Hey guys, the attention you guys are giving to game audio, both artistical and technical is not only very fun but also very important. I think a lot of people don’t realize how important sound and music is to a game (or movie) experience. As a composer and sound engineer i love this is being brought to more people’s attention! Amazing work! Keep it up! Edit: Penny’s Big Breakaway as a runner-up! I was actually the mixing and mastering engineer on that game! Nice!
4:35 just getting a passing mention, especially juxtaposed next to something incredible like Silent Hill, is honestly incredible. 🙏🏻 this was a pleasant and wonderful surprise. 😅the minute ‘Saturn’ was mentioned I felt very seen. Saturn is such a strong inspiration for everything it’s heartening to know it didn’t go unnoticed. (Funny fact: The initial movement of the fighter was inspired in part by the spaceship in the dashboard visualizer, as I kid I always wanted to take control of it in a game. ) The game is strongly inspired by Afterburner / Space Harrier and Star Fox obviously, but Audi was right on the money there with the reference. :)
SH2 was my favorite of the year but I feel like it’s been the first time in awhile that a really really good game has been like snubbed for everything so glad to see it getting some love
John also seems to prefer consumer sets over PVM/BVMs. Personally also prefer a good shadow mask over an aperture grille. 600+ TVL ruins 480i IMHO. 240p does look great though.
The voice performance in India Jones was really amazing, especially the villains. Just over the top enough 😂 Indy himself is pitch perfect too Thank goodness you're here (also known as Richard leadbetter simulator) is a very worthy runner up though :)
Still Wakes The Deep is my 2024 GOTY. It's sooo good. Incredible sound design, visuals, storytelling, and voice acting. It was so good, I played through it twice during the month it came out.
Work as an audio engineer with a B.S. in acoustics, really enjoyed this. Hitting a niche audience super well. Was really cool to see picks based on their merit of music and sound design. It often feels like end of year look backs are popularity contests. You're not gonna win one of those with with Fighters' Impact, though you've certainly impressed upon the poverty fight game scene!
I've started watching this last night and I am enjoying it slowly, like you'd do with a glass of very good wine. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate you always bringing the attention to audio in video games, I might have written this like 50 times under other videos of yours, but I want to remark it again. Now establishing everything with a yearly audio award is just the golden cherry on top, thank you! Also Audi keeping it consistent and taking (humorous) digs at Rich kills me every time lmao.
I find myself singing "I'm aaastro bot" every other day, so speaking of Soundtracks that makes you feel Happy and are memorable , that would be my pick.
Hell yeah, thanks for making sure I don't miss some excellent stuff. That Rita's Rewind really flew under my radar-between this and the authentic sprite-scaling effects you pointed out, John, I will get it on Steam soon! Also, it's always a deeply gratifying treat to hear from Audi.
I actually had to turn off Silent Hill 2 remake's music / sound design half way through for a long while because it was just too damn frightening, otherwise I really don't think I could have continued with the game, as amazing as it is. I was so impressed with the sound design that it could illicit such heavy dread, foreboding and terror. The sound design on this game is really something special and deserves all the praise its getting.
One of the best videos of the year. Thanks guys. Great audio is as important to me as great gameplay and visuals. I really hope this becomes an annual series ❤
I know nobody cares but my retro song pick is Secret of the Forest from Chrono Trigger. I just listened to it for the first time in years and it's gotta be one of the best SNES songs ever made.
now that's a chill track, always meant to visit that game. my retro pick would probably be the mega drive's _Ecco: Tides of Time._ almost every song is a real mood
This is so cool! Only DF would be awesome enough to cover this topic! Audio is crazy important to the emotional impact of games! Thank you guys so much!
I think a lot of us who are fans of graphics technology also love quality audio, so this is a fantastic addition to the DF end-of-year videos. Really enjoying it.
In response to the ending - I absolutely adore the focus on sound design and music. In my opinion it's often equally as important as visuals, and certainly stands the test of time better. Please keep doing this for years to come, brilliant video
The music DESIGN in Rebirth is unrivaled. The mixing of layers and phases, bridging between them and the sheer amount of tracks is a stunning achievement. I don't say this lightly because dynamic music is one of the things I care about the most in gaming, ever since I first took notice of it in Dead Space 1.
