What game really made learning the mechanics enjoyable? There are a ton of tutorial levels that really suck ass (*cough* Assassin's Creed *cough*), and some that work really well. And some that get the job done, but you hope they're over ASAP.

Personally, I thought "You have to burn the rope" was a very well-integrated tutorial. It wasn't sequential, so if you missed something, you could just walk back and see what it said. I think these "road sign" tutorials are a ton better than tutorials where you either read a sequence of text or listen to some one talk. Rope sure isn't the first game with these kinda tutorials. Mario and Zelda usually used these.

FPSs and RTSs tend to go the narrated-tutorial route. Altho, good RTSs do the "road sign" thing with tool tips - I like these too.

Whaddya think?

The Tutorial for Evil Genius is pretty much everything from the start of a new game, up until you capture the maid and get your first Valet. I love this time because any acts of infamy or theft do not cause the nations to send in troops no matter how high your heat rating. I typically send 97/99 of my minions plus my henchman to steal and just leave the game running for a couple hours... Lets me start off with the millions of dollars the Genius's claim to have.

Jack, from Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. He was the greatest tutorial ever. Cool and kickass, and didn't give a crap about anybody, but willing to spend just enough time to stop you from swallowing your own fists.

I generally skip tutorials or mindlessly go through them, because I'm the boring gamer that actually reads the entirety of the little guide books, unless of cource I'm bore or I've played one in the series.

But No more heros one stood out for me, it was actually fun, again for me, however it covered everything, and that leaves things to be desired, like some bonuses for screwing around.

Tomb Raider is pretty good; but Opposing Forces is the best IMHO.

The_root_of_all_evil:
Tomb Raider is pretty good; but Opposing Forces is the best IMHO.

Seconded, that was so good it didn't even feel like a tutorial.

When you really think about it, basically all of Portal up until the fire was a long tutorial. Which is pretty interesting when you think about it.

Sly 3 And The original R&C games (not Deadlocked) had good intros. But I still discredit Sly with dialogue aimed at 7 year olds.

Tutorials in anygame that take place in the real action.

It puts you in one of the direct levels, and not a short one, a regular level and tells you along the way which button does what.

i liked COD4's

Call of Duty 2's is one that springs to my mind. Rushed last minute training on the frontline before you set off to attack the Germans.

Condemned 2 was pretty fun with all the bum fighting.

Kingdom of Loathing.

You have to go to "Mt. Noob" and visit this bird that lives there called the "Toot Oriole".

Jumplion:
Tutorials in anygame that take place in the real action.

It puts you in one of the direct levels, and not a short one, a regular level and tells you along the way which button does what.

Full Spectrum Warriors sequel is a perfect example of why that isn't always a good idea.

You, know, I don't care what Yahtzee said. I enjoyed the DMC4 tutorial. So, that one.

Half-Life 2 was good - the guard telling you to pick up the can, playing "catch" with Dog.

Mass Effect, I love the game, but it was pretty terrible when it came to teaching you how to do stuff.

Agree about HL2; when it needs to show you a new mechanic, it shows it to you in a way that makes sense. It's like learning by doing, instead of saying "OK, let's STOP and show you how to do such-and-such..." Usually they'll demonstrate how something is useful, without the player needing to do anything himself, then present a situation where it's easy to do, then leave it to you.

I liked that .. learner's hall or whatever in FF7, that was pretty hilarious. Cloud's tutorials were probably the funniest ones I've gone through.
-Hmm .. probably KH2, since Roxas' story was pretty much the tutorial for the beginning of the game.
-Dirge of Cerberus had a pretty nifty one as it was a Turks Training Facility simulation.

Best Tutorials:

Psychonauts

Bioshock

Portal (which is a parody of the Half Life 1 tutorial)

Overlord (the sheep!)

Planescape:Torment (talking skull!)

Gears of War

A room full of different size blocks to practice cover techniques on and you can skip it if you want to.

Sasha Janre:
I liked that .. learner's hall or whatever in FF7, that was pretty hilarious. Cloud's tutorials were probably the funniest ones I've gone through.
-Hmm .. probably KH2, since Roxas' story was pretty much the tutorial for the beginning of the game.
-Dirge of Cerberus had a pretty nifty one as it was a Turks Training Facility simulation.

Please tell me you are joking. A game that has a tutorial/introduction (or whatever you kids are calling the beginning of RPGs nowadays) that lasts for well over an hour is not in good form to me. I found myself yelling at my TV screen "Can we please just start the game already?" When we were finally shown Sora and the title of the game pops up, I found myself cynically replying "No freaking shit, I've been playing this for nearly 2 hours now but thank you very much for informing me of what game I am playing, for a second there, I thought I was playing God of War".

