The Besties Battle Bracket: first stages
Added 2024-03-05 05:03:34 +0000 UTC[Here's how to add your Besties/Resties subscription to your podcast app and/or Spotify]
The Besties Battle Bracket returns! This time, we're finding the best first level in video games.
We're judging the first stages on three metrics:
- Most fun to play
- Most narratively or visually interesting (or the sounds)
- Tie-breaker: Which has more good levels after the first one
Do those metrics sound vague? Or unscientific? How dare you make such accusations! These are official metrics! Solid as diamonds wrapped in impenetrable alloys buried at the center of the Earth!
With that, let's begin!
Best first levels bracket
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66662889/ply_cloudff_grading.0.jpg)
- Super Mario Bros. 1-1 x Mega Man X’s highway battle
- Metal Gear Solid 2's tanker vs The Legend of Zelda BOTW’s The Great Plateau
- Bloodborne’s Central Yarnham vs Resident Evil 4's village
- Dead Space's empty landing bay vs Fallout 3's Vault 101
- Call of Duty 4's F.N.G. vs Uncharted 2's train sequence
- Super Metroid’s Kraid sequence vs Doom 2016’s awakening on a surgical table
- FF7’s blowing up the Mako Reactor vs. Half Life 2's train station
- Bioshock's “Welcome to Rapture” vs. Goldeneye 007's Dam
For the comments convo: what makes an opening level unforgettable? Is it possible for a game to have too great of an opening, overshadowing the rest?
Comments
I love that y'all aren't an echo chamber.
Shannon Lee
2024-06-06 05:27:41 +0000 UTCAgreed!
ashenone
2024-04-23 15:11:36 +0000 UTCWait, wasn't it Ridley who stole the Metroid? Shocking for Metroid Frush to get the bosses mixed up! But seriously, this is great content! Happy to support my favorite video game book club.
Adam Meeks
2024-03-29 03:13:47 +0000 UTCI know it got axed, and I love the Northern Undead Asylum but I always considered the Undead Burg as the real first level of Dark Souls and it absolutely slaps.
Will Gosson
2024-03-13 14:30:10 +0000 UTCok besties, best ladder bracket when
Shay Park
2024-03-12 18:26:30 +0000 UTCWorst ladders has to be skies of arcadia for their overly large ladders with no slide option. Or fighting force, which were so fiddly you almost always fell past them!
Grant Cameron
2024-03-12 16:27:06 +0000 UTCthe discourse on ladder climbing across video games is so important and yet so underrated. love a game that lets me jump up and slide down those rungs.
Shay Park
2024-03-11 23:22:46 +0000 UTCBioshock will not disappoint you, first level and beyond
Daniel Urban
2024-03-10 20:34:58 +0000 UTCY'all scared me putting the eventual winner in the last pairing, I thought you weren't going to include it and I was going crazy
Daniel Urban
2024-03-10 20:33:19 +0000 UTCHi Besties! Would really love to get the main Besties episodes in here ad free. 🙏
Nick Fielding
2024-03-10 06:26:57 +0000 UTCloving the invented names/justifications for each pairing. never change, chris plante
Isaac Smith
2024-03-08 18:12:23 +0000 UTCFor the time being, we're keeping the two feeds separate. But that may change at a later date!
Chris
2024-03-08 15:15:05 +0000 UTCThank you for this helpful feedback!!
Chris
2024-03-08 15:14:26 +0000 UTCit seems like episodes are going to the free feed first or missing from this one? Will that change at all?
Ian Phippen
2024-03-08 14:46:13 +0000 UTCLike these episodes! But really dislike the use of metrics! I feel like it would be more fun and interesting to just discuss all the qualities of the things in question, instead of forcing things into categories. Just image in game of the year discussions used metrics, I feel like it makes it way more rigid and a bit arbitrary what wins. Other than that I'm excited for future brackets!
Kári Kárason
2024-03-08 14:21:46 +0000 UTCSuggestion for future bracket: best videogame soundtrack and/or theme!
Sacha Greif
2024-03-08 11:27:55 +0000 UTCMan, all the talk about Central Yarnham but no mention of the ACTUAL first level... wandering around the inside of a refugee hospital until forced to fight a werewolf unarmed in the dining room and dying.
Josh C
2024-03-08 04:08:35 +0000 UTCAnother great episode for the Patresties crew! I was just playing through some of the Fallout: New Vegas DLC for the first time, and it occurred to me that I might never have played the DLCs without the Ultimate Version's availability on Game Pass. It made me wonder what other great DLC exists out there for games I already love, but might not have had the budget or time for when they initially released?
