My top 10 game openings of ALL time.

I've seen a few. I certainly don't agree with any of them. So here's MY take on it.

10. Gran Turismo 4.
Seriously, it's not every day a racing game has this good an intro. In fact, it's never happened before. None of the Need For Speed games even come close. I have to watch this sucker every time I put in the disc and play, mainly to remember how incredible it was that the graphics on a PS2 game could match anywhere near that of the opening trailer.

9. Jak and Daxter: The precursor Legacy.
While scenes of cars going fast gets my motor going, on occasion, you want something purely driven by story. And whenever I start up a new game on Jak and Daxter (as does sometimes happen), I can't help but watch the intro yet again. It's just so freakin' awesome. And it's probably the best storytelling you'll see on the light side of a platformer (Jak 2 & 3 are decidedly VERY dark in nature).

8. Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Epic. Epic. Epic. Yes, I know they've been epic since the first one. But I'm only including the games I've actually played. But honestly, not only was the game so epic it could barely be contained; the trailer at the beginning was as well.

7. Final Fantasy VIII.
Okay, let's face it. That opening scene is EPIC. Seipher and Squall facing off together at what seems to be a fight to the death? Epic. Come on, seriously, if you've never seen the opening scene of this game, you owe it to yourself to either get a full copy or watch it on YouTube.

6. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
Okay, the whole game is just as good as the trailer, but seriously, the art direction-oriented start of GH III certainly deserves at least a 9 on the epicness scale. On occasion, I still watch it.

5. Kingdom Hearts 2.
Wondering why this bit of epicness only got to number 5? The main reason is that the intro to the main portion of the game is just way too long. Mind you I'm referring to the one that has Sanctuary as its song. But seriously. This game's intro is just a bit too long to make it past number 5.

4. God of War II.
Why did II come before the original? Do you really need to ask? While the game itself was just as badass as the original, the trailer was less so. But still enough to make it to my number 4. Yeah, yeah. Say what you want.

3. God of War.
As aforementioned, the original's opening sequence (IMHO) is head to feet above the competition. It's one of the VERY few game openings that made me driven to find out what happens to the very end of the game, and not quit a second earlier. Since they show you only part of the ending, it makes you quite anxious to find out what happens, but all that dissapears when you discover the epic gameplay system.

2. Diablo II.
This one kind of leaves you scratching your head if you haven't played the original. But still, it's so epic as to make it on my number two. Main reason? This is honestly one of the best intros to a game that I've ever seen. Even though it came out in 2000, the video's graphical quality is absolutely gorgeus. No detail is left unturned. And every time you watch it, you notice something more as Clerice (or however it's spelt) tells his tale.

1. Prey.
Okay, you probably NEVER saw this coming. I know the last two on my list both have PC versions (of which I have both the PC version of), and it would at first seem hard to justify this very interactive game by its trailer. But I'm not talking a trailer here. The trailer is dipkis until you play the game. I'm talking about the first level of the game, all the way up to the end. It's simply amazing the level of interactiveness you get right at the beginning of the game. You have a jukebox with 12 or so songs in it, even an arcade with playable game. The characters interact with you in the most natural manner possible. The TV in the background looks as real as the game's human models. Lip movement looks natural and not at all forced. For a game that came out in 2006, this game is a crowning achievement. And yes, I know that the original concept has been in development since 1995, but still. It's downright amazing to behold.