diff --git a/neo/sound/snd_local.h b/neo/sound/snd_local.h
index d365e44c..6c5790eb 100644
--- a/neo/sound/snd_local.h
+++ b/neo/sound/snd_local.h
@@ -601,6 +601,7 @@ public:
 	ALuint					listenerSlot;
 	bool					listenerAreFiltersInitialized;
 	ALuint					listenerFilters[2]; // 0 - direct; 1 - send.
+	float					listenerSlotReverbGain;
 
 	int						gameMsec;
 	int						game44kHz;
@@ -751,6 +752,7 @@ public:
 	LPALDELETEAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOTS	alDeleteAuxiliaryEffectSlots;
 	LPALISAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOT		alIsAuxiliaryEffectSlot;
 	LPALAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOTI		alAuxiliaryEffectSloti;
+	LPALAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOTF		alAuxiliaryEffectSlotf;
 
 	idEFXFile				EFXDatabase;
 	bool					efxloaded;
@@ -793,6 +795,8 @@ public:
 	static idCVar			s_useEAXReverb;
 	static idCVar			s_decompressionLimit;
 
+	static idCVar			s_alReverbGain;
+
 	static idCVar			s_slowAttenuate;
 
 	static idCVar			s_enviroSuitCutoffFreq;
diff --git a/neo/sound/snd_system.cpp b/neo/sound/snd_system.cpp
index d9a2848c..ce37c975 100644
--- a/neo/sound/snd_system.cpp
+++ b/neo/sound/snd_system.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ idCVar idSoundSystemLocal::s_useEAXReverb( "s_useEAXReverb", "0", CVAR_SOUND | C
 idCVar idSoundSystemLocal::s_decompressionLimit( "s_decompressionLimit", "6", CVAR_SOUND | CVAR_INTEGER | CVAR_ROM, "specifies maximum uncompressed sample length in seconds" );
 #endif
 
+idCVar idSoundSystemLocal::s_alReverbGain( "s_alReverbGain", "0.5", CVAR_SOUND | CVAR_FLOAT | CVAR_ARCHIVE, "reduce reverb strength (0.0 to 1.0)", 0.0f, 1.0f );
+
 bool idSoundSystemLocal::useEFXReverb = false;
 int idSoundSystemLocal::EFXAvailable = -1;
 
@@ -429,6 +431,7 @@ void idSoundSystemLocal::Init() {
 			alDeleteAuxiliaryEffectSlots = (LPALDELETEAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOTS)alGetProcAddress("alDeleteAuxiliaryEffectSlots");
 			alIsAuxiliaryEffectSlot = (LPALISAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOT)alGetProcAddress("alIsAuxiliaryEffectSlot");;
 			alAuxiliaryEffectSloti = (LPALAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOTI)alGetProcAddress("alAuxiliaryEffectSloti");
+			alAuxiliaryEffectSlotf = (LPALAUXILIARYEFFECTSLOTF)alGetProcAddress("alAuxiliaryEffectSlotf");
 		} else {
 			common->Printf( "OpenAL: EFX extension not found\n" );
 			EFXAvailable = 0;
@@ -449,6 +452,7 @@ void idSoundSystemLocal::Init() {
 			alDeleteAuxiliaryEffectSlots = NULL;
 			alIsAuxiliaryEffectSlot = NULL;
 			alAuxiliaryEffectSloti = NULL;
+			alAuxiliaryEffectSlotf = NULL;
 		}
 
 		ALuint handle;
diff --git a/neo/sound/snd_world.cpp b/neo/sound/snd_world.cpp
index bbf25f99..d7982d42 100644
--- a/neo/sound/snd_world.cpp
+++ b/neo/sound/snd_world.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ void idSoundWorldLocal::Init( idRenderWorld *renderWorld ) {
 				// pow(10.0, (-1150*1.5)/2000.0)
 				soundSystemLocal.alFilterf(listenerFilters[1], AL_LOWPASS_GAINHF, 0.137246f);
 			}
+			// allow reducing the gain effect globally via s_alReverbGain CVar
+			listenerSlotReverbGain = soundSystemLocal.s_alReverbGain.GetFloat();
+			soundSystemLocal.alAuxiliaryEffectSlotf(listenerSlot, AL_EFFECTSLOT_GAIN, listenerSlotReverbGain);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -130,6 +133,7 @@ idSoundWorldLocal::idSoundWorldLocal() {
 	listenerEffect                = 0;
 	listenerSlot                  = 0;
 	listenerAreFiltersInitialized = false;
+	listenerSlotReverbGain = 1.0f;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -182,6 +186,7 @@ void idSoundWorldLocal::Shutdown() {
 				listenerFilters[1] = AL_FILTER_NULL;
 			}
 		}
+		listenerSlotReverbGain = 1.0f;
 	}
 
 	localSound = NULL;
@@ -524,6 +529,13 @@ void idSoundWorldLocal::MixLoop( int current44kHz, int numSpeakers, float *final
 		ALuint effect = 0;
 		idStr s(listenerArea);
 
+		// allow reducing the gain effect globally via s_alReverbGain CVar
+		float gain = soundSystemLocal.s_alReverbGain.GetFloat();
+		if (listenerSlotReverbGain != gain) {
+			listenerSlotReverbGain = gain;
+			soundSystemLocal.alAuxiliaryEffectSlotf(listenerSlot, AL_EFFECTSLOT_GAIN, gain);
+		}
+
 		bool found = soundSystemLocal.EFXDatabase.FindEffect(s, &effect);
 		if (!found) {
 			s = listenerAreaName;