Stephen Power
2024-03-08 03:46:12 +0000 UTCThe late night sleepover energy y’all are bringing with these episodes is truly worth every penny of being a supporter!
Lily Noonan
2024-03-08 02:37:37 +0000 UTCThe only game on this whole list I've played is Mario Bros :(
Andrew van Baarsen
2024-03-07 21:07:06 +0000 UTCSorry, replying as I am listening. I love playing through all the MGS games. MGS is my favorite series that I replay every year or 2 and still enjoy it. I get the old player controls of MGS2, but because the game was designed with that in mind it works well for me. Nowhere near the vastly improved controls of MGS5, but its all put together in a way that works well for me.
Michael Frent
2024-03-07 20:57:46 +0000 UTCI'm with Super Mario 1 looking "not old" even though it looks old. It's because the art is done in a way that it's timeless. When it comes to 8 bit pixel art, it looks great. Though it was improved with the sequels, it's still great visually. I think this is further expounded by how we see modern games attempt 8 bit art and at it's peak is around a similar level. When modern games do, they often are on a level of some of these classic games. In addition to that, Mario 1 art is still used in merch now, and brought back again and again in new games like Mario Maker, Mario 100, and Mario Odyssey . Nintendo knows that they have a timeless look with Mario in Mario 1.
Michael Frent
2024-03-07 16:50:56 +0000 UTCLove these episodes. Not entirely sure I'm totally sold on basing everything on a rubric, though. Feels like it shoehorns things a bit. It makes more sense to me to only bring in the rubric if there's not a consensus on who should advance. I would also love to hear more about how y'all felt about these in the context of when they came out (whether or not you use this as a final decision). Most games quickly show their age, so hearing how it was to first play them would bring some awesome context to games I may not have played. Thanks!! RWS
Runswithspoons
2024-03-07 14:28:52 +0000 UTCAwesome episode, lads!
AbalonePrime
2024-03-07 06:20:06 +0000 UTCThe slumber party energy in the first few minutes is gonna be hard to top
Charlie Phillip aka Donavan McDab
2024-03-06 23:23:15 +0000 UTCGreat episode! Surprised nobody’s mentioned God of War 3 yet…what a cinematic and epic opening. Definitely had my jaw on the floor back in the day.
Jan Vonhoegen
2024-03-06 21:58:30 +0000 UTCYES!!
Chris
2024-03-06 21:50:44 +0000 UTCStrong agree!
Chris
2024-03-06 21:49:12 +0000 UTCthe chaos of that tiebreaker!!! genius 🤌
Shay Park
2024-03-06 20:38:43 +0000 UTCShoulda called this one Training Day
Matthew Vinkler
2024-03-06 18:58:43 +0000 UTCExactly! I'm a huge fan of both Uncharted and Mission Impossible, so I'm sure I was absolutely insufferable after the movie was over and I got to tell everyone I was with about my Fun Fact.
Kat K
2024-03-06 17:41:10 +0000 UTCI was thinking the same thing!
Lukas Johnson
2024-03-06 17:07:45 +0000 UTCThis was such a fun episode and I vibe with the Top 4 big time. Definitely had a hard time accepting any time that crazy tie-breaker came up, though. since other levels should have absolutely no bearing on what the best first one is. Argh!
AaronElWhite
2024-03-06 17:01:21 +0000 UTCHow interesting! And then it comes around full circle in DEAD RECKONING, I guess, when M:I replicates the train sequence at the end.
AaronElWhite
2024-03-06 17:00:09 +0000 UTCI would have nominated the opening of Mass Effect 2 for best “first level” (not really a level, per se, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t one of the best openings to a game I’ve ever experienced)
Trapezoid
2024-03-06 16:57:52 +0000 UTCWow no Pillar of Autumn? How can you have a best first level list and not even include pillar of Autumn in the bracket!
David Molnar
2024-03-06 08:51:32 +0000 UTCFFVII train scene is untouchable. Glad Griffin is there to voice my fanatic FF bias in nearly every episode 😆
Sterling Haws
2024-03-06 01:18:46 +0000 UTCI remember having my jaw drop for that uncharted 2 opening. I had never played anything like that before.
sven sven
2024-03-06 00:19:01 +0000 UTCCan't forget NieR Automata! That opening level kicks ass.
Stuvious
2024-03-06 00:06:45 +0000 UTCLoved the episodes, cool hearing my name during the sonic level part. Love how BioShock came in first, I actually only recently (2 years ago) beat that game for the first time and it was incredible. Already can't wait for more and can't wait for the next poll.
