E3 2014 - Ubisoft Press Conference Trailers

"It's hella f***ing smokey, apparently it's 4-20 in this bitch."


Aisha Tyler, ladies and gentlemen. My favorite video game nerd (minus this lovely lady) took to the stage once more to deliver Ubisoft's E3 Press Brief. Sporting a no-bullshit attitude, Tyler expertly navigated through a presser with some good and some very awkward moments. There were plenty of fantastic trailers to choose from, though... let's get started!

Far Cry 4 - E3 Reveal Trailer

Stop... shoot... stop... shoot. Far Cry gave us the all-to-coherent insane ramblings of Vaas in their third installment, but our new antagonist Pagan Min is taking crazy to a new level. He's not just any bad guy with an iron grip on a third-world island, he's a bad guy that stabs his own henchmen in the throat with a ball point pen when they mess up. But why is Kayat locked in a civil war? And why is Pagan pulling you off of this bus? And how in the world does he expect to ever use that pen again? Lots of questions to be answered here, and I'm itching to start figuring them out. 

Far Cry 4

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC

Release: 18 Nov 2014

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Just Dance 2015 - E3 Trailer

Ubisoft spent a lot of time with Just Dance 2015. Almost ten minutes a lot. When you think about it, Ubi struck gold with this franchise, successfully locking up the market for wiimote-friendly movement games before anyone else even had a chance. Taking things even further in 2015, JD adds four player co-op and the opportunity to make any setting a dance party. Great for the families, better for Ubisoft's wallet.

Just Dance 2015
Wii, Wii-U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, PS3
Release: 23 Oct 2014
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft

Tom Clancy's The Division - E3 Trailer

All kinds of hyped for this one. Not only did the multiplayer demo look like it played great, I find this story to be quite promising. New York as we know it is gone to a very deadly virus, and The Division has been deployed to attempt to quell the madness that has followed. The flow of the trailer is fantastic; taking us from a family's tragic battle with the virus, to the way things are down on the street in present day. Tragedy is invisible, but someone's gotta be there to pick it up. Take back NY, baby.

*Top 5 Tuesday Nominee*

Tom Clancy's The Division

Xbox One, PS4, PC

Release: TBA 2015

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Massive

The Crew - E3 Coast to Coast Trailer

I'm so curious as to just how big the map for The Crew will be. I mean, we're talking about something that's promised to be the entirety of the United States, complete with a good amount of the major cities. And if this trailer can tell us anything, it's that anywhere you go between Miami and LA will look breathtaking. We're talking sea to shining sea here, from the snow-covered hills to the desert plains. Plus LA and Miami looked gigantic and freakishly accurate. Now show me some online team racing action, then we'll really be talking. 

The Crew

Xbox One, PS4, PC

Release: 11 Nov 2014

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ivory Tower

Assassin's Creed: Unity - E3 Cinematic Trailer

I would love to know how much using a Lorde song cost Ubisoft, because I can't imagine it was cheap. This epic cinematic spared no expense, and hopefully that will be the case with Unity as well. It would be nice to see the same large-scale, sweeping graphical display as I personally guided the French through their revolution.Two questions at this point: Is Ubisoft insinuating that almost every battle fought in the world was actually part of a secret war between the Assassins and the Templars? And was Viva la Vida taken already or something? 

Assassin's Creed: Unity

Xbox One, PS4, PC

Release: 28 Oct 2014

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Valiant Hearts: The Great War - E3 Trailer

This is the stuff right here. A game that makes its roots in real history, then creates its universe from that strong foundation. Valiant Hearts is going to make you cry. It's going to make you feel the pain and loss that is war, none of that medal of honor let's go in guns blazing nonsense. Sometimes it's good to remember. This game is going to help us do that. 

