Collectibles have been a part of video games since they were just pixel fruit on an arcade screen. Now, there are so many different forms of collectibles that it’s out of control – some range from being fun items to acquire toabsolute annoyances in finding. Unfortunately, collectibles are like a shiny carrot dangling over your head – they’re hard to ignore.
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Out of all of them, however, the number one collectible players will always seek out are audio logs. Though they come in different forms, they usually have something of importance to share, be it secret codes or background details to add to the overall story and worldbuilding. They’re here to stay and they’re never going away. So many video games have used audio logs by this point that it feels right to take a look at which games utilized them the best.
10Fallout: New Vegas
“Who Are You, That Do Not Know Your History?”
Fallout: New Vegas
In the world ofFallout, audio logs are calledholotapes, square storage devices. Though their design has changed from entry to entry, their function has been to provide players with audio or text information, be it lore or clues to aid in their adventures. And the ones found withinFallout: New Vegasare certainly the most memorable.
It’s true that, compared to other games, there are only a few audio holotapes worth finding in the base game, but more were added thanks to its DLCs. From the Mojave Wasteland to the ruins of The Divide, holotapes are hidden in numerous locations. Certain tapes will provide a small window into what life was like before the bombs fell and some are just there to showcase the mad science of Fallout. Yet the holotapes players will never forget are the ones left by your rival courier, Ulysses.
9Alien: Isolation
“We Found… An Alien Creature.”
Alien: Isolation
Everyone can agree thatAlien: Isolationis one of the scariest games of all time. Trying to survive with a hostile monster stalking you through the shadows is going to be tough, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take the time to sift through people’s private computers. It’s okay, they’re probably dead by now.
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Jokes aside, the logs are hard to ignore. Sure, some are just there to share mundane info, like the crew complaining about their tasks or just arguing about stuff, but then there are logs you need for codes to access specific areas within the Sevastopol. There are also plenty of creepy ones that provide clues about how the Alien got onboard and how the crew slowly lost control. There’s even one that has terrifying implications about the children of the ship, yet the most important log will always be the one Ellen Ripley made for her daughter, Amanda.
8Halo 3: ODST
“It’s The End of The World. Nobody Cares What Happens to You.”
Halo 3 ODST
Of all theHalotitles, Halo 3: ODST was the first to fully use audio logs. Across the city of New Mombasa, players will find glowing terminals that’ll reveal the story of Sadie and Vergil. They might be tricky to find in a dark city crawling with hostile aliens, but these logs are important collectibles to thecampaign of Halo 3: ODST.
Each one unravels more of Sadie’s sad tale as she tries to save her father and also shows players what was happening in the city before Master Chief and the marines arrived. These logs reveal the chaos, the escalation, the madness. It shows players a more morbid side of the war and how the civilians were coping with the Covenant invasion. These logs kind of make you wish the game was a little longer so that it could have explored these scenarios more.
Locating all audio logs will unlock a new cutscene when you locate Vergil.
7System Shock 2
“Glory to the Many.”
System Shock 2
Believe it or not, the originalSystem Shockwas the first video game to feature collectible audio logs. Yet it was its sequel, the classic that’s considered the grandfather ofRPGshooters, that refined it. System Shock 2 takes players into asurvival horrorsetting with you trapped on a ship that’s been taken over by a genetic infection.
Hidden throughout the ship, from inside desks to on the bodies of former crew members, you’ll find audio logs to help piece together how everything fell apart. Though some are useful for finding codes to access important areas, many unravel a haunting story about the fate of specific characters. Those who didn’t lose their minds to the Many perished trying to stop the outbreak. Even after all this time, the writing and voice acting are still phenomenal, and another example of why System Shock 2 is a renowned masterpiece.
6Dishonored
“No One Should Have to Kill an Empress.”
Dishonored
With a steampunk-inspired design that mixes science-fiction and fantasy with a 19th-century London aesthetic, the world ofDishonoredis filled with technology that feels innovative yet archaic. Pistols loaded with whale-oil-powered bullets, mechanical boats, yet the number one doodad players see most often are the audiograph players.
