Top 25 Game Trailers from E3 2018, Ranked Good To Best

E3 2018 kicked off in June of this year where the gamer community was invited to witness the launch of several new games. Many studios like X-Box, Playstation and Ubisoft took to the stage to launch theri new titles with added graphics and more enjoyment fo the user. The list contains top 25 games released according to our critics this year, ranked from good to best.

25. Gears 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ooHNIYwhE
Following the push for worlds to get ever bigger and better, Gears 5 presents us with their biggest world yet. Introduced in Gears 4, in the newest Gears of War sequel, you play as Kait in single or co-op 4D HD glory. The E3 trailer takes us through a grieving Kait’s journey through the new landscape, encountering new enemies and new weaponry, as we see her turning her back on her Captain and unit, and pulling a gun on her comrade.  

Are you feeling lucky?

Lush landscapes are ready to be explored

 

24. Command and Conquer: Rivals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyNXQpAFQJc
In a departure that has caused division in fans of the franchise, the newest Command and Conquer game is going mobile. A free-to-play mobile strategy game, Rivals is the first C&C game from EA in 6 years.Showing three playable factions, the trailer shows the commanders unleashing bigger and better weaponry with each move. While the cinematic graphics of the trailer look good, the actual game play shots are more reminiscent of 90’s games, albeit with hotted up graphics.

The handheld control units should have been a red flag

Control nuclear weapons and use them to win big

23. Battlefield V

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWVtV59mczk
Courting controversy from the get-go, the historical accuracy of the newest Battlefield game has come under fire as fans argue the legitimacy of a female fighter on the front lines of WW2.Speaking of being under fire, the trailer. There’s gunfire, airplanes are exploding, the buildings are on fire; basically, everything is on fire. The highlight is that there’s a guy going into a plane engine like it’s the first episode of Lost all over again. The game does look gorgeous, and it’ll be interesting to see how the sales hold up against the legion of (former) fans who are swearing off this game already.

The flaming engines really bring out those Northern Lights

Don’t stand so…don’t stand do close to me…

22. FIFA 19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX0AV6yxyrQ
Keeping the action short, sweet, and focused, EA Sports keeps bringing the fans what they want with FIFA 19, changing it up by adding the UEFA Champions League and gameplay changes, including an overhaul of player control.Christiano Ronaldo serves as the FIFA 19 cover star, with gorgeous cinematic shots at goal, and a gravity defying overhead kick framing what is an atmospheric and timely trailer.  A surprising lack of actual gameplay from the trailer could point to another, hopefully longer, trailer being released soon.

Play with several iconic soccer legends

If you see the chance, take the chance

21. Ghost of Tsushima

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSAvzeopPC8&t=58s
Yet another new open world offering for the PlayStation 4, Ghost of Tsushima takes another step forward into an immersive world by not featuring a waypoint anywhere in the game, giving the players complete freedom to explore. Featuring an off-centre third person POV, play as the vengeance-filled samurai Jin Sakai, as he fights back against the 1274 Mongol invasion on the island of Tsushima. Explore on foot or traverse to new areas by horse, taking down enemies by stealth or unleash a whirl of katana attacks at them. Featuring a sunset sword fight under the falling red leaves of an oak tree, this trailer has boosted the excitement of many fans as a contender against the upcoming Assassin’s Creed game.
 

Samurai is a popular setting this year for games
 

Beautiful Japanese landscapes just waiting to be explored

20. Fear the Wolves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBcicm45J3g
Channelling Fallout 4 in the visuals, Fear the Wolves is the second release from Vostok Games, and the newest in the current trend of large scale battle royale games. Fight against 99 other players as well as radioactive beasts and mutated creatures.  Parachuting down into the post-apocalyptic style landscape of this Chernobyl battle royale game, fight for protective gear to explore off-limits radiation zones, or race against deadly mutant wolves, and other players to win. For those who don’t relish getting face to face with your enemies as you gun them down, Fear the Wolves offers two different options for success; kill your enemies, Hunger Games style, and be the final survivor, or stealth your way to the single-seat extraction helicopter. 
 

