It builds character.Originally Posted by coldvvvave
It builds character.
I'm failing to writing a blog, specifically about playing games the wrong way
http://playingitwrong.wordpress.com/
Always enjoyed the Metal Gear Solid opening.
Agreed. For me the 1st MGS is the console equivalent of Half-Life (even though MGS was on PC and HL was on consoles hehe), and this also extends of course to the opening of the game. It's just different than what games did at the time, and iconic to the bone. The 1st time you experienced it YOU KNEW you had a very special game on your hands.
steam
http://dailycelluloid.blogspot.com/- where I write about movies.
Omg Shogo. God such a stupid but fun game.
OMG YES! From where Khaz posted Freespace 2. It's terrible cheesy space opera, but it always sent a tingle down my spine.
The Galatea! It's a rare thing to note but I remember so many ship names from FS1 and 2 and my squadrons. Got you totally hooked in.
I agree with those mentioning Saints Row 3. I thought the game would basically be a GTA clone. All it took was that intro sequence and I was saying... oh this what GTA WISHES it was.
SR3 did have a good opening, I just wished it kept that intensity all the way through. It promised crazy, but then it's like go and do an activity from the previous games that's disguised as a story mission.
Mass Effect 2 was a great opening for me. Darwinia's was oddly adorable as well.
Fuck this shit. Starcraft Broodwar intro set the tone of the game so nice, that graphics weren't needed to feel mass of zerg forces.
Hear from the spirit-world this mystery:
Creation is summed up, O man, in thee;
Angel and demon, man and beast art thou,
Yea, thou art all thou dost appear to be!
For me it would either be the Metal Gear Solid opening cutscene/missions, with MGS2 as a personal favourite OR the opening MOH:Frontlines mission of the D-Day Landing. The first game I played in 5.1 surround sound, blew my mind and then snipers blew my in-game mind all over the screen, repeatedly.
Medal of honour: Allied Assault: Spearhead (the first expansion) had a great opening as well. You played a British paratrooper dropping in on June 5th to disrupt enemy communications, artillery, supply lines, et cetera. Great fun.
I hate to mention console games on this site, but there are a ton (especially from mid-90's early 00s Square) that I think have really great intros:
Vagrant Story: I hate the actual gameplay of this (kind of like a more obtuse, number-crunchy version of Fallout 3's VATS), so I've never beaten it, but so well-written and paced, plus a great soundtrack.
Final Fantasy Tactics: From the team behind Vagrant Story. Just wonderful.
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together: Also from the Vagrant Story team.
Chrono Cross: The CG movie has that ultra-catchy music.
Legend of Mana: This is one of my all-time favorite games, and it's intro really sets the tone for what is a strange, somewhat baffling, utterly charming action RPG (if you've never played it, it is absolutely worth a download from the PSN).
Final Fantasy VIII: Terrible game, great intro.
God of War III: Any of the GoW titles could go here, but the most technically jaw-dropping (thus far) deserves special mention.
For the PC:
Dungeon Keeper: Both of them had really fun intro movies.
Diablo II: All of the cinematics for this game were great. To paraphrase Shamus Young, they are some of the best cutscenes to ever be skipped through entirely by players.
Sid Meier's Pirates! (Remake): The CG was dated as hell upon release, but it still set the tone for the game very well.
Heroes of Might & Magic V, Battle for Middle Earth series, and Civ IV: Not actually the cinematics, but the opening menus. A rare treat.
Rise of Nations & Rise of Legends: Impressive and lively.
Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines: Best tutorial level ever? I think it's a contender.
Total Annihilation: I remember loving the music for the intro. I remember loving the soundtrack in general; were those actual classical songs or made for the game?
I could go on, but I think that's a good list.
A bit dated now, but I always loved watching the dungeon keeper intro. Quickly gets over the idea that the bad guys are hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N5ODEGR1KQ
Made for the game
Dawn of War. The intro was just some random battle, but it was exciting and gorgeous. And the fact that it had nothing at all to do with the campaign, made it much more novel and interesting. I rarely skipped it.
Oh, the Dawn of War intros are awesome (except Soulstorm, which was meh). Loved the second game's intro the best, with Dark Crusade's coming in second. I've never seen the Eldar becoming so threatening in such a short time. Top that with a guerilla ambush and a Tyranid attack, things just kept getting better (not for them, though)
The other one's not on PC but Mother 3's intro was wonderful. Just you, being a boy with your brother and playing around with dinosaurs at you grandpa's ranch. The fact that they didn't treat it like a tutorial was refreshing
Bah! My blog is fulla bollox! What? Don't believe me?Here! Just look at it!
Oh yes! I remember just how insanely difficult that first mission was! You're right though, it was a brilliant first mission which really set up the feel of the game well.
This might sound really odd, but my favourite opening to a game is Uru: Ages Beyond Myst. I adore the fact that you are just dropped into this rather beautiful piece of desert with no explanation and no real game artefacts like a HUD. Then as you walk forwards and crest a small hill, this haunting music kicks in, you see someone sitting at a caravan in the distance and your adventure begins. It fits the idea and the story of the game perfectly and no other game I've ever played has given me the same sense of mystery and exploration right from the beginning.
Thanks to Driver's opening level I kept bouncing off for weeks, wondering if I'd ever get to play the actual game. Can do it blindfolded now.
Most of these are good games with decent, or excellent, openings.
But for 'best opening' this is what comes to mind:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/558562
I was very impressed by the opening cinematic to Dungeon Keeper 2 as well, that one was awesome.
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