Intro cutscenes are essential to draw the player in and give them that first good impression. Essentially, it is responsible for setting the mood, style, scenario and location of the game. So here I present my personal top 5 intro cutscenes which have truly stuck with me through the passage of time and got me screaming like a fanboy during my first view.
Number 5: Tekken 4
After the absence of Kazuya from Tekken 3, he returns in Tekken 4 with a vengeance! He is the star of this cutscene as he effortlessly decimates Heihachi’s soldiers bare handed. The best part for me is when he holds the last remaining survivor at gunpoint. Kazuya’s voice is one of the best I’ve ever heard and the fast cuts shown during the final punch really upped my heart rate!
Number 4: Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
Yet another new hero enters the fray in the most recent Onimusha to date. The sense of scale and destruction in the Japanese village is outstanding. This features great melee combat and reveals that the new hero Soki, somehow has the ability to transform into an Oni. “Who is this man?” I thought.
Number 3: Shenmue
This game is a master piece. There was nothing like this during it’s time of release and the realistic Japanese setting really pulled me in. From the get go, the motives and characters were shrouded in mystery as Ryo Hazuki witnesses the murder of his father to Lan Di. The player is just as confused as Ryo and we can relate to his feeling of despair even though the player had only just switched on the console just a few minutes before hand. A great set up for a hunt and revenge story.
Number 2: Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
The young Dante is as reckless as ever and boy, did he show those demons a thing or two! I must have stopped breathing while watching the amazing fight choreography as it showed over the top moves one after another. I was left so pumped by the time I gained control of him, which to me is the sign of a great action game!
Number 1: Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
$6,000,000 was spent on the intro cutscene alone! The CG graphics are worthy of any other CG Hollywood movie and it had excellent choreography to match! Seeing the impossible feat of one man destroying an entire demon army is a thing that must be seen to be believed. I watched this intro every time I started up the game because it was that good. I believe a CG Onimusha movie is in order!
What are your top 5? What was so good about them? Let us know in the comments section below!