I do however agree with the tutorial room in FF7, that was well done.

I don't like tutorials that unlock moves as you go along, you know what I mean?
You can't jump until you get to the part of the tutorial where you need to jump, that kind of thing.

I'd have to agree with Call of Duty 2 and Half-Life 2, those tutorials worked quite well.
The Tomb Raider ones were usually good fun too.

The worst, or most annoying tutorial that springs to mind atm is the start of Phoenix Wright: Justice For All.
I understand not everyone will have played the first game but that was painful.

Frosk:
Gears of War

A room full of different size blocks to practice cover techniques on and you can skip it if you want to.

²

Also, Guild Wars. The Prophecies tutorial, aka Pre-Searing. Many people still have a character there that they'll never bring to the next area (you can't go back once you've left).

I loved World of Warcraft's tutorial. Seeing as how many players have referred to levels 1-59(69) as a tutorial, it was the most enjoyment I had in that game.

But sarcasm aside, Sasha's shooting gallery in Psychonauts was my favorite, as well as one of my favorite cutscenes in any video game.

Sasha Nein:
Another victory in the name of good taste.

Eikoandmog:

Sasha Janre:
I liked that .. learner's hall or whatever in FF7, that was pretty hilarious. Cloud's tutorials were probably the funniest ones I've gone through.
-Hmm .. probably KH2, since Roxas' story was pretty much the tutorial for the beginning of the game.
-Dirge of Cerberus had a pretty nifty one as it was a Turks Training Facility simulation.

Please tell me you are joking. A game that has a tutorial/introduction (or whatever you kids are calling the beginning of RPGs nowadays) that lasts for well over an hour is not in good form to me. I found myself yelling at my TV screen "Can we please just start the game already?" When we were finally shown Sora and the title of the game pops up, I found myself cynically replying "No freaking shit, I've been playing this for nearly 2 hours now but thank you very much for informing me of what game I am playing, for a second there, I thought I was playing God of War".

I do however agree with the tutorial room in FF7, that was well done.

T_T Aw, but I honestly did like it. Okay it was long, but it was an introduction to Roxas and the whole story of the game. XD; but hey, to each their own.

World of Warcraft

No competition.

All the 6 starting zones (2 more in the expansion) are beautifuly designed areas that perfectly integrate you into the game teaching you everything you need to know for the first 20 levels of the game. They are so incredibly well polished and streamlines that no other MMO can even hope to compete against them.

I like games that come so naturally, they don't have tutorials.

Second Evil Genius. It is a tutorial, but if you don't want it you can move through at a speed that it doesn't feel like it.

I liked Thief and System Shock 2's tutorial levels.

Thief's made sense because it was Garret's Keeper training. System Shock 2 was the army recruiting programs!

Deus Ex had a good tutorial with a bit of character interaction and such.

I hate RTS tutorials where they're like "Please view video 1 of 53" with unskipable messages and slow as dirt progression. Seriously, just because I haven't played your game before doesn't mean I'm a moron.

Metal Gear Solid. It was going through controls as the oppening credits came and while stealthing around already. very unique.

Half Life Opposing Force.

It gets it purely on the line "You may have not noticed, but you are still alive,"

War Monger of Yabucua:
Wow sucks ya fuckin World of Warcraft fanboy!!! City of Heroes kicks its ass up and down fucker!!!

Charming gentleman. Lets edit this.

War Monger of Yabucua:
WoW in my eyes is not as good as people such as yourself claim it to be. But I applaud your right to cherish and love this game as you see fit! City of Heroes however I believe is better in certain respects, mainly pertaining to that of the tutorial and does kick its lower half you man who beds females!

That's better, but I leave his ass kicking to you Charlie lover. Also only whack jobs use more than one exclamation mark, if Pratchett says so its gospel.

War Monger of Yabucua:

sammyfreak:
World of Warcraft

No competition.

All the 6 starting zones (2 more in the expansion) are beautifuly designed areas that perfectly integrate you into the game teaching you everything you need to know for the first 20 levels of the game. They are so incredibly well polished and streamlines that no other MMO can even hope to compete against them.

Wow sucks ya fuckin World of Warcraft fanboy!!! City of Heroes kicks its ass up and down fucker!!!

I believe this is what Yahtzee spoke of when he talked about a small doubt hanging around in the back of your skull that you aren't having as much fun as you try to convice yourself that you are.

But this is about the tutorial of the game and unfortunately I cannot judge City of Heroe's. Still I cannot imagine it having the precise mathematical detail lovingly crafted by Blizzard.

Morrowind. Yes, Morrowind. I'm not kidding.