Let me tell you something about modern gaming in 2025 - we're living in an era where our attention spans have been absolutely demolished by TikTok and instant gratification. Most games know this and try to hook you immediately, but I've always had a soft spot for those brave developers who say, "No, you're going to sit through this extensive opening whether you like it or not." Some of these slow burns pay off beautifully, while others... well, let's just say they test even my patience as a seasoned gamer.

10 Metaphor ReFantazio: I Just Can't Wait To Be King

When it comes to ATLUS games, you know you're in for a lengthy setup. Metaphor ReFantazio continues this tradition beautifully. By the time the game actually lets you tackle your first major dungeon, you've already:

• Lost a major party member

• Met countless important characters

• Fought (or sneaked past) a dragon

• Uncovered military corruption

• Launched your campaign to become king

It's a massive time investment, but honestly? The world-building makes it worthwhile. The game works hard to immerse you in its unique monarchy and religious systems before setting you free.

9 Kingdom Hearts 2: Who The Hell is Roxas

I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually love Kingdom Hearts 2's opening. Playing as Roxas for those first few hours creates such a powerful emotional foundation. The game has to:

• Connect multiple canon stories

• Establish the Roxas-Axel relationship

• Explain the Sora-Roxas connection

• Introduce Twilight Town

Yes, it's 3+ hours before you even see Sora, but the payoff is incredible. It's one of those openings that gets better with each replay.

8 Kingdom Come: Deliverance: Just A Regular Dude

If any game justifies a slow start, it's KCD. You're not some chosen hero - you're Henry, a regular guy with zero skills. The opening makes you:

• Learn cumbersome combat systems

• Master speechcraft and trading

• Do odd jobs around your hometown

• Struggle through realistic RPG mechanics

It's definitely a slog, but it makes your eventual progression feel earned. That moment when the world finally opens up? Pure magic.

7 Fallout 3: I am Alpha And Omega

Fallout 3's opening is genius... the first time. Growing up in the vault, dealing with Butch, escaping with Liam Neeson's character - it's masterful storytelling. But on replay? 😩 The unskippable nature becomes painfully apparent.

What makes it memorable:

• Excellent character development

• Gradual introduction to the world

• That breathtaking moment stepping into the wasteland

• Emotional connection to your origins

Thankfully, mods exist to skip it now, but console players are stuck with this classic burden.

6 Metal Gear Solid 5: A Glorified Action Movie

Oh, Kojima. You and your cinematic openings. MGS5 takes the cake with an hour-long interactive cutscene that:

• Prevents you from accessing the open world

• Offers minimal gameplay interaction

• Forces you to restart if you don't finish in one sitting

• Barely prepares you for actual gameplay

It's visually stunning and action-packed, but man, does it test your patience. Still, enduring it gets you to that incredible stealth gameplay.

5 Cyberpunk 2077: One Last Job

Cyberpunk's approach is interesting - multiple openings based on your lifepath, but all funneling you toward the same epic heist. What I appreciate:

• Strong character bonding with Jackie

• Gradual introduction to Night City's systems

• The emotional weight of the Arasaka job

• Keanu Reeves' surprising entrance

It takes about five hours before Night City truly opens up, but the journey is engaging enough to make it worthwhile.

4 Assassin's Creed 3: Wait, Are We The Baddies?

This opening is brilliant because it completely subverts expectations. Playing as Haytham Kenway for 5-6 hours only to discover he's a Templar? 🤯 Masterful storytelling.

Why it works:

• Excellent character development

• Historical immersion

• The incredible plot twist

• Setting up the Templar-Assassin conflict

It's linear and lengthy, but the payoff is one of gaming's best reveals.

3 Forspoken: This Is Torture!

Now we get to the openings that just don't work. Forspoken's beginning is everything wrong with prolonged tutorials:

• Barren, uninteresting starting city

• Annoying protagonist

• MMO-style fetch quests

• Holding back the game's best feature (parkour)

It's a shame because the traversal mechanics are fantastic, but the opening is so off-putting that most players never get to experience them.

2 Red Dead Redemption 2: A Slow Burn

RDR2's opening is the definition of a slow burn. That snowy chapter feels eternal, but it serves important purposes:

• Introducing Arthur Morgan and the gang

• Teaching complex controls gradually

• Establishing the game's methodical pace

• Building emotional connections

Once you break free from the snow, the world opens up into one of gaming's most incredible sandboxes. The patience required is absolutely rewarded.

1 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: Takes A While To Get Edgy

As my personal favorite Zelda game, I have to acknowledge Twilight Princess's painfully slow start. Those Ordon Village chores feel endless when all you want is to dive into dungeons and combat.

What makes it challenging:

• Tone mismatch with the rest of the game

• Excessive tutorial content

• Delaying the core Zelda experience

• Jarring transition to dark themes

Still, it does create attachment to Link's home, making the eventual stakes feel more personal.

Final Thoughts on Gaming's Slow Starts

Looking back at these games in 2025, I've come to appreciate that slow openings aren't inherently bad - they're just risky. When done well, they create deeper immersion and emotional investment. When done poorly... well, they can kill a game's momentum entirely.

What I've learned after playing all these titles multiple times is that patience in gaming often leads to the most rewarding experiences. The games that dare to take their time setting up their worlds often deliver the most memorable journeys.

So next time you're tempted to skip through a game's opening hours, ask yourself: are you missing out on something special? Sometimes the longest roads lead to the most beautiful destinations.