Guild Wars 2

1. The sound effects are really dry and unexciting.
2. Background music is usually anti-climatic
Will GW2’s expansion revamp the sound effects and music score of this game?

The sound effects in the game need a rework IMO. The sound of melee weapons when it hits a monster is more of a “thud..thud.. thud.” Some times I wonder who came up with such a boring sound. I recently played the new FFXIV alpha and although I found the combat and movement mechanics in that game too obsolete for today’s time, one thing Square Enix did great on as usual were the sound effects and music. The sound from a spell cast or a sword strike is sharp and alert and doesn’t put you to sleep after hours of farming.

It also appears GW2 ran out of budget for any background music at all. None of the maps, appear to have any themes that are unique and give any epic feel to them. The only meaningful soundtrack in the game was only at the last fight in the Story mode at Arah against the dragon.

I disagree, I enjoy the music and sound effects. I am still listening to it!

Go back to FF.

Maps do have unique themes, for example areas in the Shiverpeaks have their own unique set of songs which you will not hear anywhere else, and so on for other areas. Some of the tracks will play in many areas, not just in one type of terrain. I admit there could have been more unique tracks but what’s there is really good, also liked how they retained a lot of songs from GW1 which is great. There is also a custom soundtracks feature which I hope they will eventually improve to the point where it no longer replaces the default soundtrack and give you more control over which areas you want your custom tracks to play.

OP means that the sounds are weak and forgettable, and i agree. When i swing my dagger around the sounds feel as blunt as the weapon. cling cling, thud… thud.

The music is also not really interesting, and not very engaging in combat either.

Would be nice to have music that isn’t always epic. As for me, I have already turned off all sounds, and rarely turn them on. I listen to music from other games while playing gw2.

Edit: Just remembered who composed Fear Not This Night that’s some good stuff – but you never hear stuff like that ingame

I also agree that the spell sounds are lacking when autoattacking (though I have to say that the mesmer blink spell sounds pretty nice). Sound bugs unfortunately cause me not to hear the spells 10-20% of the time during wvw – so i turn these off as well.

Personally I am happy that the sound and music isn’t over-the-top. If it were, it would just become annoying.

Now the music is like a gentle breeze in the background where the focus can remain on the game and not about epic hardcore festivals every step of the way or sounding like the second coming of Sephiroth every time a Firefly chooses to do battle with you or something.

It was probably intended to be subtle so you wouldn’t get distracted (and subsequently annoyed) by it. Because if it were, a topic bearing the title “Annoyed with GW2 Sound Effects and Music” would be here instead.