You may’t make a primary impression twice.
A online game intro units the tone for what’s to return. This stays true to this present day, however within the occasions of FMV intros it was much more essential. Within the grandiose period of the PS1, an intro was as thrilling to see as the sport was to play. It was a present, a cinematic deal with to whet the urge for food for the journey we had been about to embark on. A lot nostalgia is wrapped up in these intros; they’re echoes of recollections from our childhoods. However, occasions have modified and recreation intros have developed with them, however the FMV’s have remained in our recollections.
Listed here are 10 of the best PS1 intros.
Last Fantasy VIII
Sandwiched between two beloved installments, Last Fantasy VIII is the PS1’s divisive Last Fantasy. To some it’s an underrated masterpiece unfairly maligned due to its proximity to its extra common brethren. To others, it’s the unlucky center youngster, the awkward one which doesn’t quantity to the identical stage of success. It’s an argument that has raged for years and can proceed to take action. If there’s one space the place VIII can stand head and shoulders above the others, it’s its good intro.
Starting with the tide and backed by the sound of Nobuo Uematsu’s haunting Liberi Fatali, the sequence is a masterpiece. There are glimpses of scenes from the sport, however extra importantly, there’s a combat between Squall and his rival Seifer. It’s an intense battle, interspersed with pictures of Rinoa and the sorceress Edea. In the midst of the combat Squall receives his trademark scar, a results of Seifer slashing him with a gunblade. The track, the combat and the innovative graphics set the groundwork for the epic story to return. No matter whether or not the sport lives as much as the hype, there isn’t any higher Last Fantasy intro than this.
Chrono Cross
It’s a powerful gig to be the sequel to some of the beloved video games ever made. To this present day some would argue that Chrono Set off is the best RPG in historical past. Will anyone make the identical argument for Chrono Cross? Most likely not, however that doesn’t imply the sport is with out its personal deserves.
The FMV intro encapsulates most of what’s nice concerning the second Chrono recreation. The fantastic track “Time’s Scar” is our introduction to the sport’s strongest part — its good soundtrack. Starting with a shot of a guide, it’s a sluggish begin, but it surely builds to a cacophony of brilliance. We transition from the guide to varied pictures of scenes to return within the recreation. Every one blends extremely properly with “Time’s Scar” because the observe turns into more and more frantic and epic. Honestly, the intro wouldn’t work with out the music, however that’s true of the sport additionally. Yasunori Mitsuda has performed nice work within the trade, however “Time’s Scar” is his opus. It gave Chrono Cross an iconic opening that stands the take a look at of time.
Dragon Ball GT Last Bout
As soon as upon a time this was probably the most accessible Dragon Ball recreation within the west. Fortunately these darkish days are lengthy gone and this dreadful factor has been consigned to the scrap heap of historical past. However to be truthful, it wasn’t all horrible. I promise, this isn’t misty eyed nostalgia. The sport is fairly poor, but it surely had a badass intro that supplied westerners a glimpse of Dragon Ball’s future.
Cell, Buu, grownup Gohan and Goku’s candy new outfit. This epic intro had so many thoughts blowing moments for western Dragon Ball followers. It was an perception into issues to return, and a portent of the poor high quality of Dragon Ball GT. It even had a rocking track from Hironobu Kageyama, the identical man who sang DBZ’s “Cha-La-Head-Cha-La.” It’s an actual disgrace that this nice intro is caught in such a lame recreation.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
This spot may simply go to Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A brilliantly gothic intro in its personal proper; it depicts the homicide and resurrection of the eponymous Kain. Now a vampire, Kain swears vengeance on his killers. It’s a nice intro, however by some means the follow-up is even higher. The FMV was a factor of magnificence in 1999 and even now it nonetheless seems fairly rattling good. It’s astounding that it was produced on PS1 {hardware}.