Upgrade or steal all the protective gear that you need

Enjoy fast paced shootouts

19. Crackdown 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s4DGjuizmY
From Old Spice to Brooklyn 99, Terry Crews is commanding his own fandom lately, and this upcoming release will only bolster that love. Utilising the overly enthusiastic persona that can only be wielded by Crews, play as Commander Jaxon in this sandbox game where everything is literally made to be destroyed.This high-octane trailer features all the weaponry, drivable vehicles, and exploding buildings, and bad guys you’ll need to keep you entertained for hours. Sadly, we’ll need to wait until 2019 to get our hands on this explosive game.

Get this man his jam

Explosions are just step one in this game

18. Nioh 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TboD3ncqeo8

There has been little information released about the sequel to the 2017 hardcore action RPG, Nioh. With the rise of games such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne, the masocore gaming base has increased, with people happy to trade many hours of their lives for the satisfaction and bragging rights that come from taking out one of the bosses. Especially if you’re doing a ‘no armour’ run.The Nioh 2 trailer is very light on details, and Team Ninja have yet to release the trailer on their own YouTube channel. What we DO know is that they plan to be even more ambitious this time around, buoyed by the success of the first game. Fans wait impatiently for the next update in this series.

Stand up against demonic beasts from hell

Taking damage is just part of the fun
 

17. Control

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFjb_vlCsRA

Combining a shooter game with the mind-bending visuals of an M.C. Escher painting is Control, the newest offering from Remedy Entertainment. Use telekinetic powers to use pieces of the environment as weapons to take out enemies or go for a more defensive tactic and utilise them to block incoming attacks. The E3 trailer gives us a look at the adaptive Service Weapon, which also seems to be manipulated via protagonist Jesse Faden’s powers, or via the same shifting technology causing the buildings around Jesse to move as she manoeuvres though the areas.

Down the rabbit hole

Still hanging around at the office?

16. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NomhYp29bHo
Set in Washington D.C., mere months after the events of the first Division game, play solo or in a team of up to 4 players and work together to protect a city overtaken by civil war. This action shooter RPG sets the player in iconic and realistic environment; play the main campaign line, or test your luck in the Dark Zone, where the loot is worth the risks of entering - if you get out alive. The extreme juxtaposition of peace in the harsh world of The Division is the centre point of their cinematic trailer. Survivors have found ways to survive, gardens grow, and they harvest and store food for the unknown future. Outside their guarded compound gates, roving gangs of bandits’ hunt and kill for the supplies they need. Help the civilians reclaim their areas and lead your team to victory.

The iconic Washington DC landscape is yours for the exploring

Help the survivors take back what they’ve lost
 

15. Dead or Alive 6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-keAJekNR-8Over 20 years after the release of the first Dead or Alive game, this franchise has survived controversy, accusations of sexism, and a terrible movie adaptation. Continuing the ‘toning down’ of the sexiness from previous games, Dead or Alive 6 is purported to aim for more of a cool and mature look .From a night time street grudge match to an electrified fenced arena that John Hammond would be proud of, the trailer itself focuses much more on the actual fighting rather than slow-mo bouncing of scarcely covered… assets. You know what I’m talking about; the jiggle physics. Time will tell whether the fans are on board with these changes, but chances are high that things will get toned up again for the DLC, as they did with DOA5.

Fight in different arenas, and become the champion

We can’t have a DoA trailer without showing a little bit of skin

14. Cyberpunk 2077

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X2kIfS6fb8Five years after the teaser trailer was released, we finally get a good look at Cyberpunk 2077, from the makers of The Witcher series, CD Projekt Red. These guys launched a whole new division to work on this game, and anticipation is high for this RPG.
Playing as the completely customisable mercenary V, fans of Blade Runner will appreciate the attention to detail given to this open world location of Night City. Play in the both the day and night and utilise cyberware implants to upgrade your character and survive.

It’s like Blade Runner, but there’s a daytime.

Cyberware implants are the plastic surgery of the future

13. Fire Emblem: Three Houses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkux5h0PeXo

The sixteenth main title in the Fire Emblem series, Three Houses is being release for the Nintendo Switch, and has the upgraded graphics to prove it. This turn-based tactical RPG continues with the classic anime graphics, and battle map visuals. The trailer reveals armies fighting alongside the main heroes as attacks are launched, and it looks like interacting with NPCs gives you the chance to upgrade skills. Attack and Magic have been separated into their own turn categories, which may indicate more choices to mix and match along the way.

