# Games with best sound design...music and sound effects?



## JLiRD808

Just started getting into gaming with quality headphones on. Wow what a difference > !!
   
  So can anyone suggest any games that just suck you in with their super realistic/beautiful sound/design? Been playing Assassins Creed 2, EA NHL Hockey, Fallout 3, and COD: World at War & MW1 (<-lol)...I'm not a huge gamer. 
   
  I think it was even just the menu music of Nazi Zombies with a pair of SRH-840's that gave me that HOLY crap moment of revelation...now I want some more LOL!
   
  I prefer FPS or 3rd person games for that added immersion. 
   
  Are there "Gaming Awards" for "Best Sound" etc? Maybe I can look that way too....


----------



## Softdrink 117

When you say 'sound design,' are you referring to overall sound quality (OST, sfx, pacing, etc.) or are you referring to surround sound and positional audio? Or do you mean both?
   
  Also, if you're looking for recommendations, it'd be helpful to know what system(s) you play on.
   
  For example, I play on PC, and use an ASUS Xonar Essence STX audio card to interpret Dolby 7.1 signals from my games into Dolby Headphone virtual surround. This is probably a different setup than what you're using, and it can make a huge difference when it comes to positional audio. When I play on 360 I just use stereo; I've had some very memorable experiences playing that way as well, but there's a big difference when compared to my computer.
   
  Off the top of my head, I really enjoyed Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dishonored, Black Mesa, and Bastion (all on PC) for overall audio design.


----------



## Hellbishop

Skyrim,Oblivion,Morrowind, Daggerfall (free to download,quite old first person rpg but very immersive audio), and of course Fallout 3 all by Bethesda.
   
  Fallout New Vegas by Obsidian. Now thats its totally patched all the problems which plagued it on release are pretty much non-existent allowing one to fully enjoy it for the masterpiece that it is.
   
  Borderlands 2, Diablo III ( you'll need a constant online connection though), Clive Barkers Undying (fantastic old first person horror game with top notch creepy audio work), Bulletstorm, Crysis 2, Doom 3, F.E.A.R. series,Quake and Quake 4,Left4Dead 1 and 2, The Witcher 1 and 2, Starcraft 2, Dawn Of War 2, Dragon Age, Divinity II Ego Draconis, Blood, Painkiller series.


----------



## NamelessPFG

The Thief series is my gold standard for good sound design in videogames. That goes for both positioning and the atmosphere set by the sound effects.
   
  While the quality of sound samples used in games seems to be going up, actual positioning is taking a nosedive. I blame the prevalence of audio middleware with software mixers in the game development market for that; things used to be so much better back when A3D, DirectSound3D, and OpenAL were still in common use.


----------



## IzzyAxel

Amnesia: The Dark Descent


----------



## Hellbishop

Quote: 





namelesspfg said:


> The Thief series is my gold standard for good sound design in videogames. That goes for both positioning and the atmosphere set by the sound effects.
> 
> While the quality of sound samples used in games seems to be going up, actual positioning is taking a nosedive. I blame the prevalence of audio middleware with software mixers in the game development market for that; things used to be so much better back when A3D, DirectSound3D, and OpenAL were still in common use.


 
   
  Yea they really kicked the pooched with Skyrim when it came to 2.0 stereo. Unless one sets up their 2.0 rig for 5.1 in audio settings to get that missing center channel voices will be too low and their will be dropouts which is a major bummer considering how fantastic the audio work for Skyrim is.
   
  Thief is amazing. Someone on the Elder Scrolls Forums once gave a link to the free soundtrack and i was blown away with its ambient detail especially when using it as background music while exploring the creepy dungeons of The Elder Scrolls Oblivion.


----------



## JLiRD808

Yeah Im just 2.0 stereo running off a Fio on PS3.
   
  Another site I was on said Battlefield 3 had great sound (maybe won an award?). Just grabbed it online for like $20 lol.
   
  And Softdrink...I guess when I say "sound design", I mean everything. I know thats complicated. That's why when a game has it ALL nailed...its just amazing. I hate when an aspect of the audio pulls you OUT of the game, like poor "position" or levels at just awkward volumes. 
   
