(The original has been privated, as my opinions have changed - and become less harsher upon the chapter. I also feel as though I didn't express myself quite coherently in it. For clarity I have not replayed it but watched a playthrough, which I find to be satisfactory here because I have already played it and quite recently. Also I incurred a repetitive strain injury from work, so that's why I chose to.) (Still un-maintagged, and would appreciate if interaction was limited to replies instead of reblogs!)
Summary/Non-spoiler review:
I enjoyed the chapter, in terms of the gameplay, music and general story. The character interactions were good and I still found most of the bits (which did shock me a little - I am much older and different than when I played the first chapter) funny. I also probably a bit more of a fan that likes to dig into the implications/theories than a super-fan, if that makes sense? More closer to casual than I used to be. The story continues to explore themes of identity explicitly in a way that is compelling even though it might be more 'acceptable' to keep them as subtext. There is also some good character exploration and even pushback to the main characters' approach from a different character. Still though, I think I do hold some problem with how (as in the method) the Dark world plot was mostly light-hearted, since it meant a lot less direct interaction with the emotional 'core' of it. I felt like I wasn't connected, not just that it was a break (which I do now think is needed after the weight of the previous chapters).
Please feel free to share your thoughts as well, whether its your thoughts on mine or just in general on the chapter. Enjoyed writing this so maybe I'll do some on Darkest Dungeon as well (though more analysis - my reviews will boil down to 'I'm really stressed but in a fun way).
Spoilery review and analysis/discussion below! Weird Route gets its own section so the other sections are
Presentation:
I LOVED the presentation. Indie games are truly the only games that I fear may ever count as art, because they are simply not afraid of Marketability or Shareholders. All of it was experimental as most chapters have been (1 was pretty stock standard for a Video Game I'd say), with the game mechanics, art direction as well as the music. Mixing in the platforming was so fun, reminiscent of Silksong/HK, even if I was bad at it at points. The backgrounds were truly phenomenal, I may use some as wallpapers if I feel so inclined. Music truly blew me away, Insaneintherain's feature did not go to waste (I wish more people cited him when talking about the Garden theme; been listening to his work for a while, and I'm glad he's reached the Big Leagues) (saxophone also might be the best instrument), and Fox continues to improve upon his OWN work (shoutout to the Asgore reprise). Some great sprites too.
Story/Plot/Characters:
As Deltarune is a character-driven story, I think its pertinent to talk about both at around the same time. First of all, I am so happy for Susie and Noelle being a canon romantic relationship, and one that is not plagued with forced miscommunication for 'drama'. Their interactions during the festival were really endearing and I wish them the world (also more Noelle on screen since Susie mentions bringing her into the fold too)!
Main Trio:
Seeing more of Kris' emotions leak through makes me feel for them, though I do still need to play the game. Sorry. Especially interesting to note that Flowery mentions they have changed in a way that implies its outside of OUR presence, and confirms that Kris is working for Knight and Carol (though whether those two are aligned is a different story, I think they might be in parts but I don't think Knight is subservient to Carol if they are indeed Dess). Just feel for them all around, and its definitely a kind of gut wrenching knowing that you can't simply reach in, tell them they do not need to do this to themself.
Ralsei finally shows the influence of Susie, as well as becoming more of a person outside of just a stepping stool and it is FUN. Their hater moments are on par and even sometimes surpass Susies (also I was always on their side because I hate that anime skinny flower). Something is definitely happening deeper in them aside from prophecy/existence as a darkener, but intertwined with those things. I'm glad that media is now exploring gender as something that can effect the wider Thing of the plot. Again, please realise you don't need to force yourself to be something you're not.
Susie is the 'goat' as always, yet as others have pointed out she is different than before. Not just less antagonistic but a little more passive? She has not completely changed so I doubt her inconsistency in action is meant to be unintentional. Just as Ralsei has been influenced by Susie, I think the inverse is true, and that she's unintentionally reflecting their worst impulses because of entering a relationship with Noelle. She views Noelle as more 'normal'/'less weird' (even if untrue) and so wants to appeal to her, which is not an unusual reaction, although Noelle has shown time and again she loves Susie at her most natural, happy self. The fact that when equipping the ribbon on her she still vehemently hates having it on her head and wears it as an armband definitely shows she's still very masculine. Say it with me now, please realise you don't have to pretend to be something you're not. There's not much to say about Noelle in the main route, so I'll probably save all of her for the Weird Route.
Overall, there are some tension points that underlie the character dynamics as things reach their head and I both dread/await it excitedly.
Main Plot (Darkworld):
Here is where most of my critiques come. I simply did not feel emotionally connected with the dark world's emotional 'core' of Asgore's plights. The focus upon the flowers really distracted from it, and I think the lack of direct interaction/seeing him about the Dark Worlds with Asgore made it that much worse. The moments where he did get to show the depths of his unhingedness were so compelling but him turning it all around for one moment that his child was hurt, which while not unrealistic (many a parent has snapped out of something because they directly seeing its hurt on their child) didn't feel like it was earned from a story standpoint. While I don't necessarily think being 'cheated' from the wording in the Gerson story is bad, there's so much distance I don't know what the point of having him in the Dark World is? We did get pretty explicit confirmation that Dess' disappearance being related to the Dark Worlds, Kris' potential involvement and Asgore's strangeness being because he blamed himself for it. So that's good as it is important to have a story on legs that isn't 5 years of theorising as someone who expected it because I watched/read theories. The flowers were really good, and I really especially liked blue/yellow's section.
