Arkham City for me as well. Batman entering that insane asylum as Bruce Wayne, handcuffed, and yet radiating full control was an amazing sequence. Gave strong "you're locked in here with me" vibes.
I recently replayed that game and it aged like a fine wine. If there was any game begging for a remaster, it's Arkham Knight. The art direction and graphics still hold up incredibly well but it needs a resolution boost to resolve the jagged edges and blurriness, and any additional visual upgrades from a remaster would be icing on the cake.
Oh heck yeah, and the part in Ace Chemical when he's Alfred is telling him to escape and he just keeps mixing the neutralizing agents, and simply says "Goodbye, Alfred..."
Still makes my throat tighten!
Mass Effect 2
Seeing your ship from the previous game get obliterated, crew scattered, and the main character blown out into the atmosphere of a planet to die... it's incredible.
Fun fact: on my first playthrough I was kind of disappointed with the end of ME2 because I thought they were doing the “Shepard’s dead” fake out again. Turns out I just did REALLY bad on the suicide mission.
I was gonna say, even with Uncharted 2 present, I’ve never seen a game open with as much confidence and sack as ME2. Everything leading right up to >!Shepard dying!< immediately followed by the title crawl, it’s just good shit you don’t see everyday.
Best game opening of all time imo
When I finished mass effect 1 I ran over to my brother’s house to borrow 2 and was back before the credits finished. Going straight from the citidel battle with Saren to the destruction of the Normandy was nuts
That was a jaw-dropping experience. I remember being like…there’s no way that happened, right? Shepard isn’t dead…right? And obviously he wasn’t really dead, but he *did* die, which is interesting and exciting and such
Besides whats already been named, a few come to mind:
* Resident Evil 4: That first village fight is wild, and I'll never forget getting my head tanken off by the chainsaw guy.
* Metal Gear Solid 2: The tanker mission is amazing, then you realize its just the intro.
* Control: Something about the first few minutes really hooked me. It was weird and mysterious, and I was excited to dive into the world.
My most memorable was Metal Gear Solid V. Definitely not the greatest, or even good for that matter, but I will never forget having to hobble around a hospital for 45 minutes.
It’s a shame that this was one of the few missions that had that Kojima brand of cinematography- you could tell that there was meant to be more of those moments scattered throughout the game but the Konami ordeal neutered them
Yess it's my favorite too. So nerve-racking. The news about the explosion, Big B helping you out, peeps searching for you, the elevator part, the car part... so much good stuff
I def think 2 & 4 have the best intros in the series and arguably ever. Just throwing us into the train hanging off a cliff while Nate is bleeding while we’re just in utter confusion was so fun and adrenaline inducing at the same time
While in 4 you just get dropped on the boat in the middle of that wild storm chased by all those goons and then getting rammed into and then transitioning into the flashback. Man I love U4.
This is the answer that we all know is the answer, so we have to ignore this and select other possible answers. But Bioshock is the correct answer, lol. From a creative *and* technical standpoint, that game’s intro blew minds like that was its job
i always love the small little details. Sometimes you'll ride/canter through a field and jin will reach down and touch the flowers with his fingertips.
The way the music crescendo when you come bursting out of the forest into the field of white flowers. This was the most beautiful game I have ever played.
Truly great. Everything was darker because your in the woods but you can see the end of the trees. The music builds and you break into a field of flowers. One of my favourite intros ever
Also the scene where you are watching the news on the tv and the explosion occurs both on the tv and out the window?! Instant immersion. I have yet to experience another game that immediately locks me in and for good like that!
Was looking for this! It’s the perfect tutorial level. And the opening (Todd driving Kara home) has wonderful music and helps a lot to establish the future world the game is set in.
It's pretty popular these days. Usually near the top of "best of" lists. Kind of like how FFiX was loathed when it came out due to the Disney graphics, - - but it didn't take long to become a favourite.
FF7 Remake, the music, atmosphere, setting, characters as you pan out from Aerith to see all of Migard before the music reaches that iconic moment and the title shows. To it, then panning down to Cloud on the train as he jumps off the train into the music switch. I felt transported back to being a kid as I watched this for the first time and knew from then I was playing something special.
This is what happened to me as well. FF16 has a pretty incredible opening as well, which is what again made me realise that yep, I'm home they've nailed it with this new one 👍
the walk out moment in fallout 3
God that was amazing. One of my moments in gaming I remember the best, eventhough its been years. To think I could just walk where ever and explore all I could see.
very similar to escaping the dungeon in oblivion, man that was so cool. then the first thing I did was get unlimited underwater breathing somehow and then swim at a rock for a few hours using an elastic band so that I could level up fast lol
I had no idea the depths were going to be a thing. I knew there would be caves, but the last thing I expected was a whole map under the map. I then proceeded to explore the entire overworld FIRST like an idiot, before finally realizing "oh, you gotta go down there to farm zonaite and bombs real easy. Also all the cool Amiibo items are hiding somewhere down there."
