Best Intro Scenes

[Loony BoB]

Some games have great endings, some have rubbish endings, and the debate always goes on about such things.

But... what about the intros? Which games have the best ever introduction scenes?

I'll kick us off with Final Fantasy VIII, which immediately captured your attention with a fantastic fight between Squall/Seifer mixed in with some beautiful (and later, rather relevant) scenes edited into it.

[NeoCracker]

...Yeah, the Gunblades stupid distracted me from that being a good opening. :p

Recently, Xenoblades came with a great intro. Shows off the shear level of awesome of Dunban and Dickson. Works as a great set up to what the Monado can do as well.

I also enjoyed Record of the Agarest War's intro. Seeing Leo Face Down the Dark Knight and turn on his allies, only to get struck down and basically make a deal with the devil. Great stuff that was.

[Quindiana Jones]

Dark Souls, of course. ;)

I also really like the DA:O one.

[Loony BoB]

I can't remember the exact details for the life of me (and can't YouTube at work :() but I'm sure Lost Odyssey also had a great intro.

[NeoCracker]

It's opening was good, but didn't compare to the Trailer backed by White Rabbit.

Lost Odyssey- TV Commercial - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-x12UEo-rs)

[Old Manus]

Bad Dudes!

[qwertysaur]

Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger. :love:

[Forsaken Lover]

This is what sold me on the RE series for so many years.
Resident Evil 3 Opening Cutscene - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0r4QP8X8vs)

It's a pretty kickass opening. Love that music.

[Shorty]

I'll echo FFVIII. It sucked me in and made me want to play.

[Edge7]

Like, opening, as in before you press start, or the time between pressing new game and actually playing?

For the former, I gotta go with The US opening for Tales of Symphonia. The sweeping orchestral arrangement along with the very nice animation leads it to being one of my fondest openings ever. I'm also fond of the opening for Fire Emblem 7, the "Aria" playing during the opening was especially impressive to me for a GBA game. Also, Twilight Princesses opening was the original E3 trailer with clips from the finished product, so as someone who spent 5th grade drooling over that trailer, that was especially cool.

[Pike]

LOOK OUT YOU GUYS WE'VE GOT SOME FEELS COMING INTO THIS THREAD

STARTING RIGHT NOW

Q5I9e_6X35w

[ShinGundam]

Soldier Blade
Soldier Blade Opening - PC Engine - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yOloESsB54)

GENOCIDE2 X68K ver.
X68000:MT-32: (http://youtu.be/gh1TcJyohpI?t=1m41s)

STAR CRUISER MD ver.
GENESIS STAR CRUISER intro / (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY6b-q83HFg)

Policenauts
Policenauts - Intro (PC-98) [HQ] - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8JqMawqDCc)

Elemental Gearbolt
Elemental Gearbolt - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX-W7ZpipDg)

Wachenroder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-xNVp_CM3Q

Macross
Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Opening) - PSX Game - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0P5e3Qt2lM)

[Shorty]

I credit Paulrus with reminding me about "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"

hMmdtxIm0Rk

It's so perfect and completely sets the tone for the game.

[Bolivar]

Most of the last half of the FF series had pretty amazing openings, I'll highlight I especially liked FFXII, what an awesome way to set off the game.

Emerging from the sewers and discovering the massive open world in front of you is one of the definitive "wow" moments in Oblivion.

I really enjoyed the MGS4 "WTF" tv commercial followed by the PMC ad, followed by the "War has changed." monlogue which seamlessly transitioned into the player's control of Snake. That was a definitive moment for me on the PS3, but I know a lot of people hated it.

God of War III opening was similar in its technique and badassery.

[DMKA]

FFVIII's is still probably the best video game opening I've ever seen.

Resident Evil: Code Veronica's was pretty awesome the first time I saw it, though it hasn't aged even a fraction as well as FFVIII's has.

[Skyblade]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CqWNlwXxRk

Evil Genius.


Also, while FFTA's opening was rather lackluster, I still love the opening theme.

[Quindiana Jones]

Oh, and that Tenchu game that I know as Tenchu 2 but actually isn't. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, or some other corny name. It had a great opening.

[Raistlin]

As much as I dislike the game in general, FFVIII did have a good opening that made me excited and eager to play the first time I saw it.

[I Don't Need A Name]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWo0Hhx07Pc
Ahh, Resident Evil 1. With Wesker's midnight sunglasses, Joseph's grizzly death and classic lines such as 'DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR!' and 'AH. A DINING ROOM.'

[Sephex]

Not sure if this counts, but I love the transition screen from pressing start in the first Metroid Prime. All the industrial type music and creepy imagery gave me the feeling that I was in for one hell of a rid the first time I went through that game!

[Pete for President]

Oh, and that Tenchu game that I know as Tenchu 2 but actually isn't. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, or some other corny name. It had a great opening.

You don't mean this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nEKyOfesnQ

WOOP! YOU-OH!

[Shauna]

Ahh, Resident Evil 1. With Wesker's midnight sunglasses, Joseph's grizzly death and classic lines such as 'DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR!' and 'AH. A DINING ROOM.'

Yep, pretty much this.

[black orb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHtx0W2PCh0

>>> Suikoden 3 opening..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=923fVDDwaHo&feature=endscreen&NR=1

>>> Chrono Cross Opening

>>> I loved Valkyrie Profile prologue too, kind of ruined by the voice acting though..:luca:

[Quindiana Jones]

I'm afraid that video won't play for me, Pete. :(

[Skyblade]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs7vmmp1D8M

Rune Factory 3

So much awesome about that game, and the intro captures it well.

[Quindiana Jones]

Aha. It finally played. No, that's not the one. This is. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEeGtO0Px4)

And you're right, it has absolutely nothing to do with shadows or assassins, and I am a crazy person. Nonetheless, it's a great opening.

[Forsaken Lover]

So that Onimusha series is pretty great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U8cz0yz-HQ

I learned all about Japanese history from this intro.