The best Dolby Atmos Xbox Series X games: hear the difference

Date:
Thu, 26 Jan 2023 09:50:54 +0000

Description:
Here's the best Dolby Atmos Xbox Series X games that take full advantage of the spatial audio technology.

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The best Dolby Atmos Xbox Series X games can transform your gaming
experience, thanks to the wonders of spatial audio. Its fair to say that Dolbys technology has been leading the charge for the past few years, as even Apple has opted for Dolby Atmos over the alternatives.

Luckily for Xbox owners, its been available on the platform since 2019. While not every game offers native Dolby Atmos support, those that do offer exceptional sound quality and provide a truly immersive experience to boot.

Dolby describes its Atmos tech as "the most significant development in cinema audio since surround-sound", and while that might be subject to some fierce debate between audiophiles, theres no doubt that Atmos at least provides a convincing surround-sound solution to more people than ever before as it
works on any pair of headphones. Dolby Atmos Xbox Series X games

As gamers will testify, surround sound can be extremely beneficial whether youre playing competitively or simply want to be fully engrossed in a game's fantastical world. Dolby Atmos attempts to facilitate this by making the
sound feel like its coming from all around, as well as above, and the effect can often be amazing.

These Dolby Atmos Xbox Series X games show what the spatial audio format can do. If you're looking for a list of the best Xbox Series X games generally, we've got you covered in our linked guide. Otherwise, here's the best Xbox experiences currently going. Call of Duty: Warzone (Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Warzone has terrific sound design. There is an astonishing amount of detail crammed into the games audio, whether youre reloading a magazine into one of Warzones many weapons or holding your breath as you line up that long-range sniper shot, every action sounds incredibly realistic.

Dolby Atmos provides an extra layer of fidelity to what is an already sumptuous sounding game, though. With players regularly dropping in from the skies and scurrying around on the floors below when youre holed up in a building, Dolby Atmos can really help you determine the exact location of
your enemy before its too late. In a game where margins can often be razor thin, youll need every competitive advantage you can get.

Read our full Call of Duty: Warzone review (Image credit: Microsoft Game Studios) Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

A truly magical Xbox Series S /X game, Ori and the Will of the Wisps has exceptional visuals and a heart wrenching story but it doesnt skimp on sound quality, either. Even though the game takes place entirely on a fixed 2D plane, Dolby Atmos does a wonderful job at separating subtle sounds to help immerse you in the labyrinth-like levels that are teeming with hostile creatures.

The games evocative orchestral soundtrack also benefits from the added
clarity Dolby Atmos provides, with each stringed instrument really driving home the powerful crescendos during some of Oris more perilous moments. This isn't an experience you'll want to miss. Forza Horizon 4 (Image credit: Microsoft Studios)

Racing at top speed through the British countryside is a spectacular sight in Forza Horizon 4 but with Dolby Atmos support, driving sounds marvellous. You really get a sense of what it feels like to commandeer some of the games ludicrously expensive supercars: the engines create a cacophony of sound as you drive through a tunnel or careen wildly under a festival archway as the rain beats down.

Thanks to the games multiple camera angles, you can opt to shut yourself off from the cheering crowds in the cockpit view and enjoy Forza Horizon 4s excellent, toe-tapping radio stations, or really listen close when using the bonnet camera as your car tyres rip up the asphalt. Its a car enthusiasts dream.

Read our full Forza Horizon 4 review Resident Evil 2 (Image credit: Capcom)

Dolby Atmos makes the presence of Resident Evil 2s marauding Mr. X all the more terrifying, along with the hordes of zombies you encounter. The heartstopping sound of Mr. Xs heavy footsteps approaching will be all too familiar to those who have played Capcoms excellent remake, but with Dolby Atmos turned on, the threat can feel excruciatingly real as he quickly closes in.

There is a plus side to scaring yourself silly, though. Dolbys spatial audio can help you pinpoint exactly where Mr. X is lurking before he
unceremoniously barges through the nearest door to rip your throat out. It doesnt make his presence any less unnerving, of course, but any advantage we can get to escape that towering freak, the better.

Read our full Resident Evil 2 review Gears 5 (Image credit: Microsoft)

Gears 5 is an excellent all-around showcase for Dolby Atmos spatial audio. Youll explore expansive open areas like a frozen wasteland and battle it out in claustrophobic underground corridors, so there are plenty of environments and locales that have their own distinctive soundscapes.

Whether you're chainsawing through a sinewy locust or hear the bloodcurdling scream of a juvie before an imminent attack, Gears 5 delivers convincing spatial audio thats well worth the Dolby Atmos license fee. It can also serve as a subtle competitive advantage in the games multiplayer mode, as its
easier to detect when an enemy is hunkered down behind a barricade about to
be skewered from behind.

Read our full Gears 5 review (Image credit: Dolby) How to get the most out
of Dolby Atmos

Despite what you may have heard, Dolby Atmos works on any headphone, but you do need to purchase a license if you wish to use it, which costs $15 / 10.99
/ AU$19. Some TVs like the LG OLED CX also support the Atmos via the TVs inbuilt speaker; however, if you really want to get the most out of Dolbys spatial audio, we advise choosing a quality pair of over-ear headphones or a Dolby Atmos surround sound setup if you really want to go all in.

Most people will likely opt for headphones due to the practicality and lower cost, and if you do go that route, we strongly recommend choosing a pair of open-back headphones as opposed to closed. Open-back headphones tend to provide a far superior soundstage than closed-backed pairs, which really
helps bring spatial audio to life. You want the sound to feel as though its all around you, and not contained within your head, so to speak.

The Xbox Series X Dolby Atmos app also lets you choose between a variety of equalizer settings and you can even create your own, too. This is a great tool for customizing the sound to your liking, particularly if you crave more bass or want to crank up the treble to help hear footsteps better. Once youve got your settings locked in, your games will never sound better. Best Dolby Atmos equalizer setting

While picking the best Dolby Atmos equalizer purely comes down to personal preference, we have noticed one interesting quirk. The 'Movie' preset
provides a significant sound boost over the other options, and focuses on creating a virtualized surround sound that's excellent for single-player titles. The 'Movie' EQ is also a winner if you're using a pair of headphones with high impedance, which require more power to drive at higher volumes.

While we found that using 'Movie' and 'Detailed' provided a rich, cinematic surround experience that trumped the other equalizers in terms of volume, if competitive games are all you play we'd opt for the 'Game' equalizer with performance turned on, as this equalizer prioritizes positional accuracy.It's also a more natural sound, which some may prefer overall. These are the best Dolby Atmos movies and soundtracks



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