Undertale

Undertale is an award-winning role-playing game, developed and released by an indie developer Toby Fox. Immediately after its release in September 2015, this simplistic-looking game managed to attract universal acclaim from both worldwide media and gamers who praised its originality, depth of content, metaphysical and thematic material, combat gameplay systems, and other elements such as story, characters, music, and more.

At the end of 2015, the Undertale game was even included in many publications' list of the best game of the year.

Undertale is a top-down perspective RPG with extremely simplified visuals and a surprising amount of background systems that track players' choices, presenting them with an unexpected amount of narrative and gameplay variety during the length of the single-player campaign. The story follows a lone human who falls underground into a world filled with monsters, towns, and caves, filled with adventures. On the journey out from the underworld, the player is tasked to solve many puzzles, meet many characters, and engage in combat encounters.

The unique element of this title is that monsters will often talk to the player, conveying their current wishes and emotions (even during combat), with the player having the chance to talk to them, flee, or fight them. Combat is designed to resemble classic bullet hell shooters, with the player taking the form of a bright red heart icon.

The game has an extensive script, that branches in many unexpected ways. The game remembers not only choices that the player has made in the current playthrough but also many large and minor choices in the previous playthrough, which enables characters and monsters to remember what players did to them when they met before.

During the first half a year after its release, Undertale managed to sell over 1 million copies, becoming a big indie success story that spawned multiple ports for various home console platforms. Developer Toby Fox also released a small spin-off game “Deltarune”, which he said was made to test the audience and gather data for the development of another full game.

Undertale is a unique gaming experience and a lightweight RPG title that simply has to be played. Its sharp script and addictive gameplay make it one of the most played games for all fans of video games. Also, since it is so simplistic in its visual style, it can run on almost any PC today.

Undertale is available as a premium title on the PC game distribution platform Steam and can be played on any PC running Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10.

PROS

Innovative Gameplay: It offers a fresh take on the traditional RPG genre. It allows players to choose between combat and non-violent approaches to interactions with characters, providing multiple ways to progress through the game.

Engaging Story: The game features a compelling and emotionally resonant story with multiple branching paths and endings. It explores themes of friendship, morality, and the consequences of actions.

Unique Characters: The game is known for its memorable and quirky characters, each with distinct personalities and backgrounds. The interactions with these characters are a significant part of the game's charm.

Great Humor: The game is infused with humor and wit, often breaking the fourth wall and playing with gaming conventions. The humor helps balance the game's more serious moments.

Beautiful Soundtrack: Undertale's soundtrack, composed by Toby Fox himself, is widely praised for its memorable tunes and how it enhances the game's atmosphere.

Replayability: It encourages players to replay the game to experience different storylines and endings based on their choices. This adds to its replay value.

Emotional Impact: Many players have reported being emotionally moved by Undertale's story and characters, which is a testament to its storytelling.

CONS

Short Length: The game can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, especially if you're only interested in one playthrough. Some players may want a longer gaming experience.

Limited Combat Depth: While the combat system is unique and interesting, some players may find it lacking in depth compared to traditional RPGs.

Random Encounters: Random encounters with enemies can become repetitive and frustrating for some players, especially during backtracking through areas.

Challenging Puzzles: Some players might find certain puzzles in the game to be too challenging or cryptic, leading to frustration.

Minimal Handholding: It doesn't provide extensive tutorials, which can make it challenging for players who are new to RPGs or unconventional game mechanics.