10 Best Opening Levels In Video Game History

The fourth numbered entry in Capcom’s genre-defining series was a huge risk for the developers at the time. The previous instalments had emphasised a slow, tense exploration and ammo-conservation game with (mostly) static camera angles, seemingly deliberate awkward controls, and monsters that were just as likely to kill you as you were to them in an encounter.

Resident Evil 4’s first level made the player feel significantly more powerful, as the shambling enemies could be fairly easily dropped with a couple of well-placed bullets when encountered singly. There were just enough of these one-on-one encounters during the first stage to lull the unsuspecting gamer into a false sense of security… then you arrive at the village.

Suddenly there are far more psychotic homicidal maniacs than you can comfortably handle, and, just like in the original games, running away seems to be the most sensible option. Maybe you manage to pick off a group of the scythe-wielding madmen, and start to feel like a badass again…then you hear the chainsaw and feel the dread welling up once more.

This rollercoaster of player experience ends with the tolling of the church bell, leaving the player with a sense of confusion as to why the entire village was out for your blood, and why they so suddenly disappeared, and only then is the opening title shown.

Brilliant.