Video games are a great medium to escape into, allowing you to drop in at a moment's notice and immerse yourself in anything from a high-octane shooter to a calming puzzle game and everything in between. This medium of entertainment has grown to become one of the most valuable industries in the world, and rightfully so.

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While some people might want to jump into a game at a moment's notice, certain titles take a really long time to get going. While the initial setup of these games is worth it, there are always certain exceptions to this norm. Here are some of the longest intro sequences in gaming that you'll have to play through.

10 Persona 5

Key Art showing every main character in Persona 5

Persona 5 is definitely one of the greatest video games ever made. However, its intro can still be a huge slog at times, with the game taking hours before you can even access the first Mind Palace.

Persona 5 Royal makes the intro of the game somewhat bearable with Morgana being less controlling about Joker heading out. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that the title's first few hours can be a bit of a chore to get through at times.

9 Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 prologue snow fight

The prologue of Red Dead Redemption 2 does a brilliant job of introducing the characters and setting up an intriguing plot. In fact, some people might argue that it does too good of a job.

Roaming through snowy landscapes after a botched heist is certainly quite intriguing. However, the prologue overstays its welcome for some, who just want to explore the open world of the game as soon as possible.

8 Assassin's Creed 3

An Assassin running from a fight that is happening in the background

After the Ezio trilogy, Assassin's Creed had a huge challenge in front of them. They had to establish a new world and another protagonist in the span of a year.

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The end result was pretty mixed. Connor was an interesting protagonist, but he simply couldn't hold a candle to Ezio's brilliance. It didn't help that the introduction to this game was so long that players were already sick of this protagonist - it takes half of the game to even get Connor's assassin robes.

7 Kingdom Hearts 2

Kingdom Hearts II (Final Mix) wallpaper with multiple characters

The Kingdom Hearts series is notorious for its convoluted story sequences and lengthy cutscenes. So, it's no surprise that a game from this series has made the list.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is considered by many to be the best game in the series. It also features a massive intro sequence that really hammers in that the plot of this title is going to be anything but simple.

6 Pokemon Sun & Moon

Pokemon Sun & Moon

The Pokemon games used to feature a quick introduction, where you got a starter Pokemon and were thrust into the world. However, Sun & Moon marked a drastic change in this established formula.

Now, you had to sit through an extensive tutorial as events slowly played out in front of you. Pokemon never needed to be story-heavy, which is perhaps why this lengthy intro sequence took so many players by surprise and soured their experience for the rest of the game.

5 EVE Online

EVE Online Spacecraft Flight Towards Freighter In Deep Space screenshot

EVE Online is one of the deepest MMORPGs of all time, featuring a complex economic system coupled with a massive amount of systems that take some time to get used to. This is perhaps why the intro of this game is huge.

It used to take several hours to complete, although this was reduced with the release of Quadrant 3 to just 45 minutes. This has improved the experience, but the intro still remains a short taster, and the game mostly leaves you to learn things as you go.

4 Star Ocean: The Second Story

Star Ocean The Second Story artwork

JRPGs are notorious for featuring extremely long introductory sequences that can get a bit grating, at times. Star Ocean: The Second Story is no exception to this golden rule.

What makes The Second Story even more grating is the fact that you needed to sit through a lengthy introductory sequence that lasts for what feels like hours. This is before you can even start moving as well, which is just ridiculous.

3 The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Link holding a small creature

Out of all the 3D Zelda games that have come up, Skyward Sword is easily the most divisive title of the lot. The game was an absolute chore when it came to the Wii, with each and every action in the game taking ages to execute.

Related: The Best Video Game Moms, RankedThe introduction of the game exacerbates this problem even further. While the re-release on Switch has fixed a bunch of problems, it's still nowhere near as good as some of the other games in the series.

2 NieR: Automata

2B petting companion pod outside a grey building Nier: Automata

NieR: Automata is one of the greatest games Yoko Taro has ever made. It also features a very long intro that can take quite some time to get used to.

However, if you want to experience one of the more unique action titles around, then you should definitely stick through this long introduction. The end result will be more than worth it.

1 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

a third-person shot from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain of Big Boss aiming his gun at someone in the distance in a jungle-esque area

Before departing with Konami in the most dramatic fashion possible, Kojima decided to go out with a bang. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is considered by many to be one of the greatest games in the series, with the gameplay being absolutely sublime.

However, The Phantom Pain suffers from a lengthy introduction that can take quite some time to clear. Of course, there's no reason to leave the game in the middle of the introduction — once you get to the meat of the gameplay, you'll realize why this game is so vehemently adored by the masses.

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