Favorite Video Game Adverts/Trailers

Trailers usually can either make or break someones excitement for a movie/video game/TV show. Sometimes they can be done so well, they become their own art-form. My favorite ad for any video game ever has to be the launch commercial for the original Gears of War. You really have no clue what the game is about (besides it probably being a shooter), you're just given clues from the futuristic armor on grimy, tough guy looking Marcus Fenix, the worn and demolished landscape, the big spider thing that emerges from the shadows at the end, and of course the haunting piano melody of Mad World.

Look so good!

As far as a trailer that isnt building off of the hype of previous installments I always thought the first Assassin's Creed trailer was pretty good.

As far as the very best trailers I feel the MGS franchise is in a league of it's own. They might be a bit long at times though.

Just recenly went through an old thread like this! The cinematic Dead Island trailer would be an obvious pick, but it was such a strong contrast to the actual game that I won't bother linking it.

The one that always jumps to my mind is the launch trailer for Dead Space 2.

It's a bit silly to have something like Smashing Pumpkins play over a video of a sci-fi horror game, but when you consider that DS2 is like Aliens compared to the Alien, it kinda fits in a bombastic way? Dead Space 2 is also one of my favourite games ever, so maybe I'm a bit biased.

Even if I didn't own a console back in the 90's/early 2000, I always enjoyed most of the advertisements on tv. PS2 especially had a whole bunch of great live-action ones.

These two aren't exactly regular video game ones, but they stuck to my mind and are still advertising PS2, so eh!

Look, I know it's brand new, but that new Zelda trailer is pretty F'ing sweet. It starts off steady but then it just GOES.

@boozak: the first teaser trailer was really good:

Also any of the Old Republic E3 trailers/movies.

Will update with videos when I get home but the first that come to mind for me are

Halo 3 Reveal

Halo 3 ODST

Deus Ex Human Revolution

Deus Ex Mankind Divided

Dishonored Gameplay trailer

Skyrim Gameplay Trailer

Persona 5

MGSV

I always really liked this short TV spot for the original Assassin's Creed.

Original Bioshock teaser trailer is also up there.

Literally any of the large MGSV trailers.

@glots: "Dead Space 2 is also one of my favourite games ever, so maybe I'm a bit biased."

Good taste.

This stupid trailer sold me on a pre-order of 3. At least I finished the game so I got my money's worth, I guess?

@mems1224: Yeah both Deus Ex trailers are great. The Hitman trailer was also pretty damn good.

Square Enix know their shit when it comes to CG trailers, turns out.

Does Duty Calls count?

I don't know if this qualifies since it's the intro video to the game, but I remember watching this knowing nothing about the Onimusha series and it blew my mind. The quality of the CG and the animation and choreography really left an impression on me, which led me to find more about this series and eventually play Onimusha 3.

The trailer for Skyrim.

It's still probably the most powerful video game trailer I have seen. The pacing in it is perfect, from the initial narration that sets up the game world, to the way the main theme kicks alongside the FUS RO DAH, to the various shots of the game and then ending with a panning shot of a valley and the logo reveal.

Even watching it now more than 5 years on I still find it incredible. It's very effective at communicating what the game is and all the cool stuff inside.

Also shout out to the Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer and it's scenes of vast, quiet natural beauty. I wonder if there is a meaning behind the way it starts with shots of undisturbed wilderness, increasingly shows humans and has a penultimate shot showing an dark oil field.

How has this not been posted yet?

I support any with actual gameplay and that show the hud, and at best inventory or just some actual game elements.

Absolutely no interest in cinematic trailers.

I remember feeling weirdly drawn to the Metroid other m trailer at the time - despite zero interest in the series and despite not owning a wii. It's mostly the music, I guess?

And I also really liked the pseudo-documentaries R* put out for RDR, I kinda hope they do something like that again this year.

Bulletstorm. Not the cringey Cliff Bleszinski ones, but the parody ones.

They even made a hilarious Call of Duty rip off game you could download and play (you probably still can) called Duty Calls.

Christ, I'm looking forward to getting this game rereleased.

The 2007 "Starry Night" trailer for Halo 3, I didn't know it was a Superbowl commercial but had seen it days later and was just pumped with fields of emotion. Being the 12 year old halo fanboy I was then (and now) this trailer still gives me goosebumps/hebee-jebee's

This is still the best:

@werupenstein: It's a great trailer, but like I already mentioned in my first post, the tone really couldn't be any more off from the actual game. If one would link an alternative, more truthful version of that trailer, it'd have to be this one.

@adequatelyprepared Going off-topic, but I've felt like I should really write a thread about Dead Space 2, possibly after the next time I've played through it. Just to wonder why I like it sooooo much!

The Wario World trailer was pretty good. Y'all were freaking out seeing Mario around realistic people in that Odyssey trailer. Wario hung out with realistic people 13 years ago.

Another favorite of mine was the XCOM Enemy Unknown trailer were Jake Solomon is trying to be sneaky telling people to buy XCOM, but he's really not under disguised.

I remember seeing this commercial when was young I was so hyped to see the Snes footage for the first time I loved the arcade so much. This version was a huge step up from the original MK Snes version there was blood and gore and it wasn't censored like the first game. This is probably the most hyped I ever been for a game in my whole life.

The last time I was able to get super hyped about a game from a trailer was around 10 years ago from the StarCraft 2 reveal trailer with Tychus. "Hell, it's about time."

Also forgot to add GTASA got me hyped brings back alot of good memories playing this.

All regrettably objectively wrong! This is the bestest:

@hellbrendy: The voice saying "Boring!" sure sounds like Vinny to me. #Collusion

I've seen a lot of great trailers over many many years, but I think the new Zelda one might be the best one I've ever watched

Not going lie, I got a little teary eyed when I watched it. My god the music was just so epic. I haven't felt this sense of wonder about Zelda since.... Ocarina?

I've probably, I kid you not, watched it 30+ times already.

I'm pretty sure we've had one or more of these threads before because I remember posting this, adding to likable trailers. Don't watch if you haven't played The Walking Dead Seasons and plan to.

I loved how the first MGS3 trailer used gameplay to tell a little story.

I had never played an MGS game before seeing this. My imagination went wild, seeing all the possibilities.

This is how Kojima should introduce his games today. Not with the pretentious cutscene trailers that tell me nothing about the gameplay. Most trailers now are so uninformative.

The Ratchet & Clank ads were pretty dope.

I remember watching this random trailer on a demo disc for a game I'd never really heard of before, keep in mind I was still young and didn't care to much for serious stuff. But this trailer alone opened me up to the potential of storytelling and cinematography in video games. The Metal Gear Solid 2 TGS trailer, still gives me goosebumps.