  Here's an example....an archer was flinging arrow after arrow at me on the rooftops of Vienna in AC2. I can hear him stretch the bow, release the arrow, and the sound of the arrow flying thru the air....very nice! BUT...I was hiding behind a lil chimney thing and the arrows were hitting it...without making a SOUND!! Kinda bugged me...the arrows were deflecting right by my head!! The bells should have been ringing here and there in AC2 also...all those beautiful bell towers and NOT....ONE....RINGING....BELL....!!! LOL...
   
  Also, didn't GTA4 have great "positioning" and atmosphere? I only had HD280's back then or just played thru the TV speakers.
   
  Anyways...thanks for the suggestions!!


----------



## NamelessPFG

If BF3 is anything like BF:BC2, the sound effect samples used are great, but the positioning is terrible. Can't tell where sounds are coming from no matter what sound settings I use.
   
  Meanwhile, BF1942, BF:Vietnam, BF2, and BF2142 have good sound effects (though I wouldn't mind a sound mod derived from the later games) and excellent positioning. No surprises as to why...BF1942 and BF:V use DS3D, BF2 and BF2142 use OpenAL.


----------



## Softdrink 117

I rarely play PS3 titles anymore (actually to be totally honest I rarely play anything that isn't a shmup anymore), but I remember really enjoying the immersive aspects of the sound design in MGS4. It has a brilliant soundtrack, some of the best dubbing work (in both languages) of any game I've ever played, unique and unbelievably detailed sound effects for every weapon and area... Really it just blew me away. I have no idea if you're a fan of the Metal Gear series (they're _really _not for everyone, that game in particular), and it's _not_ worth checking out for audio quality alone, but I was quite impressed when I first played it.
   
  I haven't played it in a very long time, and so I can't comment on positioning, but most of the Metal Gear games have _very _good positional cues.
   
  I understand what you mean by 'everything' though. One of the games I mentioned-- Bastion-- isn't even a game which allows movement in 3 dimensions. I don't believe it has any positional cues at all, because it doesn't need them. But it has unbelievably good sound design, and every aspect-- especially the narration-- really fits the overall experience.


----------



## PurpleAngel

Quote: 





jlird808 said:


> Yeah Im just 2.0 stereo running off a Fio on PS3.
> 
> Another site I was on said Battlefield 3 had great sound (maybe won an award?). Just grabbed it online for like $20 lol.
> 
> ...


 
  Maybe it's time to invest in a low cost (like used) receiver that comes with Dolby & DTS. connect it to the PS3 using optical and plug your headphones into the receiver.
  The PS3 can send 5.1 surround sound audio to the receiver and hopefully the receiver comes with headphone surround sound processing.
  Almost all Yamaha receivers come with headphone surround sound.
  Check your local Craigslist or eBay.


----------



## Evshrug

purpleangel said:


> Maybe it's time to invest in a low cost (like used) receiver that comes with Dolby & DTS. connect it to the PS3 using optical and plug your headphones into the receiver.
> The PS3 can send 5.1 surround sound audio to the receiver and hopefully the receiver comes with headphone surround sound processing.
> Almost all Yamaha receivers come with headphone surround sound.
> Check your local Craigslist or eBay.




Worked with my Yamaha! But I haven't heard it in over a month, my little recon3D is serving till I don't have to have most of my fun stuff packed in the basement. Should be starting a new job though next week, hopefully I can move soon!

Adding to games others have mentioned, on the Xbox360, I also loved the sound for Bioshock, Halo: Reach (IMO better sound than CoD games, unless you hate energy weapons), Metro 2033 (freaked me out in an awesome way!), Dead Space 1&2, Alan Wake, and Mass Effect (each one got a little better IMO). Just off the top of my head. For PC, I also want to say Starcraft II is awesome. Positional cues are only in the gorgeous cutscenes, but the sound design overall is well done (and cool, imho).


----------



## Ojsinnerz

How about the Silent Hill games? SH2 is on PC, and although the textures look obviously outdated, it still looks fine. Akira Yamaoka is a great composer, and the music is just simply great. Moody and full of atmosphere.
 Shadows of the Damned is also by Yamaoka, and also sounds fantastic. This one's on consoles only though.


