Rockstar Gameshas always pushed gaming from a narrative standpoint. They lean into making their games like movies, and that’s evident in how each game is presented. Rockstar Games do follow a lot of movie elements, which gives players a lot more leeway in what they do. Rockstar Games have had such an influence on the industry that game makers are now trying to make their games a lot like their movie counterparts.
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Rockstar Games has cemented its place as one of the leaders in the gaming world in because of how they tell their stories. With that in mind, it’s a good time to revisit the best opening missions throughout their catalog. These moments set their games in a way unlike any other developer, and that has a lot to do with the influence of film in Rockstar’s storytelling.
5Bully
The reason whyBullyis considered one ofRockstar’sbetter open worldgames is because of how unique it is. Placing players in a prep school makes for a one-of-a-kind experience, andBullydelivers. Right after the cut scene where the player character gets dropped off and meets the principal, the world opens up. And because the main character is a nuisance ,there is a fight sequence to set the game up right from the start.
It’s a good way to introduce the combat all while having the trademarkRockstar Gamescharm. While players are doing all the things that are required to progress,Bullyis creating the story without players knowing. It introduces the main antagonist right away, but with the context of him being a friend at the start.Bullydoes a good job at starting off the story without the player even knowing it has begun. Now, fans can finally rest assured that there’ssomething coming outforBullyin terms of a sequel, so it’s a good time for players to revisit this unique take on an open-world game.
4Grand Theft Auto 4
The opening mission ofGTA 4sets up the rest of the game pretty well. When Cousin Belk picks up Nico for the first time, players immediately can get a feel of where the game is going. However, the opening mission isn’t a good indicator of the game itself. Rather the second mission is the real opening mission where players are doing something.
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The second mission establishes the tone ofGTA 4,and it’s pretty much what players expect. Cousin Belk undermines some loan sharks, forcing players to try to escape them and thereby opening up the world ofGTA 4to players. With agreat opening sequenceand a mission that perfectly sets up the rest of the game, players will want to playGTA 4from start to finish.GTA 4doesn’t change much for opening missions, but it does open up the game much better than titles that came before.
3Max Payne 3
Following the formula of making their games like movies, the opening ofMax Payne 3does it well, throwing players right into the action as soon as the game gets going. One of the reasons whyMax Payne 3was considered one ofthe best gamesof 2012 is how it captivated the player. Introducing the bullet-time sequence was one of the best things it could do for players. While there were other games that used these mechanics at the time,Max Payneit really fluid and more impactful than other games with the feature.
Players felt they were doing something important in the world. The wayMax Payne 3opens up reinforces that, showing how much important the character of Max Payne when he begins shooting and chasing the terrorist to the parking garage. Everything in that opening mission showed players how important the character is to the world.
2Grand Theft Auto 5
Unlike the otherGrand Theft Autogames,GTA 5establishes the story in a prologue sequence in a different area than the main game. It’s a violent shoot-out that goes wrong quickly, but helps set the stakes ofGTA 5.This is what makes it such agood adventure game: it sets up the tension and the circumstances of the world.
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With a story so grand and the world so huge, players will run intosome interesting thingsinGTA 5.It helps provide context, and that opening sequence does it well. It establishes two of the three main characters, who act as anchor points for not just the third main character but the story itself. The shoot-out itself plays an important role in the story ofGTA 5because of the impact it has. Allowing players to experience that event helps them understand each character’s mindset thereafter.
This cowboy epic isRockstarsjewel for many reasons. It doesn’tjust deliver beautiful graphics, with thereal-to-lifewater physics. When it comes to its story,Red Dead Redemption 2has it all. At the start, the gang is already on run. The player gets a feel of what’s going on through of each character’s dialogue. As players progress in the prologue, the dialogue continues and references something bad that has happened, which creates the scope of the story.
This sequence establishes quite a bit for players: who the gang is, who the bad guys are, some background on the main protagonist from the first game, and where in the timeline the game is set. A lot gets unpacked early on. Rather than showing the player how they’ve ended up on this snowy mountain,Red Dead Redemption 2players learn context through the dialogue, which allows them to piece it together for themselves. That way of setting up the story works well in this game. Telling players what happened and allowing them to deal with the repercussions is a great way to draw in them immediately.
