Article:How Music Shapes Gameplay
Article
Have you ever wondered why the soundtrack in a game starts to make you feel like you’re about to enter a boss battle you’re unsure you can even win? Or maybe why a scene in your favorite game makes you feel sorrowful?
Music behind gameplay can be difficult to notice, especially with so many other things happening on the screen. But the soundtrack can have a bigger impact on the player, even if they don’t realize it. Without changing the scene itself, the music can change how you, the player, may interpret the scene. This is especially shown when the music reflects the situation happening around.
Lots of games use music theory to help tell stories better, influence the players’ emotions, and create a better, more in-depth atmosphere. It goes way beyond simply making the game enjoyable. Even the smallest change in the music can make a familiar environment feel completely new.
For example, in a game like The Walking Dead, they use softer and slower music to emphasize sad moments, or sometimes it can feel more suspenseful for decision making, to make you feel the weight of making a hard choice.
In another game, called Death Stranding, the environment and atmosphere are very quiet until those special moments where music starts to play. As Sam, the main character, explores the environment around him, certain songs will be cued up to reflect the emotions he may be experiencing. Death Stranding does a good job of showing you that music can have some of the biggest impact, even if it’s used sparingly.
In games with boss battles, the soundtrack can change even before the player encounters the enemy, signaling imminent danger.
So, as you can see, music theory plays a huuuuge role in video games as it helps make the story more engaging, shaping experiences and feelings that visuals and dialogue don’t convey on their own. The next time you play your favorite video game, listen to the music. What is it trying to get you to feel? How does that better shape your experience playing that game?
Additional Info
Written by: Juno
Publish Date: September 10th, 2026 @ 1:48pm
