How Sound Design Makes Games Feel Lonely

[@WolvericCatkin]

The interesting note of pianos being a lonely instrument, playable by one person, to me, feeds back into the fact Hollow Knight's soundtrack being composed by a single person...

[@ЕвгенийЕфимов-й7н]

When I learned how to play it, I often did that with my ftiend on the same keyboard.

[@specificdisc568]

Pianos definitely have a very lonely feel to them one of my most favorite songs is Clair de Lune

[@Ryan-ey3qk]

I don't understand why piano sounds more lonely to you guys than other instruments. To me, any combination of instruments could evoke a sense of loneliness depending on the harmony employed in the music itself rather than the timbre. Timbre is important, but it is certainly not the deciding factor in the mood of any given piece.

[@skooch5769]

@@Ryan-ey3qk its definitely the composition and arrangement and not the instrument(s)

[@christofu148]

@@Ryan-ey3qk I’m no music theory master, but perhaps it has to do with the simplicity of piano sounds. The nature of the keys makes consistent sounds that ring, but most often don’t have too much accent as something from say, a violin. Yes, other instruments can make sounds similar, but something about a solo piano creates a very abstract, isolated ringing, which I personally believe is why it so well creates a melancholy feeling when paired with silence/ambiance My apologies, I’m not too great at writing short and simple thoughts

[@Patterrz]

I can't hear what loneliness sounds like because my tinnitus is always with me

[@najee_eee]

True it's so weird that I don't know what true silence actually sounds like

[@Drekromancer]

@@najee_eee I can see how that would be upsetting in an odd way. Like an itch you can't quite scratch. But don't worry, there's a bright side, too. Flexing on the void is an alpha move.

[@inchw0rm]

when i first got tinnitus i felt really depressed about it because of that, i thought i didnt like silence but suddenly i missed it so much, it's been years now though so im used to it when its more mild

[@WolvericCatkin]

🫂

[@zubbworks]

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee gang represent.

[@daughterofthestars08]

I'm sure there's LOTS of games you could have included in this video, but a lot of people forget about Minecraft when it comes to this kind of thing. It's easy to see the chaos, the colors, the exploration, the multiplayer experience, but Minecraft played by yourself with the music turned on, especially back before there was a lot of stuff added to it, was very much a game about the experience of isolation and exploration, and the soundtrack reflects that feeling. As does the sound of your own footsteps, the calls of nearby mobs, even the sound of chests. I love the headcanon that minecraft when it came out was a world desolated and empty, with barely anything alive and moving, and slowly the updates have been introducing things in a linear fashion almost like a world that's mending itself from a tragedy. The villagers expanding in technology, more animals appearing and flourishing, the oceans coming back to life, etc!

[@moss6235]

I used to play Minecraft a lot, but I started to avoid singleplayer because it felt so lonely and boring. I can see what you mean.

[@Drekromancer]

@@moss6235 Agreed. When you're alone, playing survival singleplayer in the dead of night, C418's soundtrack strikes a chord on your soul. Edit: fixed

[@jamesostendorf1518]

I haven't hear that theory but i like it. Gd point

[@simonrockstream]

@@Drekromancer you mean C418, wtf

[@AnotherDuck]

I don't think the music in Minecraft sounds like loneliness, though. It sounds like nostalgia. Or at least the original tunes, like Sweden and Minecraft. And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't think of Minecraft as a nostalgic game. But on the other hand, nostalgia can certainly be lonely.

[@danulas]

This just in: Outer Wilds, Breath of the Wild, and Hollow Knight are good games. All jokes aside, when you started talking about footsteps, I was certain Outer Wilds would come up. I was right, but not entirely in the way that I thought however I agree that the sounds of breathing are very unsettling throughout the game.

[@elimain1261]

Add Disco Elysium to that too!

[@bbbbbbb51]

The ambient synthwork being the dark rumbling sort of sounds in Outer Wilds really nail the "alone" sound design, but it specifically adds an element of horror to it as well. It's not just lonely, but unsettlingly so

[@razbuten]

Tbh I had a lot more to say about the lonely sound design of Outer Wilds, but most of it was spoilers so I decided against it

[@Neidan99]

​@@razbuten It's so hard to talk about that game without spoilers. I actually play the game because you talk about it, when I came to the end (from the DLC and the base game), I wanted to cry. And with this video, when you put the sound of the banjo and the others gathering to continue with the song, and the stuff that you were saying, it make me relive it

[@shizukousapostle1stapostle710]

No way.. Really?

[@pieguy5692]

As someone who knows quite a lot of music theory, I think you managed to absolutely nail this analysis without using any confusing theory. I think it's probably for the better, as the way you approached this will definitely resonate with people more easily since they won't have to wrap their heads around the theory. Amazing video as always Razbuten!

[@AxxLAfriku]

IT is weird indeed. Everywhere I comment, people tell me how much they love me and my content. Sometimes IT is annoying. But right now, IT would be okay. So say something nice about my content, dear p

[@maxzett]

@UCWTgYlza_NGzR1UbMooxHdw 5TFU u geh

[@koolpankake9801]

As someone who knows quite a lot about loneliness, I think razbuten managed to absolutely nail this analysis without using too many complicated theories

[@danielban9625]

@@AxxLAfriku I don't like you or your content

[@froggy9822]

Bro ur profile picture fucked me up

[@MarteaniArt]

The sound of footsteps in untouched snow. It's hard to nail, because people forget snow absorbs all other sound, so the whole world is quieter. Cainhurst in Bloodborne feels infinitely lonelier than the rest of the game. Zagreus walking to the final fight. That soft ephemeral crunch.