Really love how John has emphasized audio so much in the past months (or longer now?). It's one of those things that often elevates a game way beyond the rest of its core structure so having audio awards now, feels like the right next step!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing an audio best of. Seriously. I know most of your audience is focused on visuals and performance. But, I can not tell you just how much I appreciate you actually giving sound design and music its recognition. John, you always point out how integral the music is to a good platformer, and to go all out like this for a year in review... Chefs kiss... thank you!!!!!
Stellar Blade soundtracks are awesome. I've not gone through the video (first couple of minutes) so I am hoping that there's at least one win for the game, a potential GOTY game that got ignored terribly when its a stunner, both graphically, gameplay and music. Just awesome with everything in place for a great experience.
It's great that these guys give audio the attention it deserves. Everyone will harp on about graphics until the cows come home but audio needs appreciation too. Great job lads!
What a fantastic idea, thank you for creating this. Video game audio, music, and sound staging is oftern forgotten and especially neglected a lot of modern games. More please also great to Audi again. Congrats gents. 😁
This was pretty dope, learned about new stuff and it's always good to know others opinions on great soundtracks that new and unfamiliar. Great vid, keep it going y'all and Happy New Year!
exactly so!, but many people forget that silent hill2 in 2001 already had a good sound design, so i don't completely rectify an award for it, they had a foundation for it, it was already there.
Good topic. If you use a good pair of headphones, you'll notice that most games have pretty bad sound in general, with repetitive or no audio effects. Most games I end up playing on mute due to the repetitive sound effects/tracks after some hours.
Frostpunk 2 also has some of the best soundtrack this year. It's especially interwoven into the gameplay in a very nice way. The game almost feels like an interactive soundtrack just like Frostpunk 1. Sometimes it feels like the entire game is just carried by the soundtrack and sound design alone.
Audio Design: Silent Hill 2 Voice Design: Silent Hill 2 Retro Sound Design: Power Rangers Audio Release: Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtrack 2024 Rediscovery Award: Silent Hill 2 (2001) Soundtrack: Silent Hill 2
Couldn't agree more with SH2. I "only" have 5.1 and it's not a high-end system at all but man, just like you said I have never heard sound like this in a game, and yes I made the same observation of wow it's like that sound you get in movies. As well as the seamless experience of it and that each area has its own distinct soundscape. It's all very realistic as well, eerily so, which you might not expect from a game like this. Some sounds indeed felt like you couldn't distinguish if they were from the game or real sounds in your room. Then just the level of details to the sound, coming from the smallest things in the environment. The result is an unmatched atmosphere.
Great video! It's great to get some recommendations for things other than graphical fidelity and performance. This got me interested in checking out at least Silent Hill 2.
Loved it, it would be awesome if you could go in reverse and do the awards for previous years, provided you have time and disregarding the fact you may be nostalgic or biased. I would very much enjoy hearing what both of you have to say about the sound of past gaming years.
My AV receiver does a great job with turning 7.1 surround sound into surround headphone output. Works perfectly in games, the sounds accurately come from all directions around me. I wonder if a newer av receiver with Atmos would do height with headphones.
Troy Baker as indy is indeed fantastic, and his physical performance is also excellent (assuming he's doing the mo cap), he really has the mannerisms and movement down which I think is a big part of why you buy into it.
Hell Divers 2 deserves more credit for its audio. Genuinely one of the best sounding games ive ever played the song playing while you crash down to the planet the perfect DAKADAKADAKA of the machine guns and the lasers blasting all around you during orbital strikes is one of the best audio experiences in the last few years.
had to grab my headphones for this video! Best soundtrack for me was between Stellar Blade and Metaphor Refantazio, with Stellar Blade edging out the W
It's crazy how the original dead space from 2008 and its 5.1 mix still sounds better today than the remake (for me anyway). Atmos effects are nice but other than MW3 I haven't really been impressed with it all that much, I much rather have very nice 5.1 over Atmos.
I got an Audeze Maxwell just to enjoy the audio in games with 100% quality in term of hardware. It is awesome. Silent Hill 2 is terrifying with it. Also can recommend the Turtle Beach Atlas Air with the recent updates, it is an open back with a very good sound signature.
