How Important is Sound in Gaming?
“Video Games Live, AZ 2011” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by ShardsOfBlue
Sound is a key element of most games, whether you’re playing online, in your favorite casino, or on a games console. It adds to the immersion and creates more layers to the experience. The developers of the online versions of casino games, for example, have invested time in creating a powerful sound accompaniment.
The same can be said for the music and sound within video games. As technology has developed, this has become more immersive. Let’s explore the evolution of music and sound within gaming as we look at some of the best examples.
Replicating The Sound of The Casino Floor
The sounds you hear in a casino can enhance and add to your experience. In the online world, these traditional casino games have transformed. The accompanying sounds and music have played a big part in this. If you search for live blackjack on Bet365 or Party Casino, the sounds will help take you back to a memorable night out in a casino.
Casino games have also found a home on the more traditional consoles. Titles such as Four Kings Casino used the extra layer of audio immersion on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 to replicate that casino experience.
Enhancing The Console Gaming Experience
The sounds in our favorite video games have constantly been improving thanks to the technology now available to developers. Some gamers have even said that sound plays a key part in their overall experience. It allows them to immerse themselves in the world. The soundtrack for the first game in the Halo series, Halo: Combat Evolved, was composed and produced by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori and was praised by fans and reviewers. The praise for the soundtrack even spread to classical music websites, showing its quality.
Several other games have contained some truly memorable sounds and music. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the game is set in a world that provides a treat for all the senses. One reviewer praised the sound and proclaimed that it often feels like there’s a composer following you around the game’s universe. If you spend a short time playing either of the Red Dead Redemption titles, you will hear sounds that help you feel a part of the game’s setting.
The evolution of gaming sound
If you go back to a different era, the sounds and music within the triple-A titles were less technologically advanced but still praised by gamers. Final Fantasy VI is one of the best examples of this. First released in 1994, it has remained popular in retro gaming circles, and the soundtrack has retained a fanbase on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
It will be interesting to see how developers use sound in the future. Much is made of the ever-improving visuals on the latest consoles, but the sound of a game doesn’t quite get the same coverage. That is despite it being as important for many. With 3d surround sound now becoming more common in televisions, gamers will soon be able to immerse themselves in their favorite games like never before.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