[@andersonneil2293]

Hmm interesting, walking on snow sounds like solitude, not loneliness. Like a positive version. Maybe cause if I'm hearing it it's cause I want to walk or I'm going somewhere idk

[@billco73]

I think the chalice dungeons seem loneliest

[@Drekromancer]

That brief cinematic where Zagreus escapes the Underworld gets me every time.

[@chainthunder083]

The silence of snow is so peaceful to me. It almost feels like everything has stopped for a moment and the world is taking a breathe. I don't get the feeling of loneliness from snow, I feel calm

[@AnotherDuck]

This so much reminded me of 'Death on the Snowfield', which is a remix of FFVI 'Terra'. Listen to it.

[@a134andro5]

A game I play that makes me feel lonely is Minecraft. Especially when I load up a server I started with my friends but no one is on it. I just wonder around admiring all the builds we made and it makes me sad and happy at the same time. Also when I hear that music stop and all hear are my own foot steps makes me feel real lonely.

[@lordrakes5528]

Way too relatable. I'm the big minecraft players in my friends group and I'm always the only one left after everyone else quit the server

[@c0smosage804]

Dirtmouth and City of Tears make me feel so empty… 10 hours into HK and I’m lovin it Edit: now that I think of it, most themes I’ve heard so far sound lonely and melancholy, conveying the exact thing the Knight must be feeling

[@rowgesage936]

That moment when you first enter the city, seeing the rain drip down and finding quirrel at the bench, just so much atmosphere in that single moment

[@AshenDust_]

10 hours in and already at the city? That’s good going

[@Hammersaurus]

Hollow Knight is one of those games I wish I could wipe my memory of and play again for the first time. Your first playthrough is special. Cherish it.

[@isaacmanahan8047]

bro i literally was thinking of the hollow knight soundtrack while watching this whole video

[@bitsnthings]

Yep. HK is so lonely even though you meet so many people.

[@bri-notthecheese]

Finding and sitting to listen to Marissa sing in the City of Tears was probably one of the simplest and most profound experiences of loneliness in a video game. Because sure, as the Knight, I was exploring alone and doing this whole journey mostly by myself, save for a couple of friends--but Marissa has been alone in this room for ages, just....singing to no one. And I love that the game allows you to choose to sit with her and share in that loneliness for as long as you like

[@noureldin0077]

I killed her :(

[@tessamarci]

Honestly, one of the biggest reasons I’ve had trouble getting into Souls games in the past isn’t the difficulty, but the sheer feeling of loneliness. The general lack of music punctuated only by the players footsteps and inhuman enemy sounds creates a really desolate and emotionally draining atmosphere

[@greatsupper]

That's the reason those games are scarier than any horror game to me. Most of the sound is ambient with the occasional monstrous agonizing screech. Your guy never makes much sound; neither do many of the enemies. Everything simply comes after you with violent intent. I love it though.

[@brookspn]

Honestly, this is what Miyazaki does best, imo. It's my favorite thing about those games. Just excellent direction.

[@tessamarci]

@@brookspn it’s something I can definitely appreciate as a design choice and really enjoy watching let’s plays, but it really just gets to me personally after a while

[@sa1f43]

Yeah I also believe the same. For example, Witcher 3 can get scary af in some quests. But since the sound design is always accompanied by some music it creates an appropriate atmosphere without emotionally draining you. I sometimes wonder if I get just get scared easily or am I just not into such bleak and soulless games.

[@GoldenAgeMath]

For some reason, I feel this way about Dishonored but not Dark Souls

[@noahthehoneyboy6294]

The crackling of fire. For games it’s definitely the long dark, it feels isolating and reminds you of every second you spend waiting for something to happen but it never comes. To accompany visuals to this, the light of a campfire makes it hard to see anything outside that light. Someone could be right next to you and you wouldn’t be able to see or hear them as the fire overtakes your senses

[@xanathar8659]

One of my favourite quotes ever comes from the TV show "The Good Place" the quote is "As humans, we're just a little bit sad all of the time". This quote expresses the feeling of melancholy for me. In your happiest moments there will always be something that is a little bit sad or worrying. Lonliness is a big reason for it. I personally, especially recently, have had many occasions of feeling profound acceptance and feeling loved by friends and family, but then that is always followed by a feeling of lonliness once it's over. This feeling is something I welcome, as it is, as melancholic as it may be, a good feeling. The reason I loved hollow knight as much as I did during the beginning of my first playthrough was because of that feeling of lonliness. The empty world and sombre piano. It was a feeling I wish I could experience again with that game. GRIS did the same thing for me, especially in the final area. This feeling can be perfected with what sounds are being used like what you have spoken about in this video, and it's a very beautiful thing. If certain games didn't have this feeling of lonliness, they wouldn't appeal to me quite as much.

