Undertale: An Emotional Allegory of Hope, Hate, Selfishness, and Determination

Audience: 13+

Genres: Indie, RPG

Overall Content: Moderately Clean

Content Warnings:

Violence & Death

Enemies can be killed, depending on how you choose to play the game

Death is talked about by certain characters, occasionally in a dark way

Certain characters appear and act disturbingly (but not gory)

Moderate Language

God's name in vain, d**n, h**l, LMAO, p***ed, sexy

Suggestive Themes

Flirting and dating of others characters (however this is for comedic effect and never inappropriate)

A couple of vaguely suggestive dialogue lines

Substance Use

Several characters depicted drinking A bar (but you cannot obtain alcohol) A couple of suggestive lines of dialogue, hinting to alcohol or drugs

Overall Review:

The internet has had a lot to say about the controversial and wildly popular game, Undertale. There have been severe haters and severe supporters, thousands upon thousands of internet memes and jokes, and hundreds of discussions about whether it is a good game or not. However, before you continue reading, try to put all of the things you've heard about this game aside, whether it be good or ill. Some people may not know what Undertale is, or have only heard snippets about what it's like. Others may have seen someone play the game and formed an opinion already. If you're in either of these two groups, try to leave your opinions and biases behind. It must be decided, with a clear, unfiltered playthrough, whether Undertale is a good game. And so, I started the game knowing only that there are multiple endings and there's a character named Sans. What did I find out? Well...

I found out that Undertale is not only an objectively good game, but a culturally impactful masterpiece. For so many reasons, this game made me fall in love with it the moment I started playing. I beat one of the game's endings and started to play again, in a completely different way, to attempt to get another ending. Why did I feel so motivated by the storytelling and gameplay of Undertale? How did this game become one of my favorite games of all time, despite the fact that I've barely played over 10 hours?

Before I answer that question, I do want to say that this game isn't a perfectly clean game. There is some minor cursing, and a few characters with some suggestive dialogue. However, these instances are infrequent and usually very vague; most, if not all, of the suggestive content would soar over a young player's head. This story is also somewhat dark, especially if the player decides to do certain things. The game itself is very thought-provoking, with powerful dialogue, world-building, and storytelling to spread an intensely meaningful message. This isn't a long game—I completed one playthrough in just under five hours—but the impact of its story will affect me far longer than any other game I've ever played. This is a game that makes you think, makes you feel, makes you believe, makes you hope, and most of all, makes you determined. It's filled with incredible jokes, funny one-liners, incredibly comical and well-developed characters, and beautifully amusing subversions of video game tropes and themes. It's just as much of an emotionally impactful experience as it is a unique, enjoyable RPG.

All that aside, Undertale is a fantastic, enjoyable RPG with awesome combat and impeccable story and characters. The art direction is simplistic yet powerful, pushing past the boundaries normally associated with 2-D RPG adventures. The world of the underground, where the game takes place, is fleshed out perfectly, in both serious and comedic ways. The scenery is very impressive, but the art truly gets to shine when it comes to the characters. The designs of the characters, from an artistic standpoint, are impeccable, giving so much life and personality to each individual character, important to the plot or not. And the dialogue captures each personality so well, with their own inflections, tendencies, and disposition. There's not a single boring character in the entire game, and I can say that with full confidence.

The storytelling is more wonderful than words can describe. Within the relative shortness of the game, Toby Fox (the creator of Undertale) wrote a story with incredible tightness yet abundant room for interpretation. He wrote a story that's incredibly meaningful and impactful as well as being hilarious and comedically genius. He wrote a story that has countless possible explanations, meanings, and allegorical implications, all while pointing towards the one message he wