Top 10 Live Action Video Game Trailers

Andrew Newton on the top 10 live action video game trailers…In recent years developers have taken to using live action trailers as a means to build up the excitement of the game prior to its release. The trailers evoke a number of emotional reactions ranging from humour to sorrow, they may be filmed in different ways and obviously the story behind the trailer will be different in each case but they all manage to meet the developers objective which is to increase the anticipation of the game.Personally, I love video game trailers. Sometimes, because my son is always on Minecraft, the trailers are the only part of a game I get to experience for days. Below, I have given my top 10 live action trailers and my reasons for selecting them and how they make me feel. This is my personal opinion based on my preferences. Without further ado I give you…No. 10: Enter the Metro Short Film (UK Version) – Metro: Last LightThose of you that have reached a certain age may remember the film Threads. A film based on the effects of nuclear war in a town in Sheffield including the build up to the blast and the post nuke survival. I remember watching it on the BBC around 1985 and the realism scared me half to death. Although the chances of nuclear war are thankfully slim nowadays, it was a very grim possibility back then. ‘Enter the Metro’ reminds me of that film – enough said.No. 9: The Last Sermon (UK) – Darksiders 2Another apocalyptic setting in this live action trailer, although one not caused by our own terrible actions but that of an ancient evil. ‘The Last Sermon’ begins in a church with a priest preaching a sermon of God. I like that, all to often there is very little hope left in apocalypse films but in this trailer, the last of humanity seek solace in prayer. Prayer is something that is needed though considering what is outside and what a joy joy feeling we get when those prayers are answered and Death comes to save us. How’s that for irony, eh?No. 8: Defiance Live Action trailerI’ll watch the TV programme but can’t say it is anything special. It seems to me like any run of the mill American cop drama. It is because of the TV series, though, that I’ve put this trailer in my own personal top 10. You may be thinking that my logic is a bit screwed up but you would be wrong. This trailer is how the TV series should have been. It should have been a small band roaming around a post apocalyptic wasteland killing aliens, hunting down alien technology and drinking in Mos Eisley style pubs. To me, the game is better than the TV series and this trailer proves just that.No. 7: Fight – Mass Effect 3I’ve not given the Mass Effect games the time they fully deserve but there’s always time for this trailer. The trailer starts with a cute dog barking (awww!), and then we run past a number of scenes of humans expressing a range of different emotions. We see, people hugging their children, kissing their loved ones for the last time, rioting, anger and prayer. What could be causing all this, we wonder? Cue the next scene where we see the Reaper ships descending upon the cities and our saviour, an N7 soldier, running through the ruins shooting indiscriminately.It’s certainly an exciting action packed trailer despite being the shortest on my list. Nonetheless it hits the mark and makes me want to get out the whole trilogy and play them again.No. 6: Halo 4 With the halo franchise being one of my favourite franchises of all time it is no surprise that this trailer should find its way into my top 10. The trailer starts off with a launching ceremony for a new UNSC warship that has been recommissioned for peace. If you’ve not yet seen the trailer or played the game (why not?) then I’ll give no spoilers but suffice to say, things don’t go the way they were intended and very soon it becomes clear that Masterchief is needed. With lots of explosions and edge of the seat moments we are left wanting…no…needing to play the game and see who or what is responsible.No. 5: The Vet & the Noob – Modern Warfare 3Are you the Vet or the Noob? I for one am the latter. I’m not a huge C.O.D fan and haven’t spent the time on it that’s required to become a Vet’ so I completely relate to the Noob’. The humour within this trailer is evident straight from the off, the classic 80’s action hero posing at the beginning by the Vet (played by Sam Worthington of Avatar fame) and the Noob (Jonah Hill) looking such a ……well, complete noob is a great start. As the trailer progresses you get to witness his mistakes and identify with him. There are several points within the trailer where you think, ‘Yep, done that!’. All in all it’s a good giggle.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuzaxlddWbkNo. 4: Become Legend – DestinyEver wondered what a road trip through the more habitable of our solar systems planets would be like? Then this trailer gives you the opportunity to find out. Our three heroes venture forth to fight the Fallen on the Moon, Venus and on Mars. It’s a fast paced joyride through the solar system and sure to entertain. What makes this special enough to take my no. 4 spot though? Well, I’m a sucker for humour. Slap in a couple of quips, some light-hearted moments and I’ll enjoy anything.http://youtu.be/9ZyQK6kUdWQ No. 3: Discover your Power – Call of Duty: Advanced WarfareAs I said before, I’m not a huge C.O.D fan but you have got to love their trailers. Once again it’s filled with humour whilst at the same time building excitement about its release. From futuristic bikes to super gloves that can punch through doors, this trailer does not skimp on showing us what is in store. It’s an exciting, fast paced and thoroughly entertaining trailer that makes you want the game. My son was watching the trailer over my shoulder and very quickly asked if he can have the game for Christmas.http://youtu.be/GccGbdLqTmQNo. 2: Skyrim Live Action TrailerThis took me quite by surprise that I didn’t choose this as my number 1 trailer. I love Skyrim, I think I’ve played this more than I did Oblivion and that’s saying something. What I loved about the video was the natural panic from the townsfolk, even the guard was running. If a dragon started setting fire to your home town I doubt your local Bobby would tap it on the shoulder and comment on its lack of social graces. The combination and interaction of CGI and live action at the end is brilliantly put together and the dragon is beautifully animated. There is a version of the trailer on Youtube called ‘The Dragonborn Comes (Malukah)’ and if this had been the official one it would have won. The singing by Malukah is beautiful yet haunting and adds tremendously to the trailer itself. However, the official trailer comes a very respectable second favourite.No. 1: Deliver Hope (Extended Edition) – Halo ReachRemember Reach? If you didn’t before seeing this masterpiece of a trailer then you will do afterwards. Everything about this trailer is faultless. The acting is simple but performed well and the explosion special effects and resultant stunt co-ordination is superb. The CGI is excellent and surpasses many a Hollywood movie. The futility of war is portrayed beautifully and does make you cast your thoughts to those soldiers in war who may be going through something similar in real life (obviously not against The Covenant). All of this is carried out under the soft haunting tune that will continue to hum its way through your head long after the trailer has finished.‘Deliver Hope’ isn’t just a trailer for a game. It’s a work of art, a contemporary masterpiece made using 21st Century media and I just can’t praise it enough. It’s a goosebump enducing showpiece that foretold of the brilliant game that was to come.http://youtu.be/DKRlWLDWhGIWell there you have it, my favourite top 10 live action video game trailers. A cavalcade of emotions, despair, humour, fear, courage and finally hope. All works of art in their own rights and all deserving of praise. If you haven’t seen any of these I would certainly recommend you look them up. Feel free to let us know what your favourite live action trailers.. Happy watching!Andrew Newton