Here are some reports from the press
who have reviewed Dungeon Siege.
Gamescore.com
"Throughout the game you will experience superb sound effects, everything
from the clanging and whooshing of your weapon through the air to doors slamming
shut and creaking open have been recorded and sound authentic and realistic.
The voice acting when do talk to some of the friendlier folk is well done and
the accents add diversity and can be fun to listen to. The music is again great
and sets the almost continually combat ready mood of the game. Sound: 10 / 10"
From: http://www.gamescore.com/dungeonsiege.html
SLCentral.com
"The in-game sound in Dungeon Siege points out a critical aspect of game
audio that I believe I take for granted too often. The background music and sound
clips are all fine…nothing really noteworthy I can say about it outside
of compliments on the nice background score…but there's one element that's
shown in this game that is frequently bungled in some other games, and skipped
entirely elsewhere. The game's background music should complement the sound effects,
and vice versa. I always get highly peeved when I'm playing a game and I have
to stop and fiddle with the sound balancing controls to get the sound effects
level to match the background music. And this isn't just about matching volume
levels - This is about having sounds that just go well together. The bowstring
snaps…the Krug grunts and spider screams…the water flowing and wind
rustling…it all comes together and meshes very well in with the music to
create what sometimes feels like a dynamic symphony."
"The best counter-example I can think of for this is Wipeout. Wipeout has
a fantastic techno soundtrack, but the sound effects in the game are thoroughly
underwhelming, and totally drowned out by the music. There's no real engine hum
or weapons noise…just the periodic injection of explosions and announcer
speech. I can play with the audio controls all I want, but the sound isn't ever
going to "mesh" like it does in Dungeon Siege. Diablo is even guilty
of this in places. While the score to Diablo II is, in my opinion, better than
the score in Diablo, Diablo does a better job of matching sound effects to the
music playing at the time than Diablo II did. It's a subtle point that greatly
increases your enjoyment of the environment, as it helps to immerse you further
in the game."
From: http://www.slcentral.com/c/g/r/microsoft/dungeonsiege/index.php
PC Gamer Magazine,
June 2002 (in print)
Wherever you wander, you'll bask in absolutely superb sound, especially when
EAX is enabled via a Sound Blaser Live! or Audigy card. Final verdict: amazing
sound. [Web Site]
3DAvenue.com
The audio in Dungeon Siege is impressive to say the least, players experience
a very crisp and sharp catalogue of sounds throughout the game. Each variety
of enemy has unique sounds, from the time they spot you until their last screech
as they plummet dead to the ground.
During combat you are confronted with pin point sounds of metal clashing, spells
being performed and sickening shots being taken. As you progress through the
game and face new enemies you realise the effort that was taken into making
the audio unique and detailed. To sum it up, audio was nothing short of impressive
and a refreshing change from some other RPG's out there.
From: http://www.3davenue.com/dsiegereview.shtml
FiringSquad.com
The sound effects are handled very well. Every monster has its own set of sound
effects, including a very functional “alert” sound. When a creature
spots your party it will make a noise as it prepares to attack, alerting you
of their presence. This comes in handy when they pop up behind the camera or
out of some bushes. Since the sounds are unique, you can also tell what type
of monster is headed your way.
From: http://firingsquad.gamers.com/games/dungeonsiege/default.asp
USA Today
The audio in the game supports the visuals nicely with its ambient soundtrack
and crisp sound effects.
From: http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/review/2002/4/30/spotlight.htm
PreGaming.com
While you thought the experience could not get any better it does. The sound
in DS matches the graphics. The music is an amazing and original score, and
the environmental and ambient backgrounds sounds are great. Match that with
the ability to run the game in EAX sound and you have something your ears
will love. Enemy sounds also are amazing, matched with the great voice-overs
that important NPC's give throughout the game.
From: http://cgi.pregaming.com/viewreview.php?reviewid=83&gameid=163
GamesExtreme.com
Sound effects and voices, some of the voices are a little cheesy and you kind
of expect this in a RPG these days, overall however they're good and they
lend another point to the atmosphere. Monster screams and spot sound effects
are excellent, with the yells of battle, the screech of angry creatures and
the whistle of arrows pumping from the speakers. Indoor and Outdoor sound
effects are perfect, from the gentle rush of a waterfall to the ominous creak
of the Dungeon around you hinting at untold dangers, it's all brought together
nicely.
From: http://www.gamesxtreme.net/features.php?id=481
The Dragon's Breath
Sound is also a strong point. The musical scores are beautiful, as is expected
when Jeremy Soule does them. (He also worked on Icewind Dale.) The sound
effects are realistic as well, and there is voice acting on nearly everything
a character says. Overall the sound and graphics in Dungeon Siege are just
absolutely amazing. Rating - Sound: 10 out of 10
From: http://www.db-forge.com/article.php?sid=530
Next Level Gaming
The game's sound also matches the quality of its graphics. Not only do you
have the ever-present orchestral background music, which fades in and out
to suit the current mood of the game, but each area is also bustling with
background effects, from the noise of spiders scuttling in the dungeons to
bushes rustling in the forests, the overall effect really is great, and at
times quite eerie. During battles the background sounds are masked by noises
of swords clashing, monsters wailing or spells being cast, with each creature,
weapon and spell having its own sound to give that extra sense of realism.
