Best Opening Stages In Modern Games

[camerinian]

I've been scrolling through a few fan lists of the "Best Level 1's in Gaming", and I couldn't help but notice how nearly every list was dominated by games from the NES/SNES/Genesis era. Even if Number 1 wasn't something cliched like Green Hill Zone or World 1-1, it was something a lot older than the sort of games we have now. The most modern I saw anyone stretch was COD 4's opening, and it seemed like the general consensus in terms of cut-off date was the Dam from Goldeneye. Obviously there are plenty more from newer games that should be on those sort of lists, so I just wanted to get an idea of what this forum thought.

My personal pick would be the original God Of War II. Admittedly the first game was a bit short on bosses, which was a let-down after the insane Hydra fight, but the sequel got it right. Oh boy, did it get it right. Pretty much launching straight into the action, having the Colossus of Rhodes constantly looking down on you for nearly all of the first section, almost challenging you to come and rip it apart, it provided an amazing idea of the scale the rest of the game would be on, and it didn't disappoint in that regard

 

[The Madman]

Lord Baffords Manor in Thief: The Dark Project. It was the first proper level in the game and also included in the demo, which I must have played two dozen times over before buying the game, and once I did own it I played it a half dozen times more over the years. Still hasn't gotten old, damned good level design and just a great introduction to one of my all time favourite series though being over ten years old now, not really sure that counts as 'modern'.

Mass Effect 2's introduction also blew me away. I was lucky enough to have completely avoided spoilers going into ME2 so I had no idea what to expect, so those initial few minutes were damned impressive. Slowed down a fair bit after that but that opening was definitely impressive.

Oh, and Saints Row 3, that was both hilarious AND awesome. After that beginning I was wondering how they'd ever manage to top that sheer level of stupidly action-packed fun but sure enough they managed it!

 

[tippy2k2]

I second Saint's Row 3. If that sequence of events with an airplane doesn't perfectly set the "over-the-top" tone, I don't know what else would.

Part of the reason why modern games don't get the same looks as the classics is that "levels" as everyone knows them really just plain don't exist anymore. The two examples I'm going to give next are great examples of this for are they really levels?

Bioshock: The plane crash and subsequent introduction of Rapture is just perfect. A great way to introduce this strange new world to you and sets up for one of the most interesting sequence of events ever. Would you kindly give that game a shot if you haven't already?

The Last of Us: I have this already penciled in as Game of the Year and the way this game introduces itself is a real kick to the teeth, giving you a ton of insight on Joel and how his world is about to drastically change. I ADORE this game and it absolutely kills in atmosphere and characters, starting with, in my ever so humble opinion, one of the greatest openings in any game ever released. If you own a PS3, your system deserves to play this game. If you don't, it might be time to consider getting one...

 

[MysticSlayer]

If we're just talking about levels then:

The Last Story: Chapter 1 does an excellent job of introducing you to mechanics without feeling like a tutorial level and without getting cheesy. Not to mention, it is a fun level in it of itself and ends with a great boss fight. Not to mention, after seeing what the game did with the Wii's limited hardware, it is hard to not get a little excited to see one of the best looking games on the Wii also pull off destructible environments to the degree it did during the boss fight.

BioShock: This includes both the opening scene and entirety of "Welcome to Rapture". Very few games have ever established themselves as well as BioShock did in its first level. It set the atmosphere perfectly, got me highly engaged with the story right from the start, and it showed great promise of things to come. While it may not be the best level in terms of just being an enjoyable one, I find it hard to think of any other game with an opening level that got me as excited for the game as BioShock's did.

Medal of Honor: Airborne: The first level was just fun to play. It did the best job of breaking away from the traditional linear shooter and providing alternative routes to complete objectives. Even when it took a more linear progression, they still managed to emphasize the different paths you could take. Too bad the rest of the game couldn't stand up to what this level gave us, because it was a really fun opening to the game.

Yeah, that's really all I have. It is sort of hard because so many games no longer use traditional levels, generally trying to make the game feel like it all flows together as well as it possibly can. Not to mention, I tend to find the opening levels of most games to be lacking. Even if they are fun, they tend to get overshadowed by what comes later.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Metal Gear Rising with it's opening level with the fight against Metal Gear Ray. Fucking awesome start to an awesome game.

 

[King Billi]

Thinking about it now I find the most memorable opening stages for me are ones that didn't start with gameplay right off the bat but instead took the time to properly immerse the player in world with a slow and intriguing introduction. Bioshock has already been mentioned and I feel thats a really good example of this but can think of a couple other examples.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - The first several minutes of the game consist of you simply escorting the Joker through the Asylum to his cell walking through several environments which you'll be returning to later after all hell has broken loose.

Dead Space 2 - You spend a good portion of the opening stage of this game in a straight jacket and have to avoid all enemies until you can find a way to free yourself and find a weapon. The feeling of being caught in the middle of a massive catastrophe right as it is happening is conveyed perfectly in this opening.

 

[Evonisia]

I'd second Bioshock's opening.

I also think that Halo 3: ODST had a good opening, you get introduced to your squad mates and then as soon as you get into your drop pod to go on the mission, the events of Halo 2 happen (I will never refer to it as anything else), causing you to crash and lose contact with everyone. Six hours pass, the city is in ruin, it's dark, almost deserted and you've only yourself to depend on. Until you reach the "first" mission it's incredibly effective at telling you how you're late for the party and have to find out what's going on.