Best Game Opening

[Valentine]

I've just been working on my game.. specifically writing the opening, and it prompted me to think which opening of an adventure game I thought was best. Broken Sword I think had a very explosive opening (no pun intended), and I'm generally of the view that this type of opening is best, catapulting the player directly into the game and getting it off to a good start. Saying that though, I'm a big fan of Monkey Island, and the first games opening really added to the atmosphere and wonder of the game. Fate of Atlantis also had a good opening in my opinion, tricking you into thinking you were in some mysterious gothic castle.

Anyone else want to mention their favourite openings? What makes a good opening for you? Slow mysertious reveal, or big action moment or some other style?

[JpGames]

Well, four sure The Dig(TM) had a wondeful opening. You just feel like if you were watching a movie. It takes you directly into the game history. I always felt that the final scene were terrible short compared with the openning.

JpGames

[DoorKnobHandle]

7 Days A Skeptic has a very atmospheric and interesting opening, probably my favorite. DoTT starts off funny as well.

[Mr Flibble]

Grim Fandango had the best opening I can think of.

That was 1998 and I could quote the intro word-perfectly right now. That says a lot.

[lo_res_man]

Grim fendango was completely great, "Sorry for the wait Mr. [blank], I am ready to take you now" "TTake me, take me where?" "Now, Now, there's no need to be nervous" and so on I also think that of all the games I have played from Lucas, It most definitely has the best ENDING as well. BUt I am also partial to the start of "Day of the Tentacles" two-part intro, great stuff that

[Radiant]

Gotta love the opening of Loom.

Also, the opening of MI2 is just funny. Especially if you consider the one death scene later.

Spoiler

In the opening, Guybrush is hanging around and Elaine drops by and he starts to tell her the story as a big flashback, so at one point he dies and Elaine tells him he obviously couldn't have died because he's here talking to her...

[close]

[Magic]

Either Full Throttle (Bikers, political intrigue and VIOLENCE!) or Sam and Max (A mad scientist, a potentially vulnerable hostage situation and VIOLENCE!).

All introductions in a game have to grab the player by the ... short and curlies.  Sure, mystery is great but designer's REALLY have to draw the player in and engross them in an effort to make them WANT to play the game for at least the next few hours.

[TheJBurger]

One of my favorites is in Trilby's Notes.

The whole starting up to the point where you reach the hotel is just so atmospheric and amazing (particularly the hotel room scene).

[m0ds]

I'd also go with The Dig, I can't say I've seen anything quite as cinematic as that before, and that's exactly how I feel an adventure game should open. Bill Tiller was exceptionally pleased with his contribution to the intro of The Dig, and so he should be - I thought it was amazing.

Playable intros are also extremely good IMO.

[Babar]

The opening to Another World was great. I like the openings to Monkey Island also, but I'm probably biased in that respect.

[Redwall]

I'd second DOTT and Grim Fandango. "I feel like I could... like I could... TAKE ON THE WORLD!" With the shot up at the previously small, now positively looming purple tentacle. And the credits with the road trip ("back... to the mansion!") and all the visual gags and such.

Psychonauts had a great opening, to move away from adventures, as did Beyond Good & Evil.

[Rincewind]

Oh, there are so many great intros... Two good ones that hasn't been mentioned yet, though:

Discworld 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TBxjNfYLMk
"Ooooaaaaaoooaaah, I knew a faaarmer... And I knew 'im well... And he had a... Some kind of animinimal, I think... Possibly it was a humorously shaped vegetable. And he showed her the... the... Possibly it was a parsnip or a cucumber."

Discworld Noir
"I've had some bad days since I started work as a private investigator. But I've never woken up dead before."

And as mentioned already: Grim Fandango, Gabriel Knight, Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max.

[cobra79]

1. The Dig
2. FoA

In both cases I had the feeling of playing a movie.

[JpGames]

The opening to Another World was great. I like the openings to Monkey Island also, but I'm probably biased in that respect.

Yes, i think that game was released in 1992, and in that time it was amazing to saw it in your 80386  . I think it was the most innovative intro i ever saw.

JpGames

[Ghormak]

And now for the "so bad it's good" answer:

Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller

NECK CHOP

[LUniqueDan]

For commercial games :
- FoA / Dott / GF / The Dig  (I know I'm cliche  : )
- I'll add :
         The Zak McKracken dream (but I'm not neutral).
         Fantasmagoria (The Intro even better than the game).


For non-commercial games :
- Mourir en mer
- Soviet Undz(cough-cough)f

And the 1st prize :
- Emily Enough, definitively Emily Enough.


Hon. mention :
Meta (seriously - shortest intro possible but do all the job you wanted an intro to do.) 

[JD]

And now for the "so bad it's good" answer:

Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller

NECK CHOP

Haha! I remember reading about this game back when it was released and it sounded so cool.

[Ghost]

All Kyrandia games had great, really well-made openings. Even after all those years I can still remember them all. They had that unique mix of good pacing, the occasional eye candy and just the right amount of cheesy drama. If forced, I'd say Kyrandia 1 is one of the most amazing openings I ever saw, with Kyrandia 3 close at heels.

Quite surprisingly I find the opener for The Dig one of the least gripping intros. Too, well, mundane. It didn't really grab me, while Full Throttle had me after the first few guitar riffs...

And I'd like to mention the intro of Lemmings 2: The Tribes, with the little lemming and the elder breaking the fourth wall...

"Legend says there is one who will unite the tribes, who will save us all...
and has done so once before..."
Then both cuddly faces look at you.

Not an adventure. But a great opening nonetheless.

[Scummbuddy]

You all are wrong.

The winner is Monkey Island 1.

In case you are forgetting, I'll remind you.

[Island shot]
[Fire pit near woods]
[Playable character enters screen]
[The game begins]

You just get thrown into the game. Awesome.

---
Seriously, I'm surprised we accepted that at the time, and still accept it.  I love it dearly though. There can be beauty in simplicity.

[LUniqueDan]

It's true ! Easy going intro for an easy going game !

This thread makes me think on how The Dig Intro was marvelous, and not only on matters of sounds/graph, but on correct atmospheric introduction :

[Part 1 - The Observatory]
Heat - Humidity - Tropical
Quiet World - Slow Beat
Solitude - Far away place
Cosmology - Technology

:o