Yes, I know we’re running late and I’m sorry, but some really crazy stuff happened on Friday after that Doctor Strange review went up. I’ll save that for story time on a later date, but just know that I didn’t forget you guys. I could never forget. I’ve got all these dang trailers burning a hole in my pocket.
I also put in a ton of time into Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare since then. You know what’s pretty good? The campaign in that. You know what’s just okay? The multiplayer in that. I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow, but just know what if you want to get it, then go for it. They definitely stuffed 60 dollars’ worth of game into that thing, but also feel totally free to skip it. Advanced Warfare was better than this one.
Also, for those of you in the United States (and analytics says that’s most of you), don’t forget to vote on Tuesday if you haven’t already since Election Day is patently absurd. And while I prefer not to push ideals and opinions on anyone else not open to it, if you’re planning on voting for Trump, consider the concept of empathy. Consider what it’s like to be a woman or a minority or an immigrant or anyone such a hate-mongering person would target in his racially motivated presidency. (Read: everyone.) And then realize that you can’t possibly vote for him.
Anyway, sorry to get serious on you all. Let’s watch some trailers and hope this Tuesday doesn’t turn America into a hellpit! (Or catch up with the Red Bull Battlegrounds Finals.)
Wonder Woman — Official Trailer
Oh hell yeah. Now that’s a good trailer, and I’m sure you all remember how much I deride modern trailer composition. It builds a microcosmic narrative of Diana fully embodying the mantle—the concept—of Wonder Woman and it does so with bits and pieces that further inform what we’ll see in the film itself. The key piece in all that is easily and wonderfully the moment where she sees one of her sisters falls to a bullet.
That bullet seemingly represents a lot, including her emergence into a new world, the insurgence of the physical dangers from that new one into her old life, and the social and philosophical values and corruption exchanged between the two. Or at least I’m hoping that’s what it means. This was a fun and potent trailer, and I’m mostly hoping that the movie is also fun and potent, not drab and hollow. It hits theatres on June 2, 2017.
Mass Effect: Andromeda — Join the Andromeda Initiative
Okay, all right, I’m into it. It still tells us mostly nothing, but it does at least lay the groundwork for setting up what we’ll be doing and why. It definitely fills in the massive gap between the end of the original trilogy and where Andromeda picks up, humanity apparently either curious or desperate to further explore and colonize the unknown universe.
What I can’t get over, though, is how weird those helmets look. They’re just too…Star Wars-y, if you know what I mean. That’s not a bad thing, but robots and aliens in Star Wars have always looked a bit goofy, a bit sweded. And Mass Effect has almost incidentally prided itself on being of the super sharp and clean future look. Oh well, not like it matters. It comes out for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC early next year.
Life — Official Trailer
It’s definitely weird that the video description references Jurassic Park, right? That can’t possibly be just for fun. Is that supposed to instill the same themes into you as you gear up to watch Life? I guess the premise is mostly similar in that it’s some stranded people dealing with a species they’re almost entirely unfamiliar with and underpowered for.
But their existence is not a consequence of the humans and their actions, so the crux of it is out the window. Anyway, that’s pretty unimportant. The movie itself looks interesting. I like everyone involved, but I’m most excited to see Rebecca Ferguson. We’re all pretty familiar with Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal, but Ferguson is mostly known for killing it in The White Queen and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, the former of which not many people remember and the latter not giving her a lot to work with. Life comes out on May 24, 2017.
Routine — Release Date Trailer
This thing has been teased for years now. The Lunar Software YouTube channel actually has their 2012 Gamescom teaser up if you want to go all-in for a time travel comparison. And you know what? It’s still looking pretty dang good.
That spiky robot thing is genuinely creepy, and I haven’t even played it. And selling it as a 70s vision of the future? Come on, that’s pretty much my favorite version of the future! Definitely looking forward to this bad boy. It hits PCs in March 2017.
A Series of Unfortunate Events — Meet Count Olaf
Do you remember that Lemony Snicket movie from a 2004? (Sidebar: sweet fuck that was a long time ago.) It was pretty good. Probably better than it should have been, a sentiment that oddly carries over to the accompanying video game. But, save for Jim Carrey’s performance as Count Olaf, it was an agreeable but forgettable excursion.
That pretty much makes this Netflix series a no-brainer. It has the built-in curiosity of those that can hazily remember those two transmedia entries and the actual books they were based on and vaguely attach positive feelings to them. I guess the only conflict they have is replacing Carrey with Neil Patrick Harris, but everyone loves him anyways, so it’s all good. All eight episodes release on Netflix on January 13, 2017.
Dishonored 2 — Corvo Attano Spotlight
So last week we saw a live-action trailer for Dishonored 2, but there was also an Emily Kaldwin video that, well, I just didn’t manage to include. (It’s pretty good, though, and you should watch it.) This week, there is another character spotlight video, and in it, you get to watch co-director Harvey Smith talk about Corvo Attano, the returning protagonist from the first game.
In addition to the gameplay, the story, the graphics, and almost everything else, the best part of Dishonored was how much went into its worldbuilding. And that easily continues into this sequel. Hearing Smith talk about the thoughts that went into constructing an older and vocal Corvo is fascinating. I could listen to him do that all day. It comes out on November 11, 2016, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Yomawari: Night Alone — Launch Day Trailer
Full disclosure: I have a copy of Yomawari: Night Alone coming my way and I simply cannot wait. Not only are reviews so far pretty promising (of which I hope to get one out, too) but between this trailer and the last one, I’m psyched to wander through a strangely charming yet intense nightmare. It sounds equal parts fun and terrifying.
I’m not expecting the sort of shocking scares or sensory overload frights that you’d get from most other horror games, though. I’m anticipating something more akin to the slow, simmering anxiety of something like Inside, and that’s what is really interesting. That’s the sort of horror you just don’t get a lot of because it’s so much more difficult to get right. Anyway, it’s out now for the PlayStation Vita and PC.
Owlboy — Release Trailer
I reeeaaaaaally need to get my hands on this game. I know almost nothing about it outside of this trailer, but it’s all some other journalist friends of mine have been talking about this week, and that’s in the midst of BlizzCon, Infinite Warfare, and something like a dozen other things to cover between now and tomorrow. Given that, it’s enough to convince me to put some time into the game no matter what.
My god does this thing look charming as fuck. I want to print out each of these scenes and hang them on my wall. It’s a blend of all the sorts of aesthetics that I have adored for the longest time. So much color yet such Game Boy-era flattened contrast and simple but accentuated characters and animations. All thrown over an oddly steampunk, low fantasy retro sheen. It’s out now for PC.
Overwatch — Introducing Sombra
Probably the biggest news to come out of this year’s BlizzCon, Blizzard is throwing in a new hero into Overwatch. Her name is Sombra and apparently she’s a badass. This video does a good job of showing off what she can do, but you really need to hear it from someone who’s played both her and a shit ton of Overwatch.
And that person is Nathan Grayson of Kotaku. His writeup on her paints her as one hell of a character. She can disable abilities, teleport, hack turrets, turn invisible, and isolate health packs. That’s a lot of incredibly potent stuff for one person. And apparently she fucks up tanks like nobody’s business. She goes wide next week in the Public Test Realm if you want to see what’s up.
Gears of War 4 — Run the Jewels Air Drop
Hahahah what.
Fine, I’ll take it.
