This Element examines musical structures that provide queer temporal alternatives to normative linear development, and interactive systems that reframe the power relationship between musical material and listener. It also rejecting chrononormativity and discusses music that queers the self/other binary of identity.
More than twenty years after its release, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remains a pinnacle of video game excellence, with its music receiving acclaim both within the game and in orchestral performances. Music plays a crucial role in this celebrated game, connecting narrative, gameplay mechanics, characters, and virtual worlds. It also engages a dedicated community of fans who continually interact with and reinterpret the music, making it a cultural touchstone. As the field of video game music studies evolves, this work employs established theoretical frameworks to conduct an in-depth analysis of a single game's music. This extensive investigation serves three primary purposes: it offers a historical-critical overview of the music in a significant video game, explores broader themes in music and media studies—including interactivity, fan culture, and the relationship between music and technology—and provides a model for future comprehensive studies in the realm of video game music.
In this new edition, Tim Summers brings his analysis of the politics of Hong Kong fully up to date and discusses the ramifications for the city of the mass demonstrations of June 2019 and the intensifying confrontational politics that has culminated in China's new security laws effectively criminalizing dissent in the city.
Music is central to the experience of interacting with video games. In this book, Tim Summers explores the functions of music in video games, offers new insights into well-loved game music and provides a wide array of new tools and concepts for its analysis.