Brad MacDonald
2024-03-06 00:01:06 +0000 UTCIf we're going Metroid, I probably would've chosen the Frigate Orpheon from Metroid Prime. It does have the drawback of making you lose all your powerups at the end in a pretty stupid way, but I love the atmosphere of walking into this ruined enemy ship with no idea why everything's in shambles.
Improv Tabletop
2024-03-05 23:54:34 +0000 UTCFun fact! The train sequence in Uncharted 2 was directly inspired by the opening sequence of Mission Impossible 3 (the scene where Philip Seymour Hoffman has a gun to Ethan's wife's head and is counting down from ten). Amy Hennig said on stream one time that she saw the movie, loved that scene, and wanted to create a level in a game that felt similar (starting in media res in a high-stakes situation and making the viewer think "how the hell did we end up here??" before jumping back in time to the actual start of the adventure).
Kat K
2024-03-05 23:54:24 +0000 UTCSame except Skull and Bones somehow...?
Alan Bradley
2024-03-05 23:18:51 +0000 UTCTotally agree, emerging from the vault for the first time is easily the most memorable moment out of anything I've experienced in a game!
Jonathan Standish
2024-03-05 23:17:14 +0000 UTCI was very confused this morning seeing "the Kraid sequence" mentioned in the description. Thought maybe they counted like, the first quarter of the game as "the first level."
Jade
2024-03-05 22:19:10 +0000 UTCSurprised not to see more comments about the intro to Super Metroid being Ridley, not Kraid.
Jade
2024-03-05 22:17:42 +0000 UTCIn my first apartment I had a windows event as my alarm clock (because I didn't have an alarm clock and was pre-cellphone). The event was to turn the volume to max and then open the .mp3 of city escape. My significant other still hates the song. I still love it.
Dustin Belyea
2024-03-05 21:37:49 +0000 UTCDunkin’ on the Bible should be a shirt
Chris “Handjob ghost that came out the tv” Nelson
2024-03-05 21:19:06 +0000 UTCHow could The Besties forget the first level in Kingdom Hearts 2, featuring memorable vibes like "when do I get to play as Sora?" and "Oh my God wait seriously when do I get to play as Sora??"
VacantExpressionComics
2024-03-05 20:29:44 +0000 UTCGreat episode! Personally I feel like an important part of a good first level is its ability to be a great tutorial without feeling like a tutorial. I think with that in mind Megaman X and BotW rank pretty high, and I’ll never forgive Mario 1-1 for taking them from me!
ThanaThots
2024-03-05 20:24:45 +0000 UTCin super metroid btw
David St. John
2024-03-05 20:22:18 +0000 UTCI agree, Mario 1-1 left a lot of bangers in its wake! Also TotK opening is almost completely linear, whereas BotW’s Great Plateau lets you go to the shrines in any order. Chris mentioned those swelling moments like in Fallout 3’s vault opening. I feel like BotW had a great one of those moments when you exit the cave at the start and stand on the cliff side overlooking the world, with the music swelling and the title card drop.
ThanaThots
2024-03-05 20:21:53 +0000 UTCI sense a disturbance in the force... a thousand voices crying out in pain... canceling their Patreons.... because the besties got the scary alien lizard names wrong
David St. John
2024-03-05 20:20:33 +0000 UTCMy personal favorite is the Forest of Fallen Giants from DSII: SotFS. I think the worst? Taris from the original KOTOR.
Casey Francis Alger
2024-03-05 19:53:26 +0000 UTCI'm glad uncharted 2 made it so high! Yall should totally play through them again for the show. I think they all hold up as fun lil romps, even though uncharted 3's story is complete nonsense
Caleb Tretter
2024-03-05 19:48:35 +0000 UTCPortal 2 is the best for me. The glados powering up moment is amazing
Chase Curtin
2024-03-05 19:40:46 +0000 UTCI refuse to accept Plante’s SLANDER of Doom 2016’s Mars environment. It’s not just sand and generic labs, it’s a metric shitton of sand, some really moodily lit labs, and a weird elevator ride! Jk of course, love the episode and love y’all. Keep up the good work
Stephen Taubner
2024-03-05 19:05:03 +0000 UTCGreat episode. I feel like the missing question for the rubric was "how much did the first level get you fired up to play the rest of the game?" One suggestion for future brackets: crowdsource the rubric! Or at least crowdsource feedback about the rubric prior to recording.
