This might sound a bit random, but Cyberpunk 2077 has this sort of warmup sound that plays through the game startup sequence that always gets me relaxed or psyched up to play. Another example is the title song in Trails from Zero. Calms me every time.
Whether it’s a sound effect, music, or a loading screen, is there a game that does this for you immediately when you open it?
The valve game loading sound
One of my best gaming experiences is when you boot up Half Life Alyx. It has a giant and fully 3D model of the bald dude with the valve on his head and he does the slow turn at the end of the iconic music.
Not only is it a killer intro, but it’s one I felt like I’ve poured so many hours into valve titles to receive in what feels like its best and final form.
It wasn’t as classic, but the valve intro for The Lab was really unsettling for me. Giant room with hundreds of valves, felt very surreal. A simple space that would/could never exist, but here I am standing in it. But I might just have trypophobia lol
Mechwarrior games take the trophy
Reactor online.
Sensors online.
Weapons online.
All systems nominal.
Persona 5’s title screen, feels like the characters are all waiting for the player to start the game and do some shenanigans.
And most Persona games tbh. Just finished Tactica.
The old school PS jingle is the ultimate gaming warmup sound for me 🤌🏼 absolute vibes
That combined with the Final Fantasy Tactics opening music is 100% nostalgia fuel for me. Always that twinge of anxiety later on too when you weren’t sure if you’d get the second part of the jingle to let you know the disc is working.
The Gameboy Advance startup sound never fails to activate my neurons either.
HYDRO THUNDER!
The narrator is constantly yelling everything as you go through the screens to start the game. He yells the title, the name of the track, the name of your boat, and he doesnt stop when the race starts. Always makes me hyped to play.
Probably Katamari Damacy Reroll. The music is so whimsical, and loading your save at the startup screen uses the unique movement (double joystick) so I’m already using the controls before actually playing.
Breath of the Wild. Every time Link steps into the light after opening the shrine, the camera pans over Hyrule, with that glorious music … I always get goosebumps and can’t wait to get the runes, catch a horse and start “exploring” again, even tho I pretty much know the entire map by heart already.
Mario Kart Wii (others versions too maybe) has a music with more and more instruments. The more you configure your kart, the more instruments are playing. It’s a nice warmup.
Played through it with my husband, usually on an evening after work, and discovered that no matter how stressed or annoyed you are the Outer Wilds intro / menu is just instant relaxation. Like sliding into a whole other world where everything is going to be ok.
Civilization IV
Goooooooood morning Night City!!
Burnout: Revenge for the Xbox 360. The whole game gets me hyped up, but the intro feels really good.
I would also put Shadow The Hedgehog, but that game is not a good one. Still tho.