----------



## JLiRD808

Quote: 





purpleangel said:


> Maybe it's time to invest in a low cost (like used) receiver that comes with Dolby & DTS. connect it to the PS3 using optical and plug your headphones into the receiver.
> The PS3 can send 5.1 surround sound audio to the receiver and hopefully the receiver comes with headphone surround sound processing.
> Almost all Yamaha receivers come with headphone surround sound.
> Check your local Craigslist or eBay.


 
  Nice....I'll look into that.
   
  Do I have to worry about the headphone outs not being powerful enough to push high ohm headphones?
   
  Also, dont I need surround sound capable headphones too then? Thought I saw some for sale at Gamestop but didnt even try em on.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## Softdrink 117

NO. You do not want 'gaming surround' headphones or anything like that. These are usually, if not always, massive gimmicks designed to take advantage of people who don't know about virtual surround and Dolby Headphone.

Basically you want two things: A decoder of some sort that will interpret the audio output from the console (usually this is a DAC, or some kind of receiver or combo box, like the Yamaha recommendation), and a pair of headphones. Usually you'll want headphones that are known for having a large soundstage and good instrument separation, as these features translate well into positional accuracy and directionality in gaming.

Read Mad Lust's headphone gaming guide; it's an incredible resource if you want to get into the Dolby Headphone side of gaming audio. Really just read it. It's the most popular thread in this subforum by a huge margin, with good reason.


----------



## Vuroth

Quote:  





> One of the games I mentioned-- Bastion-- ...has unbelievably good sound design, and every aspect-- especially the narration-- really fits the overall experience.


 
  +1


----------



## Sweets2TheSweet

Modern - Metal Gear Solid 4
   
  Throwback - Castlevania 1 through SotN


----------



## jlaseter

Castlevania Lords of Shadow's soundtrack really stood out, but Skyrim FLOORED me when it came to listening on headphones through my Yamaha surround sound receiver!
   
  What I wanna know is whether the new Playstation/Xbox will support the absurdly high-bitrates of DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD.


----------



## MorbidToaster

While I haven't heard it first hand I can say from owning the OST and just watching YouTube clips (and reading tons of reviews) that Halo 4 is definitely on this list. Every halfway decent review has mentioned the sound design being fantastic and I've loved the OST for it (both the remix disc and the OST).
   
  My copy is in my house waiting for me to get home after work and I'll be able to confirm first hand.


----------



## NamelessPFG

Quote: 





jlaseter said:


> Castlevania Lords of Shadow's soundtrack really stood out, but Skyrim FLOORED me when it came to listening on headphones through my Yamaha surround sound receiver!
> 
> What I wanna know is whether the new Playstation/Xbox will support the absurdly high-bitrates of DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD.


 
   
  I'm sure the current consoles can handle the bitrates, but that storage is the issue at hand to hold the music recordings. (Well, maybe not the PS3 and Wii U, but the X360 just uses standard DVDs...)
   
  I get the impression that most game developers aren't audiophiles anyway and see sound as something to just get done and out of the way while they put more effort into fancy visual shader effects. It's hard enough to get downloadable FLAC soundtracks for video games, for starters...
   
  Also, now that I think about it, I wouldn't be pushing for either Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA, but ambisonic B-format in their place. No channel limitations that way, just a 3D soundfield.


----------



## seb UK

Quote: 





evshrug said:


> Worked with my Yamaha! But I haven't heard it in over a month, my little recon3D is serving till I don't have to have most of my fun stuff packed in the basement. Should be starting a new job though next week, hopefully I can move soon!
> Adding to games others have mentioned, on the Xbox360, I also loved the sound for Bioshock, Halo: Reach (IMO better sound than CoD games, unless you hate energy weapons), Metro 2033 (freaked me out in an awesome way!), Dead Space 1&2, Alan Wake, and Mass Effect (each one got a little better IMO). Just off the top of my head. For PC, I also want to say Starcraft II is awesome. Positional cues are only in the gorgeous cutscenes, but the sound design overall is well done (and cool, imho).


