A great introduction sequence can make a good first impression on the player. Here are the ten best openings in games. Except for the openings themselves, this article contains no major spoilers for the listed games.
10. BioShock
No Gods. No Kings. Only Man.
Andrew Ryan
BioShock is one of the landmarks of the gaming industry, and it’s definitely one of the greatest games of the 2000s. The introduction is enigmatic and somewhat mysterious. After the plane crash, you make your way into the underwater utopian city of Rapture: Andrew Ryan’s greatest creation. The reveal of this quaint setting gives you goosebumps; it’s still one of the best settings in linear gaming.
9. Half-Life
This iconic introduction to a pioneering gem of the first-person shooter genre is matched by no other game at that time. You are Gordon Freeman, a scientist who’s late for work at the Black Mesa research institute. A voice in the tram car you’re riding in gives various instructions and information about the facility and the ride is full of details. Be sure to pay attention to the surroundings you pass on the tram. You’re sure to be impressed at the sheer amount of activity going on in this game, which was released in 1998.
8. Fallout: New Vegas
“From where you’re kneeling, this must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. The truth is, the game was rigged from the start.”
New Vegas has the single best introduction in the Fallout franchise to date. After being introduced to the world as a courier, the first thing you see is a man in a checkered suit who’s going to shoot you because… of a reason you don’t know. It’s a mystery from the start. After the bullet is fired from the pistol, you’re dropped into one of the greatest stories ever told in a video game.
7. Batman: Arkham Knight
I’ve got you under my skin…
Frank Sinatra
This is how it happened. This is how Batman died. Arkham Knight is still one of the best-looking games of this generation. The introduction is unexpected in many ways: you play as a police officer and the perspective is first-person. You go up to the counter of the diner and order food; it doesn’t take long for things to take a drastic turn. Scarecrow’s fear toxin releases inside the diner and chaos erupts. It is after this, you get to play as the Dark Knight. It’s a genius opening.
6. Assassin’s Creed II
It is a good life we lead, brother.
The best. May it never change.
And may it never change us.
Assassin’s Creed II is probably the best game in the franchise to date. It introduced the single-most legendary assassin of them all: Ezio Auditore. From the start to the finish, Assassin’s Creed II is a one-of-a-kind experience that no other AC game has managed to capture yet. As of the start, you have yet to become an Assassin. This section of the game gives so much insight into the Auditore family’s background.
5. Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0 is the best game for a new fan of the genre and the characters in the game are very young. You see a 20-year-old Kiryu beating the heck out of a man and taking his money. He’s quite different from the calm and collected man you see in the later games. After this one-sided beating, you see one of the best intro credit scenes in gaming history, with insanely hype music.
4. God of War
2018’s absolutely brilliant God of War introduces a different Kratos, with a long beard and different clothing. From the game’s introductory menu itself, it’s so epic. You swing an axe to cut down a tree and hook it to a boat. All the while this gameplay sequence happens, the introductory credits also display. It’s all so cinematic.
3. DOOM Eternal
DOOM Eternal starts with you, the Slayer, getting ready to make his way to Earth and provide salvation to humankind. Demons have control of the earth. From the start, you clearly know that the Slayer will kill every last titanic demon in order to save the planet. This is probably the most badass intro on this list.
2. Borderlands 2
This ain’t no place for no hero.
Borderlands 2 is the best game in the franchise. Right away, it’s cool as hell. Short Change Hero by The Heavy plays in the background as you see one of the coolest intro cutscenes in the history of FPS games. Handsome Jack also introduces himself as the villain (Hero, in his words); it’s such a memorable scene.
1. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
RULES OF NATURE!
Metal Gear Rising doesn’t pull any punches. The intro itself is so over-the-top that it’s funny sometimes. Unlike other games where basic movement is the tutorial, you have to slice a titanic death machine in half. Chaos and destruction are everywhere. It becomes very obvious that you’re in for a ride.
