5. The Village Attacks - Resident Evil 4
To this day, Resident
Evil 4 still contains one of the most intense openings of any game. Still uncertain of the nature of this mysterious village, Leon continues pressing forward, encountering more and more disturbing sights in the process. He eventually makes it to the center of the village, and sees the villagers acting normal; bailing hay, gathering chickens, etc. All seems normal...except for the burning body of one of Leon's associates in the middle. Eventually the villagers acknowledge your presence, and in haste, Leon barricades himself in one of the houses. As more and more villagers attempt to break through and murder you, you are forced to hold them off with only limited ammo and your wits. I still have fond memories of the first time I played through this section. Say what you will about
Resident Evil 4, but this part is pure survival horror. No exploring, no puzzles, just stay alive as long as possible against an endless stream of insane villagers. I actually had to take a break after dying for the first couple times in order to get myself back together; the scene is just so intense. Of course, this was only a mere taste of things to come, but having the game just throw you in a situation like that in the first 10 minutes of the game was a brilliant move, and unforgettable.