe-inspiring, epic, and HILARIOUS! This trailer is the high production value version of a fan trailer made by Shaun Essau six years prior. The slow burn opening which turns into a comedic rug-pull reveal sets off a short story which perfectly encapsulates the emotional highs and lows of space exploration. The M83 music cue does a lot of heavy lifting, but the editing and shot choreography make the successes that much more epic, and the failures some of funniest I saw in a trailer all year. I don't even play KSP, but the trailer felt like it took me on a condensed emotional ride of playing it for dozens of hours.
For a more in-depth analysis read my review for this trailer!
Those are my favorite cinematic game trailers from 2019! I'm going to make a list of my favorite gameplay trailers too; there was a lot of amazing work done this year which I find inspiring as heck!
What were you favorite cinematic game trailers from 2019?
