These show off many games, from the most overpriced AAA titles to humble indie games, but the reveals that really stand out are the ones you don’t expect. And that doesn’t just mean a highly-anticipated reveal, but a reveal that tricked into thinking it was something else entirely. It’s a rare treat, but one that just can’t be surpassed.
When you think of Dead Island now, you probably think of all the exploding zombies, the makeshift weapons, the gorgeous vistas of theoverrun holiday resort, and the incredibly long wait for Dead Island 2. That’s all well and dandy, but the reveal for Dead Island, though incredibly iconic, is not accurate to the game. At all.
Showcasing a family in slow motion trying to save themselves as the resort is overrun is heart-wrenching. If you’ve played Dead island, you would know that the game does not pretend to be in any way serious, happy to be a shlocky zombie killing fest. It would be like watching the trailer for 28 Weeks Later, and then you end up watching Evil Dead. Two great things, but in no way the same.
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For a decade at this point, FromSoftware had been dominated by Soulslike games. Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne. it seemed like that would be all it would ever make. And then came the reveal of Shadows Die Twice. No mention that it would be a new IP, just a new game and FromSoftware developing it.
It set the internet ablaze. Could this finally be Bloodborne 2? Or maybe Tenchu is finally arising from the ashes after so long? And it turned out to be neither, but a brand-new game entirely. Set within a fictional version of Sengoku Japan, Sekiro took great inspiration from Tenchu to the point one could call it a spiritual successor. But that moment in time, or not quite knowing what this meant, was a beautiful time.
Bayonetta 3 was originally revealed at the 2017 Game Awards for the newly-released Switch console. It was a long-awaited return to the series, having already been three years since Bayonetta 2. And then it was three years. Then four years. Then five years. And at this point, it seemed like Bayonetta 3 was nothing but vaporware.
And then came the 2021 Nintendo Direct.It was Platinum, but what?Was this instead an Astral Chain sequel since Lappy appeared? Soldiers and unusual monsters, maybe it was actually Project GG. And then, finally, Bayonetta herself appeared in her brand-new design. Regardless of how the game itself came out, the four-year wait for new information had ended in spectacular fashion.
The existence of a Smash Bros. game is a massive event in and of itself, so of course the inclusion of additional fighters would also make the news. And with the unprecedented success of the Switch, each reveal for SMash Bros. Ultimate became an event. But no event was more orchestrated and unexpected than the reveal of Joker as the very first DLC character.
Unlike any other reveal of the night, this one came like a thief in the night. As Geoff prepares to move onto the next segment, all the lights cut and the symbol of the Phantom Thieves drops. More Persona 5? In a sense, yes. As what does Joker reveal but his very own invitation to Smash Bros. Ultimate. There were many great reveals for Smash since, but none could top the pure theatrics of Joker.
2The Sudden Reveal Of Resident Evil Requiem
Just Give Us A Little Bit More Time. Literally
A bit fresher in the mind is Resident Evil Requiem.Resident Evil has always shifted the formulaafter a few entries, coming back to reinvent itself for a fresh perspective, literally much of the time. After Village, many people expected a whole new vibe for Resident Evil 9, and that’s exactly what we got in Requiem. But how we got it was the real surprise.
To have Capcom appear to directly announce the game in development, only to tell us to wait just a little longer to hear more. Who could have thought they meant it literally? As the show rolled in its final reveal, Resident Evil Requiem finally made it’s grand entrance, putting years of rumours to rest, and even followed up with a release date less than a year down the road.
Hideo Kojima is well-known for his marketing antics, especially in the earlier days of Metal Gear Solid. Twists and fake-outs are no strangers to his games. But P.T. was something else entirely. A global phenomenon. A fake-out that held up even after you started playing the game, and didn’t reveal itself until the very last moment.
P.T., which was not revealed to be a Playable Teaser until you rolled credits, was made by a fake team, under a fake name, with a fake pretense. And was actually a brand-new Silent Hill game. Then it all clicked. A ghost called Lisa, trapped in a house in first-person, the endless puzzles and psychological horror. And it has become a thorn in Konami’s side ever since.