[@bradywinterblade1342]

Keep it sleezy

[@manuelsosa559]

Xan i didn't expect to find you here

[@xanathar8659]

@@manuelsosa559 I'm sorry I don't recognize you

[@ballistic6503]

Loneliness and the melancholy feeling is one of the most important feelings to have, without it there could be no form of agency to find some sort of answer to it. But if it’s the same all the time, no matter what the feeling is, as long as it’s perpetual there is no agency to do anything. That’s why these games are so good, the agency would be the unusual change of your life and mindset being put into this completely different direction of being. Interesting how the brain works.

[@christofu148]

Beautiful little comment you’ve written here. Perfectly encapsulates not only one of Hollow Knight’s greatest qualities, but also genuinely just a really good breakdown of loneliness and it’s dynamic with company and other human themes

[@maggier4806]

This explains why I found the game Sky: Children of the Light to be so lonely. When I was with friends it wasn’t that way, but playing alone felt so devastating because you can hear the interactions of others in the distance as well as the peaceful sound effects from the game itself

[@EDips875]

The halo 3 ODST soundtrack made me feel uneasy when I played it for the first time, walking through the empty city along with the echoing jazz, rain and abandoned machines like the phones ringing always made me feel very alone

[@racefrazier7998]

Im right there with ya. The car sirens and the repeating "walk" from the broken traffic signals help me play the way the devs intended. Avoid fights when you are wandering in the city. You can't get a BR in the city too.

[@Sx-xy2zi]

Same

[@filipporosatti6243]

Dude, I need to thank you. This video reminded me a lot about the one you made about vibe checks, which I can say for sure is up to this day my absolute favorite video on KZbin. It made me think about life in a different way and generally to appreciate it way more. I absolutely love how you get to analyze games how they're meant to be seen, since lots of people (myself included of course) tend to miss a lot of the messages the developers probably wanted to give. I absolutely love also the importance you give to music in games, and love every video where you talk about it. Can't wait for another one, some of them are literally life changing. Keep up the good work man, we all truly appreciate it

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

Lol the first thing I thought of when Raz asked "what does loneliness sound like" was "my own breathing" and then later in the vid he mentions it when talking about The Outer Wilds. Thats more of a dangerous solitude rather than loneliness to me though. I was thinking of lying in bed and all I can hear is loneliness my own breathing. Rather than my partner breathing, which I find oddly comforting.

[@elimain1261]

For me the breathing in your suit in Outer Wilds feels incredibly lonely, but interestingly enough, and probably for the reasons Raz explained towards the end of the video, I sometimes seek it out. Sometimes when I am feeling overwhelmed with life I will get on Outer Wilds and drift through space. Alone. It brings me peace.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@elimain1261 It feels to intense for loneliness for me. Feeling lonely is melancholic, empty and thoughtful. Solitude just feels like you're alone, and being alone doesn't necessarily feel lonely. Plus the danger of the situation ramps it up and away from any reflection time.

[@BREADSWORD]

another banger from the gamer god himself

[@yesindeed1614]

You only watched 18 secobds

[@crake9510]

wrong, he hasn't even said a racial slur once yet

[@subxotic9896]

Bro I can't believe it I've been watching both Razbuten and you for over a year (im not sure how long specifically) and you know about him?! I mean it kind of makes sense, you are both geniuses when it comes to video essays and you sometimes do video game content too (like the jak and daxter video). Anyways, I was just kind of surprised to see you in the comments, i love the both of you!

[@occamsaturn]

look it's breadtube no wait

[@elliottwood5423]

Breadbuten

[@Diphenhydra]

When you asked the question I immediately thought silence, but just because it’s the absence of noise, not because I actually think of loneliness because of it. I would say the loneliest sound to me is the sound of waves hitting the shore, not a big wave, just a small one. Specifically small ones actually. Big ones I would think of a thunderstorm and lots of people. Small waves for me, probably stems from growing up at a beach and a lot of times at night I would sit in the sand and look out into the horizon by myself.

[@Road_to_Dawn]

This reminds me so much of the end of Kingdom Hearts 2. (Spoilers for KH2) That moment where Sora and Riku have defeated Xemnas and wander out into the Dark Margin and are then trapped in the World of Darkness. They just sit there on the beach, silent but for the sound of the waves gently moving on the shore, and they’re just like, “Well, this is it. This is the end of the road.” And though they have each other, they’re otherwise completely alone/and though they’re completely alone, they otherwise have each other. I think about that scene all the time, and to me, it’s one of the most powerful moments in the whole series.

[@Diphenhydra]

@@Road_to_Dawn I wish i liked kingdom hearts enough to ever finish the games. I have played those first 5 hours a lot though, lol. I just can't get into it. But that does sound like a really good scene from what I understand.

[@thezandstorm]

easily the loneliest sounds to me are those of an empty house. the settling of walls and objects, the creaking of floors, the brushing of trees against the outside walls, the faint random noises that you can’t quite place, all of these things make me feel incredibly lonely as they remind me of every time in my life that i’ve been home alone, and how no matter who i was living with, i could only think about how lonely the house was when it was just me.

[@grayscalemaybe3514]

Your content means so much to me and it's so refreshing to see a person like you creating these types of videos. It's also amazing that you still engage with your community in the comments, you really don't see that anymore.