*Top 5 Tuesday Nominee*

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC

Release: 25 June 2014

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Montpelier

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: The Siege - E3 Reveal Trailer

Okay, not technically a trailer by the books, but it's definitely worth taking a look at. Sometimes the best "trailer" is the one that shows exactly what you'll be doing by playing the game. The set-up is simple: 5v5, one team has a hostage, the other is trying to rescue that hostage. The bad guys set up barricades around their area to protect themselves, and the good guys have to breach, clear, and extract. The hostage can even get hurt by errant gunfire, so a spray and pray is not recommended here. It'll definitely draw attention from the Counter Strike types, and perhaps pull a few over to the consoles. 

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: The Siege

Xbox One, PS4, PC

Release: TBA 2015

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal


In Conclusion: Aisha Tyler said shit a lot. Oh, and Ubisoft is making more games. Some of the same stuff in new packages, with some new and exciting ideas sprinkled on top. We've gotten a lot of quality games from Ubi, but I don't feel like they can hold onto the coattails of Assassin's Creed for much longer. I think the revival of Rainbow Six proves that, and I am very hopeful for The Division to be a success on a large scale.            

E3 2014 - Xbox: Game On Press Conference Trailers

"Of course you can... it's a f***ing video game!"

E3, what a magical time. Press conference day is always my favorite, mostly because it's a guaranteed trailer fest. Microsoft brought the heat as the starting pitcher, tossing thirteen trailers our way over the course of an hour and a half. We better get going, this will be a bit of a ride.

Forza Horizon 2 - E3 Trailer 

For the love of goodness, this is pretty. Forza has always looked good on the 360, but this is pushing it to a new level. Crazy rain physics, bro. How funny would it be if the weather changed that fast in game? Driving down the street and BOOM the sky turns over to night and it's pouring.

Lots of sweet cars, even more crazy views, and an open world to speed them through. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. 

Forza Horizon

Xbox One, Xbox 360

Release: 30 Sept 2014

Producer: Microsoft Studios

Developer: Playground Games, Sumo Digital, Turn 10 Studios

Evolve - E3 New Monster Trailer

  

The worst versus mode in Mario Party plus one. I think the word I'm using for Evolve is curious. It wasn't my favorite trailer of the conference, but it certainly doesn't seem bad in any way. I'd be more confident in my feelings if I knew how the monster played versus being one of the characters. That's really the unknown variable here. Left 4 Dead sure was a playground for co-op, so you have to place a fair amount of trust there. 

Evolve

Xbox One, PS4, PC

Release: 21 Oct 2014

Publisher: 2K Studios

Developer: Turtle Rock Studios

Dragon Age: Inquisition - E3 Trailer

Fluidity is the name of the game in Dragon Age: Inquisition, and boy did everyone have some serious flow to them. Switches to shots of gameplay (which were just barely out-performed visually by the cinematics) were smooth and fun to watch. No matter what path you choose, you will have some serious ass kicking ability in this game. 

I'm also starting to think the next generation is going to be defined by the little things that they improve on visually. Some improvements here and there that make a face look more natural, or the way you move with a shield more realistic. Inquisition is a great example of a lot of the little movements looking really great. 

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC

Release: 7 Oct 2014

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: Bioware

Dead Rising 3 - Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 DLC Trailer

Tofu?? Nice! I love the direction that Capcom has gone in here. As Jalen Rose says: give the people what they want! You have a game that did generally okay on the scale that was the Xbox One launch, but it still is a gorgeous game with a lot of zombies to kill. Bring back old characters, give them Capcom nostalgia-inducing costumes to wear, and make it an arcade add on. I could see people picking up Dead Rising 3 just to get a shot at this. Plus there was a slam-a-lama ding-dong... so... it wins. 

Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 DLC

Xbox One

Release: Out Now

Publisher: Capcom, Microsoft Studios

Developer: Capcom Vancouver

Project Spark - E3 Trailer

This game has a fantastic attitude. It's all about creation, giving gamers a true sandbox to manipulate and call their own. You can jump into games that your friends have made, and even edit and tweak those, making all of the possibilities pretty endless. Not to mention... CONKER! We haven't seen that little squirrel in a long time and I gotta say, it's good to see him back. Wielding a giant chainsaw. I love video games. 