Soul Reaver’s FMV confirms the darkish ending of Blood Omen is canon. Having succeeded in his quest for vengeance, Kain selected to deprave the pillars of Nosgoth. Now he guidelines the land as a vampire overlord. Within the years since, Kain has developed right into a extra demonic type and sired a brood of vampire followers. Amongst them is Raziel, the protagonist of Soul Reaver and Kain’s favourite servant. As Kain evolves, his servants observe go well with till in the future Raziel evolves earlier than his grasp. A livid Kain activates Raziel for rising wings, one thing he himself had but to attain. The vampire chief casts Raziel into an acidic void, which burns away his flesh and leaves him a vengeful revenant.
Voice performing was all the time a powerful level of the collection and this intro is not any exception. Raziel himself is our narrator and tells the story of his betrayal as we watch the horror unfold. This quick intro achieves a lot in only a few minutes. It concurrently introduces a brand new protagonist while casting the previous hero because the dastardly villain. It supplies Raziel with a compelling arc and turns us in opposition to Kain in a single fell swoop. It’s one hell of an achievement.
When you have by no means performed Soul Reaver, test the intro out. Even you probably have little interest in the sport itself, the FMV is price watching. It’s that good.
Tekken 2
Is Tekken 2 one of the best PS1 entry within the collection? No, its speedy successor holds that honor. However does Tekken 2 have one of the best opening sequence? Hell sure it does!
There are many cool issues to see on this intro. Lei Wulong’s badass debut, Nina Williams’ pointless hotness, and King stumbling into some bins. Ah the recollections! Severely although, the largest factor of all bookends, the intro – Heihachi Mishima’s comeback. Heihachi’s climb ought to herald the return of Tekken’s massive dangerous, as an alternative, it’s Satan Kazuya who should be defeated.
In his ending within the unique, Kazuya Mishima flung his defeated father from the highest of a mountain. The sequel’s FMV picks up instantly from this second and exhibits Heihachi climbing again up the mountainside and vowing revenge. It’s exhausting to really feel sympathy for Heihachi, he positively bought what was coming to him. That’s the catch although. In some way, Heihachi is the great man in Tekken 2. I imply, he’s nonetheless tremendous evil. However it seems our erstwhile hero is much more of a miscreant than his spiky haired daddy. Satan was a secret character within the unique recreation, a purple demonic palette swap for Kazuya. This secret units the stage for the plot of the sequel.
We solely glimpse Kazuya briefly, however what a glimpse it’s. The martial arts outfit from the unique is gone. As a replacement is an iconic Kazuya match – the purple go well with. Purple eyes full the brand new look and tells us that one thing is mistaken with the King of the Iron Fist. However that’s not all; regardless of the demonic possession, an angel lurks behind Kazuya. A combat for his soul awaits. So, is there hope for Kazuya? In a phrase, no. He’s going to die, return to life and, if something, get even worse. However it makes for a compelling picture and with it one hell of an intro.
Resident Evil
Oh you recognize this one needed to make it.
This dwell motion monstrosity very a lot falls into the realm of “so dangerous it’s good.” We see the STARS workforce, together with Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, strategy the Spencer mansion. However earlier than they’ll enter they’re attacked by monsters! Chaos, dying and dangerous performing ensue because the workforce run towards the obvious security of the mansion. Solely three members make it to the constructing: Chris, Jill and the under no circumstances suspicious Albert Wesker. From there we take management of both Chris or Jill and the survival horror begins.
It’s a difficult proposition to have fun ‘dangerous’ issues, however in a means it sums up what RE is about. It’s goofy, it’s humorous and sure, to an extent, it’s fairly dangerous. However that inherent goofiness is a part of the allure. Tacky cutscenes are a staple of the collection, significantly given the campy villains that we’d encounter via the years. Ramon Salazar, the Code Veronica twins, even Wesker himself, RE is stuffed with cornballs and has been from day one.
Sure, this opening is affordable and filled with dangerous performing, however is it actually so totally different from what comes later? It’s the excellent illustration of what RE turned; a horror story that is aware of to not take itself too severely.
Damaged Sword: Shadow of the Templar’s
A member of the PC grasp race within the ’90s could have already been aware of this journey gem. For the remainder of us although, it was the PS1 port that first launched George Stobbart. An animated intro, narrated by George himself, welcomes us to a small cafe on the streets of Paris. George’s peaceable Parisian retreat is interrupted by a sinister trying clown who quickly blows the cafe to smithereens!
