| <br>Although some cinematic trailers aren't any kind of indicator of what a game will be like, a few companies have mastered the art of using trailers to capture the tone and mood of an upcoming project. But when n the realm of CG cinematic trailers, nobody does it better than Blizza<br><br> <br>No list of Blizzard cinematics would be complete without mention of the original World of Warcraft reveal trailer. In many ways, this is the trailer that kicked off the modern era of Blizzard gaming. The reveal trailer takes players back to Azeroth after Warcraft 3 and offers a brand-new perspective on the Warcraft setting. Aside from Trolls, just about every race and class get some love in this trai<br><br>That would be like the U.S. claiming it isn't a militarily focused nation, because they spend a relatively small percentage of its GDP on military. This overlooks the fact that the U.S. is perhaps the richest nation in the world, meaning that that small percentage is more than the next 30 or so developed countries combined. So how much money do free-to-play games make off micro-transactions? I don't know. But I know it's more than enough to stay in business, it's more than enough to make PopCap not even consider bringing Plants vs. Zombies 2 to any other platform besides mobile , and it's more than enough to entice several other games to go free-to-play, or at least to use micro-transactions.<br><br>Another strategy game I played on my list is SteamWorld Heist and it’s a winner for me. Understanding the gameplay is simple and the story jumped right into the action. Exploring randomly generated ships and shooting it out with robots makes every stop along the way a true challenge. The old west aesthetic and steam-powered environment in SteamWorld Heist is pulled off much better than Wild Wild West. It’s almost the complete opposite of SteamWorld Dig but you could say SteamWorld Heist is a more grown-up version in the series. It’s a game to both kill time and robots with.<br> <br>Who's a good Frostwolf? WHO'S A GOOD LITTLE FROSTWOLF?! This World of Warcraft Frostwolf Cub Plush is great for some holiday snuggling or as the latest trophy up on your wall of gaming collectibles. An official Blizzard Gear product, this pup's soft blue-eyed gaze will never betray the fact that it's seen some seriously harsh things on the battlefronts of Draenor and Alterac Valley while serving the Ho<br><br> <br>Blizzard Entertainment has had a pretty successful 2016, starting with Overwatch releasing to stellar reviews on its way to becoming the next big thing in eSports. Hearthstone has again seen multiple popular updates this year, ranging from the dark Old Gods expansion to the more fun-filled Karazhan adventure . Even the old flagship World of Warcraft is experiencing a bit of a return to glory, with the nostalgia-filled Legion expansion breathing new life into the game after the disaster on Draen<br><br> <br>Regardless of what the most hardcore fans thought, the Mists of Pandaria trailer became an incredibly popular TV spot in the month's leading up to the game's release. It featured exciting action with its three way battle, but more importantly, showcased Blizzard's sense of humor. The trailer isn't full of jokes at all, but a few well-placed visual gags make it impossible not to love the cinematic introduction of the universe's new r<br><br>I admit that Dota 2 has the benefit of an established fan base unmatched by almost any free-to-play game (League of Legends excluded). Not many games have fans who are willing to pay for something that doesn't benefit them in any way. Taking that into account, though, there still is no good excuse for free-to-play micro-transactions that benefit the company more than the player. Honestly, the solution is just to make your game cost money. Remember that? When games cost a flat fee for the entire thing? This was a largely successful model, and the only reason I can see for the shift is pure greed, especially by a company like EA that already has boatloads of money to roll in.<br>Duking it out with gigantic creatures is great in any video game. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate came out last February and brought its massive monsters to the U.S. One of the game’s biggest strengths is its diverse weaponry and armor you wear to hunt down big trophies. Customizing yourself to fit the action is necessary in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and luckily there’s enough to wear. Even though your goal is to track down and kill the monsters, it is amazing seeing how different they all are. All the sizes, colors and abilities make for a wild adventure.<br><br> <br>Arthas and Nova should never really end up in a battle together as far as Blizzard lore is concerned, but Heroes of the Storm allows players to live out that "who would win in a fight?" fantasy over and over in an addicting [http://M.WWW.Polar.Co.kr/member/login.html?noMemberOrder=&returnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fPlaygts.com%2Fbbs%2Fboard.php%3Fbo_table%3Dcounsel3%26wr_id%3D52051 MOBA Game Advanced Tactics] format. This trailer does a stellar job of showing just how fun things can get when you relax and don't think too m<br><br> <br>Funko Pop! has made collectible action figures for just about everything in pop culture, and now the company has brought the heroes from Overwatch to life. This Tracer action figure features her classic skin, complete with orange and white sunglasses. The vinyl collectible stands 3.75" tall and will fit comfortably next to your computer monitor or gaming console. Once you click through to Amazon, scroll down to see the other Overwatch heroes that Funko Pop! has created figures for. "Cute" probably isn't the first word you'd think of when Reaper or Widowmaker come to mind, and yet, somehow, they pull it<br>
