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[ScientificPizza]

Star Wars Dark Forces

That game should only be that first level

 

[FantasticMrSnake]

Metal Gear Solid V

 

[petethepanda]

Puppeteer. It kind of felt like the game never went as far with its aesthetic as in that opening level.

 

[Gurish]

Uncharted 2 by miles

Hmm what's so good about the opening? I mean it's cool and all but it is just a guy climbing, can you really compare this set piece to what is going on later in the game? no way that was the best part.

My pick is GOW3 by far.

 

[antitrop]

Shadow of the Empire

This is the best possible example.

I can't think of another game where the quality of the first level so far surpasses the rest of the entire game.

 

[Tuorom]

Hmmmm I'm having a hard time thinking of one...so I will say Gunstar Heroes for the Genesis. This is kind of cheating since you start with the choice of 4 places, and each one is pretty fucking fun. I guess I would say the first half of Gunstar Heroes is aces.

Gunstar Heroes Playthrough

 

[The Xtortionist]

Bloodborne. Central Yharnam is the definitive representation of why the game is so good. A perfection introduction to a brilliant game.

One of the best 3D levels ever.

 

[Drillary Clinton]

Nier: Automata

 

[antitrop]

actraiser because of the music

Ya, I kind of think I would have been okay with just every single level reusing Fillmore's Theme. It's so fuckin good.

This is my favorite version of it

 

[TheNotoriousAFG]

Came in to post this.

Amazing game, but that first case blew my mind.

Same for me, though it's more like it's the only case of the game that I actually enjoyed

 

[SatoAilDarko]

Deus Ex: HR's first level is arguably the best one. It has all the multiple routes and goals of any good DX game, but with an additional level of polish and gameplay hooks that the rest of the game either didn't have or didn't implement with as much detail, like:

Spoiler

Getting punished if you screw around for too long before starting the mission.

Spoiler

A bomb defusing situation that could be handled multiple ways.

Spoiler

Being able to deal with a hostage situation that connects to the bomb situation, with your actions affecting what happens later in the game.

Sure, you have more powers to play with later in the game, but this level had features that the others didn't.

Playing through it right now and that

Spoiler

timed

aspect threw me off.

I love to explore so when I got control and I'm able to talk to people and go around Sarif. The when I kept getting those messages I looked it up online.

I was surprised since I hadn't heard of any

Spoiler

timed

elements.

So indeed there was one but it happens very rarely afterward. What a weird thing to have but have it be only used a little bit.

 

[dragonzdogma]

Metal Gear Solid 2, hands down. I mean, the rest of the game is great, but nothing can top Tanker.

This.

 

[Timu]

Haunted Castle

Mainly for the music.

 

[syncyes]

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney

first case best case

 

[ClearMetal]

Every RPG ever.

OK, that's an exaggeration, but I do like RPGs better when you're still some random chump with no skills and nothing in your inventory. The world lies in front of you, full of possibilities and ready to be explored. Hours later, you've seen the world, experienced the magic and you're dragging the useless crap you collected behind you like a ball and chain.

In terms of games with actual levels... I'd say God of War. The rest of that game was by no means bad, but it didn't come close to delivering the rush that the Hydra boss fight gave me.

 

[badboy78660]

God of War 3.

Rest of the game has cool moments but nothing tops the intro

God of War 3.

God of war 3

I love the game in general but that first level pumps you up and all the rest of the game while its good, is doesn't reach the same level. Especially the end fight, they could have do a lot more with the setting.

Spoiler

Agreed

 

[Leafhopper]

I don't really know how to separate levels for it but, the first few parts of original Mirrors Edge comes to mind.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

I like the early levels of The Wonderful 101 the best.

 

[Z3M0G]

Destiny 1. Like go back and replay it after all this time... its mind blowing comparing it to the game that followed...

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

Dinosaurs For Hire

Edit: oops, I misread it as "the first level is the boss"

I'm going to throw my vote in for GoW3 too.

 

[Samus4145]

The first area in Diablo II and Diablo III are my favorite.

 

[FiveSide]

I thought the very first fight in the village in Resident Evil 4 was the coolest part of the whole game. It was so open and there were so many enemies, so many possible tactics you could use, so many ways to get past the fight. I was disappointed that the game never got back up to that scale or level of freedom again. In fact, I started a new game a few times just to play that first sequence once more.

you?

The village fight is awesome, but RE4 is so consistently good that I hesitate to outright call it the best level.

I'd rather say something like Dante's Inferno, where there is a severe and noticeable drop in quality from the first level to the second, let alone to the endgame.

