Gamescom Opening Night Live has come and gone, giving fans a look at several new and hotly-anticipated games. Big or small, several games graced the ONL stage and many faces appeared alongside host Geoff Keighley. There are more events on the horizon, like the rumored PlayStation Showcase and the confirmed Ubisoft Forward, Future of Assassin's Creed event, Disney and Marvel Games Showcase, and likely a few more.
Still, Gamescom ONL was a nice kickstart to the coming fall season—the busiest time in all of gaming. With so many trailers debuted though, a few stood out above the rest. It's worth highlighting, however, that each of these games come with a huge caveat: as impressive as their trailer might be, they aren't out yet, and some won't be until next year or beyond. However, with this potential hangup in mind, some trailers were truly impressive. They follow in no particular order.
Dead Island 2
There have been a few Dead Island 2 leaks over the past few days, with all of them essentially being confirmed at Gamescom. This new trailer emphasizes the gory playstyle of the game, gives a few hints about the story, and highlights the non-island setting of Los Angeles. Very few games find themselves in a position where they have to come back from a trailer released nearly a decade prior, but this Dead Island 2 trailer does just that and restores hype for a game almost synonymous with development hell.
Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights' latest trailer was a bit of a marketing switch, as the game has largely focused on its playable characters, but this time around it focused on its villains. It also revealed two new ones fans can expect to face: Harley Quinn and Clayface. A lot of Gotham Knights' potential flaws seem to hinge on how it nails them, but in terms of showing up and representing the world, story, and characters, it's hard to deny it did just that.
The Callisto Protocol
The Callisto Protocol appears just about everywhere, but there's a reason for that. It constantly lives up to the surrounding hype, and this new gameplay trailer does just that too. Players see Jacob Lee fight for his life, see enemies mutate right in from of them, and die in gory, horrifying ways.
Hogwarts Legacy
What stands out about Hogwarts Legacy's latest trailer is just how different in tone it is. While the game has largely felt pretty standard fare for student life at Hogwarts, the latest trailer dives into Dark Magic and highlights a player choice related to one of the unforgivable curses: Crucio. With also showing off the digital deluxe items, and recent the release date confirmation for Hogwarts Legacy, it does feel more real than ever before, even if it's a big wait.
Goat Simulator 3
The last time fans saw Goat Simulator 3, it was parodying the 2014 Dead Island 2 trailer, so seeing both at the same show was pretty hilarious. However, hilarious also describes the Goat Simulator 3 Gamescom trailer on its own. The zaniness of the franchise was on full display here, making the upcoming game even more exciting.
New Tales From the Borderlands
Tales from the Borderlands is a beloved spin-off, and Gearbox is returning to it again with New Tales From the Borderlands, which features a new cast, a new story, and a plot around a vault and the company Tediore. It even seems there are some exciting cameos or Easter eggs tied to characters like Rhys and Zane, but Gearbox did confirm Sasha and Fiona would not appear in New Tales From the Borderlands. It was also said that there are plans for these characters though, so fans can dive into all of this new content with a hopeful eye on the future for old content.
Lies of P
Lies of P is a Soulslike game set for 2023 that turns the story of Pinocchio into something much more gothic than the children's story. The latest trailer teased story and combat, with a lot of Lies of P's gameplay making it seem much more like Bloodborne than it did before. The confirmation it would be a day one Game Pass title also helped.
Atlas Fallen
Atlas Fallen sees players gliding around the sands of a massive desert, with an unmatched graphic style that was incredibly impressive. It was largely a cinematic trailer, but the glimpses of gameplay seemed promising. Atlas Fallen is a combo-driven action RPG, and with what was shown, it was arguably one of the most unique titles at Gamescom. Gamers should be sure to not sleep on it, especially if it lives up to the quality of its trailer.
Where Winds Meet
Where Winds Meet's trailer was an incredibly impressive display of the game's fantasy-filled Ten Kingdoms setting, where players find themselves involved in the war of the time. Its gameplay mixes sword fighting, Wuxia-style martial arts, Tai chi, magic, and more. And just like every other trailer here, this game set itself apart from the stiff competition present at Gamescom ONL.
Gamescom lasts through August 28 in Cologne, Germany.