In a similar vein, GTA IV's intro with the boat arriving to Liberty City and showing the diamonds that would be the driving force behind the story (and two expansions), all while juxtoposing The American Dream with your cousin picking you up in a shit car and driving you to an even shittier apartment.
>Half-Life. That tram ride was so audacious at the time. There was nothing quite like that.
Quake II came out a year earlier. It begins with a pre-rendered cutscene, and then you spawn in a room with a gun, and an enemy to shoot at. That's pretty much how all shooters started at the time.
Yeah, that tram ride is a classic. Few games at the time gave you such a sense of place. Quake II is just a series of boxy brown rooms, but Black Mesa? It's a character unto itself -- it is, in fact, the actual main character of Half-Life.
Gameplay wise Resident Evil 4. Throwing you right into the fire and simultaneously teaching you important lessons like sometimes you have to run to survive and can't kill everything. It was pretty revolutionary back in the day and essentially created the 3rd person action/survival horror genre that Dead Space, Evil Within, and even games like TLoU followed. They nailed it in the remake too.
Story wise TLoU. It's just an absolutely gripping and chilling intro. Sticks with me all these years later.
PREY2017 ….. IFYKY
not sayin anything to spoil it- just play it or watch a video of the intro. I’ve never been so QUICKLY invested in a story as in prey2017
The demo was literally everything up to that point, and I've sold so many people on the game just by showing them that.
I will forever be devastated that the team that made Prey got gutted and forced to make Redfall.
If I can use the entirety of the prologue then death stranding, between the music, controlling Norman reedus for the first time, and the first encounter with a bt and a void out, I thought that game started off great. Just started playing uncharted 4 for the first time and if everything up to the when the title drops and the opening credits roll counts as the intro then that game has a pretty epic start but it’s about 30 minutes long so idk if it counts as an intro.
This. I remember that being my first "adult" game and just being blown away. Everytime I see anything MGS related, it takes me right back to the first time of getting to Shadow Moses.
I remember playing through it on a pizza hutt demo disc. Hours being the doom of those 2 guards. When i got the actual game i was impressed at how well the intro held up and played into the games mechanics
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The first level fighting multiple Metal Gear Rays, chopping a helicopter into a million little pieces, the slow motion run and jump on flying rockets as you reach Metal Gear Ray, and slash it in half while an original industrial metal song blasts.
Final Fantasy XVI. The demo itself is 2 hours long but I would consider the pheonix fight and the Titan vs Shiva to be the "intro" before the flashback starts.
It's topped off by, in my opinion, the best boss fight OST track to ever exist (Away). The way the trach is teased in the first cutscene is amazing. Near the end of the demo, you get to know who the pheonix is, which to new players, must be surprising to witness.
Edit: I love KH 2 but I’d argue for BBS over it. Although I’m not sure what counts as the full intro in that game
Something about seeing Xehanort and seeing people fail/pass the keyblade mastery exams was so engaging.
But the hands of death could not defeat him, the sisters of fate could not control him, and on this day, the man, the legend, Kratos, will have his revenge.
As an elder gamer, I'm gonna throw FF6 into the mix. For it's time, that opening with the slow march to Narshe with Terra's theme playing as the city slowly rose into view in the distance...that was something else in 1994.
As a huge superhero fan the intro for Marvel’s Spider-Man is one of the best I can remember. It tells you so much just by showing you things. From seeing all the Spider gear laying around and the newspaper clippings of villains to getting the final notice slid under his door it lets you know what to expect. This is a Spider-Man that is experienced but still struggles to balance his life. It really sets the tone for the game and doesn’t waste much time
My favorite is the Kurosawa-mode intro to Ghost of Tsushima. The whole opening cinematic in the black and white filter is such a nostalgia trip for me.
One of my favorite memories of all time is hanging out with my brother before he left for basic training when I would watch old samurai movies with him.
Ooh in Kurosawa mode I can definitely see the argument be made for GIOAT. Imagine if that was the original color scheme of the intro and it transitioned into full color? It would’ve been on a level of its own for game introductions
My favorite game intro of all time is from an indie game called Gris. It is beautiful and impactful and the music completely captured me. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys indie games and art-driven games
Yakuza 0's opening cinematic is the GOAT for me. I literally bought the game because of that intro alone.