[@pedroscoponi4905]

I personally find it useful to differentiate between good loneliness and bad loneliness. Lots of things can get me in a good, melancholy loneliness place, many of them sounds from games I adore. Ocarina of Time's title theme, to name one - horse galloping included. But I have a visceral negative lonely reaction to the sounds of several people talking - the more there are, the worse it gets. I'm an introvert by nature - there is no place more alone to me than one full of people you can't (sometimes don't want to) connect with. (At this point I'm mostly used to this experience but when it sometimes happens when I'm with _friends_ who I _love_ and was, until 5 seconds ago, gladly hanging out with, it's uh, quite the whiplash. Not very fun 😅)

[@ThePortalGeek1337]

My eyes always light up when I see this guy pop up in my notifications

[@pathic2449]

same

[@jujubeat386]

Honestly, I never really thought about sounds that cause me to feel lonely. Through your video, I started to reflect more on my battle of loneliness and depression as well as things that can trigger me into certain slumps. From thinking about it a little bit, I realized that there are two things that kind of capture the feeling for loneliness for me and things that I have learned to try and stay away from if I can to prevent me from falling into my slumps. 1. Kind of cliche, but crying when there is no other voices or anything. The ambience of nature or the city or a car engine mixed with a little sob can trigger the feeling of loneliness for me, because I feel that sadness on a level that truly resonates with me. Whether it is me trying to comfort a friend, someone acting in a movie, or me battling with my problems, this sound hits a chord within me. 2. Voicemails. In our every day lives, we get and leave voicemails for work, for friends, parents, mentors, etc. But for me, leaving a voicemail just feels like I am talking to a brickwall or a void especially if it feels like I may not receive a response. Then receiving voicemails is even worse, because it feels like I could not be there for someone or it calls upon this feeling that I could have caused exactly what I feel when I leave a voicemail. A game that really hit home for me was Cyberpunk 2077 when it comes to this. There are two instances in that game where you leave and receive voicemails: a certain person in the game will never hear your voicemail and you yourself won't really be able to hear the messages that other's leave (you will understand if you went through the game). And it hurt, it reminded me how alone some things can be. Thank you to whomever read all of this, I appreciate it. And if you read this Razbuten, thank you for this video, it made me think about some things

[@elimain1261]

Another fantastic video. I'm glad you mentioned the sounds of deepnest and the void in Hollow Knight, just a couple months ago I had a long conversation about how powerful the relative lack of music in those areas is. In the rest of the game you are almost always surrounded by music, then in deepnest and the void there is very little. The void certainly cements loneliness and isolation, but interestingly deepnest creates a feeling of isolation, based on how you are not alone. It highlights how you are not alone through the sound design, constantly hearing scuttling and movement. You are surrounded by creepy bugs and spiders that can jump out at you at any moment. You are isolated, the only being not trying to kill you, but you are very much not alone.

[@madisonperry7447]

I love everything about Hollow Knight, it’s one of my favorite games. Deepnest can go jump off a cliff though.

[@M-A-Khaki]

In my opinion, perhaps the loneliest songs I've ever heard are the overworld songs from Minecraft (survival). Spending hours exploring deep underground, to have the sounds of the world sporadically be interrupted by soft piano is somehow uplifting and yet so lonely at the same time Edit: the best example, Dry Hands

[@Ombby]

Your ability to invoke feelings and making me being able to relate even when our experiences have been different is pure magic! Incredible job!

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

This was amazing to watch, also have you ever thought about putting a list of all the games you feature somewhere? Just because I kind of would want to look some of them up, and they weren't the main ones you were focusing on

[@razbuten]

Ah thank you! Yeah, I really need to get on including a list of games shown; it is often something I always plan to make after putting a video out, but I then get pretty lazy with it. If there are any specific games you wanna know, feel free to drop the timecode and I can let ya know the title.

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

@@razbuten 1:34, 4:44, and 9:20?

[@razbuten]

@@Ladyknightthebrave The Gardens Between, Life is Strange: True Colors, and Bioshock Infinite.

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

@@razbuten cool thanks! 😊

[@vricanvrothers1044]

03:00 please!

[@emerson_5]

This was a wonderfully profound essay. The thought and heart that clearly go into your videos make them unparalleled.

[@YTRingoster]

As a solo indie dev who's struggled with loneliness for most of their life, it's beyond me why so many indie devs gravitate towards having their OWN games be such lonely experiences. It's totally valid but man, I could really go for some more lively indies titles that are filled with commotion and life. Supergiant's 'Hades' is a recent favorite of mine.

[@renaigh]

I think it's the connotation of the 'Independent' label creates a lonely vibe among Indie Devs.

[@YaBoiDoi]

I'm assuming it's because it's the easiest.

[@DavisGSee]

This is well timed. I'm working on a section of my own game right now that's meant to evoke loneliness. The sound I'm focusing on is water lapping on the shore.

[@Sasha-up9er]

Soft insect and bird noises I don't think were mentioned but at least to me evoke a sense of loneliness, in a good way. Cicadas (in the distance), crickets, birdsong, chirps etc. I guess because the only time I ever stop and actually listen to them is when I'm alone, when there's other stuff going on, I don't really hear them.

[@Simon-Alexis]

Good luck with your game

[@DavisGSee]

@@Simon-Alexis Thank you!

