The Best Game Intro You've Ever Watched?

[Huntn]

This is it -> Left 4 Dead (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGIiYL8paIk&feature=player_embedded#Left4Dead). You could watch this as a real 4 mins of thrills-and-chills movie. Caution the "S" word is used couple of times. :D

Any others? (Videos appreciated). I also rate Gears of War very high for general cinematography. This GoW2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhrIY1NApDs&feature=fvw) intro movie plays a bit choppy compared to in-game.

[gr8tfly]

Alice was very good, although the all time has to be Myst for its cutting edge (for its time) graphics.

[Sol]

Going back to the time of the MegaDrive, two intros come to mind:

Muhammad Ali Boxing blew my young mind with its stamp-size video of the man saying something like "Who is the greatest of all time?" or "I am the greatest of all time."

Flashback, also on the MegaDrive, used untextured polygons for a short intro that included hovering bikes. That was an amazing demo of 3D at a time when sprite scaling was considered to be the future of console graphics.

Recently The House of The Dead: Overkill has great intro videos for all its levels. The (clothed) stripper pole dancing at the start is unusual for a video game but the pre-level videos have the same wicked sense of humour that works so well in the game.

[Keleko]

I always liked Independence War. It had a very long introduction movie, too - over 13 minutes long.

Edit:
And how could I forget the Wing Commander series? There are some pretty well known actors involved in that series of games, though it wasn't just the introduction.

[BradenG]

Well, I'd have to go with Half-Life / Half-Life 2

The original's tram ride into Black Mesa and arriving at your stop where you first meet "Barney". Walking the halls of the underground facility for the first time was great, running into scientists and "talking" to them. ("It'll have to wait until AFTER the experiment!") lol. And finally pushing in the specimen and causing the resonance cascade. Awesome intro.

And likewise, with Half-Life2, getting off the train and stepping in to City 17 was just a treat. Playing it for the first time was just so immersive for me. Dr. Breen welcoming new comers to City 17 over the video/audio system city-wide. Seeing other humans being harassed by Citizen Protection officers.

Gosh I love these games. Sooo pumped for Episode 3.

[apfhex]

The entire opening section of Fallout 3 up to when you leave the vault... just amazing.

Total Annihilation has a very cool opening movie though really dated looking now. Still cool though, they don't really make them like that anymore.

[imassents]

Mechwarrior 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X3GD0UnBCk)

[pianoplayer1]

The entire opening section of Fallout 3 up to when you leave the vault... just amazing.

Total Annihilation has a very cool opening movie though really dated looking now. Still cool though, they don't really make them like that anymore.

+1 about fallout

I just feel that the whole nuclear family intro (if I remember correctly the "advertisements" for the vault are before the start of the game) is just really immersive.

[Dagless]

Bioshock's was good, or FFIV DS.
Order of Ecclesia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AVHXOdi5vc)'s was great too but that's probably more the game its associated with is probably one of the best games ever.

[txa1265]

I liked Fallout 3 the first time, but the second time through I couldn't wait for it to end, and then the third I found it excruciating ...

I still love the FMV intro to the original Jedi Knight game.

[Rodus]

Dawn of War (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFkFo5SBx-g)

[sibbe]

prey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tph1FX1fBQg

[HiRez]

I always get bored with intros and cutscenes in games, just let me get playing! I wish they'd put those resources into the game instead.

[asphyxiafeeling]

FFVIII for me.

[Antares]

Warcraft 3 had a great intro. Probably one of the best.

The voice work of the Fallout 3 intro was amazing but the visuals were simply very good....not what I would rate as the best, though.

I would have to really think about this because Mac & PC games, as well as a bunch of console games, had some really good intros. Hmmm....

[Helmigurt]

In my opinion the Killzon2 intro ist very atmospheric and captures the fell and look of the game very well. have fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AqTEOpyDm8

[MattZani]

Gran Turismo 2 and 3

[Zortrium]

Off the top of my head, I'm a fan of the Brood War intro.

[aquintanilla]

Metal Gear Solid 4

Epic!

[someguy]

One of my favorites has got to be God of War. That game (and its sequel) is incredible.

On the flipside, one of the worst intros has got to be Shadow of the Colossus. *yaaaaaaaaaawn* The game itself is a classic, however, as far as I'm concerned.

[goatjoe]

FFVIII for me.

Agreed... By far one of the best ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q09quI356sQ

[Mavimao]

I remember being floored with the intro to Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time

[Lone Deranger]

Ridge Racer Type 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMZ872rsa90).

Great music and great visuals really setting the mood for a great game.

[Helmigurt]

Oh I forgot MGS4. Thats simply the best intro I ever saw in my life. Even though it was my first MGS ever and the story was sometimes to confusing to follow I still love the game.

[Ja Di ksw]

There have been many that I watched multiple times and really liked, and I'm sure if I saw them again I would say "oh yeah, that was great!" (like the already posted Mechwarrior 2). But only one game I still really remember it. I remember being blown away by the way they portrayed the sword fight and who won. Somewhat cliche now, but I had never seen it before and it still gives me tingles :)

The original Ninja Gaiden (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rkaiKYEkDQ)

[Dagless]

prey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tph1FX1fBQg

Good call sir!

I'm now changing my vote for L4D2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLDl-41BlZA) after playing the demo :D.

[Huntn]

I'm now changing my vote for L4D2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLDl-41BlZA) after playing the demo :D.

Most excellent. However I still think the original L4D intro still edges it out. :D

[Consultant]

People who add their funny comments to game trailers
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/unskippable

[StruckANerve]

DeadRising has my favorite intro and I still think it has the best cutscenes of any video game ever. The creepiness and intensity of that game was incredible.

[StruckANerve]

Most excellent. However I still think the original L4D intro still edges it out. :D

I do too. L4D2's intro was too "Hollywood".

[Gav2k]

Planetside and all the add ons

[Cougarcat]

Alice was very good, although the all time has to be Myst for its cutting edge (for its time) graphics.

I loved Riven's intro. Atrus' mysterious speech, then you link to behind bars, and the Rivenese guy jabbers at you in an unintelligible language, steals your linking book, and then gets shot...by a dart gun. I had my jaw open the entire time the first time I saw that. It's just so immersive. It's also incredibly well done, especially for the time––when the actor snatches the book from you, he comes into contact with the bar, and for that instant they used real, instead of CG, bars. Then it switches back, seamlessly.

I really, really miss Cyan's games. :( I wish I could mindwipe myself and play them again, seemingly for the first time. To me, no other company has managed to make more immersive interactive fiction.

[xlii]

Starcraft Broodwar add on pack

[zao8350]

any warcraft games has amazing intros and cinematography. they are wonderful.
+1 on alice though. great game.

[donuttakedonuts]

The worst intro movie: Modern Warfare, where you play as Al-Fulani and get executed. no way to skip it. There goes 5 minutes of my life.

[sysiphus]

Xenosaga Episode 1.

[Cerebrus' Maw]

Dont remember it being so dark, but was always a fan of the Dawn of War 2 intro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KojB4Q4AoKM&feature=related)

[jav6454]

Command and Conquer Red Alert 2.... and it's follow-up sequel Yuri's Revenge.