I was curious as to what gamers regard as a good intro video for a video game. I personally enjoy videos that sets the mood of the game, shows off the best of the game's soundtrack, but most of all, gets me pumped to play the game. The video can use CGI or in-game graphics and can include any console. Feel free to post links to the videos as well.

In descending order, my top 3 would have to be:

1)Dominions:Storm Over Gift 3
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Pp1850q14&feature=related

While I could go on about how the video sets the perfectly melds graphics, sound, and a science fiction atmosphere, I would rather simply say that long after realizing how poor the game itself was, I would continue to come back to it just to watch this video.

2) Universe at War: Earth Assault
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=wJTD60hBQbc

Though relatively short, whats here really works to bring you in to just how wildly different the races in this game are. I also enjoyed the contrast between the grimy, hopelessly underpowered humans and the clean, overwhelmingly powerful alien races

3)Command and Conquer: Red Alert
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=_R6xCWcf_VU

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last decade and a bit, I shouldn't have to tell you how the Hell March song made this video as great as it is, but aside from that, it did a great job of introducing me to what the game would involve and pumping me up to play it.

Now lets hear what you guys like.

None of them seem to be my favorites. I like the System Shock 2 intro. It just feels very emersive (spelled wrong) because of the voice actor, and then you see what happened to the Von Braun through a camera. But if you really want one an opinion about one of these three, then I'd have to say C&C: Read Alert for its background music.

I'm not expecting many to agree with me, but Final Fantasy IX had a pretty fun intro - in a cutesy PS1 sort of way. The Bioshock descent made an impression as well.

I wouldnt normally mention it but there is the exact same topic actually going right now, its on the main page!

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.77004

Vanilla Gorilla:
I wouldnt normally mention it but there is the exact same topic actually going right now, its on the main page!

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.77004

Ah, the birth of a deja-nazi, but yeah, I had the same thought.

Mine would have to be Left 4 Dead, it combines humor, action and desperation all in one package.

Armored Core: for Answer.

Epic in a can.

Flap Jack452:
Mine would have to be Left 4 Dead, it combines humor, action and desperation all in one package.

I was gonna say this.

The Dawn of War intros have all been really solid.

Still to this day one of my favorite intros to a game. It perfectly sets a tone for the rest of the game and is so awe inspiring. it really give yous a sense of a long journey ahead and for all it's simplicity, it works brilliantly.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0

I will update this, but Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven Intro owns my soul, just beautiful. Zombie Cyborg Ninja Jesus is the only thing that could make it better.

1) Tenchu: Wrath of heaven. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYvcIFZibo

It's a damn shame they ruined most of the tenchu games, I think Wrath of Heaven did everything right, but after that they just went downhill.

2) Onimusha 3: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gNNqHxiEuTQ . Many may say this one is better than the first, but the Tenchu one holds a special place in my heart. To call this epic would be a gross understatement.

The full DoW 2 intro, (The one from Leipzig, the one in-game is a shortened version). It's pretty epic.

Twisted Metal: Black had the best opening sequence. I don't know exactly what it is called but I don't think it was the intro video.

Has to be Rise Of Nations: Rise of Legends. Sets the game out pretty well, rather epic bit o' music and a pretty good overall bit of video :D

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nqKRqU6IqGY

-Seraph-:
Still to this day one of my favorite intros to a game. It perfectly sets a tone for the rest of the game and is so awe inspiring. it really give yous a sense of a long journey ahead and for all it's simplicity, it works brilliantly.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0

Love that game. Some RPG games toy with the concept of world ruin, but that game just sticks it to you and the characters have to pick up the pieces afterward. I also think it is the one RPG where there is no central protagonist, don't you think?

skate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mcdfKh2lMs

It's so stupid and off the wall it's brilliant.

SmoothGlover:
Has to be Rise Of Nations: Rise of Legends. Sets the game out pretty well, rather epic bit o' music and a pretty good overall bit of video :D

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nqKRqU6IqGY

Heh, the entire Rise of Nations soundtrack was epic. Hell even the installation screen music was epic, I had it for my Call of Duty music for a very long time.

Trevor L:

3)Command and Conquer: Red Alert
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=_R6xCWcf_VU

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last decade and a bit, I shouldn't have to tell you how the Hell March song made this video as great as it is, but aside from that, it did a great job of introducing me to what the game would involve and pumping me up to play it.

Question. Do you think that Hell march 1 or 2 were better? I won't bother with 3, just took it too far...

