15 Hidden Video Game Design Secrets That Are Total Genius

10. Halo Has Dynamic Audio, Changing The Score As You Fight

Coming under a variety of different terminologies, more than ever this generation we're seeing "biomes" comprising a game's level structure, enemy layout, colour palette etc. directly relating to the score in the background. A recent example would be No Man's Sky pulling from an audio bank of thousands of compositions to dynamically mix something for combat or exploration, though a far more positively received choice was the original Halo.

Composer Martin O'Donnell recorded a variety of pieces with the idea being that they would be able to segue between one another as gameplay dictated. It meant that there was a demonstrable shift in tone between driving the warthog and leaping into battle, hearing the music crescendo as enemy numbers dwindled and you fought on to win the day.

Again, a more common practice over time, but one of the more subtly effective reasons why Halo was received so exceedingly well.