I think it is quite fair to say that the assembly of all things - play control, gameplay, pacing, the visual aspects, the audio aspects, force feedback, etc can alter, enhance, or sometimes diminish the feeling of the game. I actually want to look at a particular movie to explain how you can grip a viewer by stimulating them in multiple ways.

Back to the Future -

Forgive me if you haven't seen the film, but I think it is safe to assume everyone here has seen it. I like a good many films, and several have certain sequences in them that I can watch over and over and over again. Back to the Future has a scene that most people refer to as the "Clock Tower scene."

In this scene, Marty is awaiting the alarm to go off on his new dashboard alarm clock so he can start his drive and go back to the future. Meanwhile, Doc is struggling to fix the wiring problem at the clock tower after a tree limb unplugged the lead from the lightening rod to the lamp posts. The entire sequence from the time the alarm goes off to when Marty goes back to the future is just cinematic bliss for me. Alan Silvestri's score, the building tension, the constant lightening strikes in the background, the acceleration of the Delorean - all of it comes together until that Lightening bolt strikes and sends Marty forward in time. I cannot tell you how many times I have just cranked that scene on the home theater. Yes - the audio really makes that scene. Playback the whole thing without the music. Play it back without the ambient sound effects. Does the emotion drop out of it? Yes. Now take away the video and just listen to the scene.

I would gamble that you feel more emotion with Audio minus Video than you do Video minus Audio! Surround sound or not, it makes a huge difference.

I remember when they first started putting Dolby Pro Logic/Surround into the console games and Creative Labs and Aureal had competing 3D sound formats. I have to admit that I didn't really do the best job setting up a *second* surround system for my computer in order to enjoy these things. Still - One has to properly calibrate a home theater in order to make it enjoyable. I think it is a safe assumption to say you would need to do the same thing for a computer. You need to be enveloped in the sound.

But! Let me also say this - I think the most overlooked gaming accessory when it comes to computer gaming is your chair. Seriously. If there is any bit of discomfort from your chair, the graphics and sound will not suck you in. It's just a fact. If you are distracted or even subconsciously distracted by some minor (or naturally, a major) annoyance, it just won't work.

Focusing more on Matt's topic, I think sounds can play a pivotal role in gaming. I also think that the ambient sounds are sometimes more important than the gameplay-specific sound effects. How many times do they repeat? How do they overlay? Too much? Too little? Too loud? Aside from the repetition, you still have to have a good mix.

I don't have a lot of examples to give, but I will say that the final battle of Persona 3 was something that really struck a chord (no pun intended) with me. The music during that sequence is great, and the sound effects almost seem to mesh with the music. Specifically, the heroes twirl and fire evokers (they look just like guns) at their own heads to awaken a monster to execute an attack (Yes, it is Japanese). The twirl and fire seems to fit quite well with the energy level of the music. The heroes actions and sound effects have been there the entire game, but wow does it ever pair well with the music.

I think this synergy in gaming is something that can add a lot to the emotions of gaming and leave a lasting impression. I mean, heck - I can't tell you of a lot of *specific* gaming memories I have while playing games - I can mostly just talk about the fun I had playing certain games. But that sequence in Persona 3 - when the battle, gameplay, control, music, and sound effects game together - that left a lasting impression on me.