Best Video Games for sound design

sound design Decision Dashboard

Best for sound design

Donkey Kong Bananza

5.0 feature score

Highest scored product for this feature based on supporting review evidence.

Safest pick

Arc Raiders

5.0 feature score

Balances feature score, supporting reviews, and overall product strength.

Most evidence

Reanimal

16 supporting reviews

Has the broadest review evidence for this feature.

Best overall product

Hades II

4.6 overall score

Strongest overall product among items with scored evidence for this feature.

See ranked products
#1 Donkey Kong Bananza
5.0

Sound design was a standout, with material-specific impacts, rumble-like feedback, voice, and destruction audio repeatedly praised.

Pros: gameplay mechanics, world interactivity

Cons: economy and resource balance, enemy variety

#2 It Takes Two
5.0

Sound design is repeatedly praised as outstanding, top-notch, rich, whimsical, and technically impressive.

Pros: core gameplay loop, movement feel

Cons: character development, dialogue quality

#3 Absolum
5.0

Sound design was praised for punchy hits, crunchy feedback, and strong audiovisual pairing.

Pros: mission design, world interactivity

Cons: quest design, endgame content

#4 Diablo IV
5.0

Sound design was unanimously strong in scored evidence, from demon audio to interface and environmental details.

Pros: lore depth, art direction

Cons: mission variety, protagonist appeal

#5 Hades II
5.0

Sound design is praised for dynamic musical interaction, strong audio identity, and music that changes with combat events.

Pros: skill tree depth, dialogue quality

Cons: emotional impact, economy and resource balance

#6 Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
5.0

Monster sounds, battle audio, and environmental effects are repeatedly praised for giving the world weight and personality.

Pros: puzzle design, level design

Cons: crash stability, multiplayer design

#7 Resident Evil Requiem
5.0

Sound design was repeatedly praised as a major driver of fear and atmosphere.

Pros: driving mechanics, protagonist appeal

Cons: platform-specific feature support, checkpoint system

#8 The Alters
5.0

Sound design evidence was strongly positive, emphasizing exceptional audio, tension-building environmental sound, and fantastic sound design.

Pros: controls responsiveness, onboarding experience

Cons: crash stability, grind level

#9 The Blood of Dawnwalker
5.0

Audio is a clear strength, with impactful combat sounds and haunting musical textures reinforcing the game’s dark-fantasy mood.

Pros: puzzle design, sound design

Cons: haptic feedback integration, controls responsiveness

#10 Hollow Knight: Silksong
5.0

Sound design earns strong support from praise for surface-specific details and top-notch audio touches.

Pros: core gameplay loop, world interactivity

Cons: loot system, accessibility options

#11 NHL 27
5.0

Arena audio is a standout, with crowd reactions, horns, impacts, and rink sounds delivering a powerful, authentic hockey soundscape.

Pros: aiming precision, accessibility options

Cons: pacing, loot system

#12 Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence
5.0

Punchy gunfire and tense environmental audio stand out as some of the game's strongest presentation work.

Pros: exploration quality, sandbox freedom

Cons: mission variety, companion AI

#13 Capcom Fighting Collection 2
5.0

Sound design gets positive preservation-focused praise because the original arcade sounds are retained.

Pros: emotional impact, sound design

Cons: cross-play support, boss design

#14 Life is Strange: Reunion
5.0

The overall audio presentation is rich and cohesive, supporting the intimate tone beyond the individual strengths of the music and performances.

Pros: level design, accessibility options

Cons: world-building, haptic feedback integration

#15 Mario Kart World Review
5.0

Sound design had limited but very positive evidence, with one review praising nuanced audio across items and environments.

Pros: animation quality, sound design

Cons: difficulty balance, AI behavior

#16 Starfield
5.0

Sound design is a high point in the strongest audio-focused review, especially ship and ambient effects.

