Subtitles
Also said as Captions, Closed captions, Speaker labels
Dialogue as text on screen. Captions go further, with sounds and music as well. Done well, they come with a choice of size, a background, the name of whoever is speaking, and where that person is.
Many people turn these on, far more than those who can't hear, including anyone playing at night or in a second language. Tiny white text with no background fails all of them, and it's the default that decides what most players get.
Say it
“Turn subtitles on by default, at 40 px at 1080p, on a 70% black plate, with speaker names in their own colours and an arrow for anyone off screen.”
Where you’ve seen it
The Last of Us Part II offers three subtitle sizes, three background settings, a choice of colour, speaker names with their own colours, and an arrow that points to a speaker you can't see.
Not to be confused with captions
Subtitles assume you can hear and give the words. Captions assume you can't and also describe sounds, such as footsteps behind you or a door opening.