Sound

Sound Design

• The sound design will be grounded in realism, it will not use chiptune effects but real sound effects (such as real footsteps, swords clashing, etc.). 
• There will be no recorded dialogue and instead there will be sound effects over subtitles. Examples of games that do this include Undertale, Shovel Knight, Unworthy, Katana zero, and Blasphemous. 
• The game will also prioritize music over background (ambience) sounds.
  • There will of course be foley such as for opening doors, walking, opening chests, etc. 
  • Ambience in general will also exist, such as for wind in the desert, or water in the ocean.
  • There must also be walla sounds in certain locations such as in locations with many people like the ship or the cities.
• However, music should be prioritized over other sound effects not directly linked to gameplay. 

Sound Effects

The main sounds of note, aside from the basic sounds for movement and skills, will be sounds to indicate specific ideas:

• The restoration of stamina (as in the dodge-dash being refilled) will be telegraphed both visually and with a small sound effect.
• Entering a new level will have a sound play, depending on the level it will change, for instance in a desert level it may play the sound of wind blowing to indicate the environment whereas in a castle level it may play war drums/horns to indicate the castle.
• Sounds will also play when a chest is opened and an item is discovered. 
• A sound will also play when upgrading or learning a skill.
• The UI will also have basic select sounds to indicate the different select options.

These effects should be very clear to the player. They may be made by utilizing instruments from the middle east region (such as a goblet drum) in order to steep them into the location of the game, however clarity should be prioritized over using any specific instrument or sound. These effects exist to indicate gameplay, not necessarily to further immersion.

Music

The music of the game will be influenced and based on real folk music and orchestral soundtracks. The specific genre of folk music one may draw influence from is the genre of muwashshah, of course it would be folly to expect such complex poetry and music to be perfectly replicated as such, either existing songs may be used (licensed) or simply the general rhythm and sound of such folk music may be utilized. They should be used in conjunction with orchestral soundtracks as well. If the developer wishes, they could use synthesizers and a chiptune aesthetic instead as real authentic instruments and players for such middle eastern instruments may be hard to come by. However, the general aesthetic (rhythm, melodies, etc.) of muwashshah should be maintained.

Playlists with examples of the type of music (some of these songs are royalty free while others may require licensing):