Through the years, Undertale has become one of the most iconic and influential videogame ever made. It was made by one developer called Toby Fox. When it came out in September 15 2015, it took the internet by storm. It is one of the most heartwarming videogame ever created by mankind. It has creative gameplay, beautiful visuals, banging soundtrack and sound design. Because of these elements, it creates a nothing like gameplay experience from start to finish.
If I needed to define the genre of this game, I would not be able to. At first sight, it is a 2D Role Playing Game (RPG) but it contains bullet hell elements, puzzles, and decision making. Toby Fox took inspiration from the Nintendo classic Earthbound and it shows. It can be said objectively that in some ways, it is a homage to that piece of media. Every part of the game is unique and never seen before in a way like this. It is truly a masterpiece on its own and games after it in similar genres took inspiration from Toby Fox’s work. Personally, I have never played a game before and after this where my decisions actually mattered. You have the choice to be morally right or wrong or even grey in some ways. Either way, your choices have consequences, and you need to live by the choices you made. The game advises you to do the right thing even when it looks impossible, and most importantly, it pushes you to try again. Never giving up and trying again is a heavy element of the gameplay mechanic. Because of the bullet hell type gameplay and the turn-based combat system, you need to learn the attacking patterns of the enemy before you can defeat them or spare them. Death is inevitable in this game and part of the gameplay loop. However, because how beautiful and well written the game is, it compensates you for your trying. The characters are also very lovable. Sans, because of his corny but adorable jokes, and because how serious can be in situations, he instantly became an icon of the internet, and a huge meme also. A ton of memes, and other types of internet media were created after the game came out. I have to mention here the track MEGALOVANIA from the soundtrack because it is just grown together with the character, but any other track from the soundtrack is perfectly captures the mood of the part of the game when you hear it. Because of these elements, Sans became an irreversible element of internet culture, even if someone have not played the game, for sure saw the character in the forums of the internet. If we take the whole game into account, he is not the only well written character here, but each and every one who is in the game have deep backgrounds, well written lines, and unique features. I personally think that the least significant characters here in Undertale are written better than some main characters in AAA title games and movies or series. Also, because of the unique gameplay mechanics, the meaning of the game is much stronger and heartfelt than some other media outlets. I think I have never experienced anything like this before playing this game. I was left speechless after the true ending of the game, and this was the only videogame in my life that actually left a meaningful and impactful message. This game with minimalist graphics, but deep and meaningful storyline can create a truly and one and only experience for everyone. It has calm and relaxing, fun and loving moments through the game, but then it can go to an extremely hard and serious, hearth aching scene where you question everything you believed before.
Toby Fox created an actual masterpiece of a game which is easily accessible, fun and funny but has a serious message about life but at the same time, it can scare the player by being dead serious about situations. It has details and mysteries, action and meaning, brutality and cuteness. He is currently working on the spin-off of the game called Deltarune. As I saw from the demo of the game, the storytelling will be more objective but it will stay at the same universe and visual style as Undertale. If I can guess, it will have the same care and detail like the last game but the twist of living through a story you have no control of. It is an interesting idea for sure after how much control you have in Undertale. We just have to wait and see how that game will turn out. As for the masterpiece what Undertale is, I would recommend this game to anyone and everyone who never played it before, solely the fact that it can change your perspective about life, and videogames in general. This game single handedly proves that modern videogames are a form of art and expression similarly like other mediums we consume in our lives.