Classic battle map layouts will keep you on track

Explore some of the surrounding castle and town to meet NPCs

12. Beyond Good and Evil 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsoIUHDrPcg
A prequel to the 2003 cult favourite, Beyond Good and Evil, this game has been a long time coming. Initially reluctant to commit to funding more games in this expansive universe, Ubisoft officially announced the game last year at E3, and eager audiences were ecstatic to see a trailer release at the 2018 E3.
Featuring cinematic footage that wouldn’t be out of place in a big screen feature release, the trailer for Beyond Good and Evil 2 gives us a much younger Pey’j, your ship’s cook. The action quickly changes to the focus of the young space pirate captain, the playable protagonist of the game. Confusingly, the end of the trailer introduces us back to a younger Jade, who seems to be allied with the enemy.

Escaping the ice storm was only the beginning

Pey’j’s special ingredient - love
 

11. Days Gone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDpHSP0e_U4

After appearing on the demo stage at both 2016 and 2017 E3, the 2018 offering from SIE Bend Studio was a trailer for the game, Days Gone. This post-apocalyptic survival horror sees the player controlling a bounty hunter. This is another game which is making use of the climate influence, the day/night cycle and weather system to affect game play. Unlike other open-world games being released, Days Gone is story driven, rather than having numerous side quests to distract from the main story path. Unleash your inner Mad Max, and combat against animals, the evolving zombie creatures called Freakers, and other humans to survive, and find out why you’re being targeted.

 

Get your Sons of Anarchy fantasies out of your system

Fight back against the Freakers
 

10. Forza Horizon 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmQNo8xtcAg
Channel your inner 007 with the newest addition to the Forza line. Taking place in the British countryside, this game takes you beyond the steering wheel and into your own home, encouraging you to truly live the Forza life. The seasons are a big focus of the E3 trailer, with the driving conditions being directly affected by the weather around you. Race against other drivers around the planet in this shared open world game.

So peaceful that you’d barely want to leave

The English countryside is the perfect place for a bit of off-roading

9. Death Stranding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP3UngLFou4&t=319s
One of the most confusing and interesting trailers to come out this year must be for the anticipated and star-filled Death Stranding. Dark visuals and a creepy baby capsule are only the tip of this iceberg from the mind of Hideo Kojima. Traversing a myriad of gorgeous landscapes, play as Sam Bridges as he explores the mystery of this massive scale world. A proximity alert system allows Sam to sneak past dark creatures, offering players the chance for an alternative to the bevy of run-and-smash action games available.

Please tell me this wasn’t mo-cap…

Amazon’s next day delivery team take their job very seriously

8. Devil May Cry 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMSGj9Y2T9Q
Featuring 3 playable characters, this is the sixth instalment of the Devil May Cry series and a direct sequel to DmC4, released in 2008. Set several years after it’s predecessor, this hack and slash action game has been a long time coming for fans. Seeing a bearded Dante in the closing frames has made more than a few fans on this series feel their age. Heavy on the action and smart talk, Nero and his robotic arm feature heavily in the trailer, riding through the streets in his demon hunting van with a neon “Devil May Cry” sign on the side.

Gotta love that crazy grandpa beard

What is it with prosthetic arms in games this year?

7. Fallout 76

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9FGaan35s0Bethesda have blessed fans of the atompunk Fallout series with over 10 games, including a mobile game to take on the road with them; what more can Fallout fans ask for?
How about a MMORPG? An open world 4 times the size of Fallout 4? The ability to play individually or in a party of 4 players? Bethesda has answered your prayers. Fans are hoping that the trailer is indicative of the soundtrack, opening with the nostalgia inducing “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. Vault 76 is shown to be in the Washington D.C. area, a popular setting for RPG games this year. The broadcast voice over invites the player to not only survive the environment, but to rebuild. Let’s hope that this means less Minutemen missions. Did I mention that you can obtain nuclear codes to launch missiles at other players’ settlements?

Grab a cold Nuka-Cola and curl up on the porch swing

Hello old friend.

