The best games immediately grab your attention. They do this by starting with a clear introduction – telling you who is speaking, where the story begins, and hinting at the adventure to come. Whether it’s a simple explanation or a mysterious greeting, these games quickly establish the mood, create a sense of the world, and show you what’s at risk, all within the first few seconds.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
You regain consciousness on a cart filled with prisoners, and a soldier’s voice is the first thing you hear. This immediately establishes that you’ve been captured and are being taken to Helgen, a place caught in the middle of a civil war. The game throws you right into the action, putting you in control without any lengthy introductions or menus. That simple greeting and the bumpy ride perfectly set the stage for the immersive, realistic experience the game is famous for.
Fallout 3
The series begins with a striking opening line that will become well-known throughout the show, shown with classic, older footage. This immediately establishes a post-apocalyptic America, visually inspired by the 1950s, and reveals the setting is after a nuclear war. A consistent narrator guides the story, and the opening line quickly introduces the personal tale of someone born in Vault 101.
Halo: Combat Evolved
The scene opens with a fast-paced conversation between a commander and an AI as the camera circles the ship, the Pillar of Autumn. They immediately establish that the ship is being chased and can’t avoid pursuit forever. This quickly sets the stage for the action without getting bogged down in backstory, smoothly leading into the moment the protagonist is awakened from cryo-sleep.
BioShock Infinite
From the very beginning, this game just grabs you. It starts with you and a friend in a little rowboat, talking in short, quick bursts about meeting up at a lighthouse. Seriously, the first thing they ask is about faith and fear – and you haven’t even gotten a glimpse of the incredible city floating in the sky yet! That little conversation really sets the stage for all the choices you’re going to make and how those choices matter. Plus, right away, you get a clear goal – a little card pops up telling you exactly what Booker needs to do, which is super helpful.
Max Payne
The game opens with a tough, world-weary narrator describing events as we see snowy New York City. It immediately feels like a classic detective story, presented like a comic book. This style keeps us inside the main character, Max’s, thoughts, and we hear his inner voice throughout the game. This framing device is used consistently between each chapter.
Silent Hill 2
The story begins with a pre-recorded message and a thought about a letter that was never meant to be found. Right away, we learn someone is missing, and the setting – a town by a lake – feels strangely familiar. The scene starts with a close-up shot of a person looking in a bathroom mirror, highlighting their loneliness. The quiet, intimate way the story is told makes the mystery feel both close to home and urgent.
NieR:Automata
Before each flight, the game immediately confronts you with the idea of death. The opening text mirrors the in-game displays, presented with a simple interface, setting the stage for a unique mix of thoughtful themes and intense, fast-paced shooting. This serious mood continues through conversations with your team as things quickly move from planning to actual combat.
Resident Evil 4
Okay, so the game throws you right into the action! It starts with Leon getting a mission briefing – basically, something terrible has happened, and he’s being sent to protect someone important. It feels like you’re getting an official report right away, filling in new players. Suddenly, you’re on a lonely road somewhere in Europe with a couple of local guys, and it’s all about finding someone who’s gone missing. It’s pretty clear from the start this isn’t about a virus outbreak like in the earlier games; it’s a straight-up rescue mission.
Borderlands 2
The game begins with a rugged narrator speaking directly to you, like you’re gathered around a campfire. You’re immediately shown a frozen landscape with a wrecked train, and quickly reintroduced to the Vault Hunters and a familiar enemy – all without any lengthy instructions. This storytelling approach, with the narrator offering updates between chapters, continues throughout the game.
Undertale
The game begins with white text on a black screen, telling an ancient story about humans and monsters who separated themselves from each other. The opening explanation is straightforward and easy to understand, even for new players. It quickly focuses on a child who falls into a cave and is greeted by a flower. This simple and direct approach makes the beginning of the story stick in your mind.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The story begins with a peaceful description of a large forest and its protective spirit, then focuses on Navi, a fairy, tasked with finding a boy who doesn’t have a fairy companion. It immediately sets the scene in the forests of Hyrule without unnecessary details, quickly moving to Navi’s search and waking up the boy in his bedroom. This introduction establishes your character’s place in the village before any action or fighting begins.
Dark Souls
The game begins with a mournful storyteller recounting a time long ago, before conflict or even fire. They speak of powerful beings who reshaped the world, setting the stage for a grand, repeating cycle of history – and your role as a small part of it. This introduction establishes key characters and the idea of a dwindling power. The story unfolds like a fairytale until your character suddenly finds themselves imprisoned.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The story begins right after the opening credits, with the main character landing and immediately being met by people he knows – and trouble. His very first words have become a well-known way to describe being pulled back into past conflicts. This happens instantly, before he even has a chance to get his bearings or find help, quickly establishing a gritty, down-to-earth feel. It’s a moment that shifts the focus from simply arriving to fighting for survival.
Portal 2
After a period of inactivity, a friendly computer voice welcomes you back and asks you to do some basic tasks. It starts by creating the impression you’re in a clinical environment undergoing a standard test, but it’s actually a guide to how the system works presented as a health check. This style doesn’t last long, though, as a distinct personality quickly takes over and disrupts the process.
Half-Life
As a fan, I always love how they set the scene at the start. The transit announcer doesn’t just welcome you, they immediately immerse you in this world. They tell you where you are, what department you’re with, and even the safety rules, all while you’re looking around the train car. It’s a brilliant way to show how massive this place is – you get a sense of the schedules and the different levels of access. By the time the doors open, I feel like I already know who my character is, where they work, and how everything functions within the facility. It’s really effective world-building!
Final Fantasy X
The story begins with a storyteller inviting you to listen, picturing a scene of crackling campfires and weapons laid aside. He reveals the tale is a memory, recalled during a difficult time, before flashing back to a lively city and a talented athlete on their way to a competition. This setup lets you know the adventure is being remembered and recounted as it happened.
Kingdom Hearts
As the story starts, the main character questions their own thoughts and dreams, and we’re immediately thrown into a bizarre scene on a beach. This opening suggests that what happens next isn’t clearly reality or a dream. The story focuses on visual imagery before we even recognize the familiar settings of Disney worlds. This initial questioning introduces important ideas about love, who we are, and feeling lost or disconnected.
The Secret of Monkey Island
A young man confidently states his goal while standing on a cliff, and this declaration immediately becomes your main objective. This sends you to a coastal town to find guidance and prove yourself through various challenges. The way he announces his ambition makes it clear what you need to do and the overall feel of the adventure right away.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The story begins with a dreamlike scene where a character identifies a specific smell and what they’re looking for. This immediately establishes that the plot will revolve around finding things and solving mysteries. The scene smoothly transitions from a relaxing bathhouse to a castle and then to a war room, maintaining a consistent feel throughout. This initial sequence sets up the kinds of missions and jobs the character will undertake later in the story.
Bastion
As the player character, the Kid, awakens, a narrator begins to describe the world around them. This narrator uniquely guides you by offering details about locations, upcoming events, and the story’s background as you play, without relying on traditional menus. The narrator also gradually reveals the history of a past disaster, known as the Calamity, as you explore.
Tell us your most memorable opening line from a book or movie, and let us know if we left out any good ones in the comments!
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2025-11-17 16:19