OPINION: Video Game Sound Design is Underrated

GAMES INDUSTRY.BIZ

The video game industry has grown massively across the first two decades of the century, having become a mainstay in modern culture. As the technology and passion for video games has grown, many aspects of  games have become underappreciated. However, of everything that makes up a video game, nothing disappears into the background like sound design. 

Sound design is the backbone to a player’s experience, encompassing all audible aspects of video games, from soundtracks, to voice acting, to footsteps. While ray-traced graphics may frontline a game’s release, the sound design also significantly impacts the enjoyment of a game, if not have a greater impact. Poor sound design makes even the best paced games crawl along, distorting the intended feel. Despite this, sound design exists as a second thought for many players.

 Effective sound is an incredible aid in creating a game, one of the most versatile in a designer’s toolkit. It can create grandiose moments and make a world feel alive. It allows a game to intensify a player’s emotions, improving all aspects of a game, from the smallest details, to overarching thematic moments. 

One place where sound design shines is in creating atmosphere. Sound design fills the void of an empty world, allowing it to feel truly alive. One example is the indie game Subnautica, released in 2018 by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, which throws the player on an alien ocean planet, forcing them to survive and explore the diverse world. An element of Subnautica’s soundscape that stands out, and shows sound design at its finest, is its soundtrack. Composed of electronic sounds flowing in and out like the ocean’s currents, it reinforces the intended alien atmosphere.

However, the greatest use of sound design in Subnautica comes in how it creates the terror and curiosity that the game is known for. While the visuals build terror by hindering the player’s vision, it is the sounds in the distance, distorted by the water, that create Subnautica’s excellent atmosphere. The creatures are a great example, with creative sound design giving them a distinct presence at a distance. The game also uses sound design to keep the player aware of their surroundings, with currents swirling around the player, and the vehicle’s low hums distorting through the water.

SuperGiant games’ Hades, is another game that utilises sound to enhance its game. Some of Hades’ best components are the brilliant voice acting and immersive sound effects, each enhancing Hades’ strongest points: its fluid gameplay and outstanding story. However, what elevates the player’s experience the most throughout the game is the soundtrack. Unlike most games, Hades’ soundtrack, composed by Darren Korb, focuses more on complementing the game than independent brilliance, which ends up working to its benefit. Hades’ soundtrack starts pleasant, mirroring the game’s slower pace. However, as the player progresses, the music builds into grand and intense tracks, each emphasising the growing intensity of the game. Music is often used to intensify challenges as it does in Hades. It is an integral to many games, such as the popular indie games Cuphead and Undertale, culminating in some of the most iconic boss fights and memorable moments.

One parallel with most old games is the strong sense of nostalgia that comes when looking back on them. One of the key reasons it feels so strong is often rooted in the game’s sound design. Almost everyone has strong memories of music from their past, and video game soundtracks are no different. Unlike the graphics of a game, sound design can bring a player back to their initial experiences, delving into the game and their past life. Some games that are prime examples of this are Mario Kart Wii, and Minecraft; their distinctive sound design echoing back to a player’s first memories of the game.

Mario Kart Wii is a great example of how sound design works to improve all types of games, not just story-driven, atmospheric pieces. Mario Kart uses its sound design to enhance its unique experience; that of an upbeat, chaos-filled racing game. Tracks such as “Coconut Mall” feature a bouncy tune, that upon reaching the final lap, speeds up, building the intensity for the final stretch. 

All the tracks in the game contain memorable songs that fit the game perfectly, having become synonymous with Mario Kart. Even the projectiles from Mario Kart can bring back strong feelings, such as the alarming sound of a blue shell ruining your race.

One of the smallest sound design tricks that Mario Kart uses to complete its experience is adding the Doppler Effect into the game. 

The Doppler Effect is a natural phenomenon responsible for sounds increasing in pitch as they approach and decreasing in pitch as they move away. This sound is very often associated with cars and speed, so it is right at home in Mario Kart. It is one of the best examples of sound design used well, as it is a nearly unnoticeable detail on its own, but when fitted into the rest of the game, it completes it.

Minecraft is a great example of a nostalgic game, deeply tied to its sound design. It uses its ambient music, paired with its immersive yet helpful sound effects to deliver a calm explorational experience to its player. As the player explores and expands within the game, they are accompanied by the quiet yet powerful soundscapes of musician C418’s soundtrack. This results in a strong association between the game and C418’s soundtrack, which causes Minecraft players to heavily connect their time in the game with the soundtrack.

While one of the most difficult aspects of a video game to pull off, sound design is a vital component, utilising its power to reinforce or modify the intended player experience. Sound design’s influence stretches even further than the game, creating bigger audiences for the artists, and creating memorable moments for games. Ensuring an indestructible bond between video games and their sound design is formed pushes both to their fullest potential. Creating powerful soundtracks that leave a lasting impression and soundscapes that immerse the player in the game, sound design is truly an undervalued masterpiece.