[@yeti1835]

What's your game about? :)

[@paynesmith3008]

That'll do it for me. The loneliest times of my life was spent looking at the moon and the stars over the calm Mediterranean.

[@randomguysurlinternet]

I am amazed how well you are able to caption all these wonderful aspects of (designing for) loneliness. As a (future) interaction designer I am writing my master thesis on learning to appreciate feelings of loneliness and this video is a huge help and inspiration. Thanks for all the great content you continuously create.

[@madisonperry7447]

Funny, the sound of a distant train always makes me smile, especially at night. I grew up near a railroad. Every so often, in the time I would be trying to sleep, I would hear a distant train. It was always a comforting sound, for some reason, never annoying or lonely.

[@camlin4147]

It's a similar situation for me. I only ever heard it if I happened to still be awake around 2 am. When that happened, it was typically because I was still reading a good book by the light of my flashlight. A good association, though the next morning was never much fun. But I definitely get how the sound could be interpreted as hauntingly lonely, especially when paired with chirping crickets instead of muted street traffic in the near distance. Or is that just a result of my city breeding...?

[@brookspn]

It's nostalgic for me, too. Which I suppose could be its own route to loneliness.

[@Simply_Dubious]

Can’t help but reflect on how much I’ve actually come to rely on sound and music to get me through each day, especially when I try to sleep. I find it almost impossible to fall asleep without any constant sound whether it be loud or soft music, a video, or even tv static. Something about the hearing myself move and the blankets rustling in the otherwise silence, not only makes me aware of being alone, but also anxious in a way I can’t really understand. Helps me also recognize that even “peace and quiet” and isn’t necessarily silence

[@donkor3849]

In civ 6, at the very start, you are alone (most of the time) and the music is echoey and reverby, like it’s bouncing off a empty valley, and it creates this amazing sense or loneliness

[@akaviral5476]

YES! The evolution of Civ 6 music is amazing in itself, but this feeling of just getting started is only enhanced by the relatively empty sounds of the first few eras. It's as if your civ hasn't found its place yet, but it has an identity of sorts

[@Insert_Creativity_Here]

Your videos validate my urge to analyze every tiny aspect of a video game Rambling on about the little details and observations that I feel like other people aren’t very interested in when I talk about them. Ty

[@Ataraxia0]

for me the loneliest is that of a grandfather clock. as a kid whenever we visited my great grandma's house i would hear it. away from my friends, away from any toys, away from games. yet weirdly enough the sound is almost comforting in a way. im not sure how to describe it.

[@stefan1932]

It’s interesting to think how we each assign different sounds to different emotions. A single sound can easily convey a wealth of emotional variety and it’s amazing! The loneliest sound that comes to mind is the sound of a single cricket, chirping away in the night. Almost as if its fellow brethren could not show up to join the song.

[@austinb1963]

Another fantastic video. A game that comes to mind that evokes some of these feelings for me is NieR:Automata. The music that plays each time you enter the Resistance Camp always gets me and is an example of juxtaposition in that the first drum beat always kicks off the song right as you enter.

[@prince_warhero]

great video!!! Death stranding is a game that uses sound to make the players feel lonely in an amazing manner

[@mushymcmushington7176]

Loneliness sounds like the fan in the corner of my room that I never turn off.

[@Deceptacon-_-]

This is something I've seen recently as i recently now have a fan in my room and it brings me too back to those long nights of sleeplessness and the soft hum in the background makes me calm but lonely

[@nicklink217]

The soundtrack to death stranding fits the whole theme of being alone and isolated while reconnecting broken pieces of civilization. I especially love low roar's music and I definitely recommend at least giving death stranding a try if you only heard the bad stuff about it.

[@razbuten]

what sounds make you feel lonely?

[@dearleader7647]

I like monkeys

[@unseenasymptote4976]

Love songs

[@chaselucas9513]

blood

[@BEP1000IsAmazing]

I also like monkeys

[@monkeyenjoyer272]

Songs that remind me of when I was a lot more sad

[@quadrupleheart]

That train horn in the night hits me so hard! For me it's not loneliness, it's like a call to adventure. It makes me yearn to get out and just go.

[@grummdoesstuff2983]

Something i'd love to hear someone talk about is the importance of situational music. lots of games have great music that plays throughout it, but not much for specific situations. Normally each area has a song, there's combat music, background adventure music, and the bosses will likely have their own tunes, and that's fine, but there are so many more ways to use the music than just that. Horizon Zero dawn has different songs for each area of the map, but also different combat music for each area and each size of creature. Fighting a Watcher in the starting area plays a different song than fighting one in the carja desert, and fighting a thunderjaw in that same desert has a different song from both of them. Deep Rock Galactic has 36 amazing songs, but only ever uses one of them for its loading screen. and its a decently long song, so you don't usually even reach the end before you start the mission. Then, it uses those other 35 songs during the missions for different events, selecting random ones from their categories so that they don't get stale. Even survival games like minecraft and ARK limit their music so it has more impact. In the 1.18 update, 9 new background songs were added, and they all have limits as to where they can be played, most of which involve going to mountain or cave biomes, rewarding players for exploring new places. And for ARK, each day at sun up, sun down, midnight, and midday, a special, sometimes map dependent tune will play, only for about half a minute, but is an amazing way to tell time when your focused on other things inside a base or a cave. and the combat music changes depending not on where you are, but where your looking. If your camera is underwater, the underwater combat music is playing, while above ground, it plays the regular combat music, unless there is an alpha around, in which case it plays the alpha combat music.