Resembling a big phone with a punch card sticking out, these gadgets allow citizens to make audio recordings. How a paper punch card can record voices is unclear, but it’s a cool design, so that can be overlooked. What can’t be overlooked is the number of audiographs scattered across each mission, which will come in handy in your quest for revenge. Many provide useful information about current events in the world, locations of important items or characters, and they can even be vital for accomplishing missions in a certain way.
5Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
“I Will Always Be Your Angel of Peace.”
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
TheMetal Gear Solidgames have always been packed with information. If players needed aid, codec calls provided them with data about the mission or something specific. These became less prevalent in the later games in favor of cassette tapes, though. Though Peace Walker did it first, MGS 5: The Phantom Pain utilized tapes to share intel and backstory.
Some players may complain about the length of these recordings, but it helps that they’re made interesting thanks to the superb voice acting and directing ofHideo Kojima. Certain tapes can offer important information or disturbing revelations. Not only that, but the tapes can even be used during gameplay. Using tapes with sound effects, you can deceive or manipulate enemies in the field. Then there’s the music tapes. You can be blasting the songs of the ’80s while assaulting a base or from your helicopter as it airlifts you from the LZ.
This entry also counts Ground Zeroes’ tapes, as they are also haunting and tragic. Paz’s tapes are the most heartbreaking things ever heard in all of Metal Gear Solid.
4Amnesia: The Dark Descent
“One Last Thing, A Shadow Is Following You.”
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Yes, only notes and diaries are found in Amnesia: The Dark Descent, not mechanical audio logs. Many of the notes you find are narrated, however, which technically function just the same. In the end, a log is mostly an audio diary of someone’s thoughts or confessions, and some of the most unforgettable can be found within this legendary horror game.
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From the moment you start playing to the various notes littered throughout Brennenburg Castle, these pages weave a nightmarish tale. It’s through them that players learn about the mysterious Orb and the Shadow that covets it. Each collection not only unveils what led Daniel to the castle, but also the spiraling decline of his morality as he and Alexander commit terrible deeds. They’re chilling, wonderfully acted and you don’t want to miss a single note in any playthrough.
3Batman: Arkham Asylum
“Like I Said… You’re All Part of My Experiment Now!”
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Playing as the iconic Caped Crusader is just one of many reasons the Arkham series is so incredible. Of course, the games wouldn’t be the same without its various supervillains. Ever sinceBatman: Arkham Asylum, every adversary is presented with a profile detailing their bio, crimes, abilities and audio tapes.
Instead of just acting as fan service, these recordings serve a purpose for the narrative and world of the Arkham games. They allow players to listen in on the criminals of Gotham and see their outlook on their crimes, their agendas and their hatred of Batman. Some can even get bleak and disturbing, especially the ones featuring Zsasz and the Scarecrow. The downside is that the only way to unlock these amazing tapes is by completing the Riddler’s challenges. So, get trophy hunting.
“I’ve Seen What They Do… To The Bodies. What They Become.”
Dead Space (2023)
Whether it’s the original or the remake,Dead Spacestands as a prime example of cosmic horror in video games. As Isaac Clarke, you’re trapped aboard a massive mining vessel with alien lifeforms turning the dead into monsters. Along the way, you’ll come across more than just audio logs. There are many video and text files with secrets that will expand upon thelore of Dead Space.
Every collectible you locate reveals just how dire the situation was for its crew, exposing how they lost the Ishimura to the Necromorphs. Other files will detail the truth of how it started, how various members of the crew were losing their minds, about the influence of the infamous Unitology and the importance of the Marker. Unsettling as they can get, finding a file always feels like a mini reward, and when trapped in a hopeless situation, every little bit helps.
“I Want to Take the Ears Off But I Can’t!”
Of all games to feature audio collectibles,BioShockremains the number one example where finding them all feels mandatory for every playthrough. The legendary adventure set under the sea redefined storytelling in gaming, thefirst-person shootergenre and collectibles with its use of audio diaries. The device’s slim design has become iconic and serves as an incredible narrative device for the story and world of Rapture.
In the main plot, you only meet a handful of characters, but from the audio diaries, you’re introduced to many you never get to meet. Each diary offers insights into their lives before and after the downfall of the city, and their stories about the impact of Adam and the civil war. These tapes can range from being insightful to downright depressing, or even disturbing. Even still, there are more audio logs to be found, so get out there and keep looking, would you kindly?
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