Trailers typically fall into one of two camps. On one side, you have the overly long, drawn-out trailers that beat fans over the head with philosophical ramblings and way too many plot details - then, on the other side, you have trailers that are scared to show off more than a logo and a few seconds of pre-rendered footage. You'll see it at every major video game trade show: there are always trailers that give away everything, and trailers that show next to nothing.
There are, of course, exceptions to the rule: trailers that are so perfectly in-tune with their intended audience that any shortcomings are immediately forgotten over the sheer awesomeness of the content on the screen. It's a rare sight these days, what with every publisher trying to wow audiences with specular highlights and particle effects, but they're out there...if you need proof, just look at the Just Cause 3 GamesCom 2015 trailer.
Avalanche Studios knew that players didn't want to see a bunch of boring dialogue between characters. They knew that players didn't want to see pre-rendered nonsense. They knew that players wanted to see something substantial without ruining the experience - and that's exactly what they did.
It's easy to brush Just Cause 3 off as nothing more than a glorified explosion simulator, but to do so would be missing the point. Games don't need to be about brooding, angst and 100% seriousness all of the time: sometimes, it's good to have a game that's perfectly happy with being a game, not some sort of 'experience.'
At this point, it's clear that's what Avalanche Studios is trying to do.
True, there are hints at a great conflict sprinkled throughout the trailer, but that's not why people are watching it: Just Cause is known for physics-defying action and ridiculously huge explosions, and that's exactly what the trailer delivers. Think of it this way: would you rather sacrifice one of the trailer's many epic explosions for a random line of dialogue?
Just Cause 3 may not end up having the deepest or emotionally-charged story, but does it really need one? Going by the GamesCom 2015...no, no it doesn't. Oh, and if you think you've seen the best parts of the trailer already, well - you haven't seen anything yet.
Thankfully, it won't be much longer before fans can finally get their hands on the game: Just Cause 3 is set for launch on Dec. 1.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page!
