10 Seriously Underrated Video Game Intros That Deserve Another Look

God of War’s intro was a brave thing. To go from God of War 3’s bombastic opening set-piece built around a rage-fuelled Kratos bent on nothing but vengeance, to the reboot’s solemn, subdued introduction of a grieving man struggling to bond with his son, was a risky business.

It promised a story of quiet moments and a focus on relationships rather than constant blood-pumping action. For returning fans the experience might have been jarring, even though the sight of Kratos hoisting an entire tree onto his shoulder as though lifting a twig would have got the action juices flowing. However, the tragedy of losing a loved is something everyone can identify with, and it is handled here with such maturity and sensitivity that it immerses rather than bores.

The beauty of this opening is that it proves that you don’t need to lean on full-blown action to get players invested, but that a quiet, bitter-sweet opening can be just as compelling, if not more so, and keep players invested long after the bluster and the noise would have left them exhausted.