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The 16 best trailers of Gamescom 2017

Final Fantasy XV PC

Gamescom — the massive video game convention that takes place annually in Germany — officially gets underway today. But for those of us not attending, there’s already plenty to get excited about, thanks to a deluge of trailers. Gamescom typically isn’t the place for major reveals, so few of the games on display are brand-new. But it’s still a great chance to get a deeper look at some of the blockbusters launching later this year and next, as well as some of the quirkier indie releases and a surprising number of new Final Fantasy XV titles. Here are 16 of the best.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins

The next Assassin’s Creed adventure was officially unveiled a few months back, and since then we’ve seen plenty of this Egyptian take on the series. The new Gamescom trailer doesn’t feature any new gameplay reveals or major story tidbits. Instead, it’s about emotion: a short, powerful vignette set to the sounds of “You Want It Darker” by Leonard Cohen. Origins will be available on October 27th on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Star Wars Battlefront II

The sequel to Star Wars Battlefront looks to improve on the original in a number of ways, most notably by (finally) adding a robust single-player campaign. But based on the latest trailer, you can also expect some much more exciting starfighter action. The brief clip shows off some epic space battles spanning a number of iconic Star Wars locations, from the debris of the Death Star high above Endor to the rainy surface of Kamino. Battlefront II is coming out on November 17th on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

The biggest draw for the sequel to Shadow of Mordor is the expanded “nemesis system,” in which you build personal relationships with the characters you come across — and kill — throughout the game. But Shadow of War also looks to feature a number of other enhancements. Based on this trailer, you can expect to fight against a pretty broad range of violent-looking fantasy creatures, many of which you can overpower and recruit for your own means. The sequel will be out on October 10th on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Jurassic World Evolution

Do you ever watch Jurassic Park and think, “Man, I could do a better job than that.” Jurassic World Evolution is your chance to prove it. The game is a theme park simulator where you get to design and build your own dinosaur park, and figure out once and for all how to keep an angry T. rex contained. You’ll be able to play it next summer on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition

Nearly a year after it debuted, Final Fantasy XV is making its much-belated debut on PC. The road trip RPG will be launching on Windows in early 2018, and as you’d imagine it’ll boast a number of technical improvements when it does. The new Gamescom trailer shows off a few of these enhancements, including much more detailed grass and hair effects — perfect for a game where you spend a lot of time guiding well-groomed boys through huge fields.

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition

The new Windows version wasn’t the only addition to the ever-expanding FFXV universe that was announced, though. Square Enix also revealed a remake for mobile devices, appropriately called Pocket Edition, that will introduce a chibi art style and touch controls. The first of 10 planned episodes will be launching this fall on iOS, Android, and Windows 10.

Ruiner

The slick-looking cyberpunk shooter Ruiner finally has a release date: September 26th. The new trailer shows off a bit more of the game’s gritty world and fast-paced action, which looks to involve a rather creative assortment of futuristic weapons. Ruiner will be available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One when it launches next month.

The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs

The Sims 4 is getting perhaps its most exciting expansion yet this year: pets. The new add-on is, appropriately, called Cats & Dogs, and it allows your sim to adopt a pet as their very own. You’ll be able to customize your furry friend and choose from a range of different breeds, as well as take on the brand-new veterinarian career path. The expansion will available in November for both PC and Mac.

Overwatch: Junkertown

Overwatch is getting a bit bigger, thanks to a new map set in a post-apocalyptic town. Called “Junkertown,” the escort map will see players protecting a payload of cash (and explosives) through the gritty wasteland, in an attempt to deliver it to the city’s queen. Blizzard says the new Overwatch add-on is “coming soon.”

Fe

As part of Electronic Arts’ EA Originals program, Fe is an indie-style adventure with the backing of a major publisher. The colorful game puts players in the role of a small cub who awakens in a strange, fantastical forest. The developers at Swedish studio Zoink describe Fe as “a new type of wordless platformer full of sounds.” You’ll be able to play it on PC, PS4, and Xbox One early next year.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

There are a lot of reasons to be concerned about Before the Storm, a prequel to the beloved adventure game Life is Strange. It’s being helmed by a new studio, features a new actress voicing Chloe, and it removes the time-travel mechanic that made the original so unique. Even still, this new trailer shows that there’s still some potentially gripping drama to be found, even if it doesn’t manage to replicate the original. The first episode of Before the Storm debuts on August 31st on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Destiny 2

Destiny isn’t exactly lauded for its storytelling, but for the game’s launch trailer, developer Bungie has decided to center in on narrative. The clip features plenty of CG-rendered action, some familiar voices like Nathan Fillion, and also a rooster for some reason. The long-awaited sequel will be out very soon: it’s coming out September 6th on PS4 and Xbox One, with a PC version out in October.

Age of Empires IV

A decade after Age of Empires III, the series is finally getting a new entry. Microsoft officially revealed Age of Empires IV at Gamescom, but didn’t provide a lot in the way of details about the new real-time strategy game. But at least it has a strong team behind it: the game is being developed by Relic, the studio behind strategy titles like Company of Heroes and plenty of Warhammer adventures. There’s no release date for the Windows 10 game, but Microsoft did also reveal that remaster of the second and third Age of Empires games are also on the way.

Gwent: Thronebreaker

Gwent is a spinoff of the fantasy epic Witcher 3, in which players swap sword and spells for a hand full of cards. It may sound like yet another Hearthstone knockoff, but Gwent has at least one unique feature: a full-blown story mode. Called Thronebreaker, the single-player campaign tells an all-new Witcher story, but replaces the typical battles with rounds of Gwent. The game is currently in beta on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

The Good Life

Director Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro is known for cult classics like Deadly Premonition and D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die. And his next release looks to follow a similarly strange route. It takes places in a quaint English village, where... everyone turns into a cat at night. It looks delightfully weird, though definitely lacking on details at the moment. No word on when The Good Life will release, or on what platforms.

Arms: Lola Pop

Last but not least, Nintendo revealed the newest addition to its character-based fighting game Arms: a colorful clown named Lola Pop. She has balloons for arms, can inflate her body, and battles in a candy-filled arena, making her a seemingly great fit for the game’s eclectic cast of combatants. Lola Pop will be available “soon” as part of a free update for the game.