By "introductory sequences," I don't just mean opening cutscenes. I mean prologues, first levels, title seqeunces and, in some cases, expository sequences that provide the entirety of the setting and story background needed to create a fantastic gaming experience (looking at you, Half-Life 2). I'll be trying to limit the examples to one per series, as to not over-saturate the list with similar introductions.
So without, further adieu, here are some of my favorite intro sequences. I won't be numbering them, since I'm entirely sure how many I'm going to do, but rest assured, there will be a clear cut #1.
Enjoy.
Half-Life (1998)
What begins as just another day in a top secret military research facility becomes something much more sinister for everyone's favorite physicist, Gordon Freeman, and it is just this mix of the mundane and the unnerving that makes this, even at 13 years old, a deeply affecting introduction to this day. Sure, it's tedious upon second or third playthroughs, and sure, it looks like crap, but just close your eyes and listen to it. Something terrible is about to happen. You can feel it.
Diablo II (2000)
One of the only, if not THE only, purely cinematic entries on this list, the D2 intro isn't here because it looks pretty (although it did in 2001), nor is it here on the strength of any of its characters (although Marius remains one of the most sympathetic narrators in history), it's simply here because it so encompasses the spirit and the atmosphere of one of my all-time favorite games.
East. Always into the East.
Max Payne (2001)
Max Payne is one of the darkest and dreariest games associated wuth Rockstar Games, a company that has become renowned for it's bleakness. In this intro, we are immediately thrown into the endless New York blizzard, to sounds of sirens and gunshots, and we are introduced to Max Payne, a man so Film Noir that Humphrey Bogart himself stands in awe of him. The introduction tells us everything we need to know about Max: that he's a cop, that he's seen terrible things, and that he wants revenge. That's all I needed to know.
Metroid Prime (2002)
Metroid Prime just might be the greatest Gamecube game of them all, which is a lofty claim for a system with games like Super Smash Brothers: Melee and Resident Evil 4 to its name. And it all starts on the Space Frigate Orpheon, where you take on the role Samus Aran, greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy. Exposition out of the way, we'll get to what makes this a great intro: the pacing. Slowly but surely, every major gameplay mechanic is introduced to you within a span of 10-15 minutes, all wrapped up into a polished, atmospheric sheen. Just what happened to these poor, dear, horribly annoying Space Pirates? That's a question for you to find out (by watching that video, I suppose). Equal parts prologue and tutorial, the MP intro is one of the greats it its genre and its medium.
Half-Life 2 (2004)
Rise and shine, Mister Freeman. Rise and...shine.
With those words, Gordon Freeman is re-awoken, and the Combine's reckoning is nigh. While this video is really just the first part of what is possibly the longest intro sequence ever (right up to the beginning of "Route Kanal," the game's third chapter), it is more than deserving for just how damned brilliant it is. Everything you could ever want to know about the interim period between the two games is right there to be known, without a single character coming up to you and saying it. Anti-exposition, to be honest. And it's atmospheric as all get-out as well. The moment I first opened the train station doors and saw the Citadel, dominating the skyline and looming over humanity as a whole, my jaw dropped. It is, to this day, still one of the most awe-inspiring and wonderful moments in the entire medium.
And, if you're wondering why I broke my rule and had two entrants from the same series, well, that's because Valve is damned good at bringing gamers into their worlds. And they don't even have to put things in your face to do it.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
If there's one thing the Metal Gear Solid series is known for, it's overblown political intrigue and seemingly endless cutscenes. Nowhere are those things more entertaining than the intro to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. What is ostensibly window dressing for the entire series turns out to be the most eminently enjoyable game in the series.
Dead Space (2008)
You might have noticed that a few years have passed, chronologically between the last two entries. This is not because of any drop in quality; in fact, many great intros to great games took place within this timeframe. It's simply an effort to get a few different styles of game and intro into this list. Including the next one, Dead Space.
Sort of a hybrid between real-time and cinematic, the Dead Space intro does a masterful job of establishing both the setting and artistic tone of the game, and by extension, the series as a whole. It takes place entirely from the over-the-shoulder perspective of protagonist Isaac Clarke, whose namesakes (Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke) seemed to have inspired much of the game's tone and premise.
The second game's intro, while arguably better, also feels more traditional and tied into the story more than the setting, which is why I chose this one instead. Enjoy!
Batman: Arkham Asylum
This is how all games should start. Batman: Arkham Asylum opens as just another night for the Caped Crusader, as he has apprehended his nemesis the Joker, and is transporting him to the infamous Arkham Asylum. What follows amounts to an extended, in-game cutscene introducing the theme and feel of the wretched asylum, managing to introduce a majority of the game's principal characters in a way that feels natural.
Much like Dead Space up there, the opening sequence of Batman: Arkham City, this game's direct and superior sequel, is probably better. But it's also way too spoilery for me to post on here in good faith (ther game is barely two months old at this point, I can't imagine everyone who wants to play it has played it by this point). Dark, organic and cinematic, this is what all Batman introductions should strive to be. Just watch it, will you?
