We spoke with Sony Interactive Entertainment, Housemarque and Capcom about PS5 3D audio’s role in adding dimension to Returnal and Resident Evil Village.
Sony’s PS5 games lineup has seen two major additions recently: Returnal and Resident Evil Village. And while both games may differ greatly in their offering – Returnal being a challenging third-person sci-fi shooter and Resident Evil Village a survival horror – there’s one major feature that botht titles have in common: their spectacular utilization of PS5 3D Audio. First revealed by PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny back in early 2020, PS5 3D audio makes use of Sony’s innovative Tempest 3D audio engine to make PS5 in-game audio spatial. What that means is that, rather than a player hearing sound as one stereo block, like with the PS4, each sound is delivered to players as though it’s coming from the source itself. The aim is ultimately to create a more immersive, realistic in-game audio experience – and Sony seems to be delivering. In our reviews of both Returnal and Resident Evil Village, we lauded the implementation of PS5 3D audio. Whether it was the soothing pitter-patter of raindrops on a helmet in Returnal or the ghastly rasps of an approaching adversary in Resident Evil Village, we found Sony’s new audio tech provided extra depth to our gameplay experience that we didn’t quite know we needed. With audio seemingly becoming more important this generation than in previous, we spoke with Sony Interactive Entertainment, Housemarque and Capcom about PS5 3D audio’s role in adding dimension to Returnal and Resident Evil Village. If you’re looking for a showcase in how the PS5 3D audio system can truly elevate a game, then look no further than the Beneviento House sequence in Resident Evil Village. While we won’t spoil the finer details of what takes place within the dollmaker’s house, we will say that it’s probably the best sequence of Village, made even better by the use of 3D audio on PS5 – which requires you wear headphones. The Beneviento sequence relies on the sheer fear of the unknown and its ambience, with the player aiming to solve puzzles – unarmed – in a darkened house with a plethora of unidentifiable sounds resonating around you. The fear lies in what the audio suggests you might see, rather than what’s in front of you – and that’s exactly what Capcom was aiming for. “It’s very important in the horror genre to apply fear to the player’s imagination through elements they cannot see,” Wataru Hachisako, Audio Director on Resident Evil Village at Capcom told TechRadar. “I want players to be able to enjoy the experience of encountering a new enemy, even before they’ve visually chanced upon it. I believe 3D audio has the specs to really amplify what we’re aiming for.” Capcom’s use of PS5 3D audio adds an extra dimension to Resident Evil Village’s horror, fluidly changing alongside the game’s environments and making them feel more – like you’re actually there yourself. This is brilliantly realized in the restrictive hallways of Castle Dimistrecu’s dungeons, where you can hear the echoes of a drip far in front of you and a screeching creature ahead, as well as in the main Village itself, a wide-open space where the player is surrounded by sounds from all angles – the latter actually proving to be more terrifying due to that sense of the unknown. “We not only wanted to make Resident Evil Village visually grand and spectacular, but we also wanted to have a variety of areas and spaces,” Hachisako tells us. “3D audio is incredibly important in conveying proper spatial perception. By adding 3D audio to the presentation, greater detail and depth is added to the graphics, and players will also sense subtler differences in the depth and feel of all the different areas they encounter. “It’s also an important element in story progression. Whether it’s a cold winter breeze rattling a rooftop, the absence of sound that hides the presence of something hiding in the darkness, an adversary that jumps in front of the player, or the peaceful melody of the safe room, all of these elements are distinct and more profound with the addition of proper audio and music. By syncing up spatial perception and plot progression, it amplifies each element and 3D audio is really able to provide the player with a more impactful experience.” But not every audio experience is one that players want – or ought to – experience.