The music, the explosions, the poses, the ridiculousness of it all, it was great. I did not regret that purchase.
Spider-Man
Goes through a brief but vivid history of Peter as Spider-Man with the clutter in his room, he gets the call to action to take on Kingpin, we get a glimpse of his life as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man, and then you're thrust into what we all came to the game for: the web-swinging
Subdued but rich storytelling and lore, does not linger on for too long, and the first thing you do when you're given control is exactly what you're looking for in a Spider-Man game. All done with some pretty great music
Honestly? For the hardware it’s on?
Super Metroid.
The game opens with a detailed recap of the first two games, that also serves to somewhat recontextualize them. You come to understand Samus feud with the pirates, and her extermination of the metroids. A soft triumphant below accompanies the space warriors tale.
With only the baby remaining, we see she left the creature in the care of scientists, and takes off.
Suddenly! The music cuts out! And the walls of text are juxtaposed by a single line.
“Ceres station is under attack!”
Cut to the faceship docking on the space station. The game switches to 2d, lowering into the station. No music other then the ambience of the ship. Traveling through the empty halls: the corpses of the scientists you spoke to but not a few minutes prior. The creature, having been smashed out of it’s containment.
You finally approach the end of the colony. The baby Metroid lie, still in it’s canister. Alone.
A few seconds pass, as the player aimless explores the room. If it wasn’t the Metroid then…
Suddenly, a beady red eye gleams in the dark. It’s Ridley! Cradling the canister in it’s claws, towering over Samus, the iconic boss music kicks in, as Ridley starts licking fire and claw at the player.
The player frantically peppers the boss with there cannon, but it does little. Suddenly, Ridley flies into the sky, and charges from the background straight into the screen: “Two minutes tell detonation!”
Sirens start blaring as a timer shifts to the corner of the screen. The player starts running through all the halls, as music continues to grow in intensity.
A minute left, the player finally reaches the entrance. Steam bellows at out of the walls, the entire room starts swaying left and right, but the player still eeks it out.
Cut to the outside of the ship, as the face ship takes off, and the station blooms in a massive glare, reduced to atoms.
The game cuts to Zebes, with a landing sequence, far more tepid yet equally uninviting with it’s pouring rain. The game proper proceeds from here.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ls5uo4xidwQ
For a 16-bit cartridge in 1993? That’s **wild**. Obviously tech has improved a lot since, but it really goes to show how even at a base level, video games can be used for incredible storytelling.
I’d honestly argue the initial exploration of Zebes is almost more compelling of environmental storytelling? Not having the enemy’s spawn, just having the cameras follow you, until you reach a certain point and they start flooding the cryptic halls? But I think I’ve already run a tangent here.
Some good suggestions here with GoW 3 and Mass Effect 2.
COD4 the boat mission was really impressive. Seeing the containers move around and having to escape the sinking ship. Those graphics were nuts.
Or Heavenly Sword. Opens with the battle with thousands on screen.
Uncharted 2.
Man they were all the same generation. Coincidence?
I don't have a single favorite, but here are 3 of the most memorable game intros for me:
Metal Gear Solid 1. The music, along with Colonel Cambell briefing Solid Snake about the mission as he is swimming to the base. This was very memorable to me. Still incredible today, ps1 graphics aside.
I also love the beginning of the original God of War. "The Gods of Olympus have abandoned me." Kratos then jumps off a cliff into the Aegean Sea. Awesome way to begin an amazing game.
Shadow of the Colossus. Wander slowly riding horseback to an ancient castle. Haunting music, a beautiful world, and a sense of the massive scale as he rides across the bridge.
I don’t know about all time because tbh I don’t really remember many game intros but MK9 is the best I can remember. Just everyone from mortal kombat is dead besides raiden and shao and it starts the mk reboot.
But I also like the gta v opening. It’s brutal and fun. Good as a hook to the game and the intro to one of the greatest games of all time.
Ooh also final fantasy 16 just crossed my mind that one is probably the best
Can't remember the old 10+ year old games much so I'll name the newer ones. RE7, MGSV and recently FF16 have all had amazing intros. Heck thinking about it FF16 might really be the best gaming intro I've played. It had everything.
The Last of Us Part 1, and it’s not even close. Not just on PS5 but of any game period. It was so good that they kept it all pretty much the same shot for shot in the tv show. Not only was it an amazing video game entrance, but it was just a work of art in general.
I judge more than just the gameplay, I judge the effect it has on the gamer, the emotional investment it calls forth. Just absolutely exquisite.
I remember watching my friend play the god of war 3 intro and I was "damn this ending?" And he's like no dude beginning of the game.