Project Spark

Xbox One, PC

Release: TBA

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Developer: Team Dakota

Ori and the Blind Forest - E3 Trailer

This one punched me right in the feels. Proof that 2D side scrollers are going to look every big as good as anything else on this system. Emotional storytelling without ever saying a word. A gimmicky light show at the press conference but damn if it didn't make me FEEL things. You don't need guns to make a great game, and I have a feeling this will be a great game. 

*Top 5 Tuesday Nominee*

Ori and the Blind Forest

Xbox One

Release: TBA

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Developer: Moon Studios

Halo: The Master Chief Collection - E3 Announcement Trailer

Speaking of great games WITH guns... Haloooooooo! 14-year-old me is drooling at the prospect of playing snipers and shotguns on Lockout. Plus, THAT is what the Halo 2 graphics will look like on the Xbox One. This will be a perfect catch up for those who missed the series (if you're out there... do yourself a favor), along with beta access to Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer. 

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Xbox One

Release: 11 Nov 2014

Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: 343 Industries

Inside - E3 Reveal Trailer

Remember Limbo? And how eerie it was? Well, these are the same people who made that game, and they've turned the eerie up to a million. You control a boy again, but instead of a forest, you're in a town. A broken one to say the least; you never quite get an idea of what is going on, but it surely can't be good. It makes me really want to know more, the greatest success a trailer can have. 

*Top 5 Tuesday Nominee*

Inside

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC

Release: TBA

Publisher: Playdead

Developer: Playdead

Xbox One Indie Game Montage

I'll be quick with this one, since it's more of something you need to watch. Favorites include: Aztez, White Night, Cuphead, and Lifeless Planet. 

Rise of the Tomb Raider - E3 2014 Trailer

Snaps for Lara! Screw the man! Like, the establishment man, not the man man. First thought: I need to play the reboot Tomb Raider. Second thought: I also need to play this one. I kind of like that they're having Croft embrace her newfound life as both a raider and a killer, as the traumatic experiences from the first game have brought this beast out from inside her... and she loves it. Fantastic opportunity for Square Enix to really dive deep into the character. This is how she was made.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Xbox One, PS4

Release: Holiday 2015

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Crystal Dynamics

Phantom Dust - E3 Trailer

Not gonna lie, I've never even heard of Phantom Dust before. Never having the original xbox (and pretty much only playing Halo 2 with my friends) I missed out on a lot of those exclusives. The original is described as a "pseudo-card-based action/strategy game" where you make decks of skills based on the cards that you collect. The trailer shows action and destruction on an epic scale, I'll be interested to see if the gameplay can match the intensity and gravitas that the trailer provides. 

Phantom Dust

Xbox One

Release: TBA

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Scalebound - E3 Trailer

Did... did he just gain that monster's skin as armor when he cut off its limb/tail? If that's a feature of Scalebound... then count me in. Anyways, big monster fighting bigger monster, then an even BIGGER monster appears so you can fight it while riding a dragon. People are so creative these days. 

Scalebound

Xbox One

Release: TBA

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Developer: Platinum Games

Crackdown - E3 Trailer

Technically the "surprise" announcement of the Xbox presser, Crackdown is getting the next-gen treatment, exclusively for the Xbone. Is this another case of a trailer being bigger than the game? If co-op missions involve the coordination of delivering a truck bomb to the top of a tower via blowing up another building to use as a ramp, I'd have to say that I would want to do that. Very badly. 

