Unique Tutorials

First question, has there been a video game in the last or current generation of consoles that simply didn't give you a tutorial? Maybe a game that tries to stress its atmosphere, forcing the player to figure out that the left stick lets you move, and the right stick lets you pivot, all on your own?

No indie games - that's cheating.

Other than that, what are the most unique/interesting tutorials you've come across?

edited 9th Oct '14 9:34:05 AM by FOFD

Half-Life had a separate tutorial mode rather than embedding in the actual campaign. It was presented as the Black Mesa facility's fitness program obstacle course.

System Shock 2 had one of my favorite tutorials. You start the game getting off the subway and going to the military recruiter. The tutorial is you running "basic training" exercises as you decide what branch to join.

I recall Luigis Mansion Dark Moon having a very minimal tutorial

I liked how in the original Halo trilogy, the tutorial gets shorter and shorter as the situation you wake up in is more and more dire.

The only one that comes to mind is the Hall of Hieroglyphics in Wario Land 4. The controls and instructions were shown on the background. If you're familiar with the series, you know how it works and can ignore it. If you're not, then the instructions are right there.

Deus Ex had the same thing, having JC Denton go through a training course as a formality before being given his first mission. This actually used to be pretty common in games.

Edit: Also, Baldur's Gate II had a tutorial that takes place in the Duchal Palace, a location from the first game, that teaches you about the game.

edited 11th Oct '14 10:08:00 AM by Nysos

I recently played Thief Gold, it also has a separate tutorial like Half-Life and Deus Ex do.

I've been playing FF 7 recently and I enjoyed the premise of a tutorial having the MC explain materia to other. It's kind of a fun inverse of the normal "school" that appears in a lot of rpgs.

One memorable tutorial for me was the Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf Game tutorial. As soon as you cross the start line, you get hit with an Fission Mailed, and if you die on the jumping part of the tutorial, Daffy will laugh at you non-stop for a minute straight before you can start playing again.

edited 15th Oct '14 5:05:17 AM by ekimmak

At least 70% of the Portal series is tutorial, they just blend it into the gameplay so well you can't notice it.

I remember vividly the runescape tutorial from a couple years ago (7) was this tutorial island and that was very cool. Of course in recent times they have replaced it with something horrible.

Other than that the game FTL had a very nice tutorial it kept it short and informative, interesting and also left a lot for you to figure out yourself. It was VERY well done in my opinion

I like how the Sly Cooper games don't even disguise their tutorials - the characters straight-up say stuff "Press the Triangle button to interact with the glowy thing" with their usual friendly banter in-between.

I'd say the tutorial's I remember the most in all of video games would have to be the tutorial's from Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2. 2's hour's long tutorial wasn't even boring to me because it was so unique.

Should I say Dark Souls? I'm gonna say Dark Souls.

Why? Because they throw a mountain sized boss at you mid way through the tutorial that is implied to be a Hopeless Boss Fight. But it really isn't, it's just extremely tedious and time consuming if you decide to stay and not run.

Then at the end of the tutorial you get to wreck said boss.

... Or die to it again, depending on you.

edited 1st Jan '15 3:42:01 AM by Alabaster

Do MM Os count? If so my answer is obvious...

The Matrix: Path of Neo has its tutorial very well-integrated into the story. Neo goes through a bunch of training simulations (he still knows Kung Fu by an instant download to his brain, but he does the training to practice using those skills), and each of those simulations has its own fun setting and story.

It's actually kind of an on-and-off tutorial; you learn about hand-to-hand fighting, then you have a whole level of hand-to-hand fights. Then you go to the level for firearms, melee weapons, multiple-opponent fighting, etc and do the same thing in each. It's probably the most fun part of the game.

I remember watching my brother play that some odd 15 years ago (ish); I think it was the first tutorial I'd ever seen for any game.