11 Best Video Game Intros Of All Time

GameRevolution:

I don't know about you, but the way a game begins is nearly as important to me as how the experience resolves before the credits roll (some, even after). A solid introduction—whether that be through a gorgeous cinematic, enthralling gameplay moment, or a combination of both—not only gives the player an incredible first impression, but fuels their curiosity and desire to dive deeper into the experience.

It's not easy to craft a compelling opener, but the eleven games we've selected truly exceed in this area. NOTE: In favor of giving as many franchises as possible a moment in the spotlight, we've limited our selections to one game per series. Otherwise, this list would have likely been dominated by all of Mr. Kojima's handiwork.

[Wedge19]

Nice choices! I agree, these are all games that when you put them in and that opening sequence plays, you just get so stoked to be playing that game.

[NeXXXuS]

Needs more Final Fantasy VIII and Legend of Dragoon.

[Etseix]

my best ps2 intro ( aside MGS ) https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Donnieboi]

Gran Turismo 2 U.S. intro video. WOW. Never expected such an awesome intro for just a racing game.

[DragonKnight]

@NeXXXuS: THANK YOU! I was just going to rant abut how lame the FFVII intro is (and how it's inclusion is typical fan service) and express that the FFVIII intro is an order of magnitude better than the FFVII intro.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[DragonKnight]

There's also not enough FFX.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[digitaleraser]

Hm, this list seems more like "11 Of My Favorite Games That Have Intros" than an actual comprehensive list of the greatest intros.

I clicked the link to see where the intro to Another World / Out Of This World landed on this list -- possibly the greatest videogame intro of all time, and definitely one of the top five -- and its glaring omission makes it hard for me to take this list very seriously at all.

[meetajhu]

No Onimusha 3 = instant fail

[Relientk77]

The first that comes to mind for me is Final Fantasy VIII

[alexcosborn]

Ahh FFVIII has an incredible intro too. Gotta love those PSone JRPGs!

[Hicken]

And yet, it's not on the list. Damn shame.

[Root]

Yes but when people do articles like this they feel the need to follow the crowd and put FF7 into everything despite other FF games deserving places on these lists more then FF7

It's like if they have to add something FF related it HAS to be FF7

FFVIII had the best intro (among a lot of other things) so I don't see why it wasn't included.

[alexcosborn]

That's not why FFVII was selected over FFVIII. Between the two, I really do think FFVII's is better. It's a matter of opinion, not following the crowd.

[DragonKnight]

you think a few seconds of a panoramic view, followed by the image of a girl, and then a train is better than a battle scene taking place in a thunderstorm between rivals?

[HammadTheBeast]

Agreed, it was pretty awesome and epic at the same time, and the Seifer-Squall fight really set the tone.

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

i was almost certain that it would show up on the list. Im very shocked that it wasnt.

[Qrphe]

I went straight to #1 to see if it was FF8 and it wasn't, so I closed the website.

[Relientk77]

Agree lol

[dbjj12088]

Watching some of these gave me chills. I remember these games so vividly. My favorite on the list has to be Mass Effect 2. Stepping into the vacuum was just jaw-dropping, especially with the sound cranked up.

[alexcosborn]

Totally. That intro was my favorite part of that entire game.

[smashcrashbash]

What about God of War 2 and Kratos's attack on the city followed by the multi tiered Colossus fight? How could you not mention that?

[guitarded77]

I was thinking GoW 3 personally, but not having GoW on the list means the author never played a GoW game. Scaling the giant to the epic skull bashing intro was beyond anything I have ever see. I must have said "WOW!!!" to myself a thousand times.

[BitbyDeath]

Yea, GoW3 has got to have had the best intro for a game this gen.

[Ilovetheps5]

The Kingdom Hearts 1 intro is still my favorite intro of all time. There is just something special about it. I still watch it on youtube occasionally just because of how great it was.

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

Id choose FFVIII intro over FFVII. Personally I think FFVII is the most overrated game in the series but whateves.

Kingdom hearts intro is just amazing.

[Asuka]

ff7 over ff8 for best intro?? Even ff7 fans have to admit that ff8's intro is much better. ff7 barely had an intro

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

I agree with you that it should have been on here but i dont really agree with you that VIII's is better than VII's or vise versa. VIII's was more epic for sure but VII's had something special about it as well. It was such a beautiful scene to me.

[HonestDragon]

Nice choices. I have always wanted to do a list of the best video game openings. Not necessarily the beginning of the game itself, but rather the opening movie that plays while you are still at the main menu. There are many good ones. I think I'll do one eventually.

[Deku-Johnny]

The intro to Kingdom Hearts was very nonsensical, I would say Kingdom Hearts 2 should be on there instead as it's a much better intro. I'd say it's one of the best of all time.

[Snookies12]

Yeah, as much as I loved KH1's intro, KH2's was so masterfully done and summed up all of what happened in the previous two games very well. Every second of that intro had some kind of special meaning to it...

