Incredible Game Openings

Credit to Basil for the idea :D

Critera? Uhh, I'm thinking anywhere between the opening credits when you boot up and the first 1 to 2 hours. I'm playing it really loose, I just wanted to list and think about my favorite cold opens games have given me. If you want to comment with yours, link me up with opening movie or just describe why it fucks ^w^

Library of Ruina
Library of Ruina
String Theocracy + the first hour
Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross
(god I need to play this game soon but the opening movie FUCKS)
Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve
Opening Movie
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
Opening Movie + Bombing Mission
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII
Opening Movie
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
To Zanarkand, Intro, Sin
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
Opening Movie + Dive to the Heart
Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
Opening Movie + entire Roxas prologue
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
Opening Trailer + Entire first hour in The First
ZeroRanger
ZeroRanger
Opening + First Run
Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblade Chronicles
Honestly I just wanted to include this from sitting looking and listening to the title screen alone
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Opening Movie + Operation: Snake Eater
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus
The entire intro absolutely
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Opening Movie + Tanker Mission
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds
Timber Hearth + Title really floors me and sets the mood for this whole journey that i hold dear
Ninja Gaiden II
Ninja Gaiden II
First level AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush
The entire set up into NIN boss fight goes hard (suggested by Ash)
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
ESCAPE FROM THE CITYYY (plus Live and Learn opening WOOO)
Prey
Prey
Everything Is Going to Be Ok
plus the entire opening sequence goes intensely hard
Signalis
Signalis
Pick up The King in Yellow?
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
From Intro to Granny's Place set to Clair de Lune ;w;
Persona 3 FES
Persona 3 FES
Burn My Bread OR p3fes opening + up to the first shadow encounter is soo goooood
NieR
NieR
PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN ASS + Snow in Summer
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
entire opening to the survive in the village
Mafia III
Mafia III
Paint it Black opening (suggestion by Ash)
Death Stranding
Death Stranding
The entire first chapter
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
RULES OF NATURE
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2
House sequence to intro drop, mwah (Suggestion by Ash)
Dragon's Dogma
Dragon's Dogma
Just for main menu theme alone
Killer7
Killer7
Opening Movie
Doom
Doom
Opening up through the title card
Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy
Entire opening and first level
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium
There is nothing
Saints Row IV
Saints Row IV
Punch a dickhead + punch a dick in the head is the best gag (Suggestion by Ash)
Kentucky Route Zero
Kentucky Route Zero
The start at the gas station and the general soul crushing first entry
Norco
Norco
You hoped he forgave you (He never did)
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Time to get this party started... let's ROCK
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2
Theme of Laura
Prey
Prey
Don't Fear The Reaper needle drop before it was cool
Darkwood
Darkwood
Strong as hell horror vibe intro, perfectly paced imo
Furi
Furi
It's time to wake up
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
Opening Movie to the Trial
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
The absolute godly opening movie
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Title Theme, Menu Music, Frigate Orpheon to Parasite Queen (Suggested by LenA2)
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
Ori, Lost in the Storm
Naru, Embracing the Light
Soul Blade
Soul Blade
The entire intro sequence and first time playing (Suggested by DustyVita)
Grandia
Grandia
Opening + Intro cozy town sequence (Suggestion by kaishek)
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Santa Monica
Sin and Punishment
Sin and Punishment
Really the whole game could qualify as one nonstop banger intro
Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York
Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York
"Incredible strong opening with the protagonist's life followed by one of the best depictions of an embrace I've seen" (Suggestion by Pedrox200)
Halo 3
Halo 3
Particularly nostalgic for this one, just hearing the main menu go on repeat, then loading up the first mission and hearing the tone set in,,, it's a lot
Ridge Racer Type 4
Ridge Racer Type 4
The whole opening
Deus Ex
Deus Ex
Scheming in the mj12 base before retaking ellis island any which way you want (Suggested by Pasokon Deacon)

12 Comments


1 year ago

The Soul Blade intro might be half the reason I fell in love with video games, I could never bring myself to skip it as a kid or even now. Little kid me would swing around big swords in the game thinking about how cool all the characters were, imitating them and yelling about that cool thing they did in the opening and the song that played with it https://youtu.be/5Jscuco8zEk

1 year ago

Based list, totally not biased.

1 year ago

Also add Explorers of Time and Darkness onto here coward

1 year ago

The Tekken series has a lot of great intros, but my personal favorite will always be the second game's. The way the amazing music goes with the characters on-screen as they're introduced and show their motivations for entering the King of Iron Fist Tournament 2, it all goes together so well and it's rare for me to every want to skip it.

I still can't get over that amazing little section with King where he's drunk in a back alley and staggers, then Armor King immediately finds him and throws him his mask to coerce him into entering the tournament to get money for the orphanage and get his life back together. RIP King I.

1 year ago

Vagrant Story

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8rchMpwBfZ4

The cinematography to this whole scene is outstanding. Hard to believe it was a PS1 game.
Soul Blade's is so fucking good holy shit.

Shadow Hearts Covenant's ICARO AGAIN opening and Ace Combat 3's with all its little thematic hints and foreshadowings are both so good!

1 year ago

Super Mario Odyssey and the lost fight vs. Bowser is a really strong intro for a game.

Paper Mario also did this almost two decades earlier to just as strong of an effect.

On a gameplay standpoint, Alien Soldier goes a hundred miles a minute and never lets up, Mega Man X2 and Zero 2 have VERY strong intro stages, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night playing through the last game's boss followed by storming the castle then getting robbed by Death is REALLY good.

1 year ago

Since I forgot the links:
Super Mario Odyssey: https://youtu.be/Utvj76F07C8
Paper Mario: https://youtu.be/4CLTuA5Agj4
Mega Man X2: https://youtu.be/1wvoDBEhaOg
Mega Man Zero 2: https://youtu.be/yQQjoceLUBI
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: https://youtu.be/8uxzJMVPDJ4 + https://youtu.be/hmqNw5lj_yw

1 year ago

Really liked No More Heroes intro. Plunges you right into the action and its a good introduction to Travis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncuR0qZpglc

1 year ago

The first two chapters in Yakuza: LaD literally couldn't have been a more perfect introduction to Ichiban. That's the one I immediately think about when talking best game opening,s

1 year ago

Also hot take but I don't like string theocracy, Loland and rats carry that opening hour hard.

1 year ago

Nice list + suggestions here in the comments! I'd add:

Age of Empires 2 opening movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow4cC-Cz5l8
I love the juxtaposition of the chess game and the real battle and the ending is so quietly powerful.

Enderal's beginning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8VXWMUg9pU (until 8:40)
You have no idea what's going on, it's haunting, scary, yet intriguing. Love the music, too.

Final Fantasy Type-0 opening movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0qnPLB7nvs
I love the framing of the events as 'war footage', Class Zero's entrance is epic and the music slaps (+ the lyrics basically tell the whole story and make sense in Latin).


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