 
  Agree that Bioshock is up there. There are several moments in that game where the sound design is just brilliant - mainly in a creepy, shivers down your spine, kind of way. The scene I'm thinking of is in the room with white paint everywhere and (I think from memory) corpses at a dining room table. There is also a section of the game where the antagonist is talking to you over a loud speaker with this eerie kind of reverb. The attention to detail on his voice (as well as the top notch voice acting) totally immersed me in the game.
   
  The game with the best sound design I've ever heard is Battlefield Bad Company 2. Yep even better than Battlefield 3 (although they are pretty close). Tanks sound like heavy metal war machines, rifles crack in the air, and explosions create that deep sub bass that bottom out your sub, like they were designed for! If you watch interviews with the Swedish dude who led the sound development - it becomes pretty clear why it is so good. The guy knows his stuff.


----------



## s1rrah

I second the Skyrim reference ... damn good 5.1 design ... there's also quite a few good extra "mods" you can apply which improve the sound greatly ... specifically ambient/environmental sounds in outdoor areas ... 
   
  Also, Borderlands 2 is a _*joy*_ regarding sound design (and just about every other game design discipline) ... it's truly a stellar bit of craftsmanship and game play ... most fun I've had in about 10 years. I'm sure the awards will flow for years; it's a truly outstanding bit of production (sound/game mechanics/combat system and especially the art direction and visual design...just a gorgeous bit of work) ... 
   
  I game quite regularly ... generally about an hour or two a day and way too many hours on the weekends ... my preferred means of play is my dedicated, desktop 5.1 speaker system ... a now aging but still PHENOMENALLY good sounding kit that at one time shipped with higher end Dell turn-key systems, the ADA995 surround system ... I bought this *RIDICULOUSLY* good sounding kit from a local computer wholesaler for a measly **$80.00** ... LOL ... about six years ago and it's still rocking like a CHAMP ... a super good sounding (separate mid/tweets in the satellites) and really throaty bit of kit ...
   
  But I also share a house with two other  humans and so I can't always use my speakers (differing schedules and what  not) ... and during those rather frequent times when speakers won't fly ... I instead use this rather impressive bit of headphone gear released by Cooler Master a bit back ... the Storm Sirius 5.1 headphones .. 
   
  Seriously, there's a reason I turn a simple reply into a veritable infomercial on the merits of the Sirius 5.1 cans ... and that's cause they kick serious arse., Seriously ... if you spend some time in game tweaking the various settings in the Sirius control panel ... you can get some really freakish and good 5.1 surround sound out of these things ... mind you, they are *true* 5.1 cans with dedicated front/back/sub speakers in each cup ... at default settings they are quite fun and good but after you spend some time tweaking the various settings (mostly regarding bass response) then they  become insanely good. This is definitely no software trickery or otherwise "Dolby" sort of trickery (which I find effective too and quite fun but no where near the true physical sense of space I get from the Sirius cans) ...
   
  They are clunky, rich in plastic content, have lights that light up and what not, but they seriously work:
   
  ...
   

   
   
  ...
   
  Sorry.
   
  PSA over ... nobody asked for all that but I've been so impressed with these things over the past six months or so that I figured I'd pontificate a bit. Cause I'm *real* picky when it comes to my computer gear and *especially* sound ,.. and pontificating aside? They are really worth checking out ... 
   
  ROCK!


----------



## Greed

+1 for Skyrim
   
  I also enjoyed both Bioshock 1 & 2, they both had a great soundtrack, ambiance, and FXs. Other games that I really appreciated their sounds and FXs are Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dishonored, Grand Theft Auto 4, Mass Effect 2, and Batman: Arkham City.


----------



## ninjapirate9901

A bit late to the thread but the best sound design I have heard in a game in recent memory would be NFS Shift II. I don't think there has been a more visceral approach to sound in a racing game, everything else just sounds quiet and tame in comparison. Bloody fantastic.


----------



## MistrDave

I haven't seen it mentioned, but Uncharted 3 has fantastic sound design throughout. Enjoyable on headphones, but even more so on a home setup for the sense of impact.


----------



## benbenkr

Can't belive no one mentioned Dead Space and Dead Space 2... the amount of sound effects going through in these games are just jaw dropping (and bone chilling).
  MGS4 has one of the best design in audio this generation, no doubt about that.
   