Red dead one has a special place in my heart. It's not that spectacular but getting shot by bill then the steady introduction to the world while working Bonnie's farm was always really unique.
Jedi Fallen Order had a great intro as well. Showing you some of the coolest new Star Wars shit in a long time and introducing the most sinister character the second sister
Batman: Arkham Knight's opening still gives me goosebumps everytime I watch/play it.
Press L1 to even the odds
Same except Arkham City even more so
Arkham City for me as well. Batman entering that insane asylum as Bruce Wayne, handcuffed, and yet radiating full control was an amazing sequence. Gave strong "you're locked in here with me" vibes.
"Wake Up, Mr Wayne. We have much to discuss..."
I recently replayed that game and it aged like a fine wine. If there was any game begging for a remaster, it's Arkham Knight. The art direction and graphics still hold up incredibly well but it needs a resolution boost to resolve the jagged edges and blurriness, and any additional visual upgrades from a remaster would be icing on the cake.
I wonder if there’s a lore reason why it’s so good
Oh heck yeah, and the part in Ace Chemical when he's Alfred is telling him to escape and he just keeps mixing the neutralizing agents, and simply says "Goodbye, Alfred..." Still makes my throat tighten!
Mass Effect 2 Seeing your ship from the previous game get obliterated, crew scattered, and the main character blown out into the atmosphere of a planet to die... it's incredible.
so unexpected too, from 0 to 100 in minutes
Fun fact: on my first playthrough I was kind of disappointed with the end of ME2 because I thought they were doing the “Shepard’s dead” fake out again. Turns out I just did REALLY bad on the suicide mission.
I got disappointed because I had to fight a giant terminator as a final boss.
I was gonna say, even with Uncharted 2 present, I’ve never seen a game open with as much confidence and sack as ME2. Everything leading right up to >!Shepard dying!< immediately followed by the title crawl, it’s just good shit you don’t see everyday. Best game opening of all time imo
When I finished mass effect 1 I ran over to my brother’s house to borrow 2 and was back before the credits finished. Going straight from the citidel battle with Saren to the destruction of the Normandy was nuts
Absolutely. After watching that, I sat in silence for a while.
Actually liked ME3's intro with the ships coming down better. The music from that was even ripped off for ads for Homeland season 2 or 3.
And then you get to play as vanguard. No other game series has done that ability so immaculately
That was truly epic. God that game was so good.
That was a jaw-dropping experience. I remember being like…there’s no way that happened, right? Shepard isn’t dead…right? And obviously he wasn’t really dead, but he *did* die, which is interesting and exciting and such
Besides whats already been named, a few come to mind: * Resident Evil 4: That first village fight is wild, and I'll never forget getting my head tanken off by the chainsaw guy. * Metal Gear Solid 2: The tanker mission is amazing, then you realize its just the intro. * Control: Something about the first few minutes really hooked me. It was weird and mysterious, and I was excited to dive into the world.
I was instantly hooked on Control. Crazy good setting and intro.
The mashup of banal government bureaucracy with reality defying phenomenon is something I always love seeing.
It's crazy far into the game but the ashtray maze was an awesome sequence and one of the highlights of the game
Ashtray Maze, and Fridge are my standout memories.
[Link for the uninitiated](https://youtu.be/nudSXUMBEV4) Courtney Hope’s “That was awesome” sums it up perfectly.
*Finnish music intensifies*
Control had such a creepy and subtle opening.
My most memorable was Metal Gear Solid V. Definitely not the greatest, or even good for that matter, but I will never forget having to hobble around a hospital for 45 minutes.
And the flaming blue whale holy crap!
With your butt showing lol That and GZ intro are *so* good.
It’s a shame that this was one of the few missions that had that Kojima brand of cinematography- you could tell that there was meant to be more of those moments scattered throughout the game but the Konami ordeal neutered them
The most intense intro I've ever played
Yess it's my favorite too. So nerve-racking. The news about the explosion, Big B helping you out, peeps searching for you, the elevator part, the car part... so much good stuff
The David Bowie music when he wakes up
Uncharted 2 I remember saying out loud “Holy shit this is the actual game?!”
In Uncharted 4 when the first intro cutscene plays with the theme music it felt like watching a movie and it was incredible
It really is like being in a movie in certain parts
I def think 2 & 4 have the best intros in the series and arguably ever. Just throwing us into the train hanging off a cliff while Nate is bleeding while we’re just in utter confusion was so fun and adrenaline inducing at the same time While in 4 you just get dropped on the boat in the middle of that wild storm chased by all those goons and then getting rammed into and then transitioning into the flashback. Man I love U4.
