HAPPY NEW YEARZ! Undertale review

Before you do anything, I know. I'm five days late on the happy new year. But I wanted to put in the title so deal with it. Anyway this post is on arguably my new favorite game ever: Undertale. (stylized as "UNDERTALE").

Before I share some detailed info on this game, go watch the trailer for an idea of the game's almost whimsical nature

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hojv0m3TqA

Have fun!



Now what exactly is UNDERTALE? It's a game heavily inspired by 90's era RPGs *cough cough* Earth Bound/Mother *cough cough*.


In case you cannot tell this game uses an 16-bit art-style.

UNDERTALE prides itself on the fact you can beat the entire game without killing a single enemy (not only does that include bosses, but the ending changes based on which enemies you kill, or rather, avoid killing). And as it has multiple endings I am going for the TRUE PACIFIST ending.

This game is easily my favorite game at the moment and I haven't even beaten it yet (Asgore can be a pain in the booty, and I haven't even fought Omega [REDACTED]* yet :S).


nobody likes Jerry... :,(

UNDERTALE's "combat" is unique. As you can see in the picture above, you have four actions available; FIGHT, ACT, ITEM, and MERCY. FIGHT is simple. Click on a target and do a little QTE (Quick Time Event) to do damage. The more perfect your timing is the more damage you do. Quite frankly if you want the best/canonical ending in the game you should ignore this button complete at least until the fight with Asgore as he will render you unable to do the game's trademark (more on that later).

ACT will bring up a variety of actions you can do to make the enemy in question feel better (most of the enemies aren't even evil. Like Snow-drake! All he wants to do is stand up comedy. Or the Greater Dog! He only wants to play)

ITEM has you using a item, simple as that. Oh and if you get some Cinnamon-Butterscotch Pie, DON'T EAT IT UNTIL YOU FIGHT THE FINAL BOSS. It will make the whole fight much easier. I did not know that it had a secret role during the boss fight and ate it almost immediately. *face palm*

MERCY is how you beat the game without killing anyone. Basically, if you use ACT to make a enemy feel a certain way you can SPARE them. SPARING an enemy will give you some money but it won't get you any experience points whatsoever. And I cannot stress how important it is that the ending will change dramatically based on how many enemies and bosses you SPARE or kill.

 These are all the things you can do during your turn, but to avoid taking damage yourself requires you to play a shoot-em-up style micro-game. (Granted, you cannot shoot back until you go to Hotland).


My favorite character in the game; Papyrus! The Skeleton!

Anyway, something I would like to point out is this game is the definition of meme. It has not one but three memes. Only one of which gives me a laugh (FILLED WITH DETERMINATION!!!!!!!)

But I mostly talked about game play, what about the story?





Once upon a Time there were two races that ruled over Earth: Humans and Monsters. One day humans decided to be jerks and locked the monsters in another world called the Underground. They sealed it with a magic spell that can only be broken using exactly seven human souls. many years later a human child enters the underground by accident.

This child is your character. Random fun fact! If you name your character FRISK, it will trigger the game's Hard Mode. In-game dialogue will be slightly different while in Hard Mode. The most obvious difference? An Annoying Dog shows up announces the end of Hard Mode right after you beat the first boss.

While down in the Underground the child meets a flower named Flowey. Flowey is pure evil.You'll what I mean when he gives you the tutorial.


Flowey!

I like how Flowey makes the troll face when he reveals his true colors.

One Last thing about this game. Most of the game was made by just one person, Toby Fox. I find it impressive that one person can make a game as fun (and funny) as UNDERTALE.

So my thoughts on the game? This is arguably the best game of 2015 (it came out last September). And I'm not the only person. It won not one not two but THREE! YES! THREE! Game of the Year Awards, was nominated for a Best PC Game, Best Indie Game, And Best RPG game. and has received almost universal praise for it's clever writing, imaginative combat system, and somehow being able to make grown men cry. I am not kidding. A lot of people cried happy tears at the ending (unless they got the Genocide** ending, where they get jump-scare of doom'd and have trouble sleeping at night LOL!!!!!!!!!!!)

You can get this game off Steam (for PC) for $10-$8 depending if that sale for the game is still going at the time of this post.

Oh an HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!! :D

-*EDIT: I have now beaten the game! Twice! Because apparently you need to beat the game at least once to get the True Pacifist ending (which is the true ending).

-**EDIT: Originally that bit about the jump-scare of doom read No Mercy but that is the ending you get if you kill ONLY bosses. Genocide is the ending you get when you kill EVERY ENEMY AND BOSS IN THE GAME.