10 Worst Opening Levels That Almost Ruined Great Video Games

6. The Heist - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog

WAIT! Before you stop reading and head straight for the comments section to declare this writer out of his damn mind, I'm not referring to the excellent, intense and cinematic flash-forward prologue where Nathan Drake is trying to clamber out of a train teetering on a cliff edge. No, this is about the first extended gameplay sequence and chronological start to the game, which is an inexplicably dull heist mission.

Now there's nothing wrong with stealth games, but it's quite clear from the mechanics that Uncharted 2 simply isn't one, being much better suited to explosive action sequences. Why then, introduce players to the game world with a dingy, murky mission in which you creep through a sewer (because everyone loves a good game sewer), before breaking into a museum to steal an oil lamp?

It may not sound too bad (apart from the sewer - sewers are always bad), but the level is so dark that you can barely see any of the stunning visuals that were touted in the buildup to release, and gameplay-wise you do little more than sneak around and perform stealth attacks on Flynn's orders. Where's the visual flair, where's the excitement?

There's nothing 'Uncharted' about this drab opening level,but spurred on by visions of that incredible set-piece in Nepal that was shown off at E3, we just gritted our teeth and powered on through it, knowing that things would only get much, much better.

Contributor
Contributor

Gamer, Researcher of strange things. I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.