I’m not sure if any of you were tempted enough to watch that 35 minute-long Witcher 3 gameplay video – but there’s one thing that stands out over everything else; how incredible the game’s music is. When Geralt enters a battle, the music builds to a crescendo, amplifying and heightening the experience.
It’s something that made Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World special too; both games had their audio recorded by full orchestras and real-live musicians; something new for both series – and it made the music just that much punchier and resonant.
Of course, it’s not just the music that’s important – but general audio design. I’ve got a laundry list of complaints that I regularly levy at The Last of Us, but I can’t fault the audio at all; even in the prologue it’s mind-blowing stuff. With one of the first encounters with an infected chasing you, the audio positioning and placement is perfect, with the thing sounding like it really is riiiight behind you.
Audio design is also one of the reasons the first Dead Space was such a goddamned creepy game. Good voice acting, great sound effects and music have the ability to elicit a visceral reaction from gamers – and yet I find many gamers who barely notice the stuff at all; many don’t recognise a tune from a game they’ve played to death, or don’t realise they’re hearing pretty much nobody but Nolan North and Troy Baker do the voicework in just about everything.
So how important is audio in games to you? What’s the best, most prolific bit of music, sound FX or voice artistry you’ve experienced in a game?
Last Updated: August 22, 2014
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 10:33
Audio is key to the experience. More so than the “immersive” graphics push of devs.
A blocky 8-bit game can have you hanging on every bit of on screen text if the sound environment is amazing. Sound is king in games.
Tarisma
August 22, 2014 at 10:36
Completely agree, the audio sets the atmosphere.
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 10:36
Agree 100% One of the first games I played on the Nes
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 10:46
woah. This takes me back years
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 10:54
AVGN played it the other day, such memories
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 11:09
Damn you Onions! DAMN YOU!
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 11:19
I raise you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnFs2J8c-kU
Guest
August 26, 2014 at 20:04
Man, haven’t heard this in a long time. So, so damn good!
Still one of the best game soundtracks to this day (for one of the best games to this day)
I can still remember some of stages the tracks are from.
That track for the Dr. Wily Castle stage (14:28)…top tier 😉
Pieter Kruger
August 22, 2014 at 10:37
Homeworld! ????
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 10:46
yes!
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 10:56
Thomas Was Alone!
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 10:58
Dude yes! Thomas was alone has one of the best audio experiences I have ever had the pleasure of caressing my earlobes
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 11:00
Sounds like you enjoy some oo-mox there Llew…
Dutch Matrix
August 22, 2014 at 10:39
Audio has definately taken a back seat to graphics. When was the last time you read a review that commented on the atmosphere of a game?
I remember fondly of nights filled with soiled underwear and my girlish screams playing Clive Barker’s Undying. The chill as you hear that howler, or the blood curdling screeching of the skeletons in that sewer level.
Oh Gods… I need clean pants…
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 10:42
The opening scene for Resident Evil 2 where you start walking away from the truck and trailer that exploded… Hearing those bloody zombies’ shuffling of their feet and moaning still haunts me!! That is the first game that made sounds scary, and from there on I have always enjoyed good game sounds… Currently playing The Last of Us for the first time and those bloody clickers reminds me so much of RE2’s zombies!! That noise they make will forever be with me!!
Dutch Matrix
August 22, 2014 at 10:47
I remember playing RE2. In the sewer levels I hear this thump-thump-thump the whole time. Then I saw that spider.
Thanks to simple sound design, your nerves are allready so shot to hell, that the actual sighting of the monster is just that little push you needed into all out hysterics.
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 10:48
That and when you first enter the sewer and you hear the clicking sounds…. You go towards the t-junction in the pipes and them dogs jump you from both sides!!! That sound also doesn’t make me happy!!!
