Purpose and Conventions
The purpose of this opening is to set the mood for the game as a whole. It has the purpose of establishing desertion and isolation, a popular convention of the post-apocalyptic genre. It tells the story of the apocalypse through a monologue and opens the story of the entire game. Much of it is shown through flashbacks, both a common convention of the genre and a way of telling the story without going back to the apocalypse.
It uses many conventions, relying on a dark, isolated atmosphere and a deserted, ruined world. The monologue telling us the story of the apocalypse itself is another popular convention to jump straight into the action. We also get a sense of danger from the character wearing the armour, another convention of the genre.
Shots and Angles
Many establishing shots are used to establish the bleak and destroyed feeling in the game. We're given establishing shots of both before and after the apocalypse, to illustrate the difference between the two states. A long take is used at the beginning of the opening and is probably the best shot. We're shown the inside of a 1950s-esque bus with a radio that plays throughout, before we're pulled out from the back of the bus to see an establishing shot of a destroyed city. We're pulled even further back to see the character holding a gun and in armour before we fade into the titles. This is very effective.
Many establishing shots are used to establish the bleak and destroyed feeling in the game. We're given establishing shots of both before and after the apocalypse, to illustrate the difference between the two states. A long take is used at the beginning of the opening and is probably the best shot. We're shown the inside of a 1950s-esque bus with a radio that plays throughout, before we're pulled out from the back of the bus to see an establishing shot of a destroyed city. We're pulled even further back to see the character holding a gun and in armour before we fade into the titles. This is very effective.
Mise-En-Scene
The setting is established right at the end of the scene. We're given a shot of a vault called 'Vault 101' and it is heavily implied that this is where the protagonist starts off in the game. Much of the lighting is green, especially the monologue parts with the flashbacks. This is used because green is a sickly, radiation colour, a heavy part of the game. The dark lighting and atmosphere with the green tint help create a sickly, post-apocalyptic feel.
Only one character is in the opening, him being in heavy armour. The armour and the mask indicate that it isn't safe to brief outside and that the world is generally dark and unsafe. Another thing included in the scene is the radio at the beginning of the opening. That plays music that fits with the scene.
Only one character is in the opening, him being in heavy armour. The armour and the mask indicate that it isn't safe to brief outside and that the world is generally dark and unsafe. Another thing included in the scene is the radio at the beginning of the opening. That plays music that fits with the scene.
Editing
The titles are after the opening shot and before the monologue. They're silver against a black background, telling us the developers and the title of the game, the latter of which is done in a unique style to indicate that it is the game's title. It is very well paced and fits together very well, with each shot fitting with the monologue. It's a rather slow opening, but feels exciting; something many post-apocalyptic films strive for.
The transitions are smooth and well done. Most shots fade out and fade into the next, with the screen going dark before opening into the next shot. No sudden cuts are used as the opening is not intended to be action packed, but slow. Special effects are used throughout, given that it is a game, but we're shown a nuclear explosion depicting part of the end of the world.
The titles are after the opening shot and before the monologue. They're silver against a black background, telling us the developers and the title of the game, the latter of which is done in a unique style to indicate that it is the game's title. It is very well paced and fits together very well, with each shot fitting with the monologue. It's a rather slow opening, but feels exciting; something many post-apocalyptic films strive for.
The transitions are smooth and well done. Most shots fade out and fade into the next, with the screen going dark before opening into the next shot. No sudden cuts are used as the opening is not intended to be action packed, but slow. Special effects are used throughout, given that it is a game, but we're shown a nuclear explosion depicting part of the end of the world.
Sound
The opening uses both diegetic and non-diegetic sound effectively. Diegetic sound includes a few faint background noises, the armoured character turning towards the screen, the vault closing at the end of the opening, and the, in my opinion, most important diegetic sound, the radio at the beginning. The radio creates a calm atmosphere and, with help from the shot, makes it seem like the setting is the mid 1900s, but then the radio fades out into a dark, futuristic non-diegetic sound as we pull away from the shot into a deserted and ruined world.
The non-diegetic sound includes the monologue and the back music. The monologue tells the story of the apocalypse and sets the atmosphere, while the back music is a metallic ambient sound to illustrate the futuristic post-apocalyptic setting. These work perfectly together is setting the feeling of the game as a whole. The vault closing at the end creates a sense of finality to the monologue.
The opening uses both diegetic and non-diegetic sound effectively. Diegetic sound includes a few faint background noises, the armoured character turning towards the screen, the vault closing at the end of the opening, and the, in my opinion, most important diegetic sound, the radio at the beginning. The radio creates a calm atmosphere and, with help from the shot, makes it seem like the setting is the mid 1900s, but then the radio fades out into a dark, futuristic non-diegetic sound as we pull away from the shot into a deserted and ruined world.
The non-diegetic sound includes the monologue and the back music. The monologue tells the story of the apocalypse and sets the atmosphere, while the back music is a metallic ambient sound to illustrate the futuristic post-apocalyptic setting. These work perfectly together is setting the feeling of the game as a whole. The vault closing at the end creates a sense of finality to the monologue.
Narrative
The narrative is told through the opening monologue, telling us about the apocalypse with shots of the apocalypse on the screen. It gives us the location of where the protagonist starts off right at the end of the opening. We're told of the setting where the character is and a point to start from. We're also given much of the story through the flash backs, giving us both a visual explanation and a voiced explanation through the monologue. Few enigmas are given in this opening, as it merely explains the back story, not the story of the game.
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