Halo 3: ODST (2009)
The Halo series is one that has always prided itself on solid introductory sequences, from the mysterious, investigatory openings of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: Reach, to the bombastic opening of Halo 2 to the quiet and forlorn opening of Halo 3. The reason I chose ODST as an example for the entire series is simple: it encompasses all three styles seen in previous (and future) games, and perfectly sets the mood for the game as a whole, which is, to put it simply, an artistic exercise in loneliness.
The intro starts off as a simple opening cutscene, establishing setting and characters with a workmanlike charm. Soon, it descends (quite literally) into the sort chaotic beauty seen in Halo 2, before jarringly placing you in the conquered city, alone and confused. The starkness of being alone in this game is like very few things seen in all of gaming, and this opening cutscene does well to hammer home that feeling.
Mass Effect 2 (2010)
This intro, like most things BioWare, is a fantastic example of a well worn trope being used creatively and to maximum effect. The basic idea behind this intro is simple: we join our hero soon after the conclusion of the first installment, when he/she is attacked by a new and dangerous foe, one who kills some of the hero's friends and compatriots and then destroys the hero's base of operations.
What makes ME2 different (and better) is how this simple formula is used to invest you in the story, even if you haven't played the first one. Instead of just the hero's friends dying, the hero themselves dies, effectively setting up a revenge plot sure to pull in most new players, and sure to shock most returning ones. This also is used to great effect as a built in excuse for that oldest of RPG tropes: re-learning all the skills and abilities that made you such a badass. Surely this is one of the most justified uses of that ancient and not-always embraced mechanics.
Plus, the whole thing looks and sounds great, showing off the improvements in presentation that make Mass Effect 2 so superior to the original, which is itself a great game.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
This is, by my money, the definitive pre-credits sequence of the year, and one of the preeminent examples in the history of the gaming medium. After a cryptic opening sequence, we are treated, right of the bat, to a wonderfully imagined cyperpunk future world, and all its various strifes and political machinations. And we are also put directly into the shoes of Adam Jensen, which makes the meandering first few minutes much more affecting. This is, in many ways, exactly where and what Adam wants to be. Then crisis strikes, and it strikes in a way that manages to teach the player almost every major gameplay mechanic while still advancing the story, again not an easy feat in any way.
And then there's the credits. My God, are they good. If I ever do a countdown like this based solely on credits sequences, you can bet your ass DX:HR will be on the list, if not at the top of it. Great intro to a great game.
Winner : BioShock (2007)
Mid-Atlantic. 1960s.
When I first had the idea for this post, I knew that BioShock would be my winner. The only other game I even considered was Half-Life 2, and Ican't probably shouldn't have that win EVERYTHING. The first time I played BioShock, I knew next to nothing about it, and this intro was the perfect way to pull me in. The sudden plane crash, the mysterious pillar in the middle of the ocean, the Objectivist propaganda adorning the art-deco walls. The bathysphere. Andrew Ryan's introductory video. The subtle hint at the game's ultimate plot twist. All of it is great.
I hope you've enjoyed, or at least tolerated this little countdown of mine. I'll be continuing with the 15 Years of Gaming thing at some point in the next couple months, and I might even start doing some basketball stuff here. Maybe. Later.
What makes ME2 different (and better) is how this simple formula is used to invest you in the story, even if you haven't played the first one. Instead of just the hero's friends dying, the hero themselves dies, effectively setting up a revenge plot sure to pull in most new players, and sure to shock most returning ones. This also is used to great effect as a built in excuse for that oldest of RPG tropes: re-learning all the skills and abilities that made you such a badass. Surely this is one of the most justified uses of that ancient and not-always embraced mechanics.
Plus, the whole thing looks and sounds great, showing off the improvements in presentation that make Mass Effect 2 so superior to the original, which is itself a great game.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
This is, by my money, the definitive pre-credits sequence of the year, and one of the preeminent examples in the history of the gaming medium. After a cryptic opening sequence, we are treated, right of the bat, to a wonderfully imagined cyperpunk future world, and all its various strifes and political machinations. And we are also put directly into the shoes of Adam Jensen, which makes the meandering first few minutes much more affecting. This is, in many ways, exactly where and what Adam wants to be. Then crisis strikes, and it strikes in a way that manages to teach the player almost every major gameplay mechanic while still advancing the story, again not an easy feat in any way.
And then there's the credits. My God, are they good. If I ever do a countdown like this based solely on credits sequences, you can bet your ass DX:HR will be on the list, if not at the top of it. Great intro to a great game.
Winner : BioShock (2007)
Mid-Atlantic. 1960s.
When I first had the idea for this post, I knew that BioShock would be my winner. The only other game I even considered was Half-Life 2, and I
I hope you've enjoyed, or at least tolerated this little countdown of mine. I'll be continuing with the 15 Years of Gaming thing at some point in the next couple months, and I might even start doing some basketball stuff here. Maybe. Later.
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