Sound in games:

Sound is important in video games for many reasons, one of which is that it evokes certain moods which the developers want the players to feel while playing their game. For instance in racing games often before a race begins fast paced electronic is music played because it gets the player in the mood to race, without this genre of music the player may feel less enthusiastic in playing the race and become uninterested in whats about to happen on screen.

However some players might prefer the ambient sounds of the car, having realistic sounds of car engines, exhausts, gear changes etc. Instead of racing games like Mario kart which lack this realism due to its style and target audience.

Comparison between car sounds in Forza Horizon 4.

Another use for sound is for action. Bad sound design in competitive games is highly impactful towards gameplay and its competitiveness , in a lot of these games sound is used to indicate many things, such as; player positions through their footsteps, doors opening, windows breaking etc, sound also indicates when a player is dead, injured or hit.

Sound in horror games is vital to a games success. For example Dead Space won many awards for its soundtrack because it created atmosphere just by using sound alone to build suspense. E.g. When you’re walking through the linear levels there won’t be any sound apart from the odd rumble or clank from the ship which makes you feel on edge, fully immersing the player. Most soundtracks are mainly instrumentals as developers feel that songs with any vocals may distract the player. Video game graphics have become more realistic over the years making them a lot similar to movies where they would also use sound for the same purposes as games.

Sound in TV: Netflix series Narcos.

Netflix series, Narcos intro song “Tuyo” goes deeper than your average introductory credits. Rodrigo Amarante composed “Tuyo” specifically for the series therefore the song captures everything the series is about. Narcos opening-credits sequence draws you in with galloping zebras, areal plane shots, and flashy images of the kingpins lifestyle. But its most compelling aspect is “Tuyo,” the smooth tango that plays over the montage. The melody of an acoustic guitar in Amarante’s song contrasts with the fact that Narcos is the story of Pablo Escobar, a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist, yet initially the song comes across as a romanic serenade, but its not until you pay close attention to the lyrics that you understand how narcissistic the songs really is.

Game Trailer : Battlefield 1.

The song heard in battlefield 1s reveal trailer is -Seven Nation Army produced by The White Stripes, the song consists of distorted vocals, a simple drumbeat, and a bass-like riff which Jack White created. The heavy bass heard in this Glitch Mob Remix combined with the brutal cinematics on screen is largely responsible for the trailers success as it shows the audience the gritty reality of warfare and the consequences brought with it whilst displaying what the game will consist of. This reveal trailer has been recorded as the most liked trailer to date (not just in the gaming industry).