The realm of video games has so much more to offer than just art styles and hyperrealistic graphics. Audio design also plays a big role in delivering an unforgettable and immersive gaming experience. While beautiful orchestral OSTs are always well appreciated, the Foley art isn't nearly as talked about in the gaming space.
Instead of allowing the music to take the front and center stage, some video games keep the listening experience on the softer side, making for an easy listen rather than a dramatic, intense one that's more on the cinematic side. Whatever kind of triggers players are looking for, there's likely a video game that's got the right sounds to deliver the right kinds of shivers. Here are some video games with the best ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.
9 Journey
Although Journey is mostly known for its beautiful aesthetic and art style, its audio design is well worthy of praise as well. While there is a soundtrack that plays in the background of the game at most times, it's soft and makes for an easygoing listen. The beautiful sounds of the environment still manage to come through and help the player feel both immersed and relaxed.
The flowing sound of capes dancing in the wind, the hot sand being glided across in the sunset, and the mysterious howling of the wind all create an experience just as beautiful as Journey's physical aesthetic, just in a different way.
8 Bastion
Sometimes, ASMR isn't just about the tingles given from soft, subtle sounds or the clicks and tingles of an environment. Sometimes, great ASMR comes in the form of fantastic narration. Bastion's narration is what made it stand out among all other games; giving another unique feature for players to admire during their playthrough.
The entirety of Bastion is accompanied by the fantastic, engaging narration by Rucks (a.k.a. The Stranger). Rucks' (voice actor: Logan Cunningham, known for his other narration roles in Supergiant Games) delivery of each narration was perfect, not just for ASMR fans, but for players that are itching for a fully immersive experience.
7 Unpacking
Aside from the satisfaction of being able to find the right place for each little (or big) item unpacked, Unpacking gives players a satisfying audio experience as well as gameplay. The gentle soundtrack playing throughout each level makes for an easy listen and melts away into the background the more one plays.
Plates stacked on top of one another will have a sharper sound of breakables making contact, meanwhile, books placed on a wooden shelf will have a much softer, muffled sound. A piggy bank filled with change will jingle ever so slightly when picked up, while a little magnet placed on a fridge will result in a little clicking sound. Each and every item unpacked, picked up, and placed has its own unique little sound that gives a sense of a job well done.
6 Portal
Aside from GLaDOS' snarky vocal instructions during each level, Portal (and Portal 2) are rather "empty" in terms of sound design. This isn't a negative by far; in fact, the emptiness adds to protagonist Chell's sense of complete isolation from the outside world. Each test chamber is vast, plain, and void of any life, truly emphasizing every little sound that echoes within the chamber.
From each of Chell's muted footsteps to each new sci-fi piece of equipment's loud crackle or whirring, every single sound in Portal is heard and affects the game's (and each individual chamber's) overall feel and atmosphere, making for a great listening experience (even without the smooth jazz).
5 A Little To The Left
The musical soundtrack of A Little To The Left is fantastic on its own, but the accompaniment of all the little sounds of objects being organized in the background really acts as the cherry on top of the entire experience. The music is soft and relaxing and almost melts into the gameplay, almost making it fade into the background while the player continues through each level.
Any neat freak that loves spring-cleaning or reorganizing at the late hours of the night will love this game not only for the gameplay but all the satisfying little noises each interactable item has to offer. Hearing a little click or chime of a bell when finally putting the last piece of the puzzle in its place couldn't be any more fulfilling.
4 Solitaire
It's a no-brainer that card games would be high on the list of games to play with headphones on for that great ASMR experience, and the best part of Solitaire is that it's completely free to play on Google. After a quick Google search for the game, Solitaire will pop up as a free, playable game.
The faint, yet sharp sounds of the cards being shuffled, then quickly dealt are sure to give players a good ASMR tingle. Each time a card is placed or flipped throughout the deck, a small audio cue will play along with it, giving the player a nice satisfying feeling with every play.
Be sure not to overlook any free/old-school games as "too basic" to provide an enjoyable experience. Google's Solitaire will make the player feel as if a crisp, fresh, new deck of physical cards were right in front of them (but without the effort and mess of setting up each game)!
3 Limbo
The world of Limbo may not be a relaxing one; perhaps not even an inviting one! However, the game still manages to deliver an amazing ASMR experience that hits all the right triggers. Just from the player's pitter-patter of their footsteps, it's clear the game focuses heavily on the ambiance of the environment around them, rather than a thrilling soundtrack.
While a few orchestral pieces come into play once in a while, the game's audio design primarily relies on the varying environments the player must venture through. Limbo does a fantastic job at giving the player a taste of multiple different sound profiles; such as a fluttering forest, a gear-turning factory, and even an abandoned city hotel. Whatever kind of sounds that players are itching to hear, it's likely Limbo has it.
2 Dark Souls
Although it may seem a bit strange to consider Dark Souls a relaxing game (maybe because it isn't and is in fact very stressful at times), in auditory terms, it fits the bill! The Souls series are rather muted as there is usually no soundtrack playing when the player is simply exploring the world.
Disregarding the stress of the gameplay and viciousness of the bosses (which are usually accompanied by music), Dark Souls has fantastic sound design for those looking for a satisfying ASMR experience. The gentle clanking of armor as the player runs and the quiet crackling of a nearby bonfire make for a perfect atmosphere for relaxation. Hopefully, players struggling with any Souls games will play with headphones on to focus on the beautiful sound design and keep calm for any upcoming pesky boss fights!
1 Papers, Please
While Papers, Please does indeed have an iconic soundtrack that plays at the beginning of the game at the menu, it makes a point to not play any music whatsoever during the actual gameplay. It may seem lazy or neglectful at first, but it's clearly intentional. Papers, Please is all about the mundane busy work of an everyday job, and adding a soundtrack to the experience would make it feel less authentic.
The small sounds of papers turning, documents shuffling, stamps being pressed, and the faint noises of the nearby traffic all manage to make the player feel oddly cozy in their own little world while at their work booth. Even the characters' dialogue noises sound soft and identical while not muttering any familiar noises that sound like actual words, all to keep the player focused on the task at hand. For all the gamers that love subtle ASMR sounds, Papers, Please is definitely one to play with headphones on.