R4ziel
August 22, 2014 at 11:10
The suffering did this for me, those creatures in the prison with the sword/machete blades for legs were the scariest thing ever! The sound they would make on the concrete and coming from any direction made me feel a fear I havent felt since I ripped my headphone jack out of my PC when encountering ALMA in F.E.A.R…
Music is not something I enjoy in games though, I think it muffles the actual game sounds more often than not, and distracts from it sometimes. First thing I do in ANY game is disable the music in game and menu music. Ive done it since childhood for some reason and music is the first thing that annoys me as soon as the game starts up.
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 11:13
In Fifa I have the music on 10%. I play it quite a lot so the songs get boring after a while…
But other games I pretty much leave it as they made it. But I do understand what you are saying!!!
R4ziel
August 22, 2014 at 11:16
Take Dota for example, when I play I want to hear the sounds of abilities and whatnot to make me at least seem a bit more pro, with the music enabled I miss half those sounds, and that continuous background noise just becomes annoying.
Im listening to the Thomas was alone sound track now as im typing this (posted below these comments) and although its nice, im 3 minutes in and its already annoying and boring. I’d rather listen to my same old music 🙂
I love how people are so much different, its fascinating.
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 11:18
Gamers are very different!!! But that is what makes us such a unique group of individuals!!!
R4ziel
August 22, 2014 at 11:19
We are all different in the same way XD We are uniquely the same 😉
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 10:43
I don’t hear the music as well as other do, but in game sounds is very high on my list of what a good game needs!!
Travis
August 22, 2014 at 10:43
Fallout 3 Soundtrack. The Inkspots enough said 🙂
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
August 22, 2014 at 10:57
I love that soundtrack with all of my face,
Sean Carbutt
August 22, 2014 at 11:08
I enjoyed Combichrist in DMC. Suited that game perfectly
Mossel
August 22, 2014 at 11:57
Dude me too! ‘Twas epic.
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 10:44
I must confess, sometimes I don’t notice the audio in a game as I do play with audio turned off sometimes. Heck even audio on full blast I sometimes miss. Having said that, without the audio you do not feel as “immersed” in the game, no matter how beautiful the environment looks.
To answer your question though, I do feel audio is very important, I can’t see JAWS being as scary as it was if it were not for the audio, same goes with games.
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 10:45
I can’t play with the audio off 0_o
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 10:47
I sometimes play Fifa without audio, but that is when the idiot I am playing against has his headphones on and screams in my ears that he should have had a penalty for a fair tackle on the halfway line… TV MUTE!!!
R4ziel
August 22, 2014 at 11:12
I used to play Need for speed or other racing games with the sound in game very low and the music blaring, it immerses me more because when I drive I always have my music so that everyone listens with me 😀
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 10:48
It’s crappy actually, you do lose a lot without audio. I mostly do it when playing FPS though, since it’s more run and gun than story and atmosphere.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 10:57
That’s what she said!
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 10:57
Oooooooh. GG
Jonah Cash
August 22, 2014 at 10:46
That Jaws tune is what made the movie, and wherever you hear it you will always start looking around for a big shark… Even on land, cause you know Sharknado and stuff!!
Jarrod Lane
August 22, 2014 at 10:45
I first really started to pay more attention to sound design in Quake 1. While there are many a classic game that is much older, that just had mad sound design with the limited tech and was something special all on it’s own. That NIN sound track made me notice 🙂
Travis
August 22, 2014 at 10:47
I love to just listen to the soundtracks of games, as alternative to regular music. i have the complete soundtracks for Fallout3, New Vegas, Skyrim, Bioshock. Good Times.
Hermann Schwindt
August 22, 2014 at 14:38
Me too, the music takes me to a happy place when I listen to it while working.
Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)
August 22, 2014 at 10:47
How important is it? Three words: Command & Conquer.
C&C’s heart was its fantastic sound, and not just the excellent soundtrack. The voices, the sound effects and the soundtrack all worked together to bring the 320×240 resolution game to life!
