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The Sound Design of Mass Effect 3

In addition to building the aural landscape of an entire galaxy's locations and species, Bioware has to ensure that the combat in Mass Effect 3 stacks up amongst the best modern shooters. We sat down with Bioware's audio lead Rob Blake to talk about the lessons that the team has learned since the release of Mass Effect 2 and how important the sound of a gun can be to immersing a player in the Mass Effect universe.

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Comments
  • This game has one of the best sound tracks of any game out there, and more people should take a note from these guys. Music and sound play a massive role in video games now, and it's nice to see that Bioware understands that.
    Side Note: Just played through ME2 again. Game does not get old. This will be fighting me for my vote on best game for the year. I thought I could just give it to Skyrim, but now BF3 and ME3 are giving me all this content, and Skyrim is kind of just sitting in the corner stewing.
  • Sounds incredible, the assault rifle sounds far more vicious.

  • Taking a page from Battlefield in sound design, heh, can't go wrong with that. I'm quite interested in hearing some examples of the interactive ballistics sounds in different environments.
  • Love! Love! Love!

    The Assault Rifle in ME3 does sound like it packs on hell of a punch. Mass Effect is fighting its way to the top of my most loved franchises.(It may already be on top)

  • Great sound can make or break a game in my very ignorant opinion, especially for shooters. When I'm playing as a gun-wielding, universe-saving, rebuilt soldier, I want my guns to match. I can't wait to hear what the heavy sniper rifles, or the biotic powers will do to my eardrums.

  • Sooooooo excited

  • Sound design tips from Dice? In Mass Effect?  Put a check in the sound winning column.

  • this is some great stuff. that assault rifle really sounds like it packs a punch. can't wait to hear how everything else turns out.

  • I kinda wish someone would make a dude/bro redub video of the conversations in mass effect 2 now
  • The music better be as epic as ME2's or even more.One of the reasons i will always remember the suicide mission is because of the bad ass song.
  • Sounds great....Mass Effect 3 & Uncharted 3 are my most anticipated games of the year!
  • I honestly can't wait for this game to come out. The sound was amazing in the last game and now with the upgrade it will be right there with DICE and battlefield bad company. There are some games I honestly will turn down the sound because of its annoyance or play over it with my Xbox music library. But I have never done that with an EA game. Props bioware, Keep up the good work.

  • ME is still my favorite series/ game of all time... And it won't be toppled yet with ME 3 coming on.

  • I can't wait for this >_< Mass Effect with sound effects of the best of the year in this department (Bad Company 2)!!?? omg!!! =O

  • ME2 sounded great, so can't wait to find out how this sounds.

  • Excited about this. The sound in DA2 (which was done by an entirely different team) was absolutely horrendous. I could only hear dialogue with the volume up all the way and when there was a fight, it's nothing but Hawke and my teammates screaming the same thing every 5 seconds.

  • The rifles need more of a bassy edge to it. It needs to sound deep and the rifle needs more kickback.

  • I'm really looking forward to ME3, but I think1 they should delay it till early 2012. A lot of big dogs are releasing in the Fall and personally I just wanna play Skyrim!
  • I really hope they change the manner of how tech and biotic powers target.. or rather travel to the target. Why were they suddenly shooting magic fireballs instead of the instantaneous, and awesome, abilities they used for the first?

  • Another game I gotta buy.. gonna be an expensive year !

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