Exploring Audio in Video Games

   It takes many positives for a game to be considered great. Very rarely we read a game magazine and see that a new video game receives a rating of 10 out of 10. This goes to show that fans and the people who rate these games are very picky, much like movie critics. In order for a game to be considered great or to receive that 10 out of 10, it must have excellent audio elements along with excellent gameplay. These audio elements include voice acting, musical score, sound effects, and ambient effects.
   Think of the many classic sounds that you know by heart. Can you whistle or hum any of the tunes from Super Mario Brothers? Do you remember the noise an enemy in Donkey Kong Country makes when you jump on its head? Those are just some of the many classic sounds that you remember, this is because they fit perfectly into the game.
  What happens when sounds don't fit into the game? What happens if voice acting is terrible or the audio is sub-par? When audio elements are not handled with care, it changes how we feel about a game. It may mean the difference between a game becoming a heralded classic or just another title. If a game is excellent, what audio aspects make it great? Does great audio lead to higher levels of immersion and realism?  We will now explore some game audio and experience the bad as well as the good.
   Bad voice acting: Since video game sound is trying to increase the feeling of realism, the player has ideas of what characters should sound like based on the plot of the game or the scenario you are put into. If you are playing a WWII game and are overhearing a Nazi soldier speaking, he should not possess a Jamaican accent. If you are speaking to a dying friend on the battlefield, he should not be upbeat and speaking fluidly. If you were completely immersed in a WWII game and came upon audio that didn't match up, this would ruin the experience. Here is an example of bad voice acting in video games that ruins your level of immersion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRhDmUzWuBI
   Excellent ambient sounds: Most video games take place in areas or worlds that have unique and identifiable sounds. From the cities in Grand Theft Auto to the battlefield in Call Of Duty, these games have believable and realistic ambient sounds. Ambiance adds to your level of immersion. Hearing explosions in the northeast sector of a building make it more believable that you are actually in a war-zone. Here is a link that lets you experience the sounds of a battlefield in Call of Duty. The distant gunshots, crackling of fire, and ringing of alarms makes it a realistic battlefield audio experience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVi612cEf4I
  So, after hearing unrealistic bad audio and realistic good audio, it is clear that audio does matter. Audio can make the game an all around immersive experience, or pull the player out of their state of immersion by lack of good or realistic audio. Some examples of recent releases that have great audio elements are Fallout: New Vegas, Bioshock 2, and Batman: Arkham City. All of these games are highly respected titles.