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God of War interview: Building a world out of sound

We got a chance to speak with some of the team behind the sound in Sony's 2018 megahit God of War and asked them about the process of creating an aural companion to the lush visuals and precise gameplay.

Chris Jarrard

February 26, 2019 11:55 AM

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After a five year hiatus, the God of War series returned with a vengeance in 2018. Using an all-new engine and game design, the team at SIE Santa Monica successfully reinvented the series for modern players while managing to hold true to what had come before. The game was a runner up for out 2018 Game of the Year (losing to Marvel’s Spider-Man) and one of the best releases of this console generation.

At first glance, the striking visuals and cutting-edge graphical fidelity take center stage of the experience. The game feels huge and its story is emotionally affecting, but if you were to play the game muted, it would lose its power. So much of the visceral feel of the combat and the high points of the narrative rely on God of War’s sound design. Each attack on an enemy lands with a satisfying thud or guttural scream. Each line of dialogue works to build immersion and empathy with Kratos and his son.

The Shacknews Street Team got the opportunity to speak with Mike Niederquell, Sound Design Lead, and Leilani Ramirez, Manager of Dialogue, from the team at SIE. The explained some of the process of bringing the sounds of God of War to life and working with the voice actors to help create one of the biggest games of its generation.

If you are thinking of picking up God of War or have already purchased the game, get a leg up on your journey and make sure you get the most out of the experience by giving a look to our extensive collection of guides and walkthroughs. We have everything you need to make sure you don’t miss any secrets or collectible along your journey.

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Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.