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The Top 7... Best Beginnings

Games that blow you away right from the start

Words: Charlie Barratt, GamesRadar US
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101 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
Spartan523  - 10 months 3 days ago 
What about COD4 that opening on the cargo ship was amazing, relentless, and badass, if i do say so myself
sourpunch  - 10 months 3 days ago 
My favorite opening is still final fantasy VIII. It sets up the storyline amazing.
mjmont92  - 10 months 3 days ago 
who doesn't like half life!? i can't wait for number 3!
nicksayswatzup  - 10 months 3 days ago 
kinda sad about no SSB but i understand :)
game-thugsta  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I thought doom 3's somber intro before hell was quite the memorable one... or niko comin off the boat in gta, seeing what it's like to be an imigrant and such
bioshocker  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I agree with manbearpig (one of my favorite episodes)
I played hl2 before hl1 but still it kept me in the game and I beat it in a couple days I feverishly await for episode 3.
I can't agree more with your decision of fallout 3 on the list either.
Is it just me or do most of these games have you start out as "just another guy"?
reCAPTCHA: khaki day
magicwalnuts0  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I would contest the Bioshock one, but otherwise this is a good one.

Although I don't know why you guys put MGS2 instead of MGS cause Metal Gear Solid's beginning was mega awesome.
chairmanofthebar  - 10 months 3 days ago 
How about Soul Reaver?
Revanofsith  - 10 months 3 days ago 
Shoulda showed Devil May Cry 4 some love. No game before has, in the beginning, made me feel like a badass. And watching Dante and Nero, it was without a doubt, my favorite game intro. Even the singing goes well.
iKOemos  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I agree with this 100%! I loved the opening of Bioshock and I found the unveiling of Rapture one of gaming's best moments
zer0hvk  - 10 months 3 days ago 
great article as always, can't wait to listen to you guys talk about it in the podcast, great choices
Blinder  - 10 months 3 days ago 
Great article. And Medal of Honor:Frontline just had me going WOW!!! I think it paved the way for immersion and storytelling in FPS. I would have picked Rising Sun's opening as a runner up. I was in awe at the detail and accuracy of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Kudos!
alexg223  - 10 months 3 days ago 
"Because you received a lengthy and immersive tour of his office before the extraterrestrial shit hit the interdimensional fan..."

Priceless!
netlatnu  - 10 months 3 days ago 
The intro to FF8 was amazing at the time. I hope it was at least considered.
Sylizar  - 10 months 3 days ago 
What about Gears of War 1 or 2. I love how you start off in a prison (1) and a hospital (2). And instantly shit hits the fan and Locust are crawling up your ass, Corpsers explode out of the ground etc.
Defguru7777  - 10 months 3 days ago 
Was Call of Duty 4 even considered. First you train for a routine mission, then, you see some of the best rain effects in gaming. Then, you get fucking shot in the face by some jackass you don't even know. THAT'S a great opening.
schmeidenkamp  - 10 months 3 days ago 
i lolled @the pic of Raiden. haha, good article.
kanucksfan  - 10 months 3 days ago 
Bioshock's beginning is truly amazing. When you just start and don't know anything about the game, it just seems alright. But once you venture further into the awesomeness, you realize just how cinematic it is, in the sense of what the spoiler said. If you haven't played this game, go do so. Just don't play on easy, you'll beat it WAY too quick
DawgsFan117  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I Have to agree with Bioshock. To date it is probably my favorite game on either my PS3 or 360. The whole experience was amazing.

Is it time start naming the top ten games of this decade yet. That would be a hard list to write simply because of the massive amount of games to syphon through.
Ravenbom  - 10 months 3 days ago 
I seem to have more memories of FPS's grabbing me straight from the start.
Not my favorite viewpoint, but it does tend to lead to more immediate immersion.

Maybe its just the shorter and sweeter tutorial levels. You look with one analog stick or mouse, move with the other. You fire your weapon with one button, reload it with another and open doors/press switches with another.
Short and to the point. Lets us actually play the game instead of messing about with tutorial levels for 30 minutes before we ever get to start the game.
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