  Heavy Rain is pretty good too, realistic in the sense that if a paper ruffles then IT IS a paper that ruffles, not a plastic bag. Rain tapping on the window IS rain tapping on the window, not on plastic. Something which many games just fail to replicate.


----------



## catspaw

I personally have been impressed by the sound in Just Cause 2 (especially the water effects) on my HE-400.
  I enjoy most of the need for speed games, mass effect and my old time favorite summoner 1 (if you played summoner 1 single player, you know tis some quality soundtrack)


----------



## thecourier

Far Cry 3 and Skyrim, both have astounding sound effects.


----------



## Pudu

seb uk said:


> ...
> 
> The game with the best sound design I've ever heard is Battlefield Bad Company 2. Yep even better than Battlefield 3 (although they are pretty close). Tanks sound like heavy metal war machines, rifles crack in the air, and explosions create that deep sub bass that bottom out your sub, like they were designed for! If you watch interviews with the Swedish dude who led the sound development - it becomes pretty clear why it is so good. The guy knows his stuff.




BC2 sound was excellent. The positional aspect of it was better than any game I've heard, and the sound was in some cases better than the visual for locating players. BF3 is several steps down. The sound effects are exciting but all smear together in a great mishmash cacophony that isn't very useful.


----------



## NamelessPFG

Quote: 





pudu said:


> BC2 sound was excellent. The positional aspect of it was better than any game I've heard, and the sound was in some cases better than the visual for locating players. BF3 is several steps down. The sound effects are exciting but all smear together in a great mishmash cacophony that isn't very useful.


 
   
  I still don't quite get it. Some people are impressed with the positional audio mixing in the Frostbite engine Battlefield games, but I think it's just not good. Explosion effects seem pre-panned, and there's no real distinction in direction regardless of what headphone surround tech you use. Mad Lust Envy agrees, so it seems to affect the PC and console versions alike.
   
  BF1942 through BF2142 had excellent positional audio thanks to the DirectSound3D and OpenAL APIs, and even more modern games that use software audio mixing, like Dead Island and PlanetSide 2, do positional audio far better than BF:BC2 to my ears.
   
  I wouldn't mind a mod to bring the BF:BC2 sound effect samples to the earlier games, though. They do sound cinematic and meaty. Problem is, knowing how the Refractor engine tends to be with mods, you'd probably have to not only make it server-side, but require that all connecting clients have it. Or it might set off PunkBuster because the client has modified files...


----------



## Pudu

That's funny, because, for me, what you describe sounds like BF3. For whatever reason I loved the sounds in BC2. We spent a LOT of time trying to take each others' tags and I was completely dependant on the directional sounds on congested maps like Oasis. I knew what kits my friends favoured and could identify the different types of guns and practically which window they were firing from. I ended up with 3x more of their tags and I attribute much of that to paying attention to the sounds. (I was using STX + 880s.) 

BF3 is a cinematic but muddy mess of canned sound.


----------



## Niteblooded

The game that stands out the most for me is Metroid Prime.   This song just pulled me in while I was exploring the frozen tundra, but the other songs pulled me in as well - like the sea stage.  The music may sound slow outside of the game especially to someone who has never played MP but it really fits the environments you were exploring. 
   





   
  Next up would be Bioshock, the whole game was great for setting up the atmosphere.  Skyrim and Dishonored are good as well, and actually a few songs during the MW2 Special OPS missions pulled me in as well ...bridge mission I remember the most.
   
  Quote: 





namelesspfg said:


> I still don't quite get it. Some people are impressed with the positional audio mixing in the Frostbite engine Battlefield games, but I think it's just not good. Explosion effects seem pre-panned, and there's no real distinction in direction regardless of what headphone surround tech you use.


 
   
  Quote: 





pudu said:


> BF3 is a cinematic but muddy mess of canned sound.


 
  Agree - I played on the PC with both speakers and cans and directional audio was a mess and its like the sound effects were an after thought.


