Audio in Gaming: The Power of Sound

When analysing video games, what do we look for? What stands out as the most important aspect of the gaming experience? The gameplay itself is of course the first step to a truly enjoyable game, be it an action-packed first person shooter, a point-and-click mystery or a classic adventure RPG. For me the Audio in Gaming is the most powerful aspect.

The graphics also come into heavy focus, as in this day and age we expect only the most refined, crisp looking game worlds to explore. Ragged textures, blocky characters and dreaded visual glitches (I’m looking at you, Bethesda) destroy the immersion we long for, and drag us kicking and screaming back into reality just as we truly start to believe that we are Dragonborn, or a Witcher on the hunt for a rogue griffin.

Personally I believe that the most important aspect of a game, the ultimate deciding factor between whether I pick it up once or twice then consign it to the trade-in pile or play it religiously until I’m fully versed on every character and can rehearse the lore like the greatest historians of the in-game universe, is the music and the audio in gaming.  If I can close my eyes and paint a portrait within my mind of the scene, I consider myself truly ensnared within the video game experience. In the midst of battle I can feel the weight of my armour upon my shoulders and smell the sharp tang of blood and steel, in moments of serenity I feel the cool breeze upon my face and hear the swaying of the trees as nature unfolds all around me. I am transported mind, body and soul to a medieval fantasy realm by the soft humming of strings, the heavy drums of war, and the occasional plucking of a harp. I am blasted into a futuristic dystopia by crashing synths and electronic notes which pulse and crackle with energy and suspense. Jeremy Soule placed a sword in my hand and the Thu’um in my voice in my quest to foil the machinations of Alduin the World Eater in Skyrim, while a multitude of composers came together to grant me command of the SSV Normandy and send me on the path to defeating the Reapers. Red Dead Redemption was also highly successful in this regard, with Bill Elm and Woody Jackson channelling the work of Ennio Morricone to bring the feeling of a true epic Western which could stand proudly next to Sergio Leone’s finest, while the crossing into Mexico to the tune of Jose Gonzalez’s Far Away stakes its claim as one of modern gaming’s landmark moments.

https://soundcloud.com/stephan-ls-caretrey/the-witcher-3-ost-sword-of-destiny-main-theme

If there is one game in particular which stands out amongst the rest for the ability of its score to bring you into the world however, it is surely The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Masterfully bringing together elements of traditional Polish folk music along with epic, sweeping Hollywood-esque orchestral majesty, and bringing in a Celtic/Nordic flavour upon reaching the shores of Skellige (a delightful touch, which given my Scottish and Irish roots was destined to succeed), the score never fails to invoke a sense of adventure within you and strengthens the bond between yourself and Geralt of Rivia. You feel a chill in your spine while navigating the eerie swamps of Velen, and you are left in awe as booming drums, clashing cymbals and a low, menacing string arrangement herald the coming of the Wild Hunt.

As the sound of a game draws you into the story and invests you in the culture of the setting, it also provides the most important aspect of your journey: emotion. Both joyous and tragic scenes can do a very good job of pulling your heartstrings on their own, but with the perfect musical accompaniment they can bring you to laughter and tears. Who can forget the haunting chorus of Gears of War 2 as Dom finally finds his beloved Maria, filled first with hope upon their sweet reunion and transitioning in an instant to horror then sadness as the true situation becomes apparent. Grown men and women around the world found themselves blinking away the tears as it built to the inevitable crescendo, ending sharply with the harsh blast of a single gunshot. An orchestral symphony and powerful choir are not always required for such moments, once again Epic Games crushed our hearts as the tragic tale of Dominic Santiago came to an end while the soft, daunting melody of Mad World played upon a lone piano stood out amongst the chaos. We too sought to join Marcus in a futile sprint to the flames, to save the man who had become our friend, our brother.

“As each character’s story begins and runs to its conclusion, the softly understated strings and woodwind carry us along peacefully.”

