I feel it pertinent to shine a light on a relatively new game that has been soaking up a good few hours of my time lately. Created and published by Toby Fox, and marketed as "A friendly RPG where no one has to die," "Undertale" is an approximately three to four hour long roleplaying game in which you play a human who has fallen into an underground world full of monsters, some of which are quite friendly and jovial. Below, I'll dive into what this game is, why it's so fantastic, and why you, the reader, should consider purchasing it.
1. Price and game length.
On Steam, you can get it for $10, and $18 can get you the game, along with its amazing soundtrack. That said, for such a reasonable price you can get three unique play-throughs out of the game, one for each of the game's three possible endings (not counting the variety of "neutral" endings the game has). Even so, every hour is worth the adventure that you undergo as the player.
2. Excellent storytelling.
From the moment you start the game, you fall (quite literally) into a world with a distinct and veiled story that reveals itself as you progress. And in my opinion, the wonderment and amazement that the character must feel as they adventure through this new and alien landscape is transferred to the player. I, on many occasions found myself hanging around a few wonderful areas, simply listening to the music and admiring the landscapes. But that's not the point. The point I want to make, is that the story progresses itself quite well. You learn things through interactions with NPCs (non-player characters) or through interacting with the world around you. Every character has a story, as well as every object. This game does a good job of getting you emotionally invested in the story and the characters within it. I even cried at a few moments in the game. A good story is revealed in increments, with enough room to let you question, and "Undertale" does just that.
3. A colorful cast of characters.
A game isn't complete without an amazing supporting cast, and luckily, "Undertale" boasts an amazing cast of characters. Each one has their unique quirks and personalities, from sexuality (the game does an amazing job of portraying a lesbian couple, comprised of two major characters) to things like gender (it's agreed by most that a side character, and boss, is transgender.) Two fan favorites however, are the comical pair of Sans and Papyrus, who are named for the two most hated typefaces (or fonts) among those who use the Internet. (Comic Sans and Papyrus, respectively.) They're met early on, and depending on your actions, will continue with you until the end of the game. They lend both a sense of comic relief and the notion that not all the "monsters" you fight are as evil as you may believe them to be. After all, simply hearing the word monster makes one assume that evil is afoot. Regardless, each character you meet adds a new dimension, and you'll know when you meet them. To avoid spoiling anymore, this is where I'll stop, for this portion.
4. A beautiful world.
When I first heard that the entirety of the game takes place underground, I assumed that I would be met with dreary and dark scenery that lent little to be desired. Yet, as I traversed the subterranean halls, I found bright and beautiful landscapes, flowers, and iridescent waters. I saw a castle in the distance while being pelted with rain and a massive metal citadel suspended above a pool of lava. The scenery within the game is breathtaking and is worth seeing, if only once.
5. Music.
The soundtrack for "Undertale" is quite the same as the scenery in its essence; beautiful. It carries with it orchestral undertones, but is mainly MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) in general. Even so, it remains upbeat and enthralling. Each boss has their own theme, and the same to each area as well. The music spurs on some moments and lends an epic buildup, or emotional atmosphere when needed. For me, I use it as work music, as it keeps me focused and determined, and at times, I smile as I remember the moments that each song punctuated.
6. A unique system.
I find the way that "Undertale" handles combat to be unique. Like most RPGs, there is your standard "Fight" and "Item" options for you to select and use. However, there are two other options: "Act" and "Mercy." Here lies the unique spin on the RPG genre that "Undertale" brings to the table. Most people who go through the game on their first playthrough, will ignore the "Act" and "Mercy" buttons, and simply fight their way through the game, as one normally does in games of the RPG genre. However, doing so will earn them a more negative ending. And so, one comes back to play the second time, and while fights may take longer by using these commands, the results are often more humorous and exciting. This entire aspect flips the genre on its head, and ultimately messes with the players, and even my expectations and outlook on the game.
7. Emotional impact.
For a mere thing comprised of pixels and thousands of lines of code, "Undertale" has had a severe emotional impact on me. I've shed tears at sad moments, and laughed at a variety of jokes or situations. And all of this, as I said above, comes from amazing writing. It sucks you in the moment you start, and you'll find yourself enthralled in all of these wonders. The closest thing I can relate the emotions I felt to, is the wonderment of seeing some great work of art for the first time, or an amazing natural occurrence. Yet at the same time, some points of the game are somber and heart felt, even to the point of drawing tears...or shouts of frustration.
8. A game that remembers.
The one thing that "Undertale" does that other games struggle to do is have the game "remember." Whenever you restart the game back to the beginning (disregarding the "true reset" after you achieve the game), the dialogue or certain events within the game change, because the characters remember the actions you performed before. One boss, when you talk to him in battle, acknowledges that he's killed you X number of times as you work through his fight. Other times, your character performs actions far earlier than they would normally. This lends a certain comic relief at certain times, and at others, it's simply surprising. But, it's the one thing the game does well, that other games fail to do.
9. A paper thin fourth wall.
In some games and stage plays, the fourth wall can and often will be broken. The fourth wall is the imaginary boundary that separates the characters of a play (or game) from the player. From time to time, this boundary can be broken as characters acknowledge that they're in a game, and speak directly to the player. "Undertale" does this in spectacular fashion. One character in particular consistently speaks to the player, taunting or speaking to them directly through the screen. (The effect is made all the more unsettling, if like me, you plug your name in for the character you play.) It's spooky, but done well as this antagonistic character berates you for your actions in the opening area, and acknowledges your existence. The game is full of fourth wall breaking moments, and they never get old.
10. Moments that you'll remember.
The best of this game are the moments and events that will remain in your mind forever. Even now, I can vividly remember the hilarity of "dating" a skeleton, the thrills I felt as I was chased through the landscape by a boss, and the wonderment of entering this magical world of monsters who aren't as bad as you think. "Undertale" taught me that even if things are rough, if you stay determined and focus on your goal, there is little that can stop you. I learned that friends, no matter how strange or odd they may be, are the closest thing to a family you can have, besides an actual family of course.
"Undertale" is a magical adventure. It's a game that captures upon the greatest of emotions, and teaches the greatest of lessons. It's a game that you'll play three times at most, to bask in the music, in attempt to achieve the different endings, and to visit the friends you've made along the way. It's a low priced game, only $10 on the Steam store, $10 can buy you an adventure you'll remember for quite a while.