Travis
August 22, 2014 at 10:53
Speaking of the importance of sound, you cant play C&C against friends in a LAN without headphones, as your strategy would be given away, if people could hear what units you were building etc.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 10:55
LOL indeed
Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)
August 22, 2014 at 11:25
LOL That used to work great for intimidation purposes. When your friends heard your Commando say “I’ve got a present for ya!” they all start to panic. 😀
Rags
August 22, 2014 at 11:39
Training… Unit Ready. Training… Unit Ready.
Click click click 😀
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 10:53
When it comes to music or ambient sounds it’s something that only really stands out to me when it’s bad or missing. Sound effects need to sound like they fit what you’re using – pew pew, doors opening, that stuff. For situational/positional awareness it’s very important.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 10:55
VERY IMPORTANT
Morne Nell
August 22, 2014 at 10:57
Incredible important that is why I play with 7.1 headphones. Games such as outlast is not that good but the sound made up for it in a big way. My order is normally Sound, Story, Graphics, replayability
Travis
August 22, 2014 at 10:59
Ok, I know I have been defending TESO, but this makes me think. The game shipped without sound working. 4GB day one patch to get it working. True Story!
Yip 4 gigs.
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 11:00
4GB? So it’s not that the sound wasn’t working but rather that the game came out without the sound files 😛
Travis
August 22, 2014 at 11:01
Hmmm, not sure, I think it was an actual bug, but ya 4gigs, pretty insane. I mean the whole game is about 60gigs though 4 dvds.
hairyknees
August 22, 2014 at 11:02
Thomas Was Alone —> One of the best soundtracks EVER!
Just let this bad boy play in the background, enjoy 30 mins of awesome <3
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 11:03
Love this sound track!
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 11:25
Just for that, you qualify for a coupon! 1 x [Play Dota with Admiral] coming your way!
hairyknees
August 22, 2014 at 11:04
Also, bugs and crap aside, Battlefield games tend to have some really awesome PEWPEWPEW noises happening 😛
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 11:08
Well let’s put it this way. Alan Wake is not that special when it comes to game mechanics. It’s fun, don’t get me wrong, but the reason the game scared the ginger out of me (almost) was the music. I worry that so many people don’t seem to appreciate this really important element. Look at Resident Evil 6, I wanted to weep.
Aries
August 22, 2014 at 11:13
the music in RE6 is enough to make you want to rethink if you should keep going
R4ziel
August 22, 2014 at 11:19
Well Call of Duty world at war for me had the same thing, there was a scene where you had a massive battle with explosions going off all over the place, although it wasnt the best sound or gameplay, it was the first time I actually got tired from the audio, not because its tiring to listen to, but purely because I was so tensed up and on edge the whole time. That was awesome XD
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 11:29
Yeah, agreed. Also, Resident Evil 6 was enough reason to not make me want to keep going 😉
Brakanjan
August 22, 2014 at 11:21
Sound is very important. Alien versus Predator (all of them) have these moody scary music and sound effect especially with those FaceHuggers!!! Mech Warrior music is also good, played by live orchestra. Then Hitman games music are also good. But sometimes the sound effects are also good and absolutely essential. take for example Operation Flashpoint, you really need to listen up for those gunshots. I could go on and on about these games released the recent years, but still you need a full immersion to appreciate the talents of the programmers and musicians.
Sith JJ
August 22, 2014 at 11:21
Music, especially, is KEY.
Normal audio, depending on the game atmospheric sounds and such are just as important as they graphics
Umar Ver 1.OBJECTION
August 22, 2014 at 11:27
AS important as story for me
Axon1988
August 22, 2014 at 11:36
In the end it depends on the game for me. If it’s a game that’s all about atmosphere, then audio design, and music plays a huge role in it for me. If I disable the music in said genre, then I want the sounds to tell me a story. A bush rustling in the wind here, or maybe an animal howling in the distance.