Crackdown

Xbox One

Release: 2015

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Developer: Cloudgine

Sunset Overdrive - E3 Trailer

Best trailer of the Microsoft press conference, by a landslide. It laughs in the face of conventional video gaming (while taking shots at cover systems and war games) while introducing the unique and surprisingly colorful setting. That's the best part of Sunset City; it's the most vibrant zombie-infested area I've ever seen. With zombies becoming a bit of a cliche in the gaming industry, Sunset Overdrive looks to breathe some life (no pun) into the genre. Shabam!
*Top 5 Tuesday Nominee*

Sunset Overdrive
Xbox One
Release: 28 Oct 2014
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Insomniac Games


In Conclusion: Microsoft and Xbox were all about the games this year, and rightfully so. Between Xbox One AAA exclusives, fan-favorite reboots, and a wealth of indie games poised for release, the holiday season should be a busy (and successful) one for the box. E3 is the best.

E3 2014 Preview - The Trailers, Part 3

Last, but certainly not least

We've finally made it, the final section of The Trailer Jockey's E3 2014 Trailer Preview. If you happened to miss episodes one or two, simply click on those links! There's a lot to see already, and the damn expo hasn't even started yet. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - E3 Sword of Destiny Trailer

Holy detail Batman! Wild Hunt is going to be an unbelievably gorgeous game. It's truly a shame that more people haven't picked up The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings, it's quite a unique experience. Combat is fast, yet tactical, and your success is heavily reliant on how well you utilize all of Geralt's skills. The Witcher 3 will bring back this style and turn the epicness up to 11, but the story is going to be denser than dense. Start catching up now, kids. 

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

PC, OSX, Xbox One, PS4

Release: Feb 24, 2015

Publisher: WB Games

Developer: CD Projeckt RED

Magic 2015: Duels of the Planeswalkers - E3 Gameplay Trailer

When doing research for this particular trailer, I came across a pretty cool Polygon article profiling this game. It was especially refreshing to see their brand manager praise the success of rival Hearthstone, in a market that she calls big enough for as many as possible. We'll see that market get put to the test with Magic 2015 jumping into the fray, offering the most depth and strategy out of any other card game out there. I was actually given a few free decks of Magic cards recently at a Seattle museum on a road trip. They're still unopened on my shelf...

Magic 2015: Duels of the Planeswalkers

Xbox One (really?), Xbox 360, iOS, Android, PC

TBA 2014

Publisher: Wizards of the Coast

Developer: Wizards of the Coast

Marvel: Avengers Alliance Tactics

Our one and only Facebook game, (it actually hurts a little to say that) Marvel: Avengers Alliance Tactics is designed in the same vein as XCOM and Final Fantasy Tactics; this time you'll be kicking ass with the Avengers on a turn by turn basis. The roster seems deep, and it's free to play on Facebook (still doesn't feel right), making it one the most readily accessible games out there. Maybe I'll get really bored one day and resort to giving this a try. I'll probably just read a book instead. 

Marvel: Avengers Alliance Tactics

Facebook (seriously... that's wrong. Make real games, Marvel. Not one's that will just make you money.)

Release: Out Now

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter - Welcome to Red River Creek E3 Trailer

Well that was... weird. Lots of beautiful sweeping shots of what we can only assume is Red River Creek, followed up by an old guy going Happy Gilmore on someone's head with a tire iron. If it's curiosity they wanted, I'm sure this trailer will create it. I wouldn't be surprised to be seeing another trailer for this game during the press conferences on Monday.  

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

PC

Release: Quarter 3, 2014

Developer: The Astronauts 

Loadout - Good Clean Fun E3 Trailer

Spoiler alert - the title of this trailer is ironic. All of the comparisons shown in the text are spot on, especially it being Team Fortress 2's drunken older brother. Shoot 'em up, watch them explode into a bloody mess, then bounce your booty all over their face. And who says video games make people violent? (Hint: they don't, but I've heard it's fun to pretend)

Loadout

PS4

Release: TBA

Publisher: Edge of Reality

Developer: Edge of Reality

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments - E3 Trailer

Sneakily one of my favorite trailers of the E3 preview, I'm welcoming Sherlock Holmes with open arms into the next generation of consoles. It looks gorgeous, almost like a dark reimagining of this timeless character. There also seems go be an interrogation element involved (one of my favorite features of LA Noire) along with good old fashioned Sherlock sleuth snooping. Plus, why in the world did that woman shoot that guy? What did he do to her? I have to know. 