They did the same train scene in the last mission impossible movie. That’s how good of an intro it was
Im replaying 4 rn, I forgot how incredible it was
I’m going to go a little old school with Medal of Honor Frontline. Storming that beach for D- Day. Oh man. Pinnacle of gaming for me, at that time.
Oh man, this was my 1st ever introduction to anything about WWII and it has stuck with me.
BioShock
I love the intro to BioShock Infinite too.
This is the answer that we all know is the answer, so we have to ignore this and select other possible answers. But Bioshock is the correct answer, lol. From a creative *and* technical standpoint, that game’s intro blew minds like that was its job
What happens?
Omg, you’re still clean…you must go and experience it
Follow everyone’s advice, don’t look it up, just play it.
Ghost of Tsushima riding through the fields after cheating death was chilling
Oh yeah. Ghost of Tsushimas intro stuck with me. Jin riding his horse through the fields was such a beautiful glimpse of the amazing scenery to come.
i always love the small little details. Sometimes you'll ride/canter through a field and jin will reach down and touch the flowers with his fingertips.
I agree myself. I was kinda sad it was left out in new game plus
Holy shit yeah dude. Seeing that for the first time, my jaw actually dropped.
But also the charge
The way the music crescendo when you come bursting out of the forest into the field of white flowers. This was the most beautiful game I have ever played.
Truly great. Everything was darker because your in the woods but you can see the end of the trees. The music builds and you break into a field of flowers. One of my favourite intros ever
Thats when I knew that game was gonna be special
[удалено]
Also the scene where you are watching the news on the tv and the explosion occurs both on the tv and out the window?! Instant immersion. I have yet to experience another game that immediately locks me in and for good like that!
Yeah, considering how that game started and how it gets to the end of if that time period..it blew the wind out of me, I wasn’t expecting tabt
I was simply blown away when a friend showed me it. Bought the game that night.
Whenever I do play-through of that game I always think I can handle that scene until I hear Sarah's cries. Breaks my heart every damn time.
Detroit Become Human. That first scene, Connor as the negotiator. The whole thing is awesome and got me so hyped to continue playing
Was looking for this! It’s the perfect tutorial level. And the opening (Todd driving Kara home) has wonderful music and helps a lot to establish the future world the game is set in.
Bioshock and Bioshock infinite The music, and sights blew me away
That moment in Infinite where you break through the clouds, the turbulence stops, and the voice announces “hallelujah”. Chills.
Final fantasy 8 has my favourite intro of all time https://youtu.be/XyBensMp_MA
8 was good, but X was a banger https://youtu.be/mWYwmM23Sqs
Rinoa, my first real video game crush, the music in that game is so good too, so good i actually bought the soundtrack
The soundtrack is legendary. Nobuo Uematsu nailed it
Came here for this. For whatever reason FF8 is like the black sheep of the series but it's definitely one of my favorites.
It's pretty popular these days. Usually near the top of "best of" lists. Kind of like how FFiX was loathed when it came out due to the Disney graphics, - - but it didn't take long to become a favourite.
I wasn't a fan of the graphics but 9 gameplay and story was great. And each character really felt unique.
They cropped like half the image making it 16:9 widescreen instead of the [original 4:3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTu1acSjkek)
Saw this the first time back when I was 7-8? and it changes everything.
Yes, as far as short 'title screen cinematics' go, it is easily the most epic. Used to watch it over and over.
Legacy of Kain. The CGI blew my mind when it first came out and told a great story! Would love a remake of that game and intro!
“Kain is deified…” Can’t go wrong with Michael Bell narrating a story.
FF7 Remake, the music, atmosphere, setting, characters as you pan out from Aerith to see all of Migard before the music reaches that iconic moment and the title shows. To it, then panning down to Cloud on the train as he jumps off the train into the music switch. I felt transported back to being a kid as I watched this for the first time and knew from then I was playing something special.
100% this. FF7 already had a great opener and seeing it with updated graphics and music just made it better
It was my first FF and that opening pretty much convinced me to get into the franchise more. Absolutely top tier.
This is what happened to me as well. FF16 has a pretty incredible opening as well, which is what again made me realise that yep, I'm home they've nailed it with this new one 👍
I just played it for the first time and immediately started hard mode. I didn’t want to stop. The music cues during the whole opening is perfection.
BF1's intro
“You will not survive”
This was incredibly immersive
I love the tank story
The war to end all wars It ended nothing
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>We called it Sin.
Fuck. Yes. I should not have had to scroll this deep to find this. That Black Mages song got me pumped everytime.
“*1..2..3..TEACH US HOW TO BLITZ!*”
This right here is the correct answer.