6. Metro: Exodus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcH-3uORzjU
Although yet another post-apocalyptic game, this time we get to explore Russia in Metro: Exodus, a game inspired by the novel Metro 2035, by Dmitry Glukhovsky. This first-person shooter is the third instalment in the Metro series and delves into the survival horror genre with the player going up against aggressive humans as well as mutated creatures.The unsettling atmosphere of the game suits the storytelling focus of Exodus, as the player moves through the bleak wastelands. Zip-lining gets a look in during the trailer, and we get a good look at the train that will serve at the hub for this game.  

If this isn’t Rasputin, I’ll eat my hat

Nothing between you and the enemy except this bleak landscape

5. Anthem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFwylDNpgFc
Combining RPG elements with a third-person shooter, Anthem has both single-player and co-op multi-player options. We’ve been told there are ‘world-altering terrain occurrences’ which leads me to believe that the comment at the beginning of the trailer about ‘a storm is coming’ may not be as metaphorical as it usually is. The mech suits worn by players are reminiscent of the Jaegers in Pacific Rim, but perhaps just because of the similar name, Javelins in this same, and the fact that the suit classes have names also, like Ranger, and Colossus. The trailer shows several large beasties that the players must hunt and fight, and it may indeed take 4 players to bring some of them down.

He did the superhero landing!

Who can say no to mech suits!?

4. Doom Eternal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oVwrpfo_QA
Two years after their successful reboot of the Doom franchise, Bethesda made jaws drop at E3 with the unveiling of the teaser trailer for the upcoming sequel, Doom Eternal. On an Earth overrun by the denizens of hell, get back behind the shotgun to fight familiar foes on your own turf. This one and a half minutes of dark foreboding leads up to the reveal of a classic line-up of enemies, some with upgrades since we last saw them (looking at you, Cacodemon). While details are light on at this point, fans will just have to wait until August, with the full reveal promised at QuakeCon 2018.    

Hell on Earth…not just another Monday at work.

You’re gunna need a bigger boomstick.

 

3. Assassin's Creed Odyssey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_SJZSAtLBA
Want to vicariously kick Geoff from Accounting into a dark pit? Who doesn’t!?
Bringing back fan-favourites ship battles, climbing impossible heights, and romancing everyone possible, Ubisoft’s newest sibling to the Assassin’s Creed family, Odyssey, sees our protagonist Spartan mercenary scouring the temple tops of Ancient Greece. Wielding a Piece of Eden in the form of the legendary Spear of Leonidas, you can face off against mighty armies and pick off their generals one-by-one and go up against mythical legends such as Medusa. Gorgeous graphics will have you perched on a high roof and taking in the majesty that has been brought to life in an even more open-world than previous games.

I’m going to climb all over those columns.

Fight ancient mythical heavyweights such as the Minotaur

 

2. The Last of Us 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_a0WnCa6I8
The game with 3 separate awards for the Most Anticipated Game is The Last of Us 2, sequel to the 2013 hit game. Voice actor Ashley Johnson returns as Ellie, 5 years after the original game setting. Although a cutscene where Ellie and another woman kiss has made fans of the game happy around the globe, it should be noted that the jubilation is more than fanboys; animating a kiss and maintaining the passion is a rarely achieved feat. The sweetness of the kiss at the beginning of the trailer is offset by the violence that we see Ellie committing in the second half. This is the world that she lives in, and how she was raised, and the brief flashes of happiness are few and far between.

Do what you need to survive

I couldn’t not include THAT scene

 

1. Sekiro - Shadows Die Twice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGPknmiLxGo
FromSoftware, the equally beloved and despised creators of the Dark Souls series, caused more of a meltdown than their iconic “You Died” title card when they released new teaser trailer 6 months ago. With only the cryptic ‘Shadows Die Twice’ phrase to grasp onto, fans spent hours deciphering each element of that 30 seconds. Many suggestions were put forward, but few came to the same conclusion that was revealed at E3, a hero with a skeletal arm that can be switched out for various weapons. Venturing into the world of Japanese fantasy, the fighting and gameplay styles are bound to be different to reflect this, with the E3 trailer showing several grappling swings via the shinobi prosthetic arm. Fans of the gore and bloodshed associated with previous FromSoftware games won’t be let down, with assassination kills showering the player with enough fountains of red to keep everyone happy.

Armed and dangerous

GoGo Gadget grappling hook.