‘Undertale’ Is Over The Top Good
Welcome to Indie Spotlight!
Today we’re diving into one of the most unusual titles in recent months that has received amazing praise from all over — Undertale!
In the world of Undertale, a war has broken out between the two major races: Humans and Monsters. After claiming victory, the Humans sent all of the Monsters underground and placed a magical barrier at the only entrance, at Mount Ebott. Legend has it that anyone who climbs the mountain never returns…
You take the role of a child named [REDACTED], who has fallen into the mountain. With absolutely no direction, you begin to explore this underground world on your own. Fret not, however, for a friendly flower is there to give you the basics.
Created almost solely by music producer Toby Fox, Undertale is a story- and character-driven RPG adventure that takes you through this underground monster world. Mechanically and graphically, everything is very simple: only three buttons plus arrows; pixel art with minimal detail; and nothing but a stat and inventory screen (and a cell phone, but that’s a story detail).
A battle screen shows the monster(s) involved, a text dialogue that describes their actions and moods, and a few potential actions. The main point of Undertale is that you have the option of playing through the entire game without killing anyone. Each combat can be handled the old-fashioned way (beating them to a pulp), or you can interact peacefully with the monsters and make moves that pacify, befriend or distract them from the fight. When they attack, you control your SOUL (the red heart in a box) and dodge projectiles and animations, like an arcade bullet hell game.
The aesthetic simplicity and basic combat may not appeal to some, but Toby has said himself that they are only tools to create this experience. The true value of Undertale lies in the characters, the evolving plot (that is significantly based on your decisions along the way) and the emotional / psychological commitment the game impressively demands from you. If you choose to kill monsters along your journey, the game relentlessly tries to make you feel bad about it. If you make peace with them, you may find your way into some heartwarming and hilarious side quests that truly bring the characters to life.
You may have noticed I haven’t given much detail about the story itself, and I have done so intentionally. Any more than what I have said begins to spoil the adventure. Your decisions are challenged and weighted from the very beginning, and seeing what comes of your actions is what makes this game so good. All I can do is give you a HUGE recommendation to give this game a try. If you like to invest your mind and heart into the people you meet along an adventure, Undertale will never disappoint. Oh, and the soundtrack is amazing.
Undertale is available on Steam — and it’s 20 percent off until Feb 12!
BONUS NOTE: The next Indie Spotlight will be coming to you directly from MAGFest 2016! I’ll be checking out the Indie Videogame Showcase again this year, so look forward to a big recap on what I find!