James
2024-03-05 18:56:33 +0000 UTCMan, I feel like Plante mentioned this in passing a year or two ago and everyone shrugged it off—but man, SNIPER ELITE 5. It’s opening mission plus all the rest are massively fun. Can I interest you in dropping into a German-occupied, French village where you sneak through orchards, farms, and cobble stone city centers with winding alleys and corridors to rescue resistance fighters and sabotage radio towers??? YES PLEASE WHERE DO I SIGN? Anyone who hasn’t given it a good faith try should definitely do so. Mission #3 Spy Academy is an all-timer.
Daniel Anderson
2024-03-05 18:53:54 +0000 UTCGlad you guys gave some love to the Megaman X franchise. It's my favorite franchise, and one that I desperately hope gets another iteration. It sort of lost its way near the end, and they definitely ran out of "Element + Animal" boss combination, and Capcom seems to HATE Megaman at this point, but there is nothing better than the feel of MMX.
IHaveARussFrushtickBodyPillow
2024-03-05 18:07:28 +0000 UTC“Do we allow graphics the grace of, ‘well it was a different time’, but not gameplay?” …yes. 100% without question 😂.
William (Biggggg5) Mason
2024-03-05 17:17:34 +0000 UTCVagrant Story would’ve been my RPG pick over FF7.
V Astris
2024-03-05 16:58:42 +0000 UTCShout out to City Escape. That level rewired my child brain. It's just so cool at every turn. Sonic escaping arrest by jumping out of a helicopter and using a piece of metal as a snowboard? I listen to Escape from the City all the time because it whips ass
BassToad
2024-03-05 16:46:16 +0000 UTCOh you guys scared me almost taking out Central Yharnam in round 1! Just to give it even more credit: CY includes everything up to Father G. I was surprised that you guys didn't like Cleric Beast, but it's a completely optional boss (weirdly, given how prevalent it was in the marketing).
Charlie Dalton
2024-03-05 15:33:54 +0000 UTCYeah, me too.
Bret Scofield
2024-03-05 14:53:21 +0000 UTCWhy do you guys hate on the controls of metal gear solid so much? I think it is completely fine. Are they the best ever?no, but I think they're good. I have recently went back and played MGS2 my old PS Vita and absolutely love it. In my personal opinion it's better than many of these
Astromanaught
2024-03-05 14:43:50 +0000 UTCYes, such a great opening!
Chris
2024-03-05 14:03:43 +0000 UTCsetting a tone and providing a vertical slice of the gameplay, while setting up a subversion expectations off the bat. that makes a memorable opening for me. it sets up the world and gives you a compelling place in it! mgs2 tanker succeeded in these respects and always jumps in my head as an example. also, ff9 opening is leaps better than ff7 (even if you don't get to be an eco terrorist, at least you kidnap a monarch)
Zardoz
2024-03-05 13:43:21 +0000 UTCI know it’s got major nostalgia points, and probably was amazing at the time, but I have never made it through the first level of FF7 because it bores me to sobs. The random encounters drive me crazy, and it doesn’t make me want to play the rest of the game at all. (Not the fancy new remake, which I also haven’t played bc the price point is way too high for a game that I’m meh about the original.)
ames
2024-03-05 10:48:08 +0000 UTCcurrently listening while stuck in my balatro prison of my own creation (i can't stop playing it)
Katie Jewel
2024-03-05 07:06:00 +0000 UTCNot sure if it counts as a “level” but I think Mass Effect 2 has one of the greatest opening sequences in video games.
Chase Wheatley
2024-03-05 06:30:46 +0000 UTCBotw The Great Plateau first round discussion: TheGodfatherLookHowTheyMassacreeMySon.gif... Sure it continued on in the bracket, but only on technicality. I truly advocate replaying it again, I'd argue the "linearity" is only in appearance and why it's a master class of first levels.
Caleb Spronk
2024-03-05 06:00:31 +0000 UTCAbsolutely killer line up there! I’d add TLOU, RE2 and Half-Life 1 as some honorable mentions.
David Tobin
2024-03-05 05:22:18 +0000 UTCIt's literally all about how well the first level sets the vibe. Kirby taught me that when I was 8 and it remains true
mmmcranberryjuice
2024-03-05 05:21:17 +0000 UTCHard to imagine any opening sequence more impactful than the moment you emerge from the vault in Fallout 3, though honestly the stuff prior to that moment isn't great
Alan Bradley
2024-03-05 05:17:59 +0000 UTCCame here to say this exactly!
TJ
2024-03-05 05:14:40 +0000 UTCLove the new episode. It's weird and cheesy, but it's unfortunate Saints Row IV is not included in this list for the most cinematic opening I have seen in the PS3/Xbox360 generation
Monty
2024-03-05 05:08:35 +0000 UTC