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3

Release: Sept 2014

Publisher: Focus Home Interactive

Developer: Frogwares

Kingdom Hearts II.5 HD ReMIX

  

The final trailer of the E3 Preview is a bit of a two-for: the first section shows you Kingdom Hearts 2, Birth by Sleep, and re:coded in all of their re-mastered HD-ness. This is three full games released across different platforms (PS2, PSP, and Nintendo DS respectively) all on one disk, so if you're looking to catch up on the series, this is your chance. Part two, however, is a little teaser for the ever-so-anticipated Kingdom Hearts 3, though it really only confirms that the game is now in development. I think that's all we're going to get for now, so let's just rest easy in the fact that it's happening... eventually. 

Kingdom Hearts II.5 HD ReMIX

PS3

Release: Dec 2, 2014

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Square Enix

That is a wrap on the E3 2014 Trailer Preview! Fun fact: there were exactly zero titles in any of the three posts shown for the WiiU. Goose egg, nil, nada. No shows in the pre-fight aside, Monday is a very exciting day in the games industry. The best and the brightest from all the major players in the industry will be shown off to the scrutiny of the entire media, and I'll be there to talk about the trailers. Everyone has their job, even if it's a self-appointed one. Happy E3!

E3 2014 Preview - The Trailers, Part 2

Let's Keep this party rolling! 

Good afternoon and welcome to part two of The Trailer Jockey's E3 2014 Trailer Preview! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. If you missed part one, you can see it here!

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor - E3 Gravewalker Trailer

Honestly, not entirely sure what just happened here. But this is LotR, and that dark ranger looked mighty badass. Cinematic trailers are great for establishing tone and characters, but they usually look way better than the actual game. Be on the lookout for some more gameplay during the expo itself. 

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4

Release: Oct 7, 2014

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Developer: Monolith Productions

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite - E3 iOS Debut Trailer

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite sold more than 4 million units for the PSP since releasing in 2009, making it one of the most popular games you've probably never heard of. Now the game takes its talents to iOS, boasting surprisingly good visuals and a touch screen control system that seems pretty simple to use. I can see the smaller screens of the iPhone causing problems for the touch controls, but if you have an iPad and an itch to hack and slash monsters, this could be the port for you. 

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

iOS

Release: TBA 2014

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - E3 Debut Trailer

The Monster Hunter train keeps chugging along with the debut of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. There really isn't much different happening from Freedom Unite above, apart from being on 3DS... and one of the characters having a friggin' .50 cal sniper rifle! Seems a bit out of place with the rest of the weaponry, no? 

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

3DS

Release: Early 2015

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy - E3 Debut Trailer

I've heard really good things about the Phoenix Wright series (albeit it's rather over the top and hokey) but have never actually taken the time to play it. It looks like I, and plenty of other gamers in the same boat, will have a chance to take on the Ace's cases with the original three games being re-released for the 3DS. I've always wanted to be a real life pretend lawyer in a video game.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy

3DS

Release: Late 2014

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Dead Rising 3 - E3 PC Debut Trailer

The only kind-of-decent exclusive for the Xbox One that isn't named Titanfall is coming to PC this summer! This means zombie killing goodness on beefed up PC graphics... I get tingly just thinking about it. And don't forget about the mods! I'm mostly intrigued to see what kind of crazy stuff people are going to add to this game. Because creating a megaphone gun that sends zombies clear across the street is not nearly strange enough. 

