But what really captivates players and makes us restless is the opening sequence. Of course, the ending is often analyzed and dissected more thoroughly, but the opening scenes are what compel players to pay attention, curious about where this tension will take them.
It could be an explosive intro, your spaceship being attacked from all sides, the main character surrounded by zombies, or something simpler, like a dark-toned opening that’s enough to give you chills. Here’s a list of 10 epic openings that keep players glued to the screen.
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 offers not just one, but two spine-chilling openings within the same game. The two characters, Leon and Claire, meet for entirely different reasons. Leon is on his first day at the RCPD, while Claire is searching for her brother Chris. But the way the game introduces these two characters leaves a lasting impression on players.
When you see Leon driving a jeep, stopping in front of a dead body, and approaching it for examination, you can’t help but think, “Stay away, it’s a zombie!” Similarly, Claire enters the Emmy diner and uncovers a horrifying truth that leaves both characters stunned. You might think it’s over, and the brave protagonists will team up to uncover the truth. But suddenly, a zombie appears from the back seat, leading to a heart-stopping moment as it infects the entire bus, and the driver (now a zombie) crashes straight into Leon and Claire. This is Capcom’s way of welcoming players to Resident Evil, and it’s incredibly effective, like dropping an ice cube down your shirt.
Final Fantasy VII
The opening of FF VII, both the original and the remake, has its own allure, but the original’s grandeur far surpasses what was expected at its release. It starts with a rather somber scene under a dark sky, before shifting focus to a girl selling flowers, captivating players from the very start. The camera then gradually widens, showcasing the magnificent city of Midgar, with the music reaching a crescendo as the game’s title emerges.
Just when you think it’s over, the scene shifts to a train car, where soldiers approach to inspect it, only to be swiftly taken down by a group of people. Finally, a super cool character appears with a big sword – it’s Cloud Strife. Oh, I get to control this guy? That’s amazing! This was the first time PlayStation gamers experienced a game of such scale, and Squaresoft didn’t hold back in making a great first impression. The original was like that, and you can only imagine how stunning the remake is.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman fans probably had a hunch about the opening, or even those who watch films depicting villains in captivity could guess what would happen next. However, the key point here is that we haven’t seen Batman’s dark side, at least not in terms of a game series. Exploring the dim hallways of Arkham Asylum is a refreshing experience for players. The opening takes you on a captivating tour of the asylum, where you must keep an eye on the Joker while observing your surroundings, taking in a lot at once, but that’s not the main selling point of the opening.
The main attraction lies in the claustrophobic hallways, elevators, and cramped cells, conveying a message that you’ll be stuck here until your task is complete. You will be “bonded” to these hallways for a few hours, so get used to them. It’s a shame that later parts lack such elements, but for the first installment, Rocksteady did a fantastic job recreating the iconic dark atmosphere of the Batman series.
Half-Life 2
No one likes to be woken up from a pleasant dream. However, in Half-Life 2, not only are you jolted awake, but you also have no idea who the character responsible for waking you up is, and then you find yourself standing on a train. The opening of Half-Life 2 sets up a perfect scene, but Valve doesn’t stop there. When you arrive at City 17, you’ll see that everything has been turned upside down, and you – Gordon Freeman – will be the one to help restore order.
Familiar and unfamiliar faces begin to appear as you continue playing, but in the first half hour, everything is completely unclear, leaving you disoriented and unsure of what lies ahead. Similar to the previous installment, Half-Life 2 gives players a grim view of the game world. You’re a hero, but at the game’s start, you won’t feel like one at all.
Metal Gear Solid
For many, when Metal Gear Solid launched in 1998, the stealth action genre was still quite nascent on consoles. Therefore, when the game opens with Snake being assigned a mission to infiltrate, many players were extremely curious. You soon realize that you are the one controlling Snake on this mission. It’s fresh, exciting, and super cool. You start without any weapons, while the enemies are heavily armed, making the stealth approach to the elevator area extremely tense, but that’s not all.
After the game’s title disappears, you quickly realize you were wrong to think the hard part was over; instead, you still have to stealthily navigate a vast area, crossing a helicopter landing zone to infiltrate the enemy’s military base. Oh, did I mention that the landing zone is as bright as a full moon and patrolled very strictly? This is also how Metal Gear Solid emphasizes to players that stealth is key in this game. Stealth action games are quite common now, but for PlayStation gamers back then, this was truly a one-of-a-kind experience.
