Undertale

Editor's Notes

PC Steam version reviewed.

Introduction

The name Toby Fox probably doesn't mean a lot to most gamers, unless they're a part of certain specific fandoms. The sole developer started by making a ROM hack of the popular RPG 'Earthbound', and providing a few muscial tracks for the webcomic Homestuck. Then, Toby launched a Kickstarter for a slightly unusual video game, "A traditional RPG where no one has to get hurt". The campaign was successful, and this year the gaming populace was treated to the RPG 'Undertale,' a game that does note lend itself to simple genre descriptors.

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

'Undertale' begins with a short, innocuous overview of the game world's past: There was a war between the humans and monsters, and inevitably, the monsters lost and were sealed away underground. One day, a human child falls into the realm of the monsters, and that is where the game begins.

This of course, is merely the setting, the very bare stages notes. By far, the full-on story is the best part about 'Undertale'. There is a lot to find out about the monsters and the underground world they live in, and the characters are varied and their plights are legitimately interesting to the player. The first hour begins a bit slow as players are acclimated to the battle system and exploration aspects, but after the tutorial bits, the title really kicks off.

Basically, there are two main gameplay elements to 'Undertale'. First is the basic overworld exploration, which is very similar to any RPG. Players transverse an underground not unlike a dungeon, solving puzzles and visiting towns. There is nothing too surprising or innovative here, but that doesn't stop this claustrophobic underground setting from being a joy to explore.

What 'Undertale' does change up, though, is in the battle system. As mentioned above, players do not have to kill a single enemy in the game, and while the option is there to attack enemies, 'Undertale' makes it clear that the preferred way to progress is to find a way to win the enemy to your side, after which you can 'spare' them.

It turns many encounters into little puzzle, having to dodge attacks in a style much like a shoot-'em-up, figuring out which commands will calm the monsters down. It's pretty satisfying, at least in the varied random battles. The bosses, on the other hand, are more battles of attrition, surviving until they stop attacking, but other mechanics are introduced to change up the battles in a different way.

All of what I'm describing may sound somewhat simple and underwhelming, and it's true that 'Undertale' is a bit simplistic. Changing how you approach "enemies" is pretty fundamental, and makes for an unconventional twist in a what appears on the surface to be a very conventional RPG. But where the title really shines is its emotional story and how this story is reflected in even its game mechanics. The player is challenged on one level or another to try to have a dialog with the monsters, to learn what makes them tick. This in turn makes each new monster a bit of learning experinece that is more diplomatic than striking and dodging, though there is plenty of that as well.

Video games questioning your reasoning for fighting and hurting other creatures is not new, but rarely does a game give the player the actual choice to not fight, and not punish the player for taking the pacifist route. The fact that 'Undertale' even encourages this makes it quite a different experience. That alone makes it worth the cost of entry, and other uses of the mechanics helps keep the battles fresh for the entirety of the eight hour adventure.