R those DF 2024 best game audio awards? Looked or sounded more like a DF Retro 2024 best game audio awards. Silent Hill 2 remake and Indiana Jones is well known and the rest is opposite and quite retro. Anyway thx for your picks!
yeah, soundtracks are underappreciated. to this day, my "lifetime faves" are like Chrono Trigger, FF6, Parasite Eve, maaaaaybe FF9, if i could ever finish it (am kind of in a gaming funk rn)
Now you guys need to pick the best soundtrack for each year since the release of Pressure Cooker or Donkey Kong in the 2600, when games started to have some music.
I still don't know what audio option to select in game when using audio 3D activated with my PS5 with games that don't support It oficially. I Remember back in the day with the first Pulse Headset, released for PS3, that someone at Sony said it takes a 7.1 signal and process it into stereo for headphones. I'm always selecting the surround option in game since them, but I'm unsure if it's optimal for many games.
Hey guys, the attention you guys are giving to game audio, both artistical and technical is not only very fun but also very important. I think a lot of people don’t realize how important sound and music is to a game (or movie) experience. As a composer and sound engineer i love this is being brought to more people’s attention! Amazing work! Keep it up!
Edit: Penny’s Big Breakaway as a runner-up! I was actually the mixing and mastering engineer on that game! Nice!
Who else than John Line In Man and Audio Sorlie to host this kind of video?
😂
We have a John, who happens to be a lineman, and we have a rather surly car.
I
I remember seeing a guy in the comments who thought his name was "John *_Lemonman_* "
@@shauncordier1264 That's a brilliant idea for a sub-brand: "Soundry" ... holy crap
4:35 just getting a passing mention, especially juxtaposed next to something incredible like Silent Hill, is honestly incredible. 🙏🏻 this was a pleasant and wonderful surprise.
😅the minute ‘Saturn’ was mentioned I felt very seen.
Saturn is such a strong inspiration for everything it’s heartening to know it didn’t go unnoticed. (Funny fact: The initial movement of the fighter was inspired in part by the spaceship in the dashboard visualizer, as I kid I always wanted to take control of it in a game. )
The game is strongly inspired by Afterburner / Space Harrier and Star Fox obviously, but Audi was right on the money there with the reference. :)
Happy that you guys picked SH2 Remake for audio design! That game's audio and soundtrack are both so amazing. Well deserved.
SH2 was my favorite of the year but I feel like it’s been the first time in awhile that a really really good game has been like snubbed for everything so glad to see it getting some love
@@AfterTheApocalypse26 definitely felt snubbed, especially at The Game Awards, but it's getting a lot more recognition on other awards.
Be real John, you invited Audi just to be admiring those CRTs on the back, didn’t you? 😂
John also seems to prefer consumer sets over PVM/BVMs. Personally also prefer a good shadow mask over an aperture grille. 600+ TVL ruins 480i IMHO. 240p does look great though.
@@H6rdc0reI think the JVC one has a shadow mask. Great set.
What happened to Audi though 😭
@@TheKastorian Yes it does. Basically only Sony made aperture grilles. Only diamontron with PC monitors is a aperture grille clone.
One thing I really appreciate about these videos is discovering new games I had no idea existed. And being a fan of video game music I’m all in!
The voice performance in India Jones was really amazing, especially the villains. Just over the top enough 😂
Indy himself is pitch perfect too
Thank goodness you're here (also known as Richard leadbetter simulator) is a very worthy runner up though :)
Still Wakes The Deep deserves a bit of an honorable mention alongside Silent Hill 2 getting its flowers. Incredible sound work.
Still Wakes The Deep is my 2024 GOTY. It's sooo good. Incredible sound design, visuals, storytelling, and voice acting. It was so good, I played through it twice during the month it came out.
100%, the sound effects and voice acting are seriously immersive. That oil rig is one of the best settings I've ever seen/heard in a modern game.
True words
Awesome seeing someone mention this game, amazing setting, great ambiance and the VO was superb.
@@jonRock I hear a lot of good about it! Shame the developers have seemingly abandoned it.