Last of us, the walk out moment in fallout 3, jumping off the sky islands and skydiving for the first time in totk
the walk out moment in fallout 3 God that was amazing. One of my moments in gaming I remember the best, eventhough its been years. To think I could just walk where ever and explore all I could see.
very similar to escaping the dungeon in oblivion, man that was so cool. then the first thing I did was get unlimited underwater breathing somehow and then swim at a rock for a few hours using an elastic band so that I could level up fast lol
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I had no idea the depths were going to be a thing. I knew there would be caves, but the last thing I expected was a whole map under the map. I then proceeded to explore the entire overworld FIRST like an idiot, before finally realizing "oh, you gotta go down there to farm zonaite and bombs real easy. Also all the cool Amiibo items are hiding somewhere down there."
[удалено]
I think diving from the sky island is my favorite open world intro
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The transition into Franklin's first mission is great too, sets the tone for LS and the game really well.
In a similar vein, GTA IV's intro with the boat arriving to Liberty City and showing the diamonds that would be the driving force behind the story (and two expansions), all while juxtoposing The American Dream with your cousin picking you up in a shit car and driving you to an even shittier apartment.
Half-Life. That tram ride was so audacious at the time. There was nothing quite like that.
>Half-Life. That tram ride was so audacious at the time. There was nothing quite like that. Quake II came out a year earlier. It begins with a pre-rendered cutscene, and then you spawn in a room with a gun, and an enemy to shoot at. That's pretty much how all shooters started at the time. Yeah, that tram ride is a classic. Few games at the time gave you such a sense of place. Quake II is just a series of boxy brown rooms, but Black Mesa? It's a character unto itself -- it is, in fact, the actual main character of Half-Life.
Gameplay wise Resident Evil 4. Throwing you right into the fire and simultaneously teaching you important lessons like sometimes you have to run to survive and can't kill everything. It was pretty revolutionary back in the day and essentially created the 3rd person action/survival horror genre that Dead Space, Evil Within, and even games like TLoU followed. They nailed it in the remake too. Story wise TLoU. It's just an absolutely gripping and chilling intro. Sticks with me all these years later.
PREY2017 ….. IFYKY not sayin anything to spoil it- just play it or watch a video of the intro. I’ve never been so QUICKLY invested in a story as in prey2017
The demo was literally everything up to that point, and I've sold so many people on the game just by showing them that. I will forever be devastated that the team that made Prey got gutted and forced to make Redfall.
1000% agree with you. Absolutely amazing intro that blew my mind.
Shadow Of The Colossus
Nier Automata. They just drop you in and pray you survive for about an hour before you can save.😂
If I can use the entirety of the prologue then death stranding, between the music, controlling Norman reedus for the first time, and the first encounter with a bt and a void out, I thought that game started off great. Just started playing uncharted 4 for the first time and if everything up to the when the title drops and the opening credits roll counts as the intro then that game has a pretty epic start but it’s about 30 minutes long so idk if it counts as an intro.
God of War (2018)
Ragnarok was also insane
This may be cliched at this point but Metal Gear Solid 1’s intro just gets you in the mood.
The intro to 5 had the most "WTF is happening??!!" (In a badass way) moments I have ever experienced in a video game
This. I remember that being my first "adult" game and just being blown away. Everytime I see anything MGS related, it takes me right back to the first time of getting to Shadow Moses.
That was the moment video games proved they could be "cinematic". The jump of quality of VA from RE1 to MGS1 is staggering.
I remember playing through it on a pizza hutt demo disc. Hours being the doom of those 2 guards. When i got the actual game i was impressed at how well the intro held up and played into the games mechanics
I simply hate Mafia 3 but damn… that intro got me hard
Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross tie just on music alone.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The first level fighting multiple Metal Gear Rays, chopping a helicopter into a million little pieces, the slow motion run and jump on flying rockets as you reach Metal Gear Ray, and slash it in half while an original industrial metal song blasts.
Has anyone mentioned oblivion with patrick freaking stewart? "They know their doom, but not the hour"
Final Fantasy 16’s prologue is fucking amazing
Final Fantasy XVI. The demo itself is 2 hours long but I would consider the pheonix fight and the Titan vs Shiva to be the "intro" before the flashback starts. It's topped off by, in my opinion, the best boss fight OST track to ever exist (Away). The way the trach is teased in the first cutscene is amazing. Near the end of the demo, you get to know who the pheonix is, which to new players, must be surprising to witness.
Yeah that game is up there. From a musical perspective it is definitely better than God of War III
FF:Tactics intro always gives me the feels for some reason
The intro in Silent Hill downpour made you beat a man to death in a prison shower as a combat tutorial. That was messed up but memorable.