----------



## catspaw

Hmm maybe im getting this wrong but for me "best" sound design is when the soundtrack is great.
  Generally the effects are enought level since year 2000 (gmaes like unreal tournament GOTY come to mind), and it depends more on how much time the sound team has to deliver the most refined sounds.


----------



## Niteblooded

I think that is why the OP specified both music and sound effects.  Many games go to great lengths to create immersive sounds specific to their game.  I think music is one of the best ways to set the stage.  If someone in your house is watching a horror flick, chances are you can tell before you even walk in the room or hear the first scream.
   
  Here is a good video of how the creators of the new Tomb Raider are handling both music and sound effects.
   




   
  Not sure if it will embed correctly so here is a straight link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5-W1l9uzko
   
   
  Anyhow, another reason sound effects have so much effect is you can tell which game someone is referencing by the sound byte they throw up.  To use Metroid as an example, if i put a wav clip of a Metroid making its distinct noise anyone who ever played Metroid would know the game.  Or to use something more generic, a game can distinguish what is blowing up by different clips instead of using the same explosion sound for everything that can blow up.  Then you throw directional volume/audio into the mix and it adds another level of immersion, especially when the quality of the sound effects are top notch.


----------



## UnknownAX

Mirror's Edge ftw! Great sound design, music is so-so...


----------



## AltairDusk

Penumbra: Overture if you want to scare the crap out of yourself.  (I still haven't finished it, someday)


----------



## kalinov

Kind of old school, but for me, Diablo I is the staple for audio atmosphere.  Walking those dark tunnels and chambers and hearing the devilish but perfect soundtrack is amazing.
   
  I got my first pair of Stax Gamma earspeakers this weekend and am currently gathering ideas for atmospheric games to revisit.  This thread is exactly what I was looking for.


----------



## beertots

I wouldn't say BF:BC2's sound is realistic but it is very immersive. The lack of an OST brings a real focus to the sound of a large playing field. It was nice to hear the distant 3d effects at your six o'clock or a muffled explosion FAR from where you're looking.


----------



## Stantecks

Recent Elder Scrolls games are already amazing in terms of immersion and their OST (praise Jeremy Soule).  With the extensive modding community, it has the potential to fit anybody's "ideal" game sound.


----------



## kalinov

I read that there are mods for Skyrim which enhance the sound (which is already great in terms of quality and immersion).  Does anyone know of such mods?


----------



## Fegefeuer

Funny thing is how often DICE bragged about their software engine and in the case of BF3 even hyped it to death. Sure, the recordings are great but there is so much prebaking going on, especially with sounds just "playing" without having a direction, no matter how you turn your head. That's just pathetic but people are unfortunately easily fooled. 
   
  Fortunately the new consoles will bring hardware audio back and from the hardware/performance potential there is more to get/have than Creative could ever dream of. Now it's up to the devs to utilize this power.
   
http://www.vgleaks.com/durango-sound-of-tomorrow/


----------



## guun

Wind Waker has one of the most immersive and cohesive soundtracks imo
  The title theme, Outset Island, and Dragon Roost Island are god-teir


----------



## HiFiGamer1995

Killzone 2 and 3 have pretty great sound design. Sound Quality is about as good as it gets on consoles, and the surround sound is phenomenal!


----------



## Fegefeuer

This is true. Killzone is doing more (excluding some other Sony exclusives) than all the games in the last 6 years after hardware audio kinda died. 
   
  Now at least MS is going the same route hardware-wise with their next xbox and games run their audio on dedicated hardware.
   
  The only question is: *How will this translate to the PC?*


----------



## tmugt

For the PS3, I would recommend playing the Uncharted series. For me it felt as if I were in a movie.


----------



## jonyoo

For FPS, I would recommend Battlefield Bad Company2. I just remember it having such fun sound although the gameplay wasn't as good as the Call of Duty series.


----------



## wmf

fegefeuer said:


> Funny thing is how often DICE bragged about their software engine and in the case of BF3 even hyped it to death. Sure, the recordings are great but there is so much prebaking going on, especially with sounds just "playing" without having a direction, no matter how you turn your head. That's just pathetic but people are unfortunately easily fooled.
> 
> Fortunately the new consoles will bring hardware audio back and from the hardware/performance potential there is more to get/have than Creative could ever dream of. Now it's up to the devs to utilize this power.
> 
> http://www.vgleaks.com/durango-sound-of-tomorrow/


 
 there is prebaking and stuff, but with a good audio setup, those weapon sounds are pretty sick.  id also like to make mention of Metro Last Light.... great audio.  Fear 3 as well.