Fantastic video. Please make these every year!!
You guys ought to start reviewing audio hardware too. It's a heck of a confusing space.
hear hear! 🗣🔈🔈🔉🔉🔊🔊
What audio hardware?
Work as an audio engineer with a B.S. in acoustics, really enjoyed this. Hitting a niche audience super well. Was really cool to see picks based on their merit of music and sound design. It often feels like end of year look backs are popularity contests.
You're not gonna win one of those with with Fighters' Impact, though you've certainly impressed upon the poverty fight game scene!
I've started watching this last night and I am enjoying it slowly, like you'd do with a glass of very good wine. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate you always bringing the attention to audio in video games, I might have written this like 50 times under other videos of yours, but I want to remark it again. Now establishing everything with a yearly audio award is just the golden cherry on top, thank you! Also Audi keeping it consistent and taking (humorous) digs at Rich kills me every time lmao.
I find myself singing "I'm aaastro bot" every other day, so speaking of Soundtracks that makes you feel Happy and are memorable , that would be my pick.
Can’t believe it didn’t even get a mention here. It’s awesome!
Hell yeah, thanks for making sure I don't miss some excellent stuff. That Rita's Rewind really flew under my radar-between this and the authentic sprite-scaling effects you pointed out, John, I will get it on Steam soon! Also, it's always a deeply gratifying treat to hear from Audi.
Thank you for putting this together for the music and audio nerds!
I actually had to turn off Silent Hill 2 remake's music / sound design half way through for a long while because it was just too damn frightening, otherwise I really don't think I could have continued with the game, as amazing as it is. I was so impressed with the sound design that it could illicit such heavy dread, foreboding and terror. The sound design on this game is really something special and deserves all the praise its getting.
Audi!!! More Audi!!!
I think, that Richard is
a bigger BMW-Fan...
Fans of 5cyl engines and Quattro be like
Yeah maybe if he gets back in front of the camera some more his presentations skills will improve.
One of the best videos of the year. Thanks guys. Great audio is as important to me as great gameplay and visuals. I really hope this becomes an annual series ❤
gotta shout out 1000xRESIST for voice acting. truly phenomenal stuff
One of the best things about SH2 was the clicking noises from the controller!
🙉 Audio Spoiler! 🙉
I know nobody cares but my retro song pick is Secret of the Forest from Chrono Trigger. I just listened to it for the first time in years and it's gotta be one of the best SNES songs ever made.
now that's a chill track, always meant to visit that game. my retro pick would probably be the mega drive's _Ecco: Tides of Time._ almost every song is a real mood
This is my kind of video! I recently upgraded my 5.1.2 to a 5.1.4 and I will definitely have to check out SH2!
This is so cool! Only DF would be awesome enough to cover this topic! Audio is crazy important to the emotional impact of games! Thank you guys so much!
I've missed Audi so much 🙏
Understand you couldn't properly nominate it, but the Arzette soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in any game ever.
Huge fan of this :) Please keep this as a recurring video
I think a lot of us who are fans of graphics technology also love quality audio, so this is a fantastic addition to the DF end-of-year videos. Really enjoying it.
Loving the Apydia in Audi's shelf
Audio design of the year is definitely Silent Hill 2. No competition. Still Wakes the Deep is my vote for voice acting :)
In response to the ending - I absolutely adore the focus on sound design and music. In my opinion it's often equally as important as visuals, and certainly stands the test of time better. Please keep doing this for years to come, brilliant video
Thank you for spotlighting sound design!!! An overlooked aspect of video games.
Oh man I love that you guys did an audio focused video! More of this please! 3D Audio and Spatial audio analysis especially.
an hour of John sultry voice making its way to my ears..im getting goosebumps
The music DESIGN in Rebirth is unrivaled. The mixing of layers and phases, bridging between them and the sheer amount of tracks is a stunning achievement. I don't say this lightly because dynamic music is one of the things I care about the most in gaming, ever since I first took notice of it in Dead Space 1.
👎
Really love how John has emphasized audio so much in the past months (or longer now?). It's one of those things that often elevates a game way beyond the rest of its core structure so having audio awards now, feels like the right next step!