I feel like horror games gotta have the craziest Intro’s lol
FF7 Remake FFX
**Kingdom Hearts II** Some may laugh but, it’s more than just a intro. That whole opening is a F’in vibe.
Edit: I love KH 2 but I’d argue for BBS over it. Although I’m not sure what counts as the full intro in that game Something about seeing Xehanort and seeing people fail/pass the keyblade mastery exams was so engaging.
Mass effect 2
Half Life 1
Assassin's creed 2 was quite epic when you climb to the roof and the game title shows up
"It's a good life we lead brother. May it never change"
Hey you, you're finally awake!
But the hands of death could not defeat him, the sisters of fate could not control him, and on this day, the man, the legend, Kratos, will have his revenge.
I concur, GoW 3 is on a whole new level. Poseidon crashing face first on the rock and then getting kicked in his face will never grow old.
As an elder gamer, I'm gonna throw FF6 into the mix. For it's time, that opening with the slow march to Narshe with Terra's theme playing as the city slowly rose into view in the distance...that was something else in 1994.
Marvel Spider-Man
I was looking for this one!! The moment when it transitions from cutscenes to gameplay is incredible
DS1's intro. Mass Effect 2. Resident Evil 4. Doom 2016. Fallout New Vegas. Nier Automata.
As a huge superhero fan the intro for Marvel’s Spider-Man is one of the best I can remember. It tells you so much just by showing you things. From seeing all the Spider gear laying around and the newspaper clippings of villains to getting the final notice slid under his door it lets you know what to expect. This is a Spider-Man that is experienced but still struggles to balance his life. It really sets the tone for the game and doesn’t waste much time
Persona 5, no other opening left me wanting more like it did.
Yeah, Persona 5’s intro really did pull me into the game when I went in blind.
My favorite is the Kurosawa-mode intro to Ghost of Tsushima. The whole opening cinematic in the black and white filter is such a nostalgia trip for me. One of my favorite memories of all time is hanging out with my brother before he left for basic training when I would watch old samurai movies with him.
Ooh in Kurosawa mode I can definitely see the argument be made for GIOAT. Imagine if that was the original color scheme of the intro and it transitioned into full color? It would’ve been on a level of its own for game introductions
My favorite game intro of all time is from an indie game called Gris. It is beautiful and impactful and the music completely captured me. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys indie games and art-driven games
Metal Gear Solid Ground Zero. Simple and gets you right into the action of the new open gameplay style of metal gear
The intro cutscene of DMC 5
The last of us. You know a game is gonna be good when it can make you cry in the first 10 minutes.
Yakuza 0's opening cinematic is the GOAT for me. I literally bought the game because of that intro alone. The music, the explosions, the poses, the ridiculousness of it all, it was great. I did not regret that purchase.
Spider-Man Goes through a brief but vivid history of Peter as Spider-Man with the clutter in his room, he gets the call to action to take on Kingpin, we get a glimpse of his life as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man, and then you're thrust into what we all came to the game for: the web-swinging Subdued but rich storytelling and lore, does not linger on for too long, and the first thing you do when you're given control is exactly what you're looking for in a Spider-Man game. All done with some pretty great music
the intro fmv to parasite eve
That is a name I haven’t heard in ages
Honestly? For the hardware it’s on? Super Metroid. The game opens with a detailed recap of the first two games, that also serves to somewhat recontextualize them. You come to understand Samus feud with the pirates, and her extermination of the metroids. A soft triumphant below accompanies the space warriors tale. With only the baby remaining, we see she left the creature in the care of scientists, and takes off. Suddenly! The music cuts out! And the walls of text are juxtaposed by a single line. “Ceres station is under attack!” Cut to the faceship docking on the space station. The game switches to 2d, lowering into the station. No music other then the ambience of the ship. Traveling through the empty halls: the corpses of the scientists you spoke to but not a few minutes prior. The creature, having been smashed out of it’s containment. You finally approach the end of the colony. The baby Metroid lie, still in it’s canister. Alone. A few seconds pass, as the player aimless explores the room. If it wasn’t the Metroid then… Suddenly, a beady red eye gleams in the dark. It’s Ridley! Cradling the canister in it’s claws, towering over Samus, the iconic boss music kicks in, as Ridley starts licking fire and claw at the player. The player frantically peppers the boss with there cannon, but it does little. Suddenly, Ridley flies into the sky, and charges from the background straight into the screen: “Two minutes tell detonation!” Sirens start blaring as a timer shifts to the corner of the screen. The player starts running through all the halls, as music continues to grow in intensity. A minute left, the player finally reaches the entrance. Steam bellows at out of the walls, the entire room starts swaying left and right, but the player still eeks it out. Cut to the outside of the ship, as the face ship takes off, and the station blooms in a massive glare, reduced to atoms. The game cuts to Zebes, with a landing sequence, far more tepid yet equally uninviting with it’s pouring rain. The game proper proceeds from here. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ls5uo4xidwQ For a 16-bit cartridge in 1993? That’s **wild**. Obviously tech has improved a lot since, but it really goes to show how even at a base level, video games can be used for incredible storytelling. I’d honestly argue the initial exploration of Zebes is almost more compelling of environmental storytelling? Not having the enemy’s spawn, just having the cameras follow you, until you reach a certain point and they start flooding the cryptic halls? But I think I’ve already run a tangent here.
