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First levels/areas that left an impression on you

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Surprised it hasn't been posted, Goldeneye 64.
 
Terra said:
Aaaah, Midgar. Home of steam, steel and Mako. This is probably the first 'level' that had real impact on me. Back in the days, I used to just start the game to watch the intro sometimes...that's kinda crazy ;).
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Not that crazy, actually! I invited friends over to my place just to see the intro :lol We'd eventually grab a sandwich or something aftwards, then reset the game.
 
Seven Force said:
Ever played a game where the first level or area leaves a lasting first impression on you?

My personal choice would be the first stage of Contra III. What makes it so memorable for me is that it's ridiculously hectic compared to the settings of the first two games. The first game starts you off in a jungle not unlike an 80's action movie, where you then proceed into the enemy's base. Super C drops you off right in another base.

But Contra III?

contra3_alien_dog_konami.png


As soon as you start the game, you get plopped right into the middle of a city completely destroyed by aliens (complete with burned out, destroyed skyscrapers in the background), with pretty awesome sci-fi movie sounding music blaring the whole way through.

At this point, anyone's whose played the first two games would probably be thinking "Whoa, this is pretty badass", but things ramp up even more when a fighter jet appears overhead and sets the entire level ablaze, forcing you shimmy across whatever structures are still standing to safety. And on top of that, the level concludes with a boss fight against giant alien poking out of the side of a building. To this day, there's hasn't been any first level that's impressed me nearly as much.

How 'bout you, GAF?
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MY MAN! This is exactly what I thought of when I clicked the topic. They also introduce the notion of holding 2 guns and switching between them, and the screen clearing bomb. Honestly, I think Contra: Hardcorps is a better game, but the spectacle of that opening stage is hard to match with any stage in that genre. (my short list would include the Helicopter fight in Contra 3 and the final stage of Metal Slug 3).
 
Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit had probably the best first level I've ever played.

Too bad the last 1/3 or so of the game went way off the deep end.
 
The first stage music from Panzer Dragoon had me in shock for years and went great with the level though I always thought the graphics were ugly while the art direction was nice.
 
Monroeski said:
Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit had probably the best first level I've ever played.

Too bad the last 1/3 or so of the game went way off the deep end.
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This is a really good one! The introduction to Heavy Rain was such a disappointment compared to Fahrenheits (amazing) start.
 
Lufia and the Fortress of Doom (SNES)

Lufia1.PNG


Literally dropping you right into the thick of things, with an opening so meaningful that an entire follow-up game was created to flesh out everything leading up to that point.
 
terrisus said:
Lufia and the Fortress of Doom (SNES)

Lufia1.PNG


Literally dropping you right into the thick of things, with an opening so meaningful that an entire follow-up game was created to flesh out everything leading up to that point.
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I played Lufia 2 and then the first one... you have no idea how mind blown I was when I played the start of Lufia 1 :lol
 
Bioshock - Phenomenal moment of 'holy shit I'm actually playing now'. Game goes downhill but that first hour is pretty stunning.


Shadow of the Colossus - I don't really care for this game either but the central area combined with the imagery/vista is special.


Metroid Prime - The balance of introducing mechanics with atmosphere is pretty flawless. Each new area in the game had a distinct 'sense of wonder' that is pretty rare.
 
X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995, Headgames)
x-men-26fjgy.jpg


The first game I played (and still one of the few) to have a cold open. You turn the Genesis on and are instantly thrown into the action; no Sega Logo, no Marvel logo, nothing. A random X-man is selected and you are dumped into the middle of Siberia, in a blizzard, with a tank shooting at you. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

Additionally, the level sets up the rest of the gameplay by having multiple paths depending on which character you are playing. Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and to a lesser degree Psylocke and Beast can reach areas that Cyclops and Gambit cannot. From the first level you're using the strengths (and realizing the weaknesses) of each character.

Finally each character has their own version of the music. Compare the video above with Wolverine to this one with Gambit's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2biP4H_Bw . Kurt Harland (Information Society) did an amazing job on the soundtrack (which I won't get into, but I'll just leave this here for... reasons) and it shows right from the start.

Gaming needs more cold opens, where you're thrown to the wolves with no tutorial, no studio logos, no bullshit. Turn it on, console logo clears, BAM: you're in the game and bad things are starting whether you're ready or not.
 
Atlas Park, City of Heroes. RIP :( Atlas Park was one of two starting zones you could choose from.

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newatlasparkbydjmatt2d4.jpg


CoH was my first MMO back in 2004 (it was also the game that got me into PC gaming), and I was just blown away by everything. It was so unique compared to every other kind of genre I'd played up to that point. Atlas Park's music will be ingrained into my head for eternity.
 