 

[spad3]

God of War the Thread

GoW 1

GoW 2

GoW 3

GoW Ascension

GoW Chains of Olympus

GoW Ghost of Sparta

 

[Mashing]

Half Life's first level, which I can't remember the name of at the moment.

 

[nkarafo]

Prey 2017

Later areas are much better and more complex than the first few.

 

[Baraka Obama]

Wolfenstein: The New Order

What? Lol
Yes, the level that the vast mayority of people dislike the most.

 

[Floody]

Destiny 2.
Such a fantastic opening imo, far better than pretty much any other mission in the game (only Almighty and the final mission are of a similar quality).
10/10 music too.

Only negative is it suffers on repeat playthroughs.

 

[BlueBadger]

Same for me, though it's more like it's the only case of the game that I actually enjoyed

We agree to disagree on that last part .

I think the only case I didn't like as much was Turnabout Serenade. It was convoluted to the point where there were plot holes LOL.

Spoiler

Mind you I'm a psycho stan for the series so maybe that's why I liked all of it

 

[osnameless]

I don't know if it counts, but I the opening cutscene and stage of DMC 3 introduced me to the whole series

 

[Sectorseven]

Indigo Prophecy when you have to escape the diner.

 

[Gabriel_Logan]

Demon's Souls

 

[RangerX]

The first act of Diablo 2 is my favourite part of the game. It has a cool atmosphere.

 

[JaynePea]

 

[Gunstar Ikari]

All the Sonic games.

Only really applies to Sonic 1, CD, and Adventure 2. Maybe Mania, depending on when you ask me.

Off the top of my head:
Sonic 2: Chemical Plant
Sonic 3&K: Flying Battery
Sonic Adventure: Speed Highway
Sonic Advance 2: Music Plant
Sonic Advance 3: Sunset Hill (which, to be fair, is a reimagining of a first level haha)
Sonic Heroes: Egg Fleet
Sonic Rush: Water Palace
Sonic Unleashed: Rooftop Run
Sonic Generations: Modern Seaside Hill / Classic Speed Highway

 

[antitrop]

Half Life's first level, which I can't remember the name of at the moment.

The intro of Half-Life is Chapter 1: Black Mesa Inbound and Chapter 2: Anomalous Materials.

 

[guyssorry]

Bloodborne. If the other areas were as good, the game would easily be the GOAT.

 

[Thud]

Super Mario Bros.

Although I love 1-2 just as much.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

Brutal Legend, or was that the Demo. I forget

 

[Thelonelykoopa]

Battlefield 1 Swapping into different bodies on death was cool the rest of thr campaign was ehhhh.

 

[Fbh]

God of War the Thread

GoW 1

GoW 2

GoW 3

GoW Ascension

GoW Chains of Olympus

GoW Ghost of Sparta

I said Gow3 .... But looking at your post you might have a point.

-Awesome intro battle.
-Kratos loses his powers.
-Spend whole game getting his powers back and then fight a final boss that's just not as good as the first one.

 

[Poppy]

Half Life's first level, which I can't remember the name of at the moment.

you must love trams

 

[antitrop]

you must love trams

Ya, Chapter 1 of Half-Life isn't exactly the most exciting thing in the world (which is exactly what made it unique and special for the time, being so mundane), which is why I was generous enough to include Anomalous Materials as part of the whole "first level" of Half-Life.

Even then, there are many parts that get better than Anomalous Materials.

 

[Griss]

Every 2d Sonic game with the exception of Sonic 3. But 1, 2, K, and M? Yep.

 

[SJRB]

MGS4. The first act in the Middle East is also easily the best. It has the best pacing, best gameplay scenarios and area layout.

After that each act gradually gets worse, more limited and more linear.

 

[jviggy43]

Destiny 2.

 

[Catvoca]

Indigo Prophecy when you have to escape the diner.

This for sure. The opening of that game shows so much promise and the rest is such trash

 

[Pizza]

Sonic Lost World had a really focused great first level and then ran out of ideas immediately

 

[Belker]

Stranglehold.

The first level is a marketplace in Hong Kong. It's also the game's downloadable demo.


WHile the game was fun, it never quited lived up to that first level.

 

[RecRoulette]

A lot of people really loved that hospital in MGSV huh.

 

[HenryEen]

Recently, Destiny 2 campaign.

It's such a shame that the game failed to keep the quality of Homecoming, the middle part of the campaign is boring (Heck imo The Taken King missions and some of the Adventures have better missions design).

Destiny 1. Like go back and replay it after all this time... its mind blowing comparing it to the game that followed...

Not sure if this is relevant to OP or just stealth D2 shitting.