[@redella50]

Another amazing analysis, Razbuten. Thank you! Good sound design/music is always something I lowkey look for in video games because I know if the sound design is good, that generally means there was a lot of effort put into the game's atmosphere, which is really what I look for. Many of my favorites aren't all games that are "fun" or heavily oriented toward gameplay, but games that have a sense of immersion and liveliness through the sounds and music that goes with it.

[@wizawhat]

The Breath of the Wild soundtrack doesn't get enough credit for what it is, and damn you really put into words why that horse riding theme is so special, something I could not. As a certified loner I really value that alone time for the exact reasons you described, it makes the rest of life a bit better and less exhausting. I like describing it as solitude. Solitude to me means that I have control over the situation and choose to be alone whereas loneliness feels like a lack of control and a desire to escape being alone.

[@epictoastman3]

The music of Disco Elysium and British Sea Power's discography in general captures the feeling of desolation and loneliness more perfectly than maybe any other musical group I've heard. Those guys are masters of recreating the sense of good times far off in the rearview, happy memories you can never return to.

[@fedorflip]

Old Valve games like Portal and Half-Life have a pretty lonesme feeling to them, I'd say. In HL2 specifically, maps alter between City 17, which utilizes the isolated sounds of sirens, announcements and CP patrols resonating through the almost empty city, inside areas, which utilise mostly sounds made by the player and other entities, and places outside the city, in which the sounds are mostly natural. And, of course, music helps a lot.

[@SilverDragonJay]

In the game starbound, the song 'Mercury' at about 3:20 (into the song) and occasionally throughout there's this sound I can't identify but every time I was playing and this track came on I got this deep feeling of loneliness. The entire song has this vibe of solitary exploration with all the sadness and occasional majesty that entails, however it was this sound, this ringing, beeping noise, that never failed to take this feeling and crank it up to 11 for me. And it was this sound out of the entire song that I was most happy to hear when this track came on. To the point where after I stopped playing starbound I would occasionally go on hunts for which song it was that had this part in it (because remembering the song name is not worth it apparently/s). Now after listening to a bunch of chillstep, lo-fi hip hop, ambient music, etc I probably have an entire library of these solitary sounds that I love to hear but can't remember until they pop up somewhere and give me a nice hit of endorphins.

[@radicalsnake2813]

As you asked which sound makes me think about loneliness I thought about a deep submarine sonar. As you said that for you is the sound of a train I was pleased to see how different each of us can interpret sounds and how difficult can it be for sound designers to create something that must work with very large groups of people.

[@jeremycaswell]

The wind at night makes me feel lonely, though not in a bad way. Everything is soft, dark, and peaceful, nothing but me and the rustle of leaves for miles. Specifically open spaces to, nothing for miles upon miles.

[@CptMerdaille]

Something I haven't seen in the comments yet is Persona 5's Beneath the Mask. It juxtaposes perfectly with all the hustle and bustle most other songs bring to the game. It captures the kind of loneliness you can only feel in a huge urban setting, when you're out alone at night after meeting your friends. It gives you a moment to breathe, but also think about the responsibilites you have taken up as an invisible vigilante. You cross paths with hundreds of people everyday and they'll never know you and what you have done kind of vibe. Also I see a lot of love for Halo 3 ODST's soundtrack and yes, the ambiance in that game is amazing. I wish we could see more of that side of Halo rather than the bombastic Chief campaigns.

[@titan_o7]

Some of the best memories I have is being out walking through the wilderness in the brush hunting for elk on top of the Rockies in Colorado. You quite literally feel like you’re the only person in existence. The only sounds being that of the wind weaving through the leaves and your own footsteps crunching on leaves and sticks and dirt. It’s such a liberating and calming experience, especially during the fall season with all the colors. I didn’t realize how much I’d miss it at the time.

[@arbiter-]

The Souls games sound extremely lonely, like impeccably so. The fact that Elden Ring has a dynamic soundtrack just gets me stoked, it's going to be a romp.

[@ScentedPineForest]

Sound design is always great to hear about. My personal favorite "lonely sound" is wind blowing, for the reasons you've discussed. Nice video!

[@rheenusthebeanus]

The one sounds that always makes me feel lonely will always be common household appliance idle noises. The low rumble of the washer or dryer doing its thing somewhere else, the low hum of a fridge, or the muffled clanking of a freezer's ice machine dropping a fresh batch of ice never fail to make me feel alone. It must be the fact that these noises are only really apparent when I'm home alone, no music is playing to drown these small noises out, no talking, no distant chatter or doings of people in the house. It's just me surrounded by the things that do chores for me, and that's a sad thought.

