This review was written on December 22nd, 2015.
For most people who have been gaming their entire lives, it is rare to come across a game that can be truly surprising. After about an hour and half of playing Undertale, I realized that this was no ordinary game. Having entered a boss fight expecting the same mechanics up to that point, I was quickly shocked to find that the special attack the game was hinting at prior to the fight was completely unforeseen. Instead, it vastly altered the entire battle yet still managed to remain simple enough to pick up without issue. This is not an isolated case in Undertale either; the game consistently surprises the player with new events from start to finish.
Undertale is best described as a quirky retro RPG with a unique battle system. With charming 16-bit styled graphics, it nails the retro look of classic role-playing games. It takes the first-person perspective for battles (à la Earthbound and Phantasy Star)while using the traditional overhead view for walking around the world. Players also have a familiar inventory system with equippable weapons and armor and consumable items. However, these familiarities are about as similar to other games as Undertale gets.
The story of Undertale begins with the player falling down a hole into another world. The plot quickly reveals that a barrier has separated the realm of the humans and the monsters. The goal of the game is to return to the land of humans; however, the only way to do so is by receiving the King’s assistance. As the player, you travel through many environments on your quest to reach the King’s castle. Unfortunately, hostility is soon found when many monsters wish to capture you for your soul, causing you to have to fend off the creatures for your survival.
Undertale’s story shines in its clever and witty writing. Each of the monsters that you encounter has their own personality, ranging from friendly skeletons to tsundere planes to enraged knights. Depending on one’s responses to certain characters, they have the potential to appear later in the game, adding more dialogue to specific events. For example, saving one character results in their shyly calling their favorite star during a dance-off only for them to hang up after feeling embarrassed. The more important characters significantly alter dialogue and story progression depending on player choices. Something as simple as admitting your love for pasta can result in a date with one of the early villains. The game is also not afraid to break the fourth wall; in fact, it often relies on doing so to explain story events. Undertale manages to pull this off sophistically, adding to its charm. At no point does it feel forced, which may be in part due to its pre-established themes.
The entirety of Undertale’s story lasts approximately six to eight hours, less or more depending on one’s interest in exploring as well as player skill in the battle system. What truly surprised me is the lack of dull moments in the story. After the tutorial, the game streams itself along with constant meaningful events, pushing the player forward. The likeable and quirky characters play a large role in the story’s entertainment, always leaving me desiring more. With player choices affecting the story, it is nice to know that there are multiple endings depending on one’s decisions throughout the game.
With all that is said about Undertale’s story, its combat also manages to be extremely enticing. Unlike most turn-based combat, Undertale requires the player to play during both their turn and the enemy’s. Players may attack enemies with a quick-time styled attack where they inflict more damage by pressing a button when the indicator reaches the green zone. Alternatively, since the game allows a pacifist playthrough, players may spare enemies by talking to them until they no longer wish to fight. Sometimes, this is done through flex-offs, not picking on the enemy’s astigmatism, ditching Jerry (nobody likes Jerry), or repeatedly insisting that you not wish to fight. Enemies respond with dialogue, leading to hints of how to de-motivate them or explaining that they have lost the will to fight. Sparing enemies does not reward the player with experience, allowing the game to be completed at LV1 should the player never kill a single enemy.
Enemy turns work differently from the player’s turn. During the enemy’s turn, the game essentially turns into a bullet-hell game. In order to dodge attacks, the player must move their heart in real time, avoiding all obstacles. This starts off easy, but the farther the player progresses, the more difficult it becomes to dodge attacks. If I have any complaint with the game, it would be that the difficulty grossly reaches insane levels near the end of the game. While I did not have too much trouble, I found myself wondering how inexperienced players would be able to defeat some of the final bosses. Despite that, the boss battles are some of the best I have experienced in gaming. Each major boss has a unique gimmick that somehow fits in without feeling out of place. One boss turns the bullet-hell gameplay into a platformer; another alters it into a rhythm game similar to Dance Dance Revolution. Without trying to spoil too much, at one point I thought I was playing Space Invaders. The fact that Undertale successfully pulled off such diversity in its boss battles is something few games are capable of.
One of my personal favorite aspects of Undertale is its music. Every single environment, scene, and battle matched its music. Comical themes, emotional themes, and intense themes all had corresponding tracks that fit perfectly. I wanted to laugh while Papyrus failed another scheme thanks to the background music, just as well as the final boss theme invigorated me to keep fighting. The consistency in both quality and theme in the tracks is truly astounding. I honestly believe that the soundtrack surpasses that of the vast majority of triple-A titles.
Few games manage to shock me anymore. In an age where countless games are rehashes and copies of what other successful games have done well, it is fantastic to find a title such as Undertale. By combining a unique story determined by player choice, an immersive battle system, and an unfathomable soundtrack, it is a game that truly sets itself apart from the rest. Even if the retro art style does not appeal to you, I highly suggest that you try Undertale regardless. For a fantastic six to eight hour experience priced at a mere ten dollars, I do not know if I can recommend this game any more than I have described here.
Final Score: 9.5/10