Dead Rising 3

PC

Release: Summer 2014

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom Vancouver

Hitman: Sniper - E3 Debut Teaser

This one is short, but boy is it sweet. Having just downloaded Hitman: GO for my HTC One, a fantastically vibrant puzzler from Square Enix Montreal, I have very high hopes for their next foray into the touch screen gaming space. This new title looks much darker, and it's all about assassinating your targets from afar as a highly competent sniper. That Agent 47, man, he can do anything. 

Hitman: Sniper

iOS, Android

Release: Fall 2014

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Square Enix Montreal

And that is all she wrote on part two of the E3 Trailer Preview! Part three of three will be will be up for your viewing pleasure tonight. You won't want to miss it. 

E3 2014 Preview - The Trailers, Part 1

The time is at hand!

It's that magical time of year... E3 is almost upon us! With E3 comes a gambit of new trailers, and the Jockey is here for you. This preview will last over three installments, (a trilogy, if you will?) and be sure to keep your eyes out for more as the expo rolls on. So without further ado: part one of the E3 2014 Trailer Preview!

World of Warplanes - E3 Cinematic Trailer

I had the chance to try out World of Warplanes at E3 in 2012, and man was it fun. There's very few things quite like a good dogfighting sim. There's a ton of unique (and historically accurate!) planes to choose from, coupled with a pretty active community taking to the skies to duke it out. 

That said... what a dumb trailer. I get wanting your game to feel realistic, but now I just feel bad for the virtual widow in the picture floating down to the ocean. If your game is all about blowing people out of the sky, don't make me feel weird about it. 

World of Warplanes

PC

Release: Out Now

Developer: Persha Studia/Wargaming

  

World of Warships - E3 Trailer

Now THAT is what I'm talking about! Give us action, give us destruction, give the people what they want! Yes, there is another quick shot of a picture buried in all of the wreckage, but at least it's not the center of attention this time. If Warships follows suit with Warplanes and Tanks, we'll have another goodie of an MMO on our hands.

World of Warplanes
PC
Release: TBA
Developer: Lesta Studio/Wargaming

Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age - Announcement Trailer

Hunt is a third-person, four player co-op zombie slaying game made by the same people who brought you the visually stunning Crysis series. Add in a unique content generation system that guarantees that you never play a level the same way twice (ala Left 4 Dead) and you can bet I've already signed up for beta access.

Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age
PC, Xbox One, PS4
Release: TBA
Developer: Crytek

Gauntlet - E3 Relics Trailer

Harness the ancient power of relics and release hell upon the forces of darkness. This trailer actually shows a pretty staggering amount of enemies on screen at once, but this is another four player co-op adventure, and those moves did look pretty damn powerful. Then again, when I was capturing gameplay for the Diablo 3 trailer at last year's E3, we were on God Mode with unlimited mana. Hopefully this one plays like it looks!

Gauntlet
Steam
Release: Summer 2014
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios

Dying Light - E3 Gameplay Trailer

Free running and zombie killing. Zombie killing and free running. Did I mention the free running? And the zombie killing? Excuse me, I have to watch this a million more times. Especially for when he pulls the heart out of a zombie. Or for the giant mutant zombie swinging a hammer like a helicopter rotor. Or killing a zombie with the people's elbow. Or for pretty much EVERY SECOND of the trailer. Dying Light needs to be on your radar. Good night, and good luck. 

Dying Light

PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3

Release: Feb 1, 2015

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Studios

Developer: Techland

Theatrythm: Final Fantasy: Curtain Call - E3 Trailer

This is basically a big 'ol love letter to the Final Fantasy series in the form of a timing-based combat system. Hit the correct buttons as they come across the screen in time with the music, and you do damage to your opponents. With more than 60 playable characters from the FF universe, this can appeal to both hardcore fans of the franchise and parents who want their kids to space out while they have "more important" things to do. I'd call that a win-win.

