Connecting Unspoken Elements through the Use of Leitmotif in Undertale
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Authors
Cantarutti, Joey
Date
2021
Type
conference object
Language
en
Keyword
Undertale , Toby Fox , Leitmotif , Rhythm , Modal Shift , Key Change , Music loop , Nostalgia , Music variation
Alternative Title
Abstract
This research poster demonstrates the various usages of the musical element known as Leitmotif throughout the 2015 video game Undertale created by Toby Fox. Leitmotifs are defined as a theme in any media that becomes associated with a character, place, situation, or emotion. In Undertale, the musical themes and motifs connect to specific narrative characters and plot lines by suggesting particular emotions, character connections, and more, impacting how the player understands the narrative of the game overall. This research uses musical analysis of harmony and melody to show how these Leitmotifs occur throughout the game, how they manifest a musical process called ‘developing variation’, and how they play a significant role in bridging characters and environments within the game’s retro style, inducing nostalgia in the player for both their previous experiences within the game as well as with previous gaming experiences.
Description
Citation
Cantarutti, Joey (2021). Connecting Unspoken Elements through the Use of Leitmotif in Undertale [Poster]. Undergraduate Student Summer Research Fellowship Online Conference, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Publisher
Queen's University