----------



## Ghaunty22

Having converted my PC primarily for music, I just use my monitors rather then an expensive 5.1 setup. I converted to 2.0 primarily as I hate 5.1 for home theatre & found the same for gaming.
Never liked headphones for on-line gaming or scary horror games. They feel more revealing but more claustrophobic & smothering . I like my ears free & space between my speakers. My neighbours can hear my playing CS:S while I hear footsteps.

My idea of good games with sound design was Far Cry with the insects & atmosphere of a jungle. The way the sound of a waterfall would realistically diminish with distance. I haven't played much newer made games since 07 So maybe times have changed & games have gotten far better?

I recently went back to some old stuff like Dark Fall - The Journal. The atmosphere is great & scary. Surprisingly the sounds in 2.0 can literally sound like their from behind.

I felt crysis 2 had some of the sharpest clarity in all the sounds. I was astounded with my monitors.

Amnesia seems like the game to play in 5.1 over 2.0.


----------



## rockman2219

For me it was always the Zero that made me feel uncomfortable with just its audio effects.
  
 Guns in BF3 sounds really good but I noticed that they are not very good in letting you immerse in the environment, you will always need to look at the visual cue about where the gun fired at you or look at the mini map.
  
 I still remember when COD MW first came out, I could runaway from grenades by just listening where it had landed. Very impressive.


----------



## uziyourillusion

Dont know if this was mentioned, but Black Mesa Source mod for Half Life 2, which is a Source recreation of Half Life 1. The sound and music are absolutely phenomenal. 
 Have a listen and check out their homepage, the game is free if you download steam and install the source sdk I believe.
  
http://joelnielsen.bandcamp.com/ - lossless audio clips check out #11
  
http://www.blackmesasource.com/


----------



## vid

catspaw said:


> Hmm maybe im getting this wrong but for me "best" sound design is when the soundtrack is great.
> Generally the effects are enought level since year 2000 (gmaes like unreal tournament GOTY come to mind), and it depends more on how much time the sound team has to deliver the most refined sounds.


 
  
 I'm still waiting for realistic synthesized-on-the-fly sound effects and speech that accurately consider not only the physical properties and orientations of the objects interacting but the architecture, objects, and materials of the scene through which the sound waves bounce both directly and indirectly towards the listener. Didn't have this in 2000 and I doubt we'll have it by 2020, either.


----------



## jonyoo

One that really impressed me back in 2010 was the soundFX from BF Bad Company 2. I played CoD Modern Warfare 2 and BF Bad Company 2 during the same time and while going back and forth from each game, I wished that there was a game with gameplay as fun as CoD with sound as good as BF. Both were really fun in their own way.
  
 Games off the source engine, the FEAR series, and Crysis series were quite enjoyable as well. Wish I had time now to play as much as I did back then.


----------



## reddyxm

The Journey soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy.


----------



## didactandnarpet

Always really liked the atmosphere of the Dead Space series.  I was rather impressed with the sound design and quality all around.  Whether it be the sound of something clanging in the background or something scurrying overhead.  It never failed to put you on edge.


----------



## PraetorXyn

namelesspfg said:


> The Thief series is my gold standard for good sound design in videogames. That goes for both positioning and the atmosphere set by the sound effects.
> 
> While the quality of sound samples used in games seems to be going up, actual positioning is taking a nosedive. I blame the prevalence of audio middleware with software mixers in the game development market for that; things used to be so much better back when A3D, DirectSound3D, and OpenAL were still in common use.


 
 Came in here to post this.
  
 Also, Amnesia: The Dark Descent. You have to edit the .ini file to get surround sound working, but it really makes a huge difference in that game.
 If you played that game on mute it wouldn't even be half as creepy.


----------



## AxelCloris

I quite liked the sound design in the Batman: Arkham City GOTY edition.


----------