| | Shovel Knight was released back in 2014 but it just wasn’t enough. Luckily, Yacht Club Games came out with a whole new storyline and adventure centered around Plague Knight with Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows. In it we’re playing as one of the bad guys as we go off to do bad guy things, but is Plague Knight really all that bad? He’s definitely one of the most interesting characters in the game and ditching the shovel in favor of potions and explosives is a great change of pace. Altering the story to fit Plague Knight is a great addition to the classic NES-style platformer. Playing through all the same levels we’re used to but as a different character bring a new perspective to the world. We can only hope every knight will get their chance in the spotlight.<br><br><br>The voice over narration perfectly sets up the conflict that the Horde and Alliance have remained locked in for the last ten years and by focusing on unnamed heroes, rather than icons of the Warcraft world , players are able to imagine themselves as the Orc warrior going berserk or the Dwarf hunter exploring the snowy mountains. Maybe it's just nostalgia taking over, but we're tempted to roll a new character every time the drums of war start beating in this trai<br><br><br>Funko Pop! has made collectible action figures for just about everything in pop culture, and now the company has brought the heroes from Overwatch to life. This Tracer action figure features her classic skin, complete with orange and white sunglasses. The vinyl collectible stands 3.75" tall and will fit comfortably next to your computer monitor or gaming console. Once you click through to Amazon, scroll down to see the other Overwatch heroes that Funko Pop! has created figures for. "Cute" probably isn't the first word you'd think of when Reaper or Widowmaker come to mind, and yet, somehow, they pull it <br><br>This benefits the player and Valve equally, because Valve offers players items they genuinely want to buy, not have to buy or be left behind. Valve makes money, Dota 2 players look pretty. But Dota 2 players who haven't spent any money can still stomp into the ground players who have a cosmetic set for every hero. Moving away from League of Legends (since that debate is a particularly stomach-turning can of worms), consider Plants vs. Zombies 2. PopCap was sold to Electronic Arts after the first game, and EA moved the sequel to an all-mobile platform that's free to play, but it's the wrong kind of free to play. It's the kind with micro-transactions that offer a better gaming experience.<br><br> <br>There's no denying that all of the WoW expansion cinematics are pretty fantastic and using only a few for this list was a hard task. The Burning Crusade trailer runs with the same theme as the original and the others start working more and more lore into the reveals. However, these five stood out the most for their impact and genuine wow (no pun intended) fac<br><br>I saved the best for last on this list. While many folks pointed out Nintendo’s lack of original titles, Splatoon made a splatastic debut and made up for the last few decades. The cute, colorful, simple online shooter is a friendly way to introduce players to the genre. Clever weapon designs and fresh gear to wear makes Splatoon a uniquely designed game. It’s not serious or violent like many others, which appeals to players of all ages. Friends, parents, kids and squids can all enjoy this game together and not have to yell or scream about campers. Inking the entire level and fending off the other team is a big task, but Nintendo made it enjoyable. Plus, you might run into a Squid Party and those are always fun to mess with. Splatoon is my choice for best game of 2015.<br><br>Combining characters across all of Blizzard’s properties made Storm of Heroes feel like the Smash Bros. of MMO games. It’s a clever move on their part and one that I felt drew fans of yesteryear back to the good fight. Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo and more combine heroes and villains to bring a full-on war between factions. The amazing promotional trailers made wanting to play Storm of Heroes even more enticing. Even if you’re terrible at MMO games, you can still enjoy the sights and sounds of nostalgia in a new world.<br><br>Mario is not only a staple in video game history; he is THE pinnacle of the industry. His games have defined what it means to be a video [http://sl860.com/comment/html/?275909.html MOBA game meta]. But guess what? I can make a video game too! Super Mario Maker is a phenomenal concept that allows fans to bring to life their very own versions of the plumber’s classic adventures. I’ve had tons of fun just imagining my own Mario levels and feeling like a real developer at Nintendo. If only they could see my creations…sigh. Whatever, Super Mario Maker is in fact a fantastic game despite all the extremely hard user-created levels that I’ve skipped over.<br><br> <br>Tyrael's Sacrifice is the first of a few tear-jerkers to make our list. Unlike the World of Warcraft opening cinematic, this Diablo 3 cinematic is entirely devoted to established characters in the game's universe. The three-minute cut scene contains lots of flash and action in the heavens, but what makes it great is how well it pulls at the player's heart stri |