Fortunately George survives and units about attending to the underside of the clownish thriller. We are going to transfer removed from the streets of Paris as George is drawn into an insidious plot spanning the globe. Nevertheless, all the pieces we see has its root within the intro. The clown’s bomb, his scheme and his mission, will ship George on his globetrotting mission. Damaged Sword is a humorous romp of an journey and this oddball intro is the right starting. There will probably be intrigue, hazard and rather more homicide, however the enjoyable won’t ever cease.
Soul Blade/Edge
Now we flip to Namco’s different nice fighter. The primary recreation within the collection, this maiden enterprise doesn’t shine as shiny as its successors. It’s certainly not a nasty recreation however it’s a little tough across the edges. However what does shine is that absolute banger of an intro. Fittingly, the very first thing we hear is the voice of a narrator, an absolute staple of the collection.
“Transcending historical past and the world, a story of souls and swords, eternally retold.”
That’s the line he utters, after which the actual motion begins. Soul Blade’s medieval setting actually helped the sport stand out among the many jam packed fighter crowd. When the intro kicks in we see that this can be a recreation that’s distinct from its Namco stablemate Tekken. Overlook concerning the cyborgs, bears and devils, there isn’t any room for them right here. As an alternative we have now a world of samurai, knights and pirates. Cervantes’ burning cranium on the climax is the intro’s iconic picture, however there are loads to select from. Every character is given a second to face out and they’re splendidly distinct.
“The Fringe of Soul” by Suzi Kim is arguably probably the most iconic online game track of all. That’s a daring declare, however my god does it get the blood pumping. The track is perpetually linked to our first introduction to Soul Blade’s improbable solid. Voldo, Mitsuragi, Siegfried and Sophitia amongst others. Most of us met these characters on this intro and Suzi’s observe thrust them into our hearts and minds perpetually.
Pandemonium
Does anyone bear in mind Pandemonium? I definitely do and that is the rationale why. Launched in ’96, this FMV was quick, but it surely confirmed precisely what the PS1 was able to. The absolutely voiced cutscene introduces Fargus and Nikki, a jester and sorceress respectively. The troublesome twosome are goofing off with a spellbook when Nikki unintentionally summons a monster that swallows their city complete.
It’s a disarmingly humorous scene for a recreation that revels in goofiness. Honestly, what follows is a reasonably mundane platformer, however the intro makes Pandemonium extra memorable than it might in any other case be. Pandemonium is misplaced to time, however this cutscene shouldn’t be. The craft of the scene, the voice work and the graphics had been issues that had been inconceivable in a previous technology.
Metallic Gear Stable
The Metallic Gear Stable intro is a curious factor to look again on — it actually shouldn’t work. A direct sequel to 2 video games that most individuals had not performed, the intro is nearly all exposition. Stable Snake, clad in scuba gear, is headed for Shadow Moses as Colonel Campbell offers the lowdown on his mission. Inside seconds Campbell references Large Boss, Snake’s nemesis within the earlier two video games. This was a personality that the majority of us didn’t know. It was a narrative most of us had not seen. However it didn’t matter as a result of consideration quickly shifts to the present iteration of FOXHOUND. That is the group led by Liquid Snake and it’s what instructions the participant’s consideration.
Along with Metallic Gear 1 and a couple of, Hideo Kojima had made two graphic journey video games. With Snatcher and Policenauts he honed a cinematic type that he dropped at his signature collection in Metallic Gear Stable. The intro is riddled with exposition and is missing motion however by some means it’s extremely watchable. That’s Kojima’s present, to make mundane expository scenes riveting. Subsequent MGS intros upped the joy issue, however this was Kojima at his middle-point. His first try and mix graphic journey with tactical motion resulted in magnificent simplicity: Snake, Campbell and a submarine. The remaining was superb historical past.
What are your favourite PS1 intros? Tell us under or on the discussion board!
