Undertale Review
Undertale-Review:
Toby Fox’s stylistic JRPG is a journey into traditional gaming tropes, attempting to invert them in inventive ways to surprise and delight gamers with an adventure that feels both retro and innovative. The result is an astounding and creative video game where the player can revel in the unexpected, if you are willing to deal with the sometimes subpar graphics and a weird and wonderful storyline where it is sometimes difficult to make head or tail of what is going on. Undertale was released on the 15th September 2015 for PC, having previously been Kickstarted and pushed through Steam’s Greenlight program. It is currently available on the Steam Store for £6.99.
Undertale is a very different kind of game, but a very enjoyable one. The time I have spent on this game is time well-spent and I feel that this is one of the few video games that can be accurately described as ‘art’. The world is inventive and the story and gameplay are well-intertwined in novel and surprising ways. Personally, my experience with this game was nothing short of mind-blowing, and I enjoyed every second of playing it, feeling a joy in this game such that I haven’t felt in a long time.
Graphically, it is obvious to see that the game takes its inspiration from JRPG titles such as Earthbound and Mother 3. While I have not played such games myself, I have been exposed to plenty of gameplay footage to see the striking similarity of those games to this one. It is very retro-inspired and ‘pixelly’, as you navigate the vaguely-human looking sprite of a small child around a colourful pixelated world akin to 8 and 16-bit adventures of yesteryear. As far as graphics go, this game isn’t stellar, nor is it meant to be. However, in terms of aesthetics, the game is enjoyable and consistent in its vision and as a player I was engrossed and immersed in the world without needing to be dazzled by AAA 3D rendering.
The world of Undertale is expertly and painstakingly crafted, every inch of what you play in this game feels meaningful in some way, as part of a joke or a reference or as part of the overall canvas. Each area in the game fits in an excellent way thematically, and some of the areas aesthetically feel like pure artistry; as an example, there are some truly amazing bittersweet sequences involving blue flowers in a damp cave section mid-game, and a truly beautiful moment involving raindrops that makes one stop and experience a pang of emotion in their stomach.
Instead of talking about the game’s graphics, it would be more accurate to describe the cohesive aesthetics of the game throughout as art. Everything in this game seems to have a personality or a purpose and it is through this attention to detail that one can become immersed in the world and find it truly beautiful.
The range of locales in the game provides for an interesting experience. Players progress through different environments, each with a very well-defined theme that runs through the area. Each area feels individual to itself and captures a feeling in a very powerful way, obviously just as the developer of the game intended.
Sound wise, the game is nothing short of a masterpiece and I am unapologetic in saying this. I have found myself astounded by every track in this game, again matching to a coherent theme and aesthetic perfectly. There are songs to laugh with, there are songs to cry with. The music is so perfectly-crafted for the game, and it was a shock when I read that the developer was a self-taught musician who for the most part designed his own music. I would, in fact, recommend that you buy the soundtrack along with the game if you decide to purchase because the sound design is that good.
Another interesting point to note is that the game’s mechanics take a turn for the strange; saving the game for example, is actually a very important plot point that gets commented on, and the way you play permanently alters the game files and with it, the responses you get from characters on subsequent replays of the game. There are even a few times where the game deliberately breaks the fourth wall on your PC in a dubious fashion that leaves you feeling uncomfortable.
One major drawback to the game is its length; a single playthrough of the game takes around six hours, give-or-take. However, in order to ‘fully’ complete the game and see everything that’s on offer, the player is required to play through the storyline another two times; once on a pacifist run (showing mercy to all monsters in the game, finishing with zero kills and full exploration), and if the player is so inclined to permanently change their game without being able to change it back to normal unless they delve into the game’s files, again on a genocide run (killing all possible monsters in the game). This means that the game’s length can extend to 12 or up to 18 hours, not counting the probability of some gamers to want to replay just to experience the storyline a second time. When comparing the length of the game to the value proposition, as the price currently stands at £6.99, I will say there are some games you can get cheaper, some with a better value, but few games are quite so artful or likeable as Undertale has been for me. The price and value of the game is definitely a point to consider when deciding whether or not to buy the game, overall. Another drawback to the game is that the aesthetics and graphics aren’t for everyone; this is definitely a game for a certain type of player, someone who appreciates retro graphics and isn’t looking to be wowed by the latest AAA rendering techniques. There are arguably better-looking games out there, even for the price of £6.99, but I feel that a player would be buying into this game more for the aesthetic, so my advice would be to look up a few screenshots and maybe a spoiler-free video of the gameplay (this game’s value is highly dependent on whether or not the player has avoided any plot spoilers) to see if this game would be appealing.
A third issue to consider is that this game is purely plot-based. While gameplay-wise the game has some good moments, especially with its bullet-hell style in the fights, it is very clear that this game’s enjoyment is purely based around the plot and storytelling. If you are a gamer looking purely at game mechanics, this game isn’t for you. As for the plot itself, stylistically and in a storytelling sense, it is very love-it or hate-it; some people will enjoy the outright geekiness of some parts of the game, some people won’t and the references will fly over their head.
Finally, I think something that a player should consider when they get this game is that things will get weird in the late game. Without going too much into spoiler territory, this game will do some weird things and break the fourth wall, hard, and when this happens it can be very confusing, but at the same time it can also be rewarding, so this aspect of Undertale may either serve to frustrate, or to enhance its trope-breaking uniqueness; your mileage may vary.
In conclusion, however, my time playing Undertale has been incredibly enjoyable. It is an amazing journey into a weird and wonderful world packed with genuine characters who are loveable in every sense of the word. I would say that, while this game is weird and strange in places, its uniqueness and willingness to play with traditional gaming tropes makes it a feat of fun and innovative design. This game is well worth the price and is very much a complete package; the aesthetics and sounds and storyline, if you’re inclined to like this kind of game, are truly excellent. Given the other positive reviews that the game has received, it is safe to say that Undertale will continue to remain in gamers’ hearts and souls, and will stand the test of time as something we will be talking about many years from now.
Pros: Excellent storytelling and narrative. Humorous. Interesting characters and engaging world. Willing to play with tropes in new and very innovative ways, charming retro aesthetics, decent gameplay and a very interesting take on a JRPG.
Cons: Love-it or hate-it type storyline, for some gamers it just won’t appeal, some references can go over your head, outdated graphics (but only if you’re the kind of gamer who cares about that kind of thing), relatively short gameplay length, some of the fourth-wall meta-references where the game seems to break outside of its own world can be a bit jarring and uncomfortable. I would recommend this game for most people who can enjoy a retro-styled game. I would also recommend it for anyone who wants to play a game that will innovate and surprise them, and anyone who likes playing games for the story and are willing to put up with things a little on the weird side. I think this game is intensely rewarding, and ultimately achieves its goal of breaking tropes and subverting expectations at every turn, Undertale a great, artful game that will stand up as being among the best experiences of 2015.