E3 09: Trailers - The best, the worst and the bizarre

New game movies that made us happy, made us sad or just made us confused

Words: Shane Patterson on June 4, 2009

E3 is winding down and it’s time for the press to head home, lick our wounds and thoroughly analyze and re-watch the billions of exciting trailers we’ve received. We’re sure you’re still reeling from the games shown and re-shown. Or maybe you were buried under tons of award-winning coverage and weren’t sure where to start? Or maybe you decided to pick this week to live under a rock?

No matter. We’ve sifted through the most interesting videos and we’re focusing on the best, the worst and most bizarre of the bunch. Onward!

The Best

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – PS3, 360
A 3D Castlevania game that doesn’t look like ass. Incredible voice talent from Hollywood. Involvement by Kojima Productions. And Patrick mutherfuggin’ Stewart narrating. Best trailer ever?

Yes.

 

Modern Warfare 2 – PS3, 360, PC
Okay, so MW 2 was shown a few days prior to E3, but we’re counting it because the trailer factored in to Microsoft’s press conference. And regardless what system you’re playing on, there are 13 million people who own the game, so there you go. Also: the game looks like a better action-drama than anything Hollywood’s put out in years.

 

The Beatles: Rock Band – 360, PS3, Wii
One of the most prolific and arguably the most popular band of the modern era, The Beatles take center stage in the newest iteration of Rock Band. The E3 trailer jumps through the many eras of their music, bringing smiles to our faces and millions to their pockets.

 

Left 4 Dead 2 – 360, PC
Knowing developer Valve’s workflow, did anyone expect a sequel to hit a year after the release of the first game? Ahh, who cares? More campaigns, weapons, characters and zombies. Sold!

 

New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Wii
While certainly not expected, NSMBW actually looks remarkably better in the gameplay trailer than it did when four Nintendo execs demoed the game. New suits (penguin!), new stages and four-player support are all shown, and you know what? It looks like a blast.

 

Metroid: Other M - Wii
Thankfully Nintendo closed their conference with a look at a game that wasn’t a sequel, remake or disappointment. Even though Team Ninja is Itagaki-less, this new Metroid looks like the shot in the arm the franchise needed. Bicycle kicks? Finishers? Damn!

 

Brutal Legend – PS3, 360
Tim Schafer’s long-in-development game about a roadie fighting against the forces of evil in a land ripped straight from a death metal album cover is finally near completion. Why don’t you get pumped with a trailer filled with rock star cameos?

 

Alan Wake – 360, PC
2010 is too damn far away. Remedy was aces with storytelling and gameplay in the Max Payne series. Now they have an open world and surreal storyline straight out of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks TV show. Cutscenes, interesting third-person gunplay (charged light flares?) intrigue us.

 

Golden Sun DS – DS
Nintendo’s portable has proven to be a haven for quality RPGs and Nintendo really surprised us with the third iteration of the GS series. Seriously, where did this come from? We haven’t seen the franchise since The Lost Age back in 2003 for the GBA. Already, we’re stunned at how good the 3D looks. Please release this soon.

 

Mass Effect 2 – 360, PC
Be excited. Be very, very excited.

 

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction – PC, 360
Another game that’s been in development for ages, Conviction breaks the mold of the Splinter Cell franchise while remaining true to it. The trailer shows you everything you need to know: Sam Fisher’s gone rogue, he’s looking for his daughter, a much sinister plan is at stake and he’ll be hiding in plain sight.

 

Star Wars: The Old Republic - PC
Better than the last four Star Wars movies (Clone Wars is the fourth, fanboys) put together, the trailer for The Old Republic is a wonderfully choreographed Jedi/Sith free-for-all. Gameplay for the MMO will not look like this CG trailer, but we’re confident developer BioWare has another winner on their hands.

Related

Platforms:

Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PC, PSP, Xbox

61 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
  • Jputz69

    Jputz69  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    LOL at the No More Heroes 2 trailer
  • 98tyger

    98tyger  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    cool
  • crumbdunky

    crumbdunky  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    The GT5 trailer was easily the most impressive looking thing at E3 and you fools moan about it?

    No soul? The care and craft in that trailer shows more soul than anything else you'll see this year-but it's a PS3 game and GR can't just give credit, can it? Grow up.