Theatrythm: Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

3DS

Release: Sept 16, 2014

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: indieszero

That's all she wrote for part one of the E3 2014 Trailer Preview! Luckily, there's plenty more where that came from, so be on the lookout for part two this afternoon. 

Weekly Trailer Wrap-Up: May 26 - June 1st

Let's try something new here...

Between Red Box Reviews and the revival of Sunday Ramblings, The Trailer Jockey has been a busy boy. In an effort to become more efficient and produce more for your reading/viewing pleasure, I'm happy to present the all new weekly trailer wrap-up. This will be posted every Sunday/Monday, and will be a look back at the best trailers you may have missed from the week before. And don't forget to keep an eye on TTJ's Facebook and Twitter, as I'll be posting trailers on there as they release. Without further ado, let's see what last week had to offer!

Monochroma - Gameplay Trailer

There's something about a noir-style puzzle and platformer with hints of a dystopian future and single color theme that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Self described as a "cinematic puzzle platformer" you received a feast of gameplay from this dystopian future. It gives a certain Limbo vibe in the sense that the story might not say much, but will still be incredibly deep. This one's available now on Steam, so fund out for yourself if this teaser tickled your fancy.

Monochroma
Steam
Release: Out Now
Developer: NoWhere Studios


The Evil Within - Terrified Trailer

I always wonder if trailers like this are successful because as a gigantic sissy, there's a solid chance that I'll never pick this game up. I had a hard enough time watching someone else play through Dead Space. I suppose people do experience the horror genre to get the pants scared off of them, so a preview like this for The Evil Within makes total sense. We see the same kind of trailers for some horror films, after all. As a gamer, I'm wholly invested in this game for the good of the survival horror genre, and I can see this being one of the most hyped games of E3 2014. People do love a good scare... I don't get it. More safe Adam Sandler, please!

The Evil Within
PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Release: Oct 21, 2014
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Tango Gameworks


World of Speed - McLaren in Moscow Trailer

Gosh darn, this sure looks pretty. It's always a good thing when you actually have to stop and check again after the "real life" footage turns into the gameplay footage. World of Speed enters the ring of racing sims that consider graphics and visuals king, and will be duking it out with the likes of Forza and other racing franchises that have been around for a while. Will the new kid be here to stay? If the visuals alone tell you anything, it's going to put up a hell of a fight. Add that on top of it being a racing RPG (two words I never thought I'd use together) and we have ourselves a dark horse.

World of Speed
PC
Release: 2014
Developer: Slightly Mad Studios

So there you have it! An easier way to take in more trailers that the world has to offer in less time. This was a pleasure, same time next week? See you then!

Red Box Review - South Park: The Stick of Truth

Goddammit, Kyle!

Launch Trailer

South Park: The Stick of Truth was almost the game that never was. Trey Parker and Matt Stone's adventure into video games came close to being derailed by both a year delay and a change of publishers; issues that could take down a game by themselves, let alone together. But alas, the game survived when it was picked up by Ubisoft, and released in March of this year. Though it hasn't been out for long enough to get a solid number, Ubisoft has said that they did experience "better than expected" sales of the game, along with very successful digital download numbers. When I came across TSOT available on my local Red Box kiosk, it was a no-brainer for a rental.

As the "new kid" in town, you go out to make friends only to be thrust into the gang's game of LARPing: Cartman's human faction is in an epic struggle with the elves for the "Stick of Truth", the owner of which controls the entire universe. It becomes clear very quickly that you are no ordinary new kid... you make facebook friends unbelievably fast and have incredibly good control over the forces of "magic" (farting). Without revealing any more, the story quickly becomes much bigger than just a pretend war of two factions, as a mysterious alien race (along with other enemies) descend upon South Park. 

"The Maiden from Stonebury is also your mom"

The first thing you will notice about TSOT is just how authentically South Park it is. This makes a lot of sense considering that Matt and Trey were involved from the beginning, but for all intensive purposes, you are in the interactive South Park that we've always dreamed of. Nearly every local location and character is used, and they all contribute to the hilarity that is this game. I got equally as invested in helping Al Gore find ManBearPig (again) as I was in completing the main story. If you're a fan of the show, you'll be a fan of the game's content and comedy. 

