Gaming is a pastime filled with experiences that can transport us to new worlds, the past and the future. The rare game will tap into moments of brilliance in either narrative or presentation to craft something truly awe-inspiring or emotionally powerful. Sometimes its something as simple as seeing something you didn’t know your console was capable of.
Regardless, the medium has created some truly amazing games and moments that have stuck with me for years. I present a list of 5 gaming moments that truly blew me away.
#5 The Prologue - The Last of Us
Image source: User rMk2904 on YouTube
The PS3 classic sets up the world the game takes place in an interesting and creative way. When the chaos begins, you feel as frantic and helpless as the characters in the game. The soul-crushing intro starts you out with a deep understanding of main character Joel, his backstory and his motivations. His connection to Ellie grows throughout the adventure, but the prologue of the game really caught me off guard and left a big impact on me.
#4 Launch sequence - StarFox
Image source: Reddit
When I saw the first screenshots of StarFox in the pages of gaming magazines, I didn’t think there was any way a game like that could be running on the humble Super Nintendo. Once the game was finally released, I hurried to pick up my copy and popped it into my SNES. The cinematic intro screen was a taste of what was to come, and after starting the first mission you see your ships scramble down a long corridor as fully 3D models, paired with digitized voice samples warning you that enemy fighters were attacking. While its crude by today’s standards, it was a marvel the first time I saw it.
#3 The Murder of Ryo’s Father - Shenmue
Image source: Cartridge Club
Shenmue was an overly ambitious title on the ill-fated Sega Dreamcast, where you play as Ryu on a mission to find the man who murdered your father. The game begins with you arriving at your home just after this mysterious man has shown up to steal an artifact and your father dies trying to protect it and his family.
For a game that was released in 1999, this introduction was far more cinematic than anything I’d ever seen before. The presentation was amazing and featured wonderful voice acting (for the time) and remains memorable nearly 20 years later.
#2 The First Colossus - Shadow of the Colossus
Image source: Team Ico Wiki
Shadow of the Colossus appears on many ‘best games on the PS2’ lists and for good reason. The game is extremely ambitious on every level, from the massive scale of the Colossi to the complex story that it weaves.
The encounter with the first colossus was mind-blowing, as the scale of the creature seemed like an impossible feat. Seeing an enemy rendered in such jaw-dropping size was something I’d never seen before and the impression it left on me and the feeling I had fighting it seem as fresh today as they did over 10 years ago the first time I played it.
#1 The Reveal of Rapture - Bioshock
Image source: GameSkinny
When I saw the first screenshots of Bioshock, that alone was enough to push me into buying an Xbox360. As a huge fan of art deco design, the lush and classic environments the game takes place in are one of the most iconic locations in all of gaming.
When you begin the game, you plunge into the water after a plane crash. A nearby lighthouse is the only land in sight, so you swim over and enter. Inside, you discover that it leads to a bathosphere, a vehicle that will eventually transport you to the underwater world of Bioshock.
As your bathosphere leaves the elevator from inside the lighthouse and enters the deep waters of the ocean, you’re welcomed with a slideshow presentation from Andrew Ryan, the creator of Rapture. As the slideshow and ends and the music crests, you get your first look at Rapture. The underwater city is breathtaking, with neon signs and beautiful architecture. The first time I witnessed this moment, I was completely blown away and I couldn’t wait to embark on the adventure that awaited me inside this undersea utopia gone horribly wrong.
What moments in gaming blew your mind? Let’s discuss!
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Cover Image Source: GameSpot