[Deku-Johnny]

I forgot to mention the song as well. Sanctuary is so beautiful and goes brilliantly with what is happening in the video.

[zerocrossing]

Nice list but you're missing onimusha warlords 3, one of the best game intros ever IMO.

[hongthay]

I was going to comment the same thing. That opening cgi is extremely impressive. Still waiting for an hd remake.

[dark-kyon]

1.vagrant story

[bayonetta]

i still like The legend of Zelda : ocarina of time intro
same thing with Metal Gear solid 2 intro
they just make you want 2 press start and play the game 2 know the story

[solfol]

Tekken 5 didn't make the list?? :-(

[rezzah]

I think Tag Team Tournament 2 opening is better. Between 5 or 6 personally it is hard to decide.

[Imikida]

Grand Theft Auto 3, VC, San Andreas, and IV are all some of my favorites. All of them just got me excited to jump into the immersive GTA worlds and have a adventure.

[SuperLupe]

Baten Kaitos should be there
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[MrDead]

Monkey Island 2.

[papajag]

Onimusha 3
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

FFVIII did have a better intro than FFVII. I actually like the FFX intro with Blitzball
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

All Blizzard intros lol.

[BanBrother]

Thank you! I always need to show people the Onimusha 3 intro. Some of my favourite games on the PS2, with excellent graphics. Also, it would be unfair to have Blizzard intros. They are always so well done.

I'm just glad they had FFVII and Uncharted 2. I though Alan Wake's was pretty awesome as well, it set the mood. It was a massive copy of 'The Shining', which is why it was so good.

[kingrev]

Must say GoW3 did an amazing intro, you could clearly see how far games have evolve plus it follows GoW2 then end was the biggest cliffhanger for me and when I finally was seeing GoW3 I was going nuts but apart from that KH1 so many memories great list indeed but more could be added just saying

[wenaldy]

Onimusha 3, nuff said.

[MoB21]

FFX....

[gninja92]

off topic, but when i saw kairi in the photo here i have to say this ::

am i he only one not impressed with the lineup of next gen games, their looks, ideas and everything else? when will IN-GAME graphics be the CGI high-RES of Kingdom hearts graphics when graphics look that good, then it will be time to say the "NEXT GEN" is a big jump over the current one.
or the CGI of God of WAR 1 & 2. or other really good PS2 era CGIs. along with really exapansive and diverse tasks in rpg games and such i mean other than the Sims what toher game when you were playing it did u have to do mundane tasks like go to the bathroom or be required to feed the character in the game? why do next gen usually mean " higher prices, for less content"?

AM i the only one who's even normal anymore?

[Y_5150]

Haha, you guys do not know this but, DK64 had the best intro ever!

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Marceles]

Any list that doesn't have the Soul Edge intro already fails

[reznik_zerosum]

F.E.A.R 1

[Fistedcupps]

Kingdom Hearts 2 intro was pretty good. Should a basic summary of the events of the first game and Chain of Memories.

[superterabyte]

Wipeout 2048
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[zealot_x]

SOUL REAVEEEEER
http://youtu.be/lBwvaHKTrgo

[fsfsxii]

Mine is MGS2's intro, an incredible intro featuring Snake jumping from the bridge to the tanker.

[C L O U D]

Gran Turismo 2 & Ridge Racer Type 4

Best racing game intros ever

[11122X]

To save you from reading through 6 pages, here is the list from the site:

11. Batman: Arkham Asylum
10. Chrono Cross
9. Halo 4
8. Half-Life 2
7. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
6. Final Fantasy VII
5. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
4. Kingdom Hearts
3. Mass Effect 2
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
1. BioShock

[Tetsujin]

I'd add Rival Schools and Bushido Blade 2 to the list; I played BB2 just because of the intro. Rival Schools had that anime feel, and the game was how a Tekken/Street Fighter mash up should be - not that garbage Street Fighter X Tekken is.

[Godmars290]

No Xenogears
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

No Skygunners
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Or as one else pointed out no Onimusa 3.

List-Fail.

[stragomccloud]

Final Fantasy VIII's intro is the best of all time in my opinion, and it didn't even make the list. Lame.

[Camza]

Vice City

[eltigre]

WHERE THE H@#$! LL IS FINAL FANTASY VIII!!!! I KNOW THIS IS AN OPINIONS LIST BUT THIS GAME HAS ONE OF THE BEST INTROS EVER. NO BEST INTROS LIST IS COMPLETE WITHOUT THIS GAME. PERIOD!!!

[TheOneEyedHound]

Calm down Kanye.

[Unlimax]

I'm Literally shocked that Parasite eve intro wasn't on the list !

http://youtu.be/kBvCsJRE6A0...

[rezzah]

Devil May Cry 3. One of the most badass openings of all time.

Go watch it if you haven't.

[Kos-Mos]

Where the bloody mummers h*** is Xenogears?

[TheOneEyedHound]

That FF7 intro has a lot of emotion, after you played the game.