Fallout 4
Bethesda Softworks had a great showing at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), revealing both Dishonored 2 and Fallout 4, a sequel it somehow kept quiet right through the development process. This glorious trailer gave us a glimpse into the post-apocalyptic world that would consume so many gaming hours during late 2015.
Strafe
Strafe looks like the best first-person shooter that didn’t come out in 1996. The Kickstarter campaign behind the retro-inspired project raised over $200,000 at the start of the year, partly thanks to this awesome trailer, which looks like it could have fallen straight out of the mid-’90s.
Star Wars: Battlefront
We got our first, tiny glimpse of Star Wars: Battlefront way back in 2013. But this April-released reveal took interest in the game to another level, showcasing DICE’s vision for a multiplayer shooter that embraces everything that’s cool about the Star Wars universe.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
This year has seen the rebirth of a couple of gaming legends we thought we’d never see again — Shenmue’s Ryo Hazuki, coming back in the crowdfunded Shenmue III, and Cloud Strife, returning in Final Fantasy VII Remake for PlayStation 4 (and also appearing in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U). Cloud’s arrival in this announcement trailer brought a rapturous reception at this summer’s E3.
Mortal Kombat X
Actor David Ury — once crushed to death by an ATM machine in the TV show Breaking Bad — shows the reality of Mortal Kombat’s bloody arena battles, portraying the janitor tasked with cleaning up the mess. NetherRealm Studios also gave us a revealing insight into the lives of the official doctor and trainer behind the popular fighting series in this trilogy of live-action shorts.
FIFA 16
Electronic Arts must have pulled in a lot of favors to get soccer legend Pelé and NBA star Kobe Bryant to appear in this live-action tribute to FIFA 16, which also features contemporary soccer stars like Lionel Messi and Alex Morgan. It was the only gaming video to figure in YouTube’s U.K. top-10 this year, coming in at No. 6, three places ahead of a 6-foot man in a 6-foot giant water balloon. Yep, you read that right.