Rogue Flight looks and sounds fkn' incredible!! I need it!!
Man this is sick guys! Well done.
An hour of Audi! You are CHAMPION
Silent Hill 2 has terrifying audio. That one empty room where you're surrounded by noise while nothing actually happens got on my nerves hard.
This in an excellent idea, I always enjoy John also paying attention to audio in his videos so this makes a lot of sense!
Man wish wipeout omega collection (although old) would have been “rediscovered” that audio is sublime.
One of the best videos on this app, audio in games is massively underlooked
Great to see you shining a spotlight on it, and some great picks
That Power Rangers OST hits ! I'm so looking forward hearing the whole thing. It reminds me a bit of Eschatos OST here and there.
Oh noes :( it's not on bandcamp!!
Lets be honest, Silent Hill 2 deserved the award for its audio design in the game Awards.
It was a steal, 5 nominations, zero rewards.
Co-signed.
If u didn't tell us I would absolutely assume it was Harrisons voice in the game. Well done Troy baker
Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing an audio best of. Seriously. I know most of your audience is focused on visuals and performance. But, I can not tell you just how much I appreciate you actually giving sound design and music its recognition. John, you always point out how integral the music is to a good platformer, and to go all out like this for a year in review... Chefs kiss... thank you!!!!!
Stellar Blade soundtracks are awesome. I've not gone through the video (first couple of minutes) so I am hoping that there's at least one win for the game, a potential GOTY game that got ignored terribly when its a stunner, both graphically, gameplay and music. Just awesome with everything in place for a great experience.
Yes! Thank You for focusing on audio!
It's great that these guys give audio the attention it deserves. Everyone will harp on about graphics until the cows come home but audio needs appreciation too. Great job lads!
Liking immediately because I like when you guys do audio content
What a fantastic idea, thank you for creating this. Video game audio, music, and sound staging is oftern forgotten and especially neglected a lot of modern games. More please also great to Audi again. Congrats gents. 😁
The Denny’s puns really hit the ear and then dangle off the earlobe like an errant syrup drop.
Interesting picks but I’m surprised there were no mentions of Astro Bot or FF7 Rebirth in terms of OST
Oh hot damn.
This will be a treat before bed!
Ty DF
This was pretty dope, learned about new stuff and it's always good to know others opinions on great soundtracks that new and unfamiliar. Great vid, keep it going y'all and Happy New Year!
For me stellar blade got the best music this year and silent hill2 got the best audio quality
exactly so!, but many people forget that silent hill2 in 2001 already had a good sound design, so i don't completely rectify an award for it, they had a foundation for it, it was already there.
Same! Stellar Blade was my personal winner
More Audi please. 💛
Good topic. If you use a good pair of headphones, you'll notice that most games have pretty bad sound in general, with repetitive or no audio effects. Most games I end up playing on mute due to the repetitive sound effects/tracks after some hours.
Yooooooooo that voice acting you two did was legitimately great 😆
Frostpunk 2 also has some of the best soundtrack this year. It's especially interwoven into the gameplay in a very nice way. The game almost feels like an interactive soundtrack just like Frostpunk 1. Sometimes it feels like the entire game is just carried by the soundtrack and sound design alone.
Audio Design: Silent Hill 2
Voice Design: Silent Hill 2
Retro Sound Design: Power Rangers
Audio Release: Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtrack 2024
Rediscovery Award: Silent Hill 2 (2001)
Soundtrack: Silent Hill 2
Thank you Boyz 😊👍🏼
more of this next year ❤
Those are some high end expensive speakers in the background!!
I believe they are speakers from KEF.
Surprised there was no mention of Astrobot! That soundtrack was awesome
Very weird indeed. Absolute standout.
Couldn't agree more with SH2. I "only" have 5.1 and it's not a high-end system at all but man, just like you said I have never heard sound like this in a game, and yes I made the same observation of wow it's like that sound you get in movies. As well as the seamless experience of it and that each area has its own distinct soundscape.
It's all very realistic as well, eerily so, which you might not expect from a game like this. Some sounds indeed felt like you couldn't distinguish if they were from the game or real sounds in your room. Then just the level of details to the sound, coming from the smallest things in the environment. The result is an unmatched atmosphere.