One game which relied heavily upon the score to provide a hefty emotional punch, and which succeeded greatly, is Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. While its minimalist gameplay has divided opinions across the land, no-one can deny that the soundtrack was beautifully written by Jessica Curry and brought a whirlwind of emotions into a game which also features outstanding visuals and a compelling story which enveloped players and invited them to explore the stunning village of Yaughton. As each character’s story begins and runs to its conclusion, the softly understated strings and woodwind carry us along peacefully, while the intense vocal work of Elin Manahan Thomas seems to pierce our very hearts and fill us with ethereal light. When the additional choir joins Thomas, we are lifted from our very bodies and float amongst the stars, feeling both elation and a deep sadness which somehow inhabit our cores in perfect harmony. Very few games can fill my belly with joyful warmth or make my heart ache with despair, fewer still leave me speechless and utterly overwhelmed. More than once during Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture I felt my eyes moisten and a lump rise in my throat; during the game’s climax I was near-inconsolable.

During any discussion regarding the use of music in video games, one cannot fail to mention those games where the soundtrack is intrinsic to the gameplay itself. The obvious examples which spring to mind are the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series, where the quality and playability are largely measured in the songs chosen to play along to. Harmonix have been very clever in this regard with each new Rock Band game offering the option to download the entire playlists of previous entries, while the GHTV feature included in the latest Guitar Hero ensures that gamers will never lack for new tunes to strum along to. The importance of a fun song listing is also paramount with dance titles such as Dance Dance Revolution and Just Dance, as no one wants to jive along to a dull beat and the target audience expects the freshest new tracks to grace each new instalment.

Moving away from classic rhythm action games, I find it truly impressive how certain game designers implement music into their titles in new, fresh ways. The original SSX featured a nifty dynamic sound system, where the in-game music would fade or intensify depending upon the player’s performance. One must also draw attention to Double Fine’s Brutal Legend, a delicious tribute to all things rock and metal, where the game’s meaty soundtrack is built in part through collecting songs during gameplay. If you are as big a fan of all things heavy as myself, you will go out of your way to ensure your collection is complete with contributions from all corners of the metal landscape ranging from legends like Motorhead and Black Sabbath to more recent powerhouses such as Mastodon and melodic death metal kings Children of Bodom.

OneBigGame, the first ever non-profit video game publisher, produced an absolute gem in the form of Chime, a Tetris-style block-dropping game where each level is based around a song which builds with each new block placed upon the screen. Starting with the basic beat, you are compelled to complete the round as quickly as possible in order to enjoy the eclectic mix of tunes, provided by a range of artists including Philip Glass, Moby and Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly. The Windows release of the game even featured a cameo from Still Alive, the endlessly endearing and infectiously catchy song featured in the ending credits of Portal. The tremendous soundtrack combined with the fact that all purchases of the game see the proceeds donated to charity means I cannot recommend this game enough.

The true king of musical gameplay and audio in gaming however is undoubtedly Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the man who brought us both Rez and its sequel Child of Eden. To refer to both as games is a staggering under-exaggeration; these are life experiences. Both share the premise of simulated synaesthesia, which for those unfamiliar with the term is a neurological phenomenon which can lead to, amongst other things, one being able to associate certain sounds with colours. In essence, synaesthesia allows you to ‘see’ music as it is played. The destruction of enemies produces additional musical elements in time with the base beat of each stage as well as explosions of colour, leading to an intense visual and sonic experience. Child of Eden takes this concept and runs away with it, turning everything up to eleven and sending the player on a mind-bending trip (interpret my choice of words however you see fit).

Be it to immerse the player in the world the developers have created, to provoke intense emotional responses or to supplement the gameplay in a fundamental way, the importance of music in today’s video game industry cannot be denied. Whether it be a long-running series, a brand new IP or even an indie game, without the perfect musical accompaniment a game simply cannot be considered a true masterpiece. Which video games do you consider to have truly exceptional scores which allow them to stand out amongst the pack? Which games do you feel could have been much better with the right soundtrack? Opinions are like noses, and I would love to hear yours!