Games

Games!

You know there’s always a danger with long form reviews that a new game will be released and you just have to try out the hardware under test with it. Yes, that’s Fallout 4. I’ll get there. The three games I’ve sunken the most time into, and that oddly use audio to enhance immersion, are Fallout 4, Witcher 3, and Project Cars. None of these games would be very entertaining without audio.

The test machine was configured as such:

Let’s start with Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. The game of the year has exceptional audio, not just the soundtrack, but also the environmental sounds. Many of the missions require you to use ‘witcher senses’ to find more clues about what you’re looking for. If you don’t find these clues, you don’t get paid. Sound is one of the many senses that a witcher uses to find clues, and so is very important.

Gaming anno 2015 requires at least a sub-woofer and/or preferably a 5.1 setup. Granted though, with the 119 EURO costing CUBE mini you'll be savvy as the clarity and rich detail will surprise you. Next to that this kit can reproduce proper sounding bass. The downside, you probably do not want the speakers to sit right next to you next to the monitor. Space them further away and a little closer to the ends of your desk, closer to the wall for better bass. This is the one circumstance where I'd have liked to have seen this kit with a sub-woofer. Desks are simply small. The stereo separation is good for pretty accurate positional awareness. In certain situations the positional sound was easier to tell where a monster was coming from. This translates into quicker reaction times, less raw meat eaten for healing, but overall, much better immersion. It remains stereo though. The one notable difference opposed to many other cheapo kits is the bass. While the CUBE mini is a little bass shy if not positioned as recommended you will clearly hear things like horse hooves and footsteps.

Overall, the CUBE mini offers a clear and detailed sound spectrum, the many dialogs in Witcher 3 sound clear though here I do miss a mid speaker. Make no mistake, you will get any word spoken in this game with these speakers pumping out very clear sound. Obviously you will need a proper audio solution inside your PC to get the best of that.

With Fallout 4 we always say that the ambient sound is really critical as you are walking in a simulated world environment. Especially when you’re facing down a building full of raiders. You know the one, early in the game your task is to clear the Corvega Car Assembly Plant. Again, the speakers offer a good experience of difference in positional awareness. The sound of a turret locking on? Check. A raider two floors down looking for you? Check. Again, perhaps I would have liked a sub here with LFE, but it's good overall really.
 

Project Cars. Racing sims are pretty static, actually. The sound of your car is fairly static, engine sounds, tire screeching at the edge of adhesion, there’s a giddy sense of fun pushing a digital car to its limits. I’m rather fond of the McLaren P1, which is rendered beautifully in Project Cars. It is a difficult car to drive in this game. You do get a sense of how much power the machine possesses and how easy it is to find yourself looking the wrong way down the track. The game roars perfectly with these speakers, nice screeches and a car engine with a deep roar make it all sound impressive.