Happy with my decision to join the Adaxum presale. Let’s see how it performs in the long run.
Took a closer look at Adaxum and decided to take a small position in the presale.
I hope that by doing these awards it encourages other reviewers to cover these topics as part of their reviews.
I know SH2 already won sound design but how do you now even mention its soundtrack, literally one of the most beautiful things I've ever listened to.
Thank you for this. As an audiophile myself I can't emphasize how important has been sound design in games and films for me.
Great video! It's great to get some recommendations for things other than graphical fidelity and performance. This got me interested in checking out at least Silent Hill 2.
Loved it, it would be awesome if you could go in reverse and do the awards for previous years, provided you have time and disregarding the fact you may be nostalgic or biased. I would very much enjoy hearing what both of you have to say about the sound of past gaming years.
Audio is my passion, but it actually is.
My AV receiver does a great job with turning 7.1 surround sound into surround headphone output. Works perfectly in games, the sounds accurately come from all directions around me. I wonder if a newer av receiver with Atmos would do height with headphones.
Gotta agree with Audi on this one.
Troy Baker as indy is indeed fantastic, and his physical performance is also excellent (assuming he's doing the mo cap), he really has the mannerisms and movement down which I think is a big part of why you buy into it.
Hell Divers 2 deserves more credit for its audio. Genuinely one of the best sounding games ive ever played the song playing while you crash down to the planet the perfect DAKADAKADAKA of the machine guns and the lasers blasting all around you during orbital strikes is one of the best audio experiences in the last few years.
The one track which I always can go back is, the Dying Light 1 Main Menu Track.
This video is great idea!
Some more VR content would be great. John used to mention how he’s into PSVR and Quest/PC but nothing for a while despite good games coming out.
Joined the Adaxum presale early. Hoping it turns out to be a good long-term move.
Next up: DF Best Gameplay Awards 2024 featuring Gamepla O'Connor.
7 A.M. in a Japanese Denny's. . you are bob dylan to me.
had to grab my headphones for this video! Best soundtrack for me was between Stellar Blade and Metaphor Refantazio, with Stellar Blade edging out the W
It's crazy how the original dead space from 2008 and its 5.1 mix still sounds better today than the remake (for me anyway).
Atmos effects are nice but other than MW3 I haven't really been impressed with it all that much, I much rather have very nice 5.1 over Atmos.
33:55 you can tell John edited the video because the B-roll during Audi's pick is Bubsy 😂
Dang, that power rangers soundtrack goes hard!
I got an Audeze Maxwell just to enjoy the audio in games with 100% quality in term of hardware. It is awesome. Silent Hill 2 is terrifying with it.
Also can recommend the Turtle Beach Atlas Air with the recent updates, it is an open back with a very good sound signature.
R those DF 2024 best game audio awards? Looked or sounded more like a DF Retro 2024 best game audio awards. Silent Hill 2 remake and Indiana Jones is well known and the rest is opposite and quite retro. Anyway thx for your picks!
yeah, soundtracks are underappreciated. to this day, my "lifetime faves" are like Chrono Trigger, FF6, Parasite Eve, maaaaaybe FF9, if i could ever finish it (am kind of in a gaming funk rn)
Helll yeah, big fan of audio. Tekken 8 gets my nomination on gawd, the whole game feels electric
Helldivers deserved an honourable mention.
Spot on the adventure track was like a time warp
Yes to Silent Hill 2 🏆
It's good to see more audio content, but why did you add that flashing background? It's distracting.
Now you guys need to pick the best soundtrack for each year since the release of Pressure Cooker or Donkey Kong in the 2600, when games started to have some music.
I still don't know what audio option to select in game when using audio 3D activated with my PS5 with games that don't support It oficially. I Remember back in the day with the first Pulse Headset, released for PS3, that someone at Sony said it takes a 7.1 signal and process it into stereo for headphones. I'm always selecting the surround option in game since them, but I'm unsure if it's optimal for many games.
Wow I did not know Anton Blast and Arzette hit that hard soundtrack wise
Also they nailed it, Rita's Rewind really did hit the same level of Natsume's SNES games
To The GAME STATION!