Introduction

What is the name of the game? As in a video game. To have fun right? Escape reality?  But how is it fun if you takes some time getting there. You want it to be fun right from the get go. In the days of so much choice, game developers are fighting each other for our precious time. People have families, work and commitments.

As you might have guessed I am a gamer. I have a 2 year old daughter, a wife, a bank loan and a job. My time is fairly limited. So when I get a game home it needs to be grabbing my attention and transporting my imagination and mind to the furthest of places. I don't have time to be waiting to "get into it", or waiting for the "it gets really good at the 2 hour mark", I want an impact. Something that will make me want to carry on. Games nowadays are like big budget movies they have an introduction where most people decide in a matter of minutes whether they will devote their time, or just sit and be gormless.

I'm not saying I am the most impatient person, far from it. Games don't need to have a big explosion or a booming soundtrack that throws me off my seat. I'm looking at the mechanics of immersion from the moment the disc starts spinning up. A dissection of the introductions to some of the biggest games around.