Collectibles are one of the staples of video games. While an engaging story or exciting gameplay is usually enough to grab your attention, for those looking for any excuse to scour every corner of their favorite game worlds, collectibles fill that need perfectly.
Related:RPGs With The Best Storylines
Audio logs are just one of the many kinds of collectibles found in video games. These short audio recordings allow developers to insert extra lore or story into their games, helping flesh out the world even more. While many extraordinary examples of quality audio logs in games exist, a few stand above the rest.
10Dishonored
While audio logs are a great storytelling tool for games, they can often be used as a crutch, a substitute for having a good story. Before the disaster of the video gameRedfall, developer Arkane Studios appeared to be one of the masters of excellent background storytelling.
In Arkane’s 2012 launchDishonored, audiograph players are littered throughout the open world. Each one tells the story and life of a citizen living in Dunwall as they deal with the plague crippling the city.
9Alien: Isolation
Considering the Alien series' impact on the science fiction genre, it’s surprising how long it took for there to be a genuinely excellent Alien game. In 2014, fans finally got what they’d been begging for withAlien: Isolation.
While best known for itsimpressive AI and terrifying setting, developer Creative Ensemble ensured the Sevastopol space station was fully realized. Audio logs can be found throughout the game, retelling the fall of the Sevastopol, and the fates and lives of its unfortunate crew.
8System Shock 2
When it comes to sci-fi horror video games, one of the grandfathers of the genre is theSystem Shockseries. While the first game is remembered fondly, it’s System Shock 2 that’s seen as one of the blueprints of many science fiction and horror games that followed.
Related:Most Important Horror Games Of All Time
Throughout the mutant-infested setting of the Von Braun, you can find audio logs and terminals detailing what exactly happened on this ship as you work to fill the lost gaps in your memory.
7Prey
2017’s Prey is regarded as one of the most underrated video games of the 2010s. Between the poor commercial success, confusing marketing, and falsely being advertised as a successor to the 2006 game of the same name, it’s fair to sayPrey deserved better.
While Prey’s main plot is excellent and full of twists and turns, the game’s myriad of written and audio logs help further elevate the already fascinating world, informing you about the lives and fates of the Talos-One’s crew and personnel.
It’s been a decade since the conclusion of the critically acclaimedDead Spacetrilogy. While many clamor for a new entry, the 2023 remake of the first game has shown modern gamers just what made the series stick in the minds of audiences back in 2008.
Protagonist Issac Clarke’s tale of space terror survival gives you more than enough reason to be invested. Still, developer Visceral utilized engrossing audio recordings that reveal the frightening events that laid waste to the people of the USG Ishimura.
5Fallout New Vegas
When talking about excellent writing or story-telling in video games,Fallout: New Vegasis almost always at the center of the dialogue. Developer Obsidan’s much-beloved entry in the open-world post-apocalyptic series remains the series' magnum opus.
Related:RPGs With The Best Writing
Given how great New Vegas’s writing is across the board, it’s no surprise that the game boasts some truly captivating audio logs. From the most memorable, like the chilling logs from Vault 11’s survivors or the many holotapes of survivors from the Mojave Wasteland and beyond, it’s all fascinating.
4Mass Effect 3
The final entry in developer Bioware’s exemplary trilogy throws Commander Shepard headfirst into the Reaper War. Given how masterfully the conflict is built up across the previous two games, It was crucial for Bioware to ensure the gravity of the situation was felt throughout the campaign.
The first and secondMass Effectgames also have some gripping audio logs, but Mass Effect 3’s recordings have magnitude. The Logs primarily accounts of people’s struggle in the war against the Reapers, a constant reminder of the stakes.
3Batman: Arkham Asylum
Not only is developer Rocksteady’sBatman: Arkhama phenomenal series, but it also serves as a fantastic love letter to the caped crusader. The game’s plentiful and unique collectibles usually unlock extra content such as concept art, character bios, and audio logs.
All entries in the series have unlockable audio logs, mostly revolving around the many villains seen throughout the games. In Arkham Asylum, you can unlock patient interview tapes of the adversaries you’ll encounter, such as Scarecrow, Killer Croc, and the Joker.
2Halo 3: ODST
For all the incredible writing and storytelling on display in Bungie’sHalogames, the developer never really focused on how the Covenant War affected the average person. Bungie’s spin-off entry, Halo 3: ODST, offered a perspective of the war away from the visor of the Master Chief.
While trekking through the destroyed and battle-torn streets as the lowly Rookie,audio logs are spread throughout. These recordings recount the story of a girl named Sadie and her tale of survival in a New Mombasa under siege.
1Bioshock
It doesn’t matter what element of game design you’re talking about. Whether it be the best story, graphics, or gameplay, the 2007 first-person shooterBioshockwill always be in that conversation. That perfection extends firmly to the audio logs.
The recordings give you even more backstory to what life is/was like in Rapture. From the lowly dock factory worker to the high-class elite, each recording gives you a fascinating look into this one-of-a-kind underwater city and insight into its descent into madness and disorder.