[@wupsje1]

You are such a good storyteller. It felt almost like a listening to a poem, very nicely put together. On top of that it is educational and also about games. Very awesome! Thank you

[@O52401]

My favorite game that invoked 'loneliness' would have to be Halo 3: ODST, primarily due to the soundtrack and setting. The contrast between the Rookie's investigation and the flashback sequences really hammered home that this soldier was alone in a hostile yet eerily empty city, but still had a glimmer of hope left. The action-packed flashbacks complemented the quieter, atmospheric interludes in the open city perfectly, and with each piece of the puzzle found, each clue discovered, it made the resolution of the story all the more satisfying. Honestly, it's probably one of my favorite games. Thinking about it, ODST is probably what ruined Dark Souls for me; I hooked into the small shred of hope that that game presents at the beginning, and was left discouraged and ultimately indifferent to completing it when that optimism turned out to truly be nothing more than wishful thinking. Also, I remember being able to hear a distant train line back at my family home when it was especially late at night; personally, I find such noises to be a comfort, like the sound of a rainstorm. If anything feels lonely, it'd probably be the noise machines they use at work, or the humming of a fridge; constant, consistent noises, unbreaking, that fade in and out of focus depending on one's attention, especially when in isolation. Always going on and on. They'll continue on, with or without you. Autonomous, cold, unmoving. Even the sound of the woods on a cold winter's day has breaks, has life, has movement. The buzz of static machinery does not need anyone, anything. Only if you stop it will it stop, and then? Silence. And then you'll really be alone.

[@BlaZay]

Now that you pointed it out, I think that loneliness is exactly what drew me to these games and made me cherish them. It's in these moments, when I'm totally immersed and focused while nothing happens, that I feel the most at peace. It's wonderful when a game manages to capture this feeling. Spot on once again, I love your analyses.

[@TheBluePhoenix008]

I love people talking about Hollow Knight.

[@FreeBurd0620]

One of the best things about how Disco Elysium uses Sea Power’s Red Rock Riviera is that the song and its motifs appear in several formats in the game. Theres the Revachol ambience, Instrument of Surrender, Detective Arriving on Scene, and others. What really sold me is that that motif isn’t even unique to Red Rock Riviera. Sea Power not only adapted a documentary soundtrack they did to fit Revachol, but in making that soundtrack they modified the song “Cleaning Out the Rooms”. That song not only has the same motifs, but appears on the album “Valhalla Dancehall”, which is would be a synonym for a “Disco Elysium”

[@ForgeofAule]

I knew you were going to bring up outer wilds

[@NocturnalWisp]

Amazing video! The long dark is also a great example of how a game can be made to feel lonely. The snowy landscape doesn't feel lonely to me usually having been raised in it, but the developers did a great job making it feel that way. One of my favorites for sure.

[@jaybird1286]

There’s not a sound that makes me feel lonely, but when I play an older game I get a feeling of loneliness.

[@elijah1437]

Yes! Like emptier and older games give me pangs off loneliness. Especially old Zelda games

[@Good_Minso]

sound together with smell can be extremely strong connected to feelings, its crazy. sometimes, a smell or sound provokes a feeling you do not even know where it comes from. Really strong video!!

[@jake_a.lien_]

My theory: This whole channel is Raz's homework for therapy

[@razbuten]

bro don't narc

[@jake_a.lien_]

@@razbuten XD

[@josephstone4842]

Feeling less alone by knowing others are feeling the same loneliness as you is such a profound thought. Way to go.

[@bonesplinter3587]

Hi Raz! (And everyone else) Which fast food place has your favorite fries?

[@cordyceps9360]

i rly like innout fries

[@bonesplinter3587]

Chick Fil A all the way

[@DustyStarrs]

What a well-written video. That pay-off to the train whistle thing at the start? I got so many chills. SO many.

[@conorwhite8040]

The loneliest sound I've ever heard is "I just want to be friends"

[@zmanrockz6358]

I love how personal you make some of your videos. Not only is it the best way to provide examples, but it also has the side effect of reminding viewers that you are, you know, a normal person, which I think a lot of people might not really process. It also makes your videos resonate a lot more with people. While I only actually fully cried at your Outer Wilds video, I can say that many of your videos have made me tear up, with this one bringing me the closest since. Your story about summer camp reminded me so much of my own childhood, even though my sound is a clock instead. I've only been watching your videos for about 2 years, but in that time you've had such a profound effect on me. I've become much more aware of game design and how it influences games, players, and developers, and you (and some other KZbinrs) have also pushed me into wanting to pursue a career in video game development. So thank you Raz. Please find more reasons to talk about Hollow Knight. Also, for anyone who was really interested in hearing about music in games, there's a whole channel dedicated to it called 8-Bit Music Theory. He goes into more detail and theory behind the music, but he always makes sure to put the music up on screen (as well as a line to help you follow along), and he also tries to explain stuff as basic as you can.

[@chloem8613]

Dude I love your videos. I’m constantly inspired by your observations and options on games and the many facets that go into their creation. You bring words to ideas I felt while playing them, and introduced perspectives I’ve never considered before. It’s a joy to watch, so thank you for them!

[@1234fakerstreet]

I've loved your video essays so much. They dig deep and make you analyze why games relate to you and what makes you feel that relation. Every essay is a masterpiece in a different way.

[@Pannekoek.]

Thank you for making video essays like this one. You realy make me think about the experiences I have with video games and how they influence my life and vice versa. This one made me know myself a little better. And that is very valuable to me.

[@MrMarch]

Somewhat sad you didn't feature the Shadow of the Colossus music more in your analysis but absolutely thrilled when at timestamp 13:53 the Firewatch soundtrack softly sneaks into your video, slowly rising in the background. It's easily one of the best video game soundtracks of all time and I love it when folks recognize this wonderful OST.