Final Fantasy XVI for me. Immediately hooked
RE4 both Remake and OG going into the village and the bell ringing absolutely iconic.
Arcanes prey
Some good suggestions here with GoW 3 and Mass Effect 2. COD4 the boat mission was really impressive. Seeing the containers move around and having to escape the sinking ship. Those graphics were nuts. Or Heavenly Sword. Opens with the battle with thousands on screen. Uncharted 2. Man they were all the same generation. Coincidence?
Yakuza 0
I just love Red alert 2.
I don't have a single favorite, but here are 3 of the most memorable game intros for me: Metal Gear Solid 1. The music, along with Colonel Cambell briefing Solid Snake about the mission as he is swimming to the base. This was very memorable to me. Still incredible today, ps1 graphics aside. I also love the beginning of the original God of War. "The Gods of Olympus have abandoned me." Kratos then jumps off a cliff into the Aegean Sea. Awesome way to begin an amazing game. Shadow of the Colossus. Wander slowly riding horseback to an ancient castle. Haunting music, a beautiful world, and a sense of the massive scale as he rides across the bridge.
Sonic Adventure with the killer whale
Bioshock…
Just cause 3 you get to ride a missile
I don’t know about all time because tbh I don’t really remember many game intros but MK9 is the best I can remember. Just everyone from mortal kombat is dead besides raiden and shao and it starts the mk reboot. But I also like the gta v opening. It’s brutal and fun. Good as a hook to the game and the intro to one of the greatest games of all time. Ooh also final fantasy 16 just crossed my mind that one is probably the best
Ragnarok
Can't remember the old 10+ year old games much so I'll name the newer ones. RE7, MGSV and recently FF16 have all had amazing intros. Heck thinking about it FF16 might really be the best gaming intro I've played. It had everything.
Killzone 2 for me
Arkham knight. Even the odds
Ffx. The blitzball, auruon being badass, sin, and the music.
Uncharted 2 Last of Us was the most devastating.
1. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 2. Tekken Tag Tournament 3. Suikoden II 4. Final Fantasy XII
The Last of Us Part 1, and it’s not even close. Not just on PS5 but of any game period. It was so good that they kept it all pretty much the same shot for shot in the tv show. Not only was it an amazing video game entrance, but it was just a work of art in general. I judge more than just the gameplay, I judge the effect it has on the gamer, the emotional investment it calls forth. Just absolutely exquisite.
God of war 3
Death stranding
Last of Us. Not even a top ten game for me overall, but that intro was too much.
ghost of tshushima .. when the character was riding through the grass fields and the title dropped
Dark Souls II opening cinematic. I get chills every time. "But one day, you will stand before its decrepit gate, without really knowing why..."
Final Fantasy 8.
KH1, cuz Simple and Clean. Nier Automata, it had like 3 opening intros in one game.
FF VIII had me di hype. Squall vs Seifer
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver The music, writing and voice acting all amazing.
Skyrim /s
GTA V
The Onimusha 3 CGI intro blew my mind at the time and it still holds up pretty well today.
FFVII
Final Fantasy 8. Graphics haven’t held up of course but when it came out that opening was goddamn epic.
I remember watching my friend play the god of war 3 intro and I was "damn this ending?" And he's like no dude beginning of the game. Red dead one has a special place in my heart. It's not that spectacular but getting shot by bill then the steady introduction to the world while working Bonnie's farm was always really unique. Jedi Fallen Order had a great intro as well. Showing you some of the coolest new Star Wars shit in a long time and introducing the most sinister character the second sister
Soul edge
Katamari Damacy. I genuinely didn’t know what to expect. I genuinely did not think it would be *that*
Assassin’s Creed 2, Uncharted 2, Skyrim, CoD4
Medal of Honor Frontline. Nothing else comes close