Ultramodern Warfare

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Ubisoft sticks to the core sell for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier in the teaser trailer.  It’s a war shooter that’s going to set itself apart from current genre staples, such as Activision’s Modern Warfare, by injecting the genre with a hefty dose of future war tech.  There’s little game play shown possibly a few frames in there, though it’s hard to tell.  But the trailer is stylish and sets up the game compellingly, even if it does feel like it’s openly channeling Modern Warfare’s UI art style.

{video link no longer active}
Watch it at GameTrailers.

Brand New World

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In his well-crafted depiction of how augmented reality could turn everyday life into another screen, architect student Keiichi Matsuda paints a grave new world.  It’s one where technology might stunt human advancement to the point where little daily efforts like making tea, or pee for that matter, need instructions from a heads-up display.  The production value in Matsuda’s video is a standout, including his unique art style for AR visualization.

Watch it at Adweek {link no longer active}.

Super Bowl Ads Recap

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Adweek and Ad Age give everyone a chance to do what some of the Indianapolis Colts’ receivers might have been wishing for today, the chance to catch a few things they missed.

Adweek has a compilation of all of the ads aired during last night’s Super Bowl.  The outlet lists them by genre, such as celebrities, animals, etc., and also by when each spot aired during the game.  Check it out at Adweek {link no longer active}.

Ad Age writer Bob Garfield takes a critical look at all of the spots, rating his best to worst on a five star scale.  Check it out at Ad Age {link no longer active}.

Ad Age Viral Video Chart For Week Of Jan. 25

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Ad Age lists the top 10 viral videos for the week of Jan. 25.

New entries this week are topped by a Wal-Mart TV spot, a slapstick take on the frequented clown terrorizes children premise.  It debuts at number one with nearly 1.7 million views.  Ad Age says Wal-Mart could be setting a new trend, one where major brands have videos go viral simply through offline reach. Wal-Mart’s spot has been in heavy TV rotation.  Bridgestone falls into that trend, making the chart with a cliffhanger teaser also seeing heavy TV to set up its Super Bowl ad.  The spot entered the chart at number three getting just shy of 960,000 views.  The third and last new video is a viral for Nolan’s Cheddar cheese, in at eighth place with about 423,000 views.  Ad Age says chart tracker Visible Measures has been watching this video slowly grow an audience over a few weeks.  It’s got the right stuff for engaging viral: a furry animal, a central conflict, a feel-good third act, and licensed music.

Ad Age s chart includes number of views for the week and percentage change in views for videos that stayed on the chart.  The list is compiled by Visible Measures.

Check out the full list and watch the videos at Ad Age {link no longer active}.

Postcards From An Open World

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Eidos and Avalanche Studios put out this trailer for Just Cause 2 to highlight just how much freedom players have in the open-world action game.  Apparently there’s no shortage of impressive in-game footage to set up its non-linear game play, which seems primarily based on mechanics, vehicles and physics-based objects setting up a vertical world.  But the video’s notable for employing a neat device to communicate another aspect of its open world, that it takes place on a vast island playground that seems to be pretty much at players disposal.

Watch it at GameTrailers {link no longer active}.

EA’s Super Ad

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EA has released the 30-second TV ad for Dante s Inferno slated to air during the Super Bowl.  The publisher breaks new ground by sticking a videogame ad in the Super Bowl lineup, but the spot doesn’t exactly go for anything groundbreaking.  The ad buy is estimated to cost EA between $2-3 million, CBS’ going rate for 30-second spots during the game.  Keep that in mind as the video ticks by, it’s more than $80,000 a second.

The spot is a series of the game’s cut scenes setting up the premise, then ending with a quick glimpse of what to expect for game play.  Even that “game play” sequence sticks to hi-res CG.  While the linked version of the video has the game s original tagline Go To Hell, the aired spot will use a changed slogan per CBS request.  (Note our thumbnail photo.)  The music is Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers.

Watch it at YouTube {video link no longer active}.

Blue Moon Over Vegas

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Bethesda Softworks and developer Obsidian have put out a sneak peek for the next game in the Fallout series.  While well-crafted and appropriately dreary for a Fallout video, the debut teaser isn’t revealing much more than what’s evident in the game’s title Fallout: New Vegas.  For the setting, it gives just a glimpse of a seemingly war ravaged Las Vegas, though it’s tough to tell how ravaged given that the casino skyline is lit and looks fairly intact.  Fittingly, Frank Sinatra sets the Vegas mood.

{link no longer active}
Watch it at GameTrailers.

BioShock Floods Jimmy Fallon

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2K Games tapped network TV to debut its launch trailer for Bioshock 2.   As reported in game blog Joystiq, the publisher took over a three-plus minute opening ad slot on last night s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC.  The blog rightfully laments the spot’s heavy reliance on non-gameplay footage, no doubt a surprising move for a launch trailer.  But to 2K’s credit, it s well designed to speak to the broad audience the publisher bought into.  The high fidelity visualization of the game and its premise gives people who may not be familiar with BioShock one heck of a compelling setup.  At the same time, even without in-game footage, it tries real hard to differentiate the game play in the sequel for anyone who experienced the first.

Watch the trailer at Joystiq.