Video game cinematics are one of the major ways that a game pulls you in. It can tell the potential player a lot of information in very little time. Here are my top 5 favorite video game cinematics and why they are!
---- Final Fantasy XIV
There is a lot going on in this very long trailer. We get to see that there is a war already taking place. Which is a small matter when the fire starts falling from the sky and the egg shatters and a giant Dragon emerges from it and shows us that there is a much bigger threat facing the world. One of the things I like best about this is the highlight that it puts on each class and shows some of the power that it wields. The later minutes may be confusing to some who watch it and don't know what sort of power is being used to combat the dragon, but overall it is a gorgeous trailer that really pulls you in.
---- Assassin's Creed: Revelations
The Ezio Auditore story is the best time I had in the franchise. A character that was easy to like, and invest in where their future was heading. We already had a few games to really get to know him, and while he is still the same Ezio we grew to love, the trailer showcases a now older Ezio, and nearing the end of his time as an assassin, but with that said, the trailer shows he still has the deadly skill that he always had and that it takes a distraction like a vision of Altair to stop him.
The music is what really makes me get into this trailer, it just fits the action so well and really helps to tell the story with a more intense beat, but lighter vocals. The image of Ezio lying on the ground with several dozen weapons pointed at him is evidence enough of his prowess and the threat he poses. The visions are what draws the viewer in, asking themselves "why is he seeing Altair", and then "why was he fighting an army alone", which I think most likely not only led to franchise players getting excited for the new game, but new players going back to play through the earlier games.
---- The Elder Scrolls: Online (All cinematic trailers)
Brace yourselves, this is a long one. Over 30 minutes of beautiful cinematics that tell a pretty great story with lots of awesome action. Sadly, for me, the game fell flat, though I am hearing very good things about Morrowind. We start off seeing that we won't just be fighting humanoid characters and can adventure into dungeons, but there's more going on than what we see, the camera pans up and shows us a much larger conflict. The action in these sequences is exciting, badass, and looks amazing too. Like some of the other trailers it highlights several of the classes you can play, at least their core theme.
The Warrior is my favorite part of this entire thing. I have always been pulled in by Vikings and Norse mythology, and the armor, paint, and build of the warrior immediately makes me think Viking. Plus he just proves to be one big bad dude throughout. A stand off to show these three are not friends, and then the big bad comes in to show that for a time, they can work together to overcome a much bigger threat. A great job in highlighting what MMORPG's are all about.
Another highlight of the "movie" is the showcase of a super powerful female character. They showcase her with finesse and just brute magical strength, taking on dozens of enemies by herself. With so much criticism about women's portrayal in video games, they did a good job showing she is just as powerful, if not more, than her counterparts...I'd say more.
---- World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
I didn't get into World of Warcraft until the end of Wrath of the Lich King, but it was this trailer that made me get up and go to the store for all of the expansions after playing the free trial for 20 minutes. I wanted to learn more about this Lich King. The voiceover and the excellent choice of music is perfect at letting the viewer know that something tragic happened to turn someone into what you're currently seeing, on top of the badass armor and ridiculous frostmourne. It also shows the power he possesses and the threat you will face when you enter this world. It did everything you need it to, and Blizzard has always been famous for their cinematics.
---- Overwatch: "The Last Bastion"
A video game's animated short isn't exactly something you would expect to capture the chaos and torment some veterans face when they are taken back to much harder times. "The Last Bastion" does that, and as a veteran it is a story I can relate to. The sounds and images of war. Trying to push the past aside and move on with life, a new beginning. I won't go crazy over this. It is an amazing little story that tells so much.