When one starts an RPG, a good hook is often needed to insure that the gamer will be whisked away to a world they never would have seen otherwise. A lot of games fail at that either for being too slow to start or having just a slice of life type introduction. Some games, however, manage to get the action going just right and set a good tone and precedent to build a game on. Here are five of my favorites. Most of these were recorded and edited by myself, but that was because I couldn't find anything else that suited my needs. Thanks to GeneralGrim909 for posting the Super Mario RPG video.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
When Super Mario RPG was first announced, I wasn't sure what to make of it. I had heard the acronym used by my uncle when ever I would watch him play some first person PC game (I sure wish one of us remembered the name of), but this game was looked like nothing I had ever seen at that point. Remember kids, I was only about seven years old at the time, so most RPG's kinda slipped right out of my gaming curve due to an inability to read at a competent level.
Anyways, this beginning starts out pretty much with the beginning of any Mario game: Princess gets kidnapped and it's up to Mario to have a journey through the Mushroom Kingdom to save her. What really got me about it back in the day was how it illustrated Bowser's keep for the first time in a Mario game at that point. I'm not sure what about that really captured me, but whatevs. Anyways, in the first five minutes, you have your climatic showdown with the antagonistic turtle-dragon and actually have to use an outside tool to defeat him, staying consistent with the reptile's defeat in all the previous games. Once you finally get your Princess, chaos is unleashed and a giant sword pierces the castle and causes Mario to be separated from his platonic love.
Final Fantasy III
Back when I first played Final Fantasy VI, emulation was in its infancy and the sound quality was horrendous. It didn't matter though, there was something special about the way this game started that really got me hooked. Still to this day, I often get cold chills running down my spine when I go through it.
The air of mystery is thick as you're introduced to a world where magic was lost and technology had improved. So much so, did it that the first three characters you're introduced to walk around in metal suits. They presented something hadn't seen at the time in RPGs, a steam punk setting. As you're assaulted trying to enter the town of Narshe and go into their mines, you begin to wonder why exactly it is that the guards are so hostile. They even use beasts like Lobos to try and rend you asunder and eventually send a lightning eating mollusk after you. Once you get past the Whelk, you find out exactly why you and your buddies are there. The frozen Esper is approached and you find yourself outgunned as it disintegrates both of your new found "friends". "What could happen to ?????" with an intro like this, it's no wonder the game is one of the most beloved in the franchise
Dragon Quest VI
Dragon Quest VI is one of the long lost RPGs that never made it to America back in the nineties. Enix had to close down shop due to the poor sales and receptions of games like Brain Lord and Robotrek, so unfortunately, we missed out on one of the best RPGs of the Super Famicom. Interestingly enough, for once, Europe didn't get the shaft. They actually got one more Enix release called Terranigma, the vastly superior sequel to Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia.
Dragon Quest VI opens up on a dark night around a camp fire. You find yourself laying on the ground with a female companion awaiting your scout who's job it was to find out whether or not you were in the right place. When he returns, he confirms, that 'Yes' this is the dark lord Mudo's castle. With that bit of assurance, you and your compatriots gallivant your way over to the cliff where the female companion summons a dragon to fly you to your destination. What comes next is one of the most exciting scenes of the era as you and your crew fly into the castle in a way that wouldn't look out of place in a high tier fantasy movie. Once your party arrives, you find yourself in a deep, dank castle with a choking sense of foreboding subtly slithering into your psyche. As you go on, you see clouds shaped like skulls and a rainbow haze to attempt to warn you. You'll have none of that and you march on anyways into the lair of Mudo. Once there, you and your friends are lifted into the air by Mudo and one by one you are destroyed. Not many games start in your own death.
Lufia & The Fortress of Doom
When I think back of Lufia, I can't help but hail it as "The Most SNES RPG Ever". It takes every que from all it's competitors and matches them. It's a mish mash of everything else that was being done, yet somehow, it broke away and became completely awesome in it's own right. I still think the intro is the most interesting part and apparently I'm not the only one: Lufia II is the prequel and actually retells the events that led up to the intro to the First game.
In the sky, a floating island sits with an intimidating eeriness to it. In the castle that sits at the very top resides four malicious, dark entities called the Sinistrals who threaten the very life of the planet. We're first introduced to Maxim, Selan, Artea and Guy as they climb through this evil castle and battle their way through the monsters that live within. As they reach the heart of the fortress, they fight the Sinistrals one by one until all four are defeated. In one final desperation attack, the Sinistrals unleash the last of their power, so strong that it could it the world that very moment. With a counter formed between them and fueled by Selan, they deflect the Sinistrals' attack and save the world. Their victory came at a cost however, Selan was mortally wounded and Maxim was separated from the rest of the party, unable to escape. Lufia essentially starts out with what could have been (and eventually was) the end of an RPG. As such, it's unformulaic attempt to separate it from it's peers succeeded..
Final Fantasy IV
I've talked plenty about this game through the blog, so I won't waste too much time on this one. After a raid on the capital of Mysidia, the leader of the Red Wings naval force, Cecil, reflects somberly on the events that preceded. His crew calls out their callous actions, but Cecil states that it was necessary to protect the Kingdom of Baron. As they fly through the sky, they are attacked by monsters and are single handedly defeated by the captain. Upon landing, Cecil is greeted by the royal guard Baigan and is brought to the throne room. Once Cecil passes off their spoils of war, he can't help but question the purpose of their raid and how it has negatively impacted his crew. For his insolence, Cecil is relieved of his command and sent on a mission to slay a phantom beast in the town of Mist. Cecil's friend Kain bursts through the room and tries to persuade the king to give Cecil another chance, but only succeeds in getting himself sent on the mission as well.
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