Stalker is one of those games.
iAmWeasel
August 22, 2014 at 11:37
Platoon on Commodore 64.. dat’s my jam!!
iAmWeasel
August 22, 2014 at 11:41
I just cried a little…
Rock789
August 22, 2014 at 11:43
Very important in my books – right up there with story. It really adds to the experience and can, honestly bring a game to life. Just look at games like Bioshock, Mass Effect and Heavy Rain – they would be totally different experiences (in my opinion) if their audio were different. The music in some areas really gripped me… So much so, they are some of the few games I actually own a soundtrack to – amazing audio!
And don’t get me started on sound effects. Eg. In Outlast, you mostly just hear the asylum residents… You don’t see them too often. But just hearing their growns, screams and howls really adds to the entire experience of making it one of the most creepy, skin-crawling games I’ve ever played.
Rags
August 22, 2014 at 11:54
Sound makes a game, like others have mentioned. Red Alert, from Hell March to the Tesla coil setting someone on fire. Granted these days sound is a LOT more complicated.
Voice acting can make or break a game too. When its wooden like a fan favourite rpg is makes the game unbelievable and the characters uninteresting, when its annoying and badly written like Diablo 3 it becomes a pain.
Gun sounds too, Quake games are brilliant of making guns feel like they have a moerse punch. The double barrel shotgun in Quake 2, man you know you where doing some serious damage with that BOOM, and the reload sound.
Back to soundtracks my modern favourite is vigil from Mass Effect. It just sets the tone of the game and it triggers the feels of what you are just about to experience or have exerienced playing it.
Mossel
August 22, 2014 at 11:55
I enjoyed the soundtrack of Bastion so much that I actually bought it. Amazing. Love that blues feel.
Umar Ver 1.OBJECTION
August 22, 2014 at 11:58
Music is a huge part of the game for me. Even a simple game like Rogue Legacy, if it has great music the experience is amplified a million times.
Michael Kornegay
August 22, 2014 at 12:01
Game! It Would Not Be Game Audio If You Took The Audio Out.
Wraith
August 22, 2014 at 12:01
Audio is extremely important in a game. Makes or breaks the level of immersion.
But in the case of Titanfall on PC, I wouldn’t say it’s 30gigs important! 😛
Mark Treloar
August 22, 2014 at 12:02
Clive Barkers: Undying
Craig "Crios" Boonzaier
August 22, 2014 at 12:07
I love it when the the developers put the effort in. Diablo III / ROS music is unbelievably immersive. I have both collectors edition audio CD’s in my car, and still listen to them.
Ross Woofels Mason
August 22, 2014 at 12:56
Depends entirely on the game the game for me. Some games the audio can take a back seat, but in others it is absolutely essential. Something Like The Witcher, Dead Space, Final Fantasy all of those need amazing audio.
Something like Vanquished which was mainly constant assult of run and gun, audio could take a-bit of a back seat for me.
Over all though, audio is exceptionally important to a game whether it can make or break it.
DiegoZicoB
August 22, 2014 at 14:20
A single way that a game can stand out and make it more memorable is with a well placed, atmospheric soundtrack. All it takes for a scene or section of a game to become more immersive is a well produced track playing that fits perfectly. And so many games miss this nowadays. Flashy graphics and voice acting have become a higher priority.
This is partly because back in the day of zero voice acting in games the gamer only had their imagination and the track playing in the background to create all the emotion and bring life to the game so the music was way more important. People always do more when they have less to work with.
The RPGs I have played would not have been the life-changing experiences they were if it was not for their soundtracks *looks at FF7, FF8, FF9, Chrono Cross*
Pieter Smal
August 22, 2014 at 14:28
So important I wrote my honours research paper about it (video game music), and now my masters degree as well!
J_Joestar
August 22, 2014 at 17:46
More important than resolution imo.
Andre Gabriel Coetzee
August 23, 2014 at 12:43
Quake 2 Soundtrack
kizi3
December 6, 2014 at 05:00
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