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My favorite gameplay trailers of 2020!

Here are my favorite cinematic or animated game trailers of 2020!

The trailer for Unpacking is simple with subtle storytelling; it’s a great example of how a trailer can have dramatic structure without feeling like an action packed epic trailer.

The trailer for Huntdown wonderfully combines the game’s style and story in a cohesive trailer which is tight, punchy, cinematic and fun to watch!

If you want to study a game trailer campaign which is consistently entertaining and informative from beginning to end, look no further than Snow Runner. This campaign masterfully balances the emotions, experience and features of the game all through it’s well strategized and produced trailers!

The trailer for the game Inbento is a great distillation of the philosophy and structure of an effective game trailer, and it does it in only nine shots!

The Half-Life: Alyx gameplay videos are excellent examples of how clips of gameplay can be incredibly engaging for people who got hooked by the announce trailer, but needed a deeper, unedited look at the game. I break down each moment from Gameplay Video 1, and explain why I think it does a great job showing the game in an entertaining way!

Coffee Talk is a narrative driven game with a simple, but effective trailer which does a great job of prioritizing what is important about the game, and wrapping the audience in a trailer befitting the game’s tone and vibe.

Here are my top favorite gameplay trailers from 2019!

Kerbal Space Program 2’s cinematic trailer is a spectacular announce trailer which shows the developers are both in touch with their community and the appeal of their game.

Spiritfarer’s “Gwen” trailer does an amazing job of telling a short and affecting story while simultaneously showing a handful of looks at its gameplay!

The trailer for A Star is Born does an amazing job of creating a complete story arc which is both satisfying, indicates to the audience this is only a small part of the whole, and seamlessly weaves the song lyrics into the narrative.

The reveal teaser for The Last of Us Part II is a masterclass in teasing an audience in ever escalating waves through careful editing, and shot composition in a linear narrative.

The trailer for Astroneer is a very impressive look at the sort of custom made short-film style trailers which are possible to make in the medium of video games. It does a great job of mixing storytelling and teaching gameplay.

The trailer for Papers, Please is an excellent example of quickly establishing premise and mood, while also immersing you in the world, and making everything dramatic and clear.

What if a documentary film had a trailer cut like a horror film? That’s exactly what you get for An Inconvenient Truth, and it works remarkably well.

The trailer for Swing Kids is a phenomenal example of theme providing direction for editing style!