    I suppose you'd prefer it if PD acted all arrogant like the to55pot from T10 seems intent on doing?

    They give you something that fools non gamers into thinking they're WATCHING CAR RACING and you complain. Classic.
  • Xeacons

    Xeacons  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    Great tastes guys! My wishlist is growing longer and longer! I can't take all these great games! I need my shovelware (sarcasm)?
  • mariokartyE32010

    mariokartyE32010  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    i think that there should not be any exclusives. i would like to play final fantasy too! ps3's cost too much
  • NEzraF

    NEzraF  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I have submitted this to digg.
    ReCaptcha: desist that. Hella ironic
  • purple_omlet

    purple_omlet  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    the Castlevania trailer looks like God of War mixed with Shadow of the Collosus.
    impressive, even if it doesn't look that original.
  • Sabtos

    Sabtos  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    These God of War imitation attempts are starting to get on my nerves. At least DMC, Ninja Gaiden, and the coming Bayonetta don't stoop that low. Castlevania and Dante's Inferno--why are so many people giving these games little criticism? It's like they're being barred from saying "hey, that's a blatant copy" because they're developed/published by large respected companies. Yeah, Castlevania finally found something to do with a whip besides back and forward, but at least admit it's ripped directly from GoW's innovation.
  • P3N15

    P3N15  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    PS360Rulez was basically right.

    cept we probaly wont see the "origin" of Masterchief

    mostly because the part in the novel about the origin dosent really have a lot of action

    training and obstacle courses dont make a good shooter. cutscenes are out of the question since it would take too long.

    btw the spartans arent emotionless, it may seem like it in the game, but in the novels (Halo: Flood being a prime example) masterchief gets mad, sad even afraid.
  • P3N15

    P3N15  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    What's Halo:Reach?
    its the direct sequel to Halo :Combat Evolved.

    ever wonder why the Pillar of Autumn was running from the covenant in the very beginning of halo 1? they entered a random slipspace in order to escape Reach after the covenant had started to glass it.

    Reach was THE best defensive planet/location of the UNSC, and nobody thought it would be destroyed. All the spartans (save John 117 and Linda) were deployed to defend Reach, and all died except a few. After the first halo was Operation First Strike, the first ever strike on a covenant cruiser (as the name suggests), and after this came other events that seperated John/Masterchief from the rest of the spartans.

    So basically Halo: Reach is the prequel to Halo:Combat evolved, but Masterchief will probably be left out of it due to the fact that he was in space during the attack on Reach (what he believed to be the hardest mission)

    but yeah the trailer sucks
  • Oxfordcomma4

    Oxfordcomma4  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I'm so revved up for some of these... AAAARGH!!!
  • NadaNuff

    NadaNuff  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I agree that Metroid looks good, but how is it that you don't consider it a sequel? Sure, it isn't Prime 4, but it's still a follow up to an established Nintendo character.

    Also, although it wasn't a GREAT game, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence was pretty fun.
  • MechGyver

    MechGyver  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    lol...lol......
  • MechGyver

    MechGyver  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    "(Marioninja)"...it F*cking hurts!Jesus, that "(Apollomasque) "Milo kid"
    ( CH3BURASHKA) "isn't afraid to push social
    borders "

    You said it yourselfs!!!
  • CH3BURASHKA

    CH3BURASHKA  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    You guys are fucking crazy. Heavy Rain was a great trailer - finally, an intriguing story-based game that isn't afraid to push social borders (besides violence).

    And the Milo demo blew my head out my ass. It's only a tech demo, but FUCK was it a great tech demo.
  • Apollomasque

    Apollomasque  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    Jesus, that Milo kid's a mother fucking AI!
    Just watch, he's gonna start questioning his exsistence and then lead the machines in rebellion. Our only hope is to join them. Cast away your biological forms and embrace bodies of metal and plastic!

    Also, NMH:DS looks awesome.

    As does the new Metroid game and Conviction.
  • Marioninja1

    Marioninja1  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I want Brutal Legend so much it F*cking hurts!
  • marshymon90

    marshymon90  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    they missed the new forza trailer, that looks absolutely incredible
  • HMXsean

    HMXsean  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    No More Heroes 2 is going to rock. Love luchadors.
  • MechGyver

    MechGyver  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    Douhuhuh!! Hello ladies!!
Most Commented
Connect with GamesRadar