10 Recent Video Game Openings NOBODY Saw Coming
6. Sifu
Slocap's age-defying beat 'em up starts with a clever role-reversal, with players taking control of the antagonist, a disgraced martial artist called Yang. Yang barges into a dojo with his cohorts and attacks the students, highlighting the game's fluid combat system. After confronting the school's master, it's apparent Yang is exacting his revenge after he was banished from the dojo.
Yang kills his former mentor, only to learn his child is watching. Though Yang's disciple murders the child, they're revived soon after, since they're holding a magical talisman that resurrects the wielder. Realising the talisman ages them every time they're brought back to life, the hero vows to use it carefully so they can avenge their father.
Basically, the prologue brilliantly sets up every aspect of the game, including the overarching narrative, the villain, the main character's motivation, the battle system, and the central mechanic. Obviously, the nuanced aspects of the combat takes time to master, but players can still dive into the action with a confident understanding of what they need to do.
Although games can struggle to cohesively introduce all the key elements within the first few hours, Sifu pulled it off within ten minutes.