A subtitle can tell you what a character says while leaving out the alarm sounding behind them. For a player who cannot hear that alarm, the missing information may affect the next decision. Dialogue text and captions for other audio serve related but different purposes.
Microsoft’s Xbox Accessibility Guideline 104 distinguishes subtitles for speech from captions covering audio more broadly. It also discusses readable presentation and discoverable settings. Individual games vary in what they implement.
Check the information, not just the switch
Open the accessibility or audio menu and read the available descriptions. A setting labelled subtitles may cover cutscenes but behave differently during play. Look for speaker identification, non-dialogue sound descriptions, directional cues, and text adjustments where offered.
Test a scene with both speech and meaningful background sound. Notice whether the text tells you who is speaking when the character is off screen. If an audio cue affects gameplay, check whether the game provides a usable visual or other alternative.
Make the text readable where you sit
Text size that works at a desk may be uncomfortable across a living room. Try the actual seating distance and lighting. Background boxes, contrast, and placement can matter as much as font size, especially when a scene is visually busy.
Check whether captions overlap important interface elements or disappear too quickly for comfortable reading. If settings can be changed during play, adjust them using an ordinary sequence rather than judging only a still menu preview.
Before purchasing a game specifically for its accessibility features, consult current official information and relevant demonstrations for the platform and version you plan to use. A general accessibility tag is a starting point, not a promise that every sound is represented. The useful setup gives you the information needed to follow both the story and the actions around you.