[@Raezra]

One of the first times I remember a song hitting me super hard mid playthrough, to the point of having to completely stop what i was doing and listen, was "A Shine Upon Inkwater Marsh" from Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Before this I didn't really pay attention to music all that much, but around half way when the violin kicks in always, and I mean ALWAYS gets me.

[@clarab325]

Sometimes I discover your channel again and just binge all the videos I’ve missed. This has been the last 2 days so ty for uploading another one, I love your channel so much!

[@yungthunder2681]

New Raz video always makes the day a good one And as always I have to skip a section because they keep delaying the switch release if outer wilds

[@tylerbrown1579]

The introspective and reflective tones hovering closely by throughout your recent videos have brought me a lot of peace. I appreciate your labor and hope to be in a position to offer support to you and yours some day soon. Thank you.

[@jmell458]

I didn't get this in my sub feed! Thanks for making that community post.

[@m4rs435]

Music theory cant explain how music makes you feel, it only explains the relationships of notes. You actually did a great job of explaining it through "vibes" because honestly, thats the best academic lens we have to explain the feeling of a piece. Sure a minor scale sounds "sad" and major "happy" but all of that means nothing in the hands of the person making the song, because I can write a melody that will sound sad in major, the only thing I can do to make a song makes you feel a certain way I to put my soul, emotion, vibe into it, its really that abstract.

[@patricks2645]

Banger of a video, loved the breakdown on Euridice cuz I always noticed that but could never explain it. That being said, it is a crime not to include at least some footage from Dead Space.

[@samanthanorthover2681]

Absolutely wonderful video, Raz. Reaching the Howling Cliffs in Hollow Knight for the first time almost made me cry without me even really knowing why.

[@iragladouchuk7014]

Wow, thanks a lot for this video. As a sound designer I appreciate you giving the soundscape so much attention. Good job !

[@im_skrunkly]

for the sounds of a party muffled just sounds so depressing and lonely

[@tictactacos]

@Razbuten If you didn’t already, 8-bit Music Theory has great videos, and it’d be really cool for you to do a two part collab about loneliness

[@evanonline8409]

I remember you talking about a distant train horn being lonely like a year ago on stream. It was super interesting to hear that thought fleshed out in the intro. Great vid, Raz! I loved the editing on this one.

[@fedeshaw2343]

The sound of a bus passing by, takes me back to a few years ago on friday nights I stayed up late on my livingroom playing skyrim or whatever and the sound of the always took me out of the game and made focus on the fact that no one was out on the streets or awake, it was just me

[@nv8297]

For me it's always a rainy night. Late November, staying up late, rain hitting my room's window. That feeling of loneliness is almost comforting in a way. It's a weird thing really, I can't explain it. Fantastic video as always man, keep it up!

[@Force2reckonVods]

Just watching this has given me an increased appreciation for sound and music in games and I'll be paying even closer attention to that going forward. Thank you Raz, as always you've helped expand my understanding and views of things that, while I appreciated before, never really understood.

[@DanielSilva-uf9nc]

Watching your videos makes me enjoy games again, take a break from all of the fast paced action and appreciate the details of the worlds i'm travelling in.

[@Elemtree]

Mutual Slump by DJ Shadow evokes loneliness to me, a feeling of being in the hazy streets of a night sky… taking the train and soaking in the generic advertisements and people who you’d never probably see again in your life.

[@olso8621]

Nothing embodies the concept of this video more than the music of Halo 3: ODST. The piano accompanyment throughout the exploration sections, as you wander the rainy, deserted steets of New Mombasa are so beautiful and somber. The feeling of hopelessness and lonesome is extremely atmospheric and made for an unforgettable experience. Another one that comes to mind is the music of Kenshi. I truly love wandering the sands of the Great Desert, listening to the lovely ambient tracks and just soaking up the vibe.

[@beckydouglas2681]

Hearing a train's horn or it just arriving at the station in the middle of the night is definitely something that reminds me loneliness too. In the same vein sounds like church bells chiming. Generally it's sounds I'd only really hear when I'm up late at night, or rather they just stick out to me since they break the silence and just remind me that I'm alone in my room up late at night. They also remind me of how much time has passed. It's just when I'm up late I get to thinking and it's in these situations where I end feeling the most lonely.

[@pullsane]

Razbuten one of the few channels that actualy make me cry. Not always because of memories of sadness, frustration or even lonelyness. It's just way to relatable. Hitting a spot in my heart not many can reach.

[@elijahkeay3906]

It’s amazing how many times I would think of a game and a moment that would be perfect for this video… and then you would bring it up. Wind waker at night, breath of the wild, hollow knight. All of these things immediately came to mind with a video like this and you hit every single one of them!

[@tkj222]

Your videos are so well thought out. Even that one that was a bunch of short videos. That one had stuck with me

[@maxeraltalt5429]

This is such a well made video

[@vespaia2166]

For me it’s the combination of the cold chill that foreshadows the coming of winter and the holiday decorations that are put up everywhere in the cities. Whenever I eat alone outside and see people having fun together, I get mixed feelings. I enjoy watching the people laugh and have fun, and the sort of comfort that comes with being by yourself. but I also feel a pang of nostalgia and loneliness because I’m not part of that.