5. Bioshock - I Chose Rapture
I went into Bioshock not knowing what to expect. I knew it was a critical darling, I knew it was in a city under the sea, I vaguely knew about these things called Little Sisters and Big Daddies, and I had seen gameplay footage of Bioshock Infinite and figured I might as well try the game that started it all. This game had one of the most explosive openings I had ever experienced; sitting on a plane, staring at a present with a picture of what I assumed was my parents with a little note reading: "Would you kindly not open this until..." Suddenly my note reading was interrupted by loud noises and I realized the plane was going down. I found myself swimming towards the flaming surface of the ocean, as rubble from the plane flew and sank around me. I swam past the sinking tail of the plane to a lighthouse that was conveniently placed in the middle of the Atlantic. As soon as you open the door you are greeted by propaganda from a man named Andrew Ryan. You make your way down until you find a submarine, you enter and a little video appears going over the slight history of what drove this man to build his own little Atlantis under the sea. Right away you get the old-fashioned steam-punk kind of feel, and are immediately entranced. I had never seen something like this in a video game, or a movie for that matter. Andrew Ryan's monologue goes on and on as he explains his reasoning for entering the depths of the sea and building a city where there are no Gods or Kings, only man. After all that, Andrew Ryan finally speaks those three little words- "I chose Rapture." The video disappears and you get your first glance at the underwater utopia. You try to soak in as much as you can, the sea life casually swimming through, underwater sky scrapers drenched in neon signs, and the welcoming signs that greet you as you begin to dock. The beauty turns to fear as you are violently greeted by a splicer, and you realize you are in for one hell of a ride. Rapture might just be one of the most interesting and engaging settings to ever visit in a video game. It took me years to finally pick up the game and make the trip, but it is certainly a trip I won't forget.