Red Alert 1 intro is good, but I think the Original Red Alert 2 intro is better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnd0qg4I_MM

ChromeAlchemist:

-Seraph-:
Still to this day one of my favorite intros to a game. It perfectly sets a tone for the rest of the game and is so awe inspiring. it really give yous a sense of a long journey ahead and for all it's simplicity, it works brilliantly.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0

Love that game. Some RPG games toy with the concept of world ruin, but that game just sticks it to you and the characters have to pick up the pieces afterward. I also think it is the one RPG where there is no central protagonist, don't you think?

Well to an extent, yes there is no central protagonist. Although for the most part the game does revolve around Terra the most before she lets everyone else have the spotlight. She is still one of my favorite characters too. I just love that intro because it's effective without using fancy CG or some sort of super epic action packed intro. It's simple with a prologue, and that scene with the migiteck armor and the music just strikes me every time. It just feels like a movie intro and I can only imagine how amazing it would look if they kept it the way it was, but did it with current gen graphics.

-Seraph-:

ChromeAlchemist:

-Seraph-:
Still to this day one of my favorite intros to a game. It perfectly sets a tone for the rest of the game and is so awe inspiring. it really give yous a sense of a long journey ahead and for all it's simplicity, it works brilliantly.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0

Love that game. Some RPG games toy with the concept of world ruin, but that game just sticks it to you and the characters have to pick up the pieces afterward. I also think it is the one RPG where there is no central protagonist, don't you think?

Well to an extent, yes there is no central protagonist. Although for the most part the game does revolve around Terra the most before she lets everyone else have the spotlight. She is still one of my favorite characters too. I just love that intro because it's effective without using fancy CG or some sort of super epic action packed intro. It's simple with a prologue, and that scene with the migiteck armor and the music just strikes me every time. It just feels like a movie intro and I can only imagine how amazing it would look if they kept it the way it was, but did it with current gen graphics.

Agreed, and yes most would say that Terra is the central protagonist, but after the event you have Celes doing a lot of the plot driving no? Either way great game, and my favorite Final Fantasy game of all time.

Metal Wolf Chaos. Just so bad it's good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZVmtDuMxAA
It's even better if you know anything about the plot.

Mech warrior 4 vengeance takes the cake for me, maybe because i first saw it when i was young and loved seeing these mechs so real. but looking at it now i still think it's awesome.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=QxfKZZ4RNng

also the Left4Dead one is a close second. tied with the first dawn of war.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=UF1HVlcXBmA - L4D

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SFkFo5SBx-g - Dawn of War

Just remembered Warhammer mark of chaos and Neverwinter Nights 2 videos are pretty damn cool.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=d_KlINBUYc4&feature=related - Mark of Chaos

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=r95ToE0OVwA -Neverwinter Nights 2

Gears of War 1, just because i laughed incredibly hard when it went along the lines of "TEH CITY OF SERA WAS SAFE.... BUT THEN THERE WERE ALIEENZZ!!!!".

Square does this as good as or better then anyone. Not to repeat anything but i dug the remake of the ff3(american) intro for the PS1. just cause it was kinda cool seeing the characters of the greatest Final fantasy of all time re-rendered and given a 3d look. :D

Dynasty Warriors 6.

Seeing Zhao Yun and Lu Bu show down is awesome.

I'm actually quite surprised that no one has said the Killzone intro. Scolar Visari's speech is so awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Ns4qIyVpI along with the Killzone 2 intro, which has another speech by Scolar Visari http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2-swSqw2pY

Fallout 3's intro http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5QUjGxgbC68

Warcraft 3's intro http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2f96hKqkY_Y

No More Heroes intro http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ncuR0qZpglc

Instant classics

My favourite is the one from Fallout 2;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNKUfk-MgJw

MarsProbe:

Eipok Kruden:
I'm actually quite surprised that no one has said the Killzone intro. Scolar Visari's speech is so awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Ns4qIyVpI along with the Killzone 2 intro, which has another speech by Scolar Visari http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2-swSqw2pY

Hmm, I don't own a PS3 and have never played a Killzone game, so maybe that's why I am confused. Watching those two intros, it makes me want to root for these Helghast people. Though from what I've seen of the games, it seems to be those people you are tasked with killing. So, who's the real villian here as it looks like the "humans" to me. Though perhaps that's the point they're aiming for...

Yea, that's what Guerilla Games was aiming for and what I think they succeeded in doing. Killzone's story isn't a simple "you play as the good guys, those are the bad guys, go shoot 'em" storyline that you find in just about every other modern shooter. Read the storyline on the site: http://www.killzone.com/kz/storyline.psml There's two factions and both are equally to blame for this mess. You just happen to play as the humans.

-Seraph-:
Still to this day one of my favorite intros to a game. It perfectly sets a tone for the rest of the game and is so awe inspiring. it really give yous a sense of a long journey ahead and for all it's simplicity, it works brilliantly.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0

well that sucked even ff 8 intro is better