Retro said:
X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995, Headgames)
x-men-26fjgy.jpg


The first game I played (and still one of the few) to have a cold open. You turn the Genesis on and are instantly thrown into the action; no Sega Logo, no Marvel logo, nothing. A random X-man is selected and you are dumped into the middle of Siberia, in a blizzard, with a tank shooting at you. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

Additionally, the level sets up the rest of the gameplay by having multiple paths depending on which character you are playing. Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and to a lesser degree Psylocke and Beast can reach areas that Cyclops and Gambit cannot. From the first level you're using the strengths (and realizing the weaknesses) of each character.

Finally each character has their own version of the music. Compare the video above with Wolverine to this one with Gambit's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2biP4H_Bw . Kurt Harland (Information Society) did an amazing job on the soundtrack (which I won't get into, but I'll just leave this here for... reasons) and it shows right from the start.

Gaming needs more cold opens, where you're thrown to the wolves with no tutorial, no studio logos, no bullshit. Turn it on, console logo clears, BAM: you're in the game and bad things are starting whether you're ready or not.
Click to expand...

I remember I used to keep resetting the game until I got Wolverine or Gambit
 
Super Metroid for me. The introduction and then the escape sequence from the space station was about the tightest thing I've even seen.

Metroid Prime intro and space station area has to be a close second :D
 
Everquest left an awful yet amazing impression on me when I first started. Made a wood elf in Kelethin, wandered around not knowing wtf I was doing. Killed a couple bats orw/e before dying to an Orc Pawn lol, and then spent hours trying to find my body. Dam do I miss EQ.

480144-kelethin_06_super.jpg
 
enslaved: odyssey to the west. if you could forgive the hand-holding the beginning was pretty epic
uncharted 2. somehow infinitely replayable even you know how it plays out
 
MGS2 and God of War were pretty awesome. Also began GoW 2 but it really didn't click with me despite everybody being flashed by it. Maybe I was put off by the fact that it was so similar to the first game or by that sex minigame, ugh.

BTW, what about this?
SR1x6.png

I've heard people were impressed by it. Although I'd not include Silent Hill per se unless you count the school as a first area. Then, totally yes, since it wipes the floor with everything else.
 
galvatron said:
MY MAN! This is exactly what I thought of when I clicked the topic. They also introduce the notion of holding 2 guns and switching between them, and the screen clearing bomb. Honestly, I think Contra: Hardcorps is a better game, but the spectacle of that opening stage is hard to match with any stage in that genre. (my short list would include the Helicopter fight in Contra 3 and the final stage of Metal Slug 3).
Click to expand...

And this for one of the greatest openings to a game ever. Music for level 1 and 3 were god-tier.
 
I'm gonna go ahead and say the very first stage of Devil May Cry 3.

I would say 95% of the games released in the past year are easier than the very first level of DMC3.
 
ViewtifulJC said:
I remember I used to keep resetting the game until I got Wolverine or Gambit
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I haven't tried it, but apparently the character you start with is based on the direction you press on the controller. Beast is apparently 'no direction', which is why he always comes up. If true, mind = blown.

Emperor Bohe said:
I loved this as a kid. I still have this game in it's original box.
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Yep, it was an enjoyable and fairly accurate licensed game, which was especially rare back in those days (who am I kidding, it's still pretty rare).
 
Duxxy3 said:
I'm gonna go ahead and say the very first stage of Devil May Cry 3.

I would say 95% of the games released in the past year are easier than the very first level of DMC3.
Click to expand...

Do you mean in the initial release where they bumped up all the difficulties without telling anyone?
 
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Azuremyst Isle from WoW. First character I ever made was a Draenei and it's still the only place in the game that gives me the nostalgia chills. Everywhere else has been changed pretty heavily.

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Elwynn Forest should be memorable to anyone who's played WoW. For some reason it's always really populated compared to the Horde areas, they don't really have a similar place.

It's the closest thing to the old Star Wars Galaxies cantinas in WoW.
 
A lot of the things posted before are spot on for me as well. God of War, Bioshock, Mario 64, Goldeneye, etc. all had huge impact with their openings.

For me, another huge one was Skies of Arcadia. The part
with you rescuing Fina and the Blue Rogues from execution in Valua
was incredible and felt like the climax in many jRPGs. Particularly when
Galcian was pursuing you on the train.
The game somehow kept up the same intensity for its duration. It was incredible.

ka1sL.jpg
 
LAUGHTREY said:
Elwynn Forest should be memorable to anyone who's played WoW. For some reason it's always really populated compared to the Horde areas, they don't really have a similar place.
Click to expand...

Erotic Roleplayers. No, I'm not joking. Check the beds on the second floor, they are almost always populated by naked people.
 
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