Pros: puzzle design, sound design

Cons: accessibility options, AI behavior

#17 Arc Raiders
5.0

Sound design was the most consistently praised attribute, repeatedly described as excellent, informative, immersive, and tension-building.

Pros: frame rate stability, platform-specific feature support

Cons: voice acting, writing quality

#18 Cronos: The New Dawn
5.0

Sound design was one of the strongest areas, repeatedly praised for unsettling effects, directionality, ambience, and its role in horror tension.

Pros: core gameplay loop, emotional impact

Cons: checkpoint system, bug frequency

#19 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
5.0

Sound design is very highly rated for immersive environmental audio, rain, wind, footsteps, and overall atmosphere.

Pros: animation quality, facial animations

Cons: quest design, AI behavior

#20 Goodnight Universe
4.9

Sound design was a major strength, especially spatial thought-reading audio, headphones, foley, and soundscapes that support the story.

Pros: side character depth, visual effects quality

Cons: user interface design, handheld play suitability

#21 Dragon Ball FighterZ
4.9

Sound design is praised for impact, authenticity, and anime-like effects.

Pros: movement feel, world-building

Cons: save system reliability, mission variety

#22 Ghost of Yōtei
4.9

Sound design is consistently praised for environmental audio, combat effects, and the way it supports immersion.

Pros: movement feel, environmental detail

Cons: puzzle design, age appropriateness

#23 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
4.9

Sound design was praised for supporting atmosphere, alien spaces, and the Prime identity.

Pros: world-building, frame rate stability

Cons: companion AI, upgrade system

#24 The First Berserker: Khazan
4.9

Sound design is praised for impact, weapon clashes, parry sounds, and matching the game’s brutal tone.

Pros: core gameplay loop, controls responsiveness

Cons: mission design, learning curve

#25 Crimson Moon
4.8

Weapon impacts, parries, executions, environmental cues, and ability sounds are consistently praised for giving combat extra weight and readability.

Pros: movement feel, pacing

Cons: economy and resource balance, onboarding experience

#26 Silent Hill f
4.8

Sound design was consistently strong, with reviewers praising enemy audio, ambient terror, and atmospheric cues that heighten tension.

Pros: voice acting, emotional impact

Cons: family friendliness, menu usability

#27 The Last of Us Part II Remastered
4.8

Sound design was praised for 3D audio, directionality, anxiety, and stealth-tension cues.

Pros: core gameplay loop, level design

Cons: family friendliness, puzzle design

#28 Mewgenics
4.8

Distinct cat voices, crowd reactions, combat sounds, and other small audio touches add personality beyond the music. Reviewers especially appreciate how sound reinforces victories, deaths, and the game’s chaotic comedy.

Pros: level design, exploration quality

Cons: age appropriateness, family friendliness

#29 The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline
4.8

Creaks, distant noises, ambient tones, and spatial voices strongly reinforce the game’s uneasy mood. The audio is frequently praised for creating tension without overwhelming the narrative.

Pros: controls responsiveness, environmental detail

Cons: gameplay mechanics, checkpoint system

#30 Welcome to Elderfield
4.8

Footsteps, bells, ambient noises, and other small audio details make Elderfield feel more tactile and unsettling. Sound design is repeatedly called strong or excellent.

Pros: world interactivity, sandbox freedom

Cons: character diversity, character development

#31 Pokémon Legends: Z-A
4.8

Sound design earned strong praise for Pokémon-specific footsteps, cries, and small audio details.

Pros: crash stability, gameplay mechanics

Cons: AI behavior, monetization fairness

#32 South of Midnight
4.8

Sound design was consistently praised for environmental grounding, atmosphere, and integration with movement and effects.

Pros: atmosphere, voice acting

Cons: world interactivity, camera behavior

#33 Mouse: P.I. For Hire
4.8

Weapons, impacts, movement effects, and cartoon flourishes are crisp and well matched to the visuals. One persistent flying-enemy buzz was the main audio-specific flaw noted.