Other (Main Route):
Some accessibility options regarding combat/navigation would have been helpful, just because the map is so large and also combat is getting harder. Of course, accessibility in gaming is more than just making it 'easier' but I would appreciate being able to make some attacks slower or have more health? Just because I have less time to put in and I do want to enjoy the battles the game has to offer AND talk to them with friends without spending hours on certain ones. But as Deltarune is unfinished I hold onto my hopes. Fully seeing the Secret Boss, my feelings on it have changed, I like it! Especially as Secret Bosses have been more thematically deep than just their presentation/character on the surface, so the fight being light-hearted is not bad on its own. With everything else though I feel its too much. There needed something to
Weird Route:
I have not played Weird Route in chapters 4/5, merely watched. To me this route had the emotional meat main route was missing although it was a fraction of the length. I'm sure its scarier while having it fullscreen on your computer but I was still pretty frightened, so to me it still had its effect I feel. I did not know pixel rpgs could be so scary outside of being a Horror game. The Weird route was already scary because of the character interactions but the presentation was so deliciously dread inducing, Noelle's framing/face sprites. She looks Unhinged and after knowing as the force driving the acts that she is now lauding/'wanting' to continue it is so scary. The way she looks like her mother Carol as she expresses her desire to be free from expectation in this toxic way is so sickening, in a good way. She will not be free from the cycle anytime soon it seems. Kris being unable to stop it and/or accepting that theyre going to die (in a pretty painful way mind! Drowning is one of those causes of death where for the worst part you're aware) just... I have no words. I'm interested if/what the meta-commentary on interacting with games this is meant to evoke if it is doing what Undertale's No Mercy did. Whether it's about throwing characters away like numbers (which I doubt since the presentation is so much personal) or meant to be like a diagetic exploration of what easter-egg breaking would do to the characters? In a terrible way, I can't wait to see the aftermath of this crash.
Other/Analysis bits/misc thoughts:
Loved to hate Flowery. They really did make a guy to do that "Heartbreaking! Worst guy you know is right" the entire chapter. If he ends up getting the Spamtenna treatment one of these hostage flowers is getting it.
All throughout the chapter, when the castle was revealed I was thinking "why it Japanese?" since his kingly attire indicates more of a European royalty and as the youtuber Gabedotcom put it "we found Asgore in a very Japanese time of his life". And then I remembered that Dark worlds are formed based off the lens of the creator of the Dark world, who is Kris. Who has seen Asgore obsess over Dess' disappearance, working with Carol, having those string conspiracy boards which they have seen multiple times, and has presumably heard Asgore talk about becoming police chief again. And Carol has a big, unmistakable Katana in her house. It's background but I can't help but think of that's why the Dark World is like that, and if it is, that is heartwrenching. Kris can't divorce (hah) Asgore (their dad) from Carol (manipulating them into an evil plan) in their perception.
Speaking of, Asgore is gay confirmation? There's some things about being 'college buddies' that Flowery talks about and also some thinly veiled allusions to romance. I think Asgore realising that is a bit out of paygrade though.
Flowery as anti-thesis to Flowey is cool? I have no other words for it (see my complaint of the Dark world plot above). Both flowers who are aware of game mechanics, but where Flowey is cruel, manipulative and isolated, Flowery is kind, is direct, and closely connected to his peers. Of course Flowey is familial to the Dremurrs and Flowery is shown to be very much not. (Calling the Omega attacks Omega attacks did kill me a little.)
This may be an absolute swing and a miss, but maybe the reason why Flowery does reference Flowey is not because we're meant to think of the character and his personality but his existence as something brought to life with Determination with the remnants of someone long gone in relation to Dess. Perhaps even as the Knight? Occam's razor, mysterious person missing and mysterious character with strange powers appearing definitely seems like there's a good chance they're one in the same.
Justice and Integrity being a pair. So good in terms of what the concepts represent. This is kind of a basic bean moment but I'm okay with that.
Noelle. Oh for the love of anything Noelle. The way she talks about Kris no longer being themself and 'breaking out' but its just them being subsumed. The fact she is so deeply unhappy with herself and her life that being in a terrible situation for both mind and body is in some way something she wants. Her faces. The fact she, intentionally I would say, looks like her mother in the sprites. 'You can't even say stop like you used to' ???? That's really scary do you want to talk about something NOT at this lake. The way a warped reality has taken over her perception. I'm so curious as to what happens next.
On the flipside, Noelle finally getting to be happy with her date! The way she expresses herself with Susie, its so clear she isn't the Good Girl and doesn't necessarily want to be but has to. In this way you can see a more healthy way she begins to break through it a little. 'Wanna do something crazy?' being said by Susie here but her in the Weird route has so much baggage. But also the fact she cannot have anything good without something terrible.
I got so Gaster-baited this chapter. I doubt we'll get anything like talking to him explicitly/a layout of his entire backstory but several characters using 'very, very interesting' or variations therein. I was waiting for something. I got baited. You got me. I hope he's green in the end though...
