The Game Awards 2021 has come and gone, and it's left a horde of action-packed trailers in its wake.
While we may not have seen the trailer we were really hoping for – one revealing the Breath of the Wild 2 release date and title – this year's showing still had plenty to it.
We got announcements for that long-rumored Alan Wake sequel, a new Star Wars game, and a good lore dump for Elden Ring. There was also a story trailer for soulslike Elden Ring, and the debut of a Wonder Woman game that uses Shadow of Mordor's nemesis system (we reckon that lasso of truth should come in handy for converting enemies to your side, too).
With so many trailers shown at the event, many can be easily missed if you weren't watching the show live. So we've rounded up every Game Awards trailer you need to watch, below.
Alan Wake 2
The Alan Wake sequel is officially happening. Given the first game ended on something of a cliffhanger, we can't wait to jump back in on this Twin Peaks-inspired supernatural thriller - though the sequel is set to be more of a survival horror. A blog post from the dev says that "I also want to make it clear that playing our previous games is not required in any way to fully enjoy Alan Wake 2, but to those interested it will add to the backstory of it." So even if you never played Alan Wake, you can look forward to this new entry in 2023.
Wonder Woman
Developer Monolith has returned with its latest project, an open-world Wonder Woman game. The studio is perhaps best known for its work on the F.E.A.R. series as well as both Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. And the best part? Wonder Woman will be employing the Nemesis system, a dynamic gameplay mechanic first featured in those Tolkien-inspired games.
Halo TV show: live-action trailer
We got our first good look at the new Halo TV show landing on Paramount Plus. It's been years in development, but will actually be launching next year – and it's clear that the production is cleaving closely to the look, feel and sound of the Halo games.
It's clearly a pricey production too, and we're excited to see whether it becomes a must-see sci-fi show on Paramount Plus' platter alongside Star Trek: Discovery and Brave New World – or just a tie-in series for existing Halo fans. Nonetheless, look upon this trailer and see what you think.
Dune: Spice Wars
Enjoyed the new Dune movie? This real-time strategy game on PC. Dune: Spice Wars will release in early access in 2022, first with a single-player mode and then with multiplayer and a full campaign coming later.
The planet of Arrakis is a great place for the kind of large-scale military strategy and resource management game we expect to see. As the source of 'spice' in the Dune universe, ownership of Arrakis' spice is the route towards incredible wealth – spice being what powers space travel. Between the Harkonnens, the House of Atreides, and the desert-dwelling Fremen, there's plenty of opportunity for hostility, alliance, and conflict – and we can't wait to play.
Elden Ring: story trailer
"It happened an age ago... but when I recall I see it true. On a night of wintry fog, the rune of death was stolen, and the demigods began to fall..."
Sounds about right. This FromSoftware game from Hidetaka Miyazaki – the story written with the aid of Game of Thrones' George R. R. Martin – has more than a touch of Dark Souls about it. A fallen kingdom, massive and powerful entities beyond mortal comprehension, and the rest.
This story trailer isn't an explainer, of course. Who is Godwin the Golden? What was the Shattering? Who broke the Elden Ring? these questions and more will crowd your mind in this supernatural medieval adventure RPG. But the "fractured world" of Elden Ring only looks more inviting – and uninviting – the closer we get to its February 2022 release date.
Star Wars: Eclipse
Speaking of Dune, it’s clear the team over at Heavy Rain developer Quantum Dream took a shine to Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi blockbuster. To the sound of an ominous chorus, the first cinematic trailer for their upcoming Star Wars title, Star Wars: Eclipse, shows off armored battalions, regally-clad emissaries and even a strange-looking gentleman emerging from a pool of sticky black goo.
Naturally, this is a project in the earliest stages of development – so the trailer by no means represents the final product – but we do know Star Wars: Eclipse will be the first video game in the franchise set during the affluent High Republic era (that’s the period around 200 years before the Skywalker Saga). Quantum Dream says players can expect to “play as a diverse cast of charismatic characters, each with their own story, abilities, and role to play in the tapestry of events that could alter the carefully balanced peace of the Outer Rim".
We all remember the unfortunate fate which befell the last Star Wars game that looked this cool (RIP, 1313) – but we can’t help but be excited by this one.
Forspoken
A new trailer at The Game Awards revealed that Forspoken releases on May 24, 2022. Exclusively releasing on PS5 and PC, Forspoken sees a regular teenager sent into a fantasy world. The moveset here is the biggest draw, with fluid jumps and dashes looking like a thrill to play, though you'll get more of a sense of the story beats from the trailer above.
Among Us VR
YES. Among Us was already good, but transplanting the Mafia-inspired space assassin game into VR should only make things tenser – and possibly even more chaotic as players try to navigate a sprawling spaceship in first-person. We just can't wait to see those VR animations in action. 3D decapitations, anyone?
Let's see you copy that, Fortnite.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League looks more fun, and more funny, every time we see it. This time you can see some of the antics that come from trying to face off with The Flash, the fastest man alive.
Star Trek: Resurgence
Dramatic Labs is a studio consisting largely of ex-Telltale devs, so we're hoping this Star Trek tie-in game captures the fun, path-branching storytelling that TellTale was once known for. Resurgence "tells an original story set in the era shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation", which ran in the late '80s and early '90s.
As a Star Trek game, you'll obviously be talking to Spock, humming over scientific conundrums, and disobeying orders from people more experienced than you. Face the unknown!
Tunic
This adorable Zelda-like sees a young fox adventurer puzzle and battle his way through an ominous world. It's almost shocking that this isn't the same dev behind Death's Door – an instant classic RPG from Acid Nerve that launched earlier in 2021 – given how similar some of the artistic and mechanical choices are, though it makes sense that they share an influence in Zelda.
"Stranded on a mysterious beach, armed with only your own curiosity, you will confront colossal beasts, collect strange and powerful," we're told. Take a look to see if it's for you, but if you liked either Death's Door or the 2D Zelda games of yore, you may want to check it out. Coming March 16, 2022.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
The first-ever gameplay reveal for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II on Xbox and PC. Everything on show is in-game footage, and it looks suitably horrifying, as a giant crawls its way towards Senua's allies amid flaming spears – but ending on an enticing twist. Have a look for yourself.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
The cute little cups from Cuphead head into perilous danger again in this lovingly-animated trailer, facing new enemies and even a new friend. We don't expect the end product to make use of stop-motion animation, but it's still a delight to see here.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Everyone's favorite ring-collecting rodent is back for his second adventure, and this time he's brought some familiar faces along with him. Of course, the big drawcard for fans will surely be the arrival of Knuckles the Echidna, voiced to tough guy perfection by none other than Idris Elba.
As per Sonic the Hedgehog canon, Knuckles is tricked into fighting Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tails by the evil Dr. Robotnik, played once again by Jim Carrey, who has now gone full Eggman with a bald head and ridiculously over-the-top mustache.