Pros: lore depth, user interface design

Cons: AI behavior, aiming precision

#34 Nioh 3
4.8

Sound design was strongly praised, especially combat effects, ambient audio, and overall audio presentation.

Pros: pacing, visual effects quality

Cons: tutorial quality, character roster

#35 Bus Simulator 27
4.8

Engine sounds, electric hums, traffic ambience, rain, and bus rattles are consistently praised for making each vehicle and journey feel distinct.

Pros: level design, difficulty balance

Cons: writing quality, load times

#36 Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
4.8

Sound design is consistently praised, from impactful weapons to strong overall audio presentation. It complements the otherwise high-end visual production.

Pros: soundtrack quality, load times

Cons: character development, monetization fairness

#37 Hot Wheels Infinite Rush
4.8

Engine noises and environmental audio are frequently praised for selling the sensation of racing toy cars, with tunnel and surface effects adding character.

Pros: haptic feedback integration, sound design

Cons: core gameplay loop, soundtrack quality

#38 Pragmata
4.8

Sound design is highly praised for punchy weapons, sci-fi acoustics, hacking feedback, and kinetic combat audio.

Pros: bug frequency, user interface design

Cons: HUD clarity, mission design

#39 Marathon
4.7

Sound design is a major strength, with footsteps, weapons, abilities, environmental hazards, and distant fights providing both atmosphere and tactical information. Good headphones materially improve situational awareness.

Pros: world interactivity, voice acting

Cons: menu usability, HUD clarity

#40 Monster Hunter Wilds
4.7

Sound design was praised for combat impact, monster audio, and the overall sensory presentation of hunts.

Pros: art direction, cross-play support

Cons: dialogue quality, monetization fairness

#41 Little Nightmares III
4.7

Sound design was strongly praised for syncing with art, building tension, and enhancing atmosphere.

Pros: load times, haptic feedback integration

Cons: save system reliability, aiming precision

#42 Anno 117: Pax Romana
4.7

Ambient city noise, industry, crowds, and environmental effects make settlements feel busy and alive without overwhelming the player.

Pros: skill tree depth, upgrade system

Cons: matchmaking quality, server reliability

#43 Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
4.7

The soundscape is praised for reinforcing loneliness, menace, and the weight of combat. Handheld speakers can sound thinner, but the underlying audio design remains strong.

Pros: gameplay mechanics, core gameplay loop

Cons: platforming precision, tutorial quality

#44 Valheim
4.7

Audio is consistently useful as well as atmospheric, with clear environmental and enemy cues helping players read confusing or dangerous situations.

Pros: core gameplay loop, movement feel

Cons: economy and resource balance, map and navigation design

#45 Saros
4.7

Sound design and 3D audio were praised for intensity, dread, positional clarity, and haunting effects.

Pros: value for money, fun factor

Cons: map and navigation design, side character depth

#46 Forza Horizon 5
4.6

Sound design is strongly praised for improved car audio, engine detail, and immersive environmental audio.

Pros: controls responsiveness, movement feel

Cons: tutorial quality, animation quality

#47 Reanimal
4.6

Sound design is one of the strongest consensus positives, repeatedly described as superb, unnerving, immersive, and tension-building.

Pros: onboarding experience, environmental detail

Cons: family friendliness, movement feel

#48 Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
4.6

Sound design is praised for impactful hits that add energy without overwhelming the match.

Pros: emotional impact, frame rate stability

Cons: server reliability, tutorial quality

#49 Pokémon Pokopia
4.6

Sound design was praised alongside the music as wonderfully handled.

Pros: protagonist appeal, faithfulness to franchise

Cons: map and navigation design, aiming precision

#50 Battlefield 6
4.6

sound design was one of the strongest points, repeatedly praised for weapons, vehicles, and explosions.

Pros: haptic feedback integration, performance optimization

Cons: pacing, microtransaction impact