Week 7
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The sound design in a video game is a crucial element that can significantly enhance a player’s experience. It can set the tone, create an atmosphere, and immerse the player into the game’s world. From the sound of a sword being unsheathed in Skyrim to the iconic “rupee” pickup sound in Legend of Zelda, sound design can make or break one’s experience in a game.
Skyrim
Take Skyrim, for example. Skyrim is an open-world action RPG set in a cold and rugged region of Tamriel. Players take on the role of the Dragonborn, a hero tasked with defeating Alduin, a powerful dragon seeking to destroy the world. The game features characters creation like sims, progression, crafting, and numerous activities to explore. Its sound design is incredible, and is one of the things that make it so immersive. The game’s environment sounds, like the rustling of leaves, the sound of water, and the howling of the wind, all add to the game’s atmosphere. The sound effects of the spells and weapons are also spot-on, making you feel like a powerful mage or a skilled warrior. The soundtrack, composed by Jeremy Soule, is just beautiful and helps create an epic feel that matches the game’s scope.
Something funny about Skyrim is the music is so intense and creates a feeling in you to immediately get on edge. For example, sometimes the game will glitch and battle music starts playing out of nowhere, so it’s as if all your senses combine, convinced there is a giant, dragon or some other enemy nearby.
Legend of Zelda
Another game with excellent sound design is Legend of Zelda. The sound effects are iconic and have become a part of gaming culture and it’s forever made its mark in the world. The sound of Link finding a hidden item, or the familiar sound of a heart container pickup, all contribute to the game’s nostalgia factor. The music is also a significant part of the game, with each new area having its unique soundtrack that helps to set the tone and atmosphere. Most anyone can recognize the “hyuuaa… HHYYAAA” noise he makes when he strikes with his sword.
Pokémon
Pokemon is another game with intricate sound design. The sound effects of the different Pokemon are unique, and each one has a distinct cry. This distinct cry is something that makes the game quite unique, I’ve attached a clip below for you to check it out. Just watch a couple of seconds.
The audio plays a big role in battles, with the music changing when a player enters a battle and intensifying when the battle heats up. The music is also memorable, I always find myself still humming the catchy battle theme after all these years.
Bad examples
On the other hand, games with poor sound design can take the player out of the experience. Resident Evil is a prime example of this. The sound effects are often exaggerated, making the game’s atmosphere seem cheesy instead of scary or cool. The voice acting is also infamous for being poorly executed and taking players out of the game’s immersion. Skyrim’s Oblivion voice acting is so poor that it’s actually a really good laugh, here is a clip of a big fail where the voice actor goes “let me do that one again”
In conclusion, sound design is an essential element of video games. It can make a good game great or a bad game unbearable. Games like Skyrim, Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon are examples of games that have excellent sound design, creating an immersive experience that players love. Games like a couple of Resident Evil games or Oblivion show the importance of sound design done right and how it can negatively affect the player’s experience. So in the end it’s important for game developers to pay close attention to sound design and create a soundscape that complements the game’s atmosphere and helps to immerse the player in the game’s world. Sound is awesome.
Vivian is 23 years old, currently studying Digital Content Creation. She specializes in Digital Design & enjoys all forms of art.
She dedicates her time to creating her own forms of art and collaborating with other artists and individuals to execute art projects.