Best Video Game Openings

[badgersprite]

Be it opening cinematics, or first levels, which games do you think have the best beginnings? The ones that immediately suck you right into the action. The ones that instantly get you hooked on the game.

While I don't necessarily think this is the best opening, or even the best in the series (FFVI might have that honour), the game that got me thinking about this question is FFVII, since I've been replaying it lately. For the flaws the game has, the opening bombing mission isn't one of them. The very first thing you do in that game is jump off a train, kill a bunch of enemies to a kickin' soundtrack, defeat a boss, then blow the reactor sky high. Now THAT is how you open a game.

Considering how many games these days meander about for a while before anything happens, or force you to sit through a long, boring cutscene (Arkham Asylum, I love you, but walking through that long intro gets really boring the third time you do it), or send you through an obvious tutorial section, there have to be some games out there that still have great openings, or great opening cutscenes.

So, what are your favourites, Escapists?

 

[Leemaster777]

I'm going to have to side with Yahtzee on this one, and say Bioshock.

I don't normally like FPSs, but I played the demo of Bioshock when it came out on PS3.

I instantly left my house, pre-ordered Bioshock, and returned home to replay the demo 5 more times.

 

[Amphoteric]

Half Life 2 has a pretty perfect introduction.

 

[newguy77]

Not so much the openings, but I find the cinematics before the main menus in Assassin's Creed games to always be awesome. For an actual game opening, sure, I'll go with Bioshock as well.

 

[Ando85]

I really liked the intro whenever you turn on Final Fantasy Tactics. I remember as I was playing the game every time I started up a session I would watch it cause it was so awesome. Great music and beautiful opening visuals.

 

[WayOutThere]

ME2 had a great opening. When you walk through the bow of the Normandy and look up to see the gaping hole in the ship and the stars beyond it, amazing.

 

[LookingGlass]

The first area in Deus Ex does a great job of getting you into the whole "here's your objective, do whatever the hell you want to get there" mindset.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has a nice fast-paced start to it.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Surprised Portal 2 isn't up here... I say portal 2 just to be sure.
Sonic Unleashed was pretty cool too.

 

[Mallefunction]

Indigo Prophecy's opening was really good :3

 

[Aetera]

I love the intro to Borderlands. Such an awesome song. I think that that game has the biggest difference of any game between quality of the intro and ending, though. The ending was so crappy.

 

[Nicolairigel]

Hmmm.... I though fallout 3's was awesome, along with bioshock and half life 2 with the gman

 

[Rooster893]

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.

Don't believe me? Here:

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[GeneralSeasick]

I like Bioshock because of how it introduces Rapture. (The first time I didn't even notice that my mouth was wide open in amazement.)

Bioshock 2 introduces you to the characters right of the bat and shows you some really good action.

Call of Duty: Black Ops has kickass bar music and torture....so that's as good as you can get with that.

Warcraft 3 has an amazing opening with the sweet battle and what not...along with that shady cloaked man

And Manhuny II drowns it's tutorial level in beatings, stabbings, and chokings. Fun for the whole family!

 

[SinorKirby]

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Mostly because of Patrick Stewart, but come on, he's Patrick freaking Stewart.

 

[Heartcafe]

The intro to the first Kingdom Hearts.
Imagine buying a game that you literally have no idea what it's about. Turning on the PS2 and for an intro, you get an acid trip-like sequence where the main character is tumbling through random areas until he lands on a black mass where birds fly out from under his feet revealing a platform.
Yeah.

 

[DustyDrB]

I'm gonna say Portal 2. It really started the game off excellently.

 

[TheKruzdawg]

ME2 had a great opening. When you walk through the bow of the Normandy and look up to see the gaping hole in the ship and the stars beyond it, amazing.

This. I was in total shock/awe during that whole thing. I couldn't believe that MY ship was getting destroyed so easily and characters that I grew to love were in danger/dead. And then when Shepard doesn't get on the escape pod... I was actually a little pissed off that I could die and not have any control over it. A little sad too, as I didn't know what was going to happen next

 

[Lukeman1884]

The opening cutscene of FF Dissidia, with all the warriors fighting. I'd hoped 012 would've had something awesome as well, but it just re-used most of it.

 

[TheDawgg]

Jak 2 opening,"for every age there is a time of trials"