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Posted By Nobunaga about 9 months, 1 week ago
"Why do we fight?" – Well… the phat epics, of course!
Each expansion that comes to World of Warcraft inevitably brings with it the anticipated release of the expansion’s cinematic. Known for it’s unique and often jaw-dropping cinematics in the industry, Blizzard’s cinematic department churns out memorable movies year after year… but would this year, this expansion, be any different? Lets have a look at the intro cinematic for “Mists of Pandaria” and find out…
Now… on a personal note, I’m going to come out of the gate with a, “Wuh? Uhh… it’s ok I guess.” In essence it tells the ever so brief tale of the Horde and the Alliance first meeting the Pandaren, I guess… the problem I’m having with it is that it has a single unwavering narrative and inserted comedy. Sure, the Pandaren have never been a terribly super-serious race as they are after all giant bears (care bears, kung fu pandas and the like not withstanding, a giant bear is a giant comedic bear), but I was kind of hoping for a more serious heart-pumping cinematic or a dramatic one like previous expansions.
Now don’t get me wrong, I laughed… I enjoyed the cinematic, the graphic renderings and smooth motion mechanics are top notch quality… I just think this probably wasn’t the right direction. It feels like an “odd man out” amongst the other cinematics. “You are not prepared!”, “The One, True, King.” and “My hatred burns through the cavernous deeps…” are joined by “Why do we fight?”… I’m just not sure. Still though, a great cinematic all things considered, I do suppose.
It’s goofy, but no one can say it doesn’t look good. Even if I don’t really like Blizzard much anymore, I can admit that they are gods at making incredible looking CG trailers.
I liked this trailer. It really sets the tone for the start of the expansion. You’re exploring a lost land that’s been untouched by over 10,000 years of global conflict and devastation. It’s new and bright and shiny and the Pandaren are a generally happy, peace-loving people. The war comes to them. The trailer showed all this with both brutal detail and much-needed lightheartedness. Think about it. We’ve faced down Onyxia, plots to overthrow the leadership of the Alliance, power struggles within the Horde, we’ve faced down invading armies from beyond our world and beyond the grave, fought ancient horrors that Azeroth’s very creators could only contain, and came out of an expansion that literally changed the face of the planet itself.
It’ll get darker as things progress. But there’s no reason we can’t look up from the blood and guts for just a moment now and then and just have a laugh, or smile, or be in awe.
We’re picking apart a 4 minute introductory cinematic like it holds the deepest darkest secrets of the game when all it’s supposed to do is -introduce- us to the new situation. The new situation is Pandaria, the Pandaren, and the escalation of the war.
I think it did it’s job. But you can’t please everyone. It’s just sad that people are looking at this and going “World of Warcraft is DEAD TO ME!” because it’s not as deadly serious as the (again) INTRODUCTORY cinematics that came before.
But we’re all okay with in-game nods to pop culture, a questline that ends in Katamari Damacy gameplay, an in-game version of Plants vs Zombies that gives a smiling, singing sunflower, and all sorts of silliness. Go figure.
I know the original April Fools day joke pre-dates Kung Fu Panda, but watching this, I just can’t stop thinking it’s a trailer for Kung Fu Panda 3.
You are right, they went the wrong way with this trailer.
Now I should point out that the trailer is generally fine for the most part, in fact many elements of it would define it as a good trailer. The problem is, at least for me, that it leaves me with the impression they want to try very hard at making you think this is the greatest thing ever. A problem, as it doesn’t really make the Pandaren (or anything about them) really stand out all that much, at least not in a way that lets you feel like you can connect to them or who they are. Hell, if it wasn’t for the damn WoW logo in there was wondering if I was watching a new trailer for a Kung Fu Panda movie which happened to co-star the Alliance & the Horde.
Much in this trailer leaves more questions then answers (like who started that fight, how was it somewhere that is clearly known looks to be treated as if no one knew about the Pandaren’s, etc), but those elements didn’t make me think this was a bad trailer. No, it was the weapon pass by the Alliance guy to the Horde followed by the later look of awe by those two and the line about balance. Without context, none of those elements make sense, WITH context they make just as little sense.
It is a nice try, but just makes things feel aimless without a sense of value behind what this means for the WoW-world.