reviewed on Nintendo Switch

Undertale is an indie role-playing game developed by Toby Fox and originally released for PC before making its way to consoles, including the Nintendo Switch. Blending classic RPG design with unconventional mechanics, it quickly gained attention for doing things a little differently.

Gameplay

Going into Undertale, I initially thought, “Wow, this looks like a generic RPG.” That impression didn’t last long. While the basic attacks are simple, combat becomes far more interesting when the enemy’s turn begins. Attacks shift into a bullet-hell style sequence where you control a heart and dodge incoming projectiles.

On the surface this mechanic is straightforward, but each enemy’s attack patterns reflect their personality, which gives every encounter a surprising amount of character. You also have the option to spare enemies instead of killing them, creating an interesting balance between wanting to grow stronger and wanting to avoid violence altogether.

Story

The story starts out very generic: a child falls into a hole and ends up in a land of monsters. What follows, however, is one of the best stories I’ve experienced in a game. The characters are consistently funny, charming, and memorable, and the writing manages to be heartfelt without ever taking itself too seriously.

The game’s humor and personality are unmatched, with every character feeling distinct and lovable. The only game that comes close to capturing this same energy is Deltarune. Undertale’s story is outlandish, clever, and full of heart.

Art

This is where Undertale struggles the most. The character designs are creative and expressive, but the background art is extremely basic and often uninteresting. While the battle UI looks great, exploration areas feel visually flat and could have benefited from more detail and variety.

Music

The soundtrack in Undertale is nothing short of a masterpiece, with its retro chiptune songs. It is actually my favorite video game soundtrack, even surpassing rhythm games.

Replayability and Length

The game is roughly five hours long, which is short for an RPG. That said, Undertale offers multiple endings and a large amount of optional content, making replaying the game highly appealing and worthwhile.

Final Verdict

Undertale is a charming RPG with creative gameplay and an exceptional story. While its background art leaves something to be desired and its length may feel short, the experience is memorable and absolutely worth revisiting.

Score: 9/10