12 Most Epic Character Introductions In Gaming History

3. Gordon Freeman (Half-Life)

Half-Life has one of the most revolutionary opening sequences in the history of gaming, and it's not so much about introducing us to the protagonist or what he looks like, but rather what he does with his day and in such a ground-breaking fashion. The entire five-minute sequence has protagonist Gordon Freeman late for work, taking a train into the Black Mesa Research Facility, and giving players a comprehensive tour of the facility as the credits roll. The robotic voice-over on the train, the diversity of the environments we see, and the sheer audacity of producing something like this way back in 1998 helped make the game an instant classic right out of the gate. It might have given us zero inkling into what Gordon looked like, but since when has that been a particularly important aspect of his character? It has all been about what he does and why he is there: furthermore, immerising Freeman in such a fundamentally nerdy, scientific environment gives him more of an "everyman" appeal, even if the guy undeniably ends up being the most bada** guy to ever pick up a crowbar.