their skill in battle , so the player must either spare or fight her . During this battle , the music is more dynamic and is a representation of how the protagonist must prove their worth to her . This female character ’ s representation has stereotypical elements , as she is definitely presented as a mother archetype . As Mou and Peng ( 2009 ) highlighted , despite ‘ the proportion of female characters appearing in video games is increasing , female characters appear in stereotypical roles ’ ( Mou and Peng , 2009 , p . 928- 929 ). The female-coded monster ’ s leitmotif in the game is a representation of her mother archetype character . However , her battle music and other female characters within ‘ Undertale ’ ( Toby Fox , 2015 ) suggest how female representation is gradually expanding . This further highlights the power music has in establishing character identity , as this character and her musical leitmotif reinforces traditional ideas of femininity to the audience .
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How Does Music Contribute To Character Identity In ‘ Night In The Woods ’?:
Music is key to crafting character identity , as it acts as a form of communication to exhibit emotion ( Fairchild and Marshall , 2019 , p . 5 ). This is extremely evident within ‘ Night in the Woods ’ ( Infinite Fall , 2017 ), as the game ’ s music communicates the emotions and identities present within the narrative .
In one of the narrative paths , players can choose to ‘ hang out ’ with Gregg . He is an energetic fox that was extremely close with the main protagonist before she left for college . Frequently , through Gregg ’ s sections the music is bold , dynamic , and nostalgic . This music actively reflects the protagonist ’ s and Gregg ’ s relationship together ; both characters are returning to their childhood identities before Mae left for college . As the characters journey to the woods together on a bike , the warm and nostalgic music reflects the character ’ s emotions of being reunited with each other . This nostalgic
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