One of the many reasons for the open-world genre’s rise in prominence is the level of freedom offered. In many cases, players can choose where they go and what they do within the first couple of hours in such a game. Consequently, a group of gamers could play the same open-world title and all have completely different experiences.
Although people’s paths will branch off into unpredictable ways after a couple of hours of gameplay, there’s one section of the game where many players will have the same experience: the introduction. Because of this, the introductory missions are arguably the most important part of an open-world game, as it’s the only section that all players will experience. The games on this list did an excellent job of engrossing their players with their first handful of missions, setting a high standard for what was to follow.
10 L.A. Noire
Anytime that Rockstar Games announced that they’re releasing a new open-world title, it’s guaranteed to receive a ton of interest. The company has created some of gaming’s best open-world franchises, such as Grand Theft Auto, Bully, and Red Dead Redemption, so it’s no surprise that L.A. Noire had a huge weight of expectations on its shoulders when first announced.
The game’s first missions didn’t disappoint, showing off the unique detective features that differentiated the game from Rockstar Games’ previous IPs.
9 Grand Theft Auto V
From one Rockstar release to another, Grand Theft Auto V makes L.A. Noire‘s level of expectation look minuscule in comparison, as the latest GTA game’s eye-watering first-week sales were indicative of how much buzz there was around the game upon release. Thankfully, Grand Theft Auto V didn’t disappoint and is still recognized today as one of the best open-world games of all time.
Grand Theft Auto V doesn’t waste any time getting going, as the game kicks off with a car chase and gunfight against the police following a robbery.
8 Far Cry 3
If someone had no pre-existing knowledge of the Far Cry series, they would probably think that Far Cry 3 was going to be some sort of partying life simulator when first loading up the game; it starts with a group of friends drinking and having fun on an island before the camera is pulled away to reveal that the playable character is imprisoned.
Following one of the game’s many great dialogues from Vaas Montenegro (Michael Mando), players need to escape the camp they’re being held in, which teaches players the controls in an engaging way.
7 Skyrim
In terms of open-world games, the opening to Skyrim may be the most played section in the genre’s history. Thus, the Helgen introduction can seem like a chore for those on their fourth or fifth playthrough, though that shouldn’t take away from how great the game’s introduction is the first time around.
In addition to being an exciting sequence, the game’s intro accomplishes many things. It lets the player create their character in a way that fits the narrative flow, teaches players the controls and basic gameplay themes, sets up the main story, and manages to make the player feel in real danger despite there being no chance of the playable character permanently dying a few minutes into the game.
6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Considering that The Witcher 3 was the first game in the Witcher franchise for many people, CD Projekt Red had to ensure that they captivated audiences within the first hour. They certainly succeeded in this by offering a quick tutorial that ties into the game’s story, followed by the game’s first major mission: killing a Griffin.
Slaying the Griffin isn’t as simple as just tracking it down and dealing a few blows with a sword, like in some games. Instead, players need to prepare for the fight in numerous different ways, which not only makes it more rewarding when filling besting the beast, but it also teaches players the depths of The Witcher 3‘s gameplay.
5 Fallout 3
Much of Fallout 3‘s gameplay has been re-used and re-worked in other open-world games, making Bethesda’s 2008 classic feel somewhat outdated today. However, the game still deserves recognition for its influence on the genre and its memorable opening sequence.
The opening missions don’t take too long to complete, yet they set up an incredible amount of story while remaining engaging throughout. Moreover, the opening takes players through almost 20 years of their character’s life before they escape the vault. Consequently, escaping the vault is a memorable moment in Fallout 3, as players are suddenly free to embark on their adventure.
4 Subnautica
The opening of Subnautica is by far the shortest on this list, though it’s also one of the most effective. The game kicks off with a bang, quite literally, as the player’s pod goes up in flames, leaving them stranded on an alien planet. After putting out the flames, players will soon realize that their only chance of survival is to dive into the ocean depths surrounding them, searching for resources. However, finding resources won’t just be a case of exploration, as diving too deep will result in players realizing that not all sea life is friendly on this alien planet.
3 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
A hospital bed may not seem like the most exciting place for a game to start, and being forced to do a few eye tests won’t help matters much either. However, The Phantom Pain‘s pace soon picks up when players are victims of a failed assassination attempt, forcing them to escape the hospital in their fragile state.
Escaping the hospital in a fragile state is a smart way to teach players the basic gameplay of Metal Gear Solid V, as players will be moving at a slow pace while crouching or prone for the majority of the time; indicative of the stealth gameplay that will be persistent throughout the adventure.
2 Far Cry 5
The second Far Cry to appear on this list, Far Cry 5, clearly set out to improve upon the introduction in the series’ third game, and many people think that does indeed surpass it.
In stark contrast to Far Cry 3, which starts with players being imprisoned, Far Cry 5 beings with players trying to imprison someone else. Most players would have guessed that arresting the cult leader wouldn’t go smoothly, but not many would have predicted how dramatic the sequence would end up being. After getting the cult leader Joseph Seed into the police helicopter, Seed’s followers will bring the chopper crashing down. It will then become clear that no one is coming to the player’s aid, and they will be forced to fight their way out of danger.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
When it came time to innovate the Legend of Zelda series with the latest main series title Breath of the Wild, Nintendo decided to take the series back to its roots. Much like the original Legend of Zelda, 2017’s Breath of the Wild gives players virtually no direction or restrictions on where to go or what to do. Aside from defeating Ganon, there is only one thing that players are forced to do: complete the introduction.
Thankfully, instead of being a chore, Breath of the Wild‘s introduction introduces almost everything that is so great about the Nintendo Switch launch title and prepares players for the adventure ahead of them when they glide out of into the post-apocalyptic wilderness.
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