Destiny Trailer

Because this is a video game and not a TV show regulated by the FCC, the vulgarity is turned up to 20. Fuck-words are quite abundant, as well as themes that would not even come close to being allowed on television... and all of it was glorious. I can't recall any time in my gaming history while I was hysterically cry/laughing while desperately trying to concentrate on the buttons I was supposed to hit in order to complete the task in front of me. That's a special kind of mix of comedy and game that Parker and Stone completely crushed.

True to South Park style, The Stick of Truth is also astutely aware that it is a video game. As someone who appreciates RPGs that reward the player for exploration, that notion was thrown back in my face within the first ten minutes of gameplay. Upon meeting Cartman and the "human faction" for the first time, I wandered around interacting with everything I could. After finally talking to Cartman to progress the story, he mentions "Wow, you searched everything in this area... hardcore gamer over here".

There is also a moment where you are asked by the rival "elf faction" to go and meet their leader; they tell you that fighting is pointless as you have no chance of winning and will be going with them no matter what, so you might as well not waste the time. Well, my stubborn ass fought them, and I was defeated and brought to the elven leader. This is a situation (un-winnable fights that actually progress the story) I've seen in games before, but the fact that it acknowledges the plot device is both hilarious and wickedly South Park.

"I see you have excellent control over your farts" 

Giggling Donkey Gameplay Trailer

At the onset of the game, you get to choose what class to play as: Warrior, Mage, Thief, and Jew. That was an easy choice... I went Jew and was immediately decked out with a Yamaka and Moses Staff. All of my starter Jew equipment gave me extra holy damage on my attacks and defense from some elemental attacks. I started with one special attack: the Sling of David, where I would rotate the analog stick to swing my sock, and then press A to release the rock at my enemy. 

However, that's where the uniqueness in the classes ended. Every single weapon and piece of armor is usable no matter what class you are, meaning you can basically change your mind and outfit yourself with whatever you want. All of the armor sets curate towards a certain style of play: the "wood elf" outfit focuses on ranged attacks, the "druid" set was a healer, and so on. This basically meant that outside of the special attacks, it really didn't matter what kind of class you chose. This made collecting different kinds of armor far less appealing since none of the pieces of armor were necessarily better than my Jew equipment (which leveled up and became more powerful as the game progressed), they were simply vehicles to a different combat style.

As an RPG with a turn-based combat system, TSOT plays great. It's very fast paced (the characters on screen will actually taunt you if you take a long time to decide on a move) and has a heavy emphasis on timing for success... attacks and blocks are more effective when the correct buttons are pressed at the right time. You can make two moves per turn: a consumable/special ability, then an attack. Your character quickly becomes a jack of all trades, boasting melee, ranged, special, and magic (farting) attacks. Other special attacks unlock as you gain levels, and before I knew it I was unleashing a farty-Jewish hell upon my enemies. I love how crass this is. 

"Now let's see how you like sitting through an entire presentation on global warming!" 

E3 Trailer

I can't wait to finish The Stick of Truth. The story so far is hilarious and easy to follow, and there's still a few more characters I'm itching to see (crossing my fingers for Towlie!). Though when I finish the game and clean up whatever side quests remain, I do have to question whether I would play it again. I am fairly interested in the special abilities that the other classes offer, but is that difference alone worth another entire play through? I suppose there is a lot of equipment to experiment with, but I want to see how the game ends before deciding if it's worth playing through again. If you don't want to spend the money to rent it more than one night (me), then definitely look to borrow this game from a friend who has finished it.

Verdict: Borrow

Play if you like: South Park, gratuitous cursing/violence/blood and guts/pretty much everything, Turn-based RPGs, collecting collectables, farts