God Of War (2018)
The God of War series boasts many notable openings, but while most focus on Kratos’s ferocity, the 2018 version presents a stark contrast. Instead of a war god ready to annihilate anything in his path, Kratos in this installment is more composed; if anything, he’s the “father of the year.” At this point, Kratos has “retired,” leading a quieter, more peaceful life; and this opening paints a new image of Kratos in players’ minds.
Kratos’s wife has just passed away, and he is out chopping the last pieces of wood for her funeral. The player’s involvement in this funeral is already somber enough, but it also highlights the unresolved relationship between Kratos and his son Atreus. However, it doesn’t end there. After playing through the tutorial, a man known as “The Stranger” knocks on Kratos’s door, and the ensuing battle is incredibly intense and violent, with trees falling, rocks cracking, all hinting that the journey ahead will be fraught with challenges and trials.
Silent Hill
Silent Hill may have faded into obscurity, but its opening scene is unforgettable for anyone who has seen it once. From the moment the mandolin plays as the main character Harry Mason steps into the haunting city, to the chilling alleyway scene, it evokes a fear of the unknown. When Silent Hill was released, no one knew what lay within the game, nor did anyone realize it was far more terrifying than we could imagine. And we also didn’t know that we would encounter a “you must fail” scenario in an alley after discovering a dead body.
Fortunately, Silent Hill makes it clear from the start what its intention is: you should feel fear towards everything. Being clawed to death by skinless monsters is already terrible, but initially, there are also small children with knives chasing you. This opening scene, while only lasting about 10 minutes, is sure to prepare you for what’s to come in this game.
Medal Of Honour: Frontline
War is usually not associated with joy, and you’ve seen enough films and read enough documents to know this. While war-themed games are quite common, they often don’t accurately reflect this (after all, games are just for entertainment). However, Medal of Honour: Frontline is an exception. The Normandy beach landing is considered one of the worst military campaigns in history, despite the Allies winning. The film Saving Private Ryan vividly portrays this, but Medal of Honour: Frontline puts players in the shoes of a soldier landing on Omaha Beach.
We are not ready for this. Although we know what to expect, it’s not until you actually engage in this battle that you realize how catastrophic and chaotic it is. From a realistic standpoint, Frontline excelled in this aspect. For a gamer, it’s chaotic, terrifying, and horrific, meaning DICE has accomplished its mission. Call of Duty also released a WWII version in 2017 with superior scale and quality, but Medal of Honour: Frontline was the first to do this. It showed gamers the devastating impact of war, both physically and mentally.
Mass Effect 2
In games, dying is a common occurrence, but dying right at the start is something else. This is the approach BioWare took with Mass Effect 2, and the good news is they succeeded. Instead of leisurely exploring planets as in the first installment, the sequel delivers a punch right to the face of players. The game opens with the mysterious Illusive Man, but that’s not what makes the opening spine-chilling.
What sends chills down your spine is the Normandy being blasted by a mysterious ship, throwing everything into chaos as Shephard tries to save the crew members. Just when you think everything is resolved, Shephard is blown out into space, leaving players stunned. Then our protagonist struggles to breathe and begins to burn as he falls into a planet’s orbit. This scene is incredibly tragic, if not hard to believe.
Bioshock
When talking about Bioshock, two things come to mind: the spectacular plot twist and the terrible final boss fight. But in this context, let’s return to the game’s opening, where you witness a burning plane wreck. Yes, the game begins with the aftermath of a plane crash, but what truly terrifies you is a bit later: a mysterious lighthouse leading down to the magnificent underwater city of Rapture.
It looks magnificent, but once you arrive, there’s no sign of life; the walls are covered in writing, and something feels off. This should have been a paradise, but it fails to deliver, and soon we learn why. But back to the opening for a moment, as you approach Rapture, the shock and awe at the state of this city is what truly surprises players. Bioshock leans more toward action than horror, but when you first play, you wouldn’t know that. 2K has brilliantly created a backdrop of a fallen kingdom that keeps players on edge while exploring the city.
Cover photo credit to Evan Liu, edited by Gearvn