First impressions are absolutely vital for the success of a game and the first hours are typically the last items to get polished in the dev process for good reason. Many players decide if they’ll continue within the first chapter of a game’s narrative, but the first 30 minutes is especially crucial. Most of our favorite openers don’t waste time with bloated exposition, thrusting right into an intriguing hook. Some of our favorites opt to take a more minimalist approach, letting the player soak in the setting’s atmosphere and worldbuilding first. Here are 15 games that will hook you right in the first 30 minutes.
Mass Effect 2
The opening of Mass Effect 2 is as climactic as most other games’ endings. This sequel begins with the player controlling a limping Commander Shepard crawling through the carnage and destruction of an all-too familiar locale from the first game; the Normandy ship. What follows is a complete breakdown of everything we built up in the first game. What’s more, Shepard has to work with a mysterious group, Cerberus, to get back what was lost and fight the Reaper threat. Mass Effect 2 feels like The Empire Strikes Back of video games with how high the stakes have been raised and how dire things have gotten.