From: http://www.nlgaming.com/reviews/1946/index.html
Games Domain
The visual excitement in Dungeon Siege is accompanied by some interesting sounds,
including the ka-ching of leveling up or advancing a skill, the bellows of
angry foes, rushing wind as it blows through the forest, and the gurgle of
waterfalls. Audio: Outstanding, richly diverse, with a haunting soundtrack.
From http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/apr02/dsiege.html
Game Industry
News
Second only barely to the amazing graphics, the sound of Dungeon Siege is extremely
well done. When you are in a forest for example, you will hear the wind rustling
in the trees and other various forest sounds. As soon as you step into a dungeon,
or your neighbor's cellar, the wind dies down slowly and the more subterranean
sounds take over. There is also a music track that is also extremely well done
that crescendos at the appropriate moments before a large battle, adding to
the tension.
From http://www.gameindustry.com/reviews/020410dungeonsiege.asp
Game2Extreme
The impressive score mixes with EAX-enabled sound effects and reverb settings
to create an engrossing gaming experience through what Gas Powered Games
calls "mood settings" that take into effect weather conditions and character
location to create subtle changes in the sound.
The major NPCs in the single-player game have voice actors presenting their
limited dialogue. Swinging swords and flying spells have their own unique sound.
All of these combine into a soundscape that is a good match with the excellent
graphics.
From http://www.game2extreme.com/reviews/review.cfm?language=5&reviewid=39
PC Gaming.com
While you thought the experience could not get any better it does. The sound
in DS matches the graphics. The music is an amazing and original score, and
the environmental and ambient backgrounds sounds are great. Match that with
the ability to run the game in EAX sound and you have something your ears
will love. Enemy sounds also are amazing, matched with the great voice-overs
that important NPCís give throughout the game.
From: http://www.pc-gaming.com/read.asp?text=rvw/dungeonsiege.htm
RPGDOT.com
The sound is also absolutely awesome, especially with a four speaker set and
environmental audio support. Even simple things like a skeleton that's bursting
to pieces is pure pleasure for your ears as you're almost able to hear every
single bone falling to the ground. Sound also changes according to your surroundings.
Lots of echo and hall effects are added when you're entering a dungeon. Totally
cool. Anyway, the music and sound could just as well be from a Hollywood
movie production. Absolutely terrific.
From: http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=304
All Out Games
Epic, artistic and beautiful............ are only some of the words people
use to describe my voice. Of course they use those words either when they
are intoxicated or when they want to borrow something like Dungeon Siege.
However when I use those words to describe the soundtrack of the game I do
so without any malicious intent.
According to the manual, the music was composed by Jeremy and Julian Soule.
Jeremy Soule was actually the maestro behind the music of Total Annihilation--another
Chris Taylor game--and yet again he has done an excellent job. The opening
track is so good, that it gave me an adrenaline rush. The music also is very
electric when it comes to the dungeon crawls. It provides plenty of atmosphere
and at times will make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand. And
whether I was in a dungeon, or in a town, or battling some areas heroically,
I found the music to be excellent and very appropriate.
The sound effects are also quite good and together with the music, make a powerful
and impressive mix.
From: http://www.alloutgames.com/Reviews/dungeonsiege.html
Gamers Depot
The in-game audio sound effects and music also play a part in helping to shape
the atmosphere and are done very nicely. Creative Labs’ Environmental
Audio Extensions are used to great detail and will especially reward gamers
on a 4.1 surround system. Caverns and dungeons have an uncanny realistic
echo to them, whereas outdoor areas have a more open sound. Without question,
the sound engineers did a great job by creating some of the best sound effects
to be heard in any game to date.
From: Gamers Depot http://www.gamersdepot.com/games/rpg/dungeon_siege/001.htm
GameSpy
To compliment the awesome art, the team has put together some incredible sound
effects and music. You'll hear tiny creatures skittering across stone dungeon
floors, and while walking through the forest you'll hear the leaves rustle
with movement through the underbrush.
From: Gamespy.com http://www.gamespy.com/previews/february02/dungeonsiege/
Gamezilla
Audio effects look to be good as well. My speakers don't do the game justice,
as there are many different sounds they weren't capable of transmitting optimally.
Enemy noises, in game music - all were excellent and not too overpowering.
From: http://www.gamezilla.com/reviews/d/dungeonseige_preview.asp
Game Raiders
As with everything else with Dungeon Siege, the sound is shaping up to be great.
There was nothing that I heard that feels out of place. All the sound effects,
music, and character interactions really provide the appropriate atmosphere
for the game.
From: http://www.gameraiders.com/previews/Previews.asp?platform=PC&previewid=49&page=2
Updated: June 21, 2002
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