Best Game Openings?

Muramasa18

What game do you guys think has the best opening sequence? My vote goes to Star Ocean 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpEN3b9jdbY Sure, the game itself was nothing special, but I love that video, especially the music. Another of my favorites would be Deus Ex.

jimenex

I second Deus Ex (well...everything about Deus Ex is great anyway)

The whole prologue to Max Payne 2 is also pretty fantastic

The_Scarab

Are we talking cinematics or intro levels?


Dawn of War or Half Life 2 (up to the point where you open the train station doors and see the citadel)

cj iwakura

Er, this thread's probably doomed to death in a page or less(unless some discussion can be saved), but Wild Arms and Chrono Cross deserve a mention each and every time.

And despite it being my least favorite in the entire series, Final Fantasy VIII has the best opening of them all.

Zephyr

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KnLB3BndYfo

favorite, ever.

Muramasa18

Cinematics or intro levels, either.

Also, the tram ride in Half-Life.

Goomba

best intro to poll thread

IShallRiseAgain

The half-life 1 intro is awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x3wQ7Opltg

Darlan

The space station/escape part of Metroid Prime/Metroid 3 was pretty cool.

Muramasa18

Hmm...in that case let's discuss what makes a good opening.

IMO, a good opening should get you pumped up and ready to play the game without being too long or revealing too much.

WotanAnubis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGUIDgWCj20

The opening to Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. I love how it goes from calm and peaceful to fast-paced and violent. Of course, I also love how it's the introduction to Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

Honory mention to the ticking pendulum of Chrono Trigger. Don't know why, but I really liked it.

PotU

best intro sequence: Dawn of War, Mark of Chaos

best beginning: Zelda TTP

Koekjes

I enjoyed the intro movie for Psychonauts and Titan Quest.

Scotty

Well, this one is obvious...so I'll just post it and get it out of the way.;-)

Onimusha 3

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

MyCoCo

Panzer Dragoon Saga, the whole opening sequence to brief interactive section to end of opening sequence.

Masonite

I was just thinking of this the other day: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7774948682966405894

Toldo

European Metroid Prime.

Burning Organ

Dawn of War is the best one I've ever seen.

Darlan

Toldo wrote: »

European Metroid Prime.

Is something different in the European version?

Sorenson

"This is HQ to any available units...

Absolutly. Definitively. Classic.

WotanAnubis

Darlan wrote: »

Toldo wrote: »

European Metroid Prime.

Is something different in the European version?

There's an added voice-over, I think. Or a different voice-over. Or something.

Personally, I think it's cheesy as hell and I would've much prefered it if Samus' gunship approached Orpheon quietly, but hey.

Toldo

WotanAnubis wrote: »

Darlan wrote: »

Toldo wrote: »

European Metroid Prime.

Is something different in the European version?

There's an added voice-over, I think. Or a different voice-over. Or something.

Personally, I think it's cheesy as hell and I would've much prefered it Samus' gunship approached Orpheon quietly, but hey.

Yeah, there's a voice-over, and while it might be cheesy, I thought it did a good job of setting the mood. A short thing, then Samus' ship appears and she leaps out. Camera swivels around, goes through the back of her helmet, and then you're in charge.

Plus, the PAL version has the 'recorded to logbook' voice present in MP2:E.

WotanAnubis

Toldo wrote: »

WotanAnubis wrote: »

Darlan wrote: »

Toldo wrote: »

European Metroid Prime.

Is something different in the European version?

There's an added voice-over, I think. Or a different voice-over. Or something.

Personally, I think it's cheesy as hell and I would've much prefered it Samus' gunship approached Orpheon quietly, but hey.

Yeah, there's a voice-over, and while it might be cheesy, I thought it did a good job of setting the mood. A short thing, then Samus' ship appears and she leaps out. Camera swivels around, goes through the back of her helmet, and then you're in charge.

I thought the voice-over tried to inject a needless sense of epic. Prime isn't epic. It's about Samus mopping up a bunch of fleeing Space Pirates and accidentally coming across a pretty big threat to the universe before it really has the chance to become a pretty big threat to the universe.

It's kick-ass, but it's not epic the way that voice-over insists that it is.

In my opinion.

FreddyD

cj iwakura wrote: »

Er, this thread's probably doomed to death in a page or less(unless some discussion can be saved), but Wild Arms and Chrono Cross deserve a mention each and every time.

And despite it being my least favorite in the entire series, Final Fantasy VIII has the best opening of them all.

No, as long as people give links I think that will be enough content.

Skygunner has an amazing intro that I watch everytime I play the game. Same for Soul Calibur II. It is the music that makes them memorable. Also, Interstate 76. That game did more with flat shaded polygons than most CG intros can do with ray tracing and render farms.

FyreWulff

DKR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaNmPAY9P9c

Dichotomy

War... war never changes.

Cherrn

Hello Suikoden 2.

Sirson

World of Warcraft, and the Expansion had pretty kickass opening cinematics. Hell Warcraft 3's cinematics were pretty awesome for the time as well. So yea Blizzard... stuff

skeldare

Resident Evil Code: Veronica

Sorenson

Romancing SaGa 3 also had a pretty nice opening theme (much better than the video - I'd record and upload it myself in better quality if I knew what to use). Obscenely synth, sure, but still damn epic and awesome.

And holy crap, someone did a NES soundboard version of Four Noble Devils 1 and 2!

theclam

Wind Waker!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd93AD_GGis

YodaTuna

DMC3.

jabrams007

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver had an amazing opening cinematic. If anyone could post a link to a video of it, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

bruin

theclam wrote: »

Wind Waker!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd93AD_GGis

APZonerunner

Final Fantasy 8. Sadly, it's also the biggest disappointment in terms of a game vs intro ratio for me.

Hylianbunny

Well, what are we looking for as far as qualities in a "best" opening cinematic?

subedii

These threads seem to pop up every few months.

Not that I'll complain about an excuse to link awesome :

"War... War never changes" (Fallout 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkBNKa2KXZE

Fallout 2 (Weirdly split, but I couldn't find a clean, full intro)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3PXiV95kwA&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AihKA_AgMok

"Whenever I smell asphalt, I think of Maureen" (Full Throttle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PktBJ6HpNJQ

"I can feel them following me!" (Freespace 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ-xcgBL1mY

"... and they hurled themselves into the void of space, with no fear" (Freespace 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIWdolT9xY

Planescape: Torment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRLHPF6poHc

Oh, and another vote for Dawn of War. Of course really you miss out on a lot of the effect of these intros watching them on youtube.

emnmnme

I'm gonna say World of Warcraft and Soul Calibur 2 had great, eye catching openings.

GrimReaper

Here's an oldie for you kids.

It Came From The Desert.

In its day that was classed as cutting edge, actual recorded voice audio.. mad man.

Plus, the b-movie style of the game was pure awesome.

Speakeasy

Silent Hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlcTS4f6Gvw

Silent Hill 2 (best one in my opinion)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tysvNGGFN3M

Silent Hill 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV21MirTN44

Ecco the Dolphin CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl9o4H_hsLE

As much as I liked WW, I don't see why it's the best intro to some of you. TP does a better job (not the title screen, the movie that plays after it).

subedii

Forgot this one: Diablo II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0kPXdtz_c4

Blizzard always does amazing cutscenes.