10 Terrible Video Games With Awesome Openings

5. Final Fantasy - Franchise

Final Fantasy X-2
Square Enix

Now, this one is a little bit of a cheat entry but hear it out. Think of the Final Fantasy game you dislike the most or indeed like the least.

Everybody’s got their tastes and even the less critically acclaimed entries have their diehard fans. The thing about Final Fantasy is, no matter how much you dislike an entry, you can’t deny that each game has stellar production value.

Final Fantasy VIII might be the most divisive of the PlayStation era, but it starts with an epic gunblade battle with Squall getting his face slashed open. Final Fantasy X is something adored and abhorred by different people, but the iconic flashforward opening of Tidus and company with its delicate piano main theme is undeniable. Even Final Fantasy X-2 with its crazy pop concert is at least entertaining in its own right.

Final Fantasy XIII might be corridors, tutorials and bad decisions for some, but the opening cinematic is a beautiful look at the game’s world.

Taking a side in the argument and dying on your Final Fantasy hill is something we all have to do as fans of the franchise. Whichever game you disdain the most though, we can at least all agree that Square-Enix have done a phenomenal job in the last twenty years of creating incredible opening sequences.

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Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite