Best opening sequence in a videogame

[Tohuvabohu]

The opening sequence for Chronicles of Riddick.

Did a fantastic job of setting the tone, showing you what Riddick is capable of, and teaching you everything you need to know to play the game.

Everything seems to be going well, and in Riddick's favor during the entire sequence.

Then you hear "Rise and shine, jackass..."

And the game actually begins forreal this time.

 

[Dabir]

For me, one of the most powerful and grabbing opening sequences has to be the opening dream from E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy.


Watch that and just try to understand what's going on. Then try to tell me you don't want to find out.

 

[Zipa]

Legacy of kain: defiance intro is pretty cool.

Also not really the intro to the game but the first cutscene in the first mission of the original Homeword, so well done.

That and the following mission when you return to Kharak and find it on fire as a result of atmospheric depletion (basically setting fire to the air)

- First mission cut scene Starts at 2:13

- The burning of Kharak

 

[teebeeohh]

Telos from Knights of the Old Republic...I'm not even joking. Although it's good for a very specific reason, it gets you involved with the people of the planet. You see and live through its struggles and start caring about it.

Then...

Spoiler

Malak wrecks it to shit.

And then you have Peragus from KotoR 2. That was an absolutely incredibly exectuted failure. The rest of the game was great though.

on replaying it I enyjoed Peragus a lot more because it really drives home how alone and unprepared you are to face a much more powerful enemy. and considering how you get your powers back that actually makes a lot of sense. But when i played through it the first time i was so bored and still am when i arrive at telos, it really drags and i really wanted a lightsaber by that point.

ot: original deus ex, i completely sucked me into the world and the payoff when you enter the room the whole thing takes place in is just priceless.

 

[Ascarus]

I found the opening of Mass Effect 2 to be very well done. It really gets you pumped up for the game and

Spoiler

I found it quite a shock for Shepard to die within the first few minutes.

This, tied with Bioshock. That's all this thread needs.

these were the first two to pop in my head in addition to half life. esp. bioshock when you later learn

Spoiler

the plane was deliberately crashed.

not sure i needed the tags for a game that old, but just to be safe

 

[Zhukov]

I didn't think I'd ever say this name in a "Best" thread but... Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Who the hell are you and what have you done with Sixcess?

 

[deanospimoni]

Since no one mentioned it, I feel obligated to mention the beginning of Portal 2. While it's not super awesome explodey stuff with metal music in the background, it was freaking hilarious.

 

[Baralak]

Say what you want about Final Fantasy VIII, but you can't deny the opening movie/'Liberi Fatali' is anything but kick ass.

This, and more recently, Final Fantasy XIII-2, my favorite jRPG of 2012. Square's always been fantastic with intros to get you hooked.

 

[havoc33]

Probably FFVII. Love how it got straight into the action, you're basically hopping off the train with a bad ass group of rebels, going in to blow up the reactor. Seeing the cyberpunk influenced Midgar for the first time was just awesome.

Zelda: A Link to the Past was pretty amazing as well. The rain soaked atmosphere and killer tune as you make your way towards the castle make is a very memorable opening sequence.

And i would probably say Resident Evil 1. First hour exploring the mansion has some moments that are forever etched into our collective gaming minds. The cheezy dialogue, discovering your first zombie, the first scare (you know the one...).. classic stuff.

 

[F'Angus]

Everybody's gonna have their favourite. I love the Borderland into, and BL2 too.

Personally though I'd say Oddworld Abe's Oddysey.



This was one of the first games I played on PS1 so that probably has something to do with my descision but for the time the cinematics were awesome, and it just sets the tone for the series.

 

[Avalanche91]

Shadow Of The Colossus: I consider the whole leading up to and killing the first colossus the opening. After that you have learned the basics of all the skills you need to master to kill the remaining fifteen. You meet Dormin, get the hero's motivation in the form of a dead gf and get a sense of the main characters determination.

No More Heroes: Similar to SotC I consider everything up to and killing the first boss the opening. The main character narrates the opening, then crashes his motorcycle into a mansion, decapitating 2 guards and shouting; FUCKHEADS, setting the tone for the game quite nicely.

Metal Gear Solid; I love this opening. In the opening cutscene you are introduced to Snake and the Colonel as they go over the mission, casually introducing the antagonists while they're at it. After that you get a room to stealth trough, learning most of the mechanics yourself. Finally you work yourself to the elevator where Snake is revealed and you are shown the military base in Alaska.

 

[Nazulu]

Super Metroid by far. The exciting intro, to the quiet space station, and then to the sleeping planet, all created to give some brief info with a short trial while aiming to be as immersive as possible. And they accomplished it, in a 2D platformer, mopping the floor with most 3D epics.

 

[gyroscopeboy]

You know, I've always been a sucker for both Medal of Honor: Frontline and Medal of Honor: Rising Sun's opening missions. Playing the D-Day landings and defending a battleship at Pearl Harbour respectively were both incredible set-pieces. Sure they're kind of dated in this day and age, but I can still go back and play them and get that feeling of actually being in a war movie that the older Medal of Honor games did pretty well.

YES! I've always said i'd love to see another WWII shooter that captures that 'cinematic' edge.

 

[jhoroz]

I'm going to go with the opening of Journey, since it is so simplistically beautiful. I'll also second SOTC and ME2, and toss in Half-Life 2's opening when you enter City 17 for the first time. Both Arkham games (Arkham City & Arkham Asylum) also had fantastic openings that really set the mood in for the game and established all the characters you'll be seeing throughout.

EDIT: This isn't exactly a game, but the opening of Cry of Fear is scary as fuck (as is the rest of the game)

 

[Sixcess]

I didn't think I'd ever say this name in a "Best" thread but... Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Who the hell are you and what have you done with Sixcess?

This is not the hater you are looking for.

I'm a little less hyper critical of SWTOR than I used to be, and every now and again it does something really well, like the imperial agent story. In the interest of balance though, I will say that if Hutta is the best starter zone I've seen then Korriban is quite probably the worst.

 

[Raika]

What about Street Fighter II?

Yeah. Totally. Street Fighter II.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGSKZgEnbYI

 

[Jimmy T. Malice]

I'd say Dark Souls deserves a mention. It's certainly not the greatest, but many of those have been posted already.

I still find it pretty good and it's atmosphere is excellent.

Don't get me wrong, I adore the mythology, atmosphere, and general mystery of the Dark Souls narrative,

but in the back of our minds everyone is thinking when they first see that movie;

"God I can't wait to run all these assholes through"

Eh, I'd forgotten most of the intro movie by the time I got to the Soul Lords and I didn't even realise they were the same people until I watched it again.

 

[Stublore]

It's gotta be Dawn of War:

 

[Yellowbeard]

I'm gonna go with Freespace 2

 

[Triangulon]

I'm gonna be a little more contemplative and nostalgic and say Half-Life.

Suffice to say, this this a thousand times this.