9 Terrible Openings That Almost Killed Great Video Games
Even Naughty Dog doesn't get it right all the time.
Video game openings are notoriously difficult to get right. Not only do they have to set up characters and plot in a uniquely memorable way, but they also have to act as intuitive tutorials for new players, teaching them the skills they need to actually have fun and proceed with the game itself.
But unlike a good movie or book, games are such giant, complex beasts, they can fully recover from a botched opening if the rest of the experience is solid. Because they're so large and juggle so many different moving parts, it means that a good introduction won't always make or break the experience.
In fact, some of the industry's best titles completely fudged their opening acts entirely.
Even for the most talented developers in the business it isn't easy to tow the precarious line between easing the player into the game while still giving them a bombastic opening that perfectly ties into the rest of the experience. It might all still work out in the long run, but these opening lulls have resulted in some of the best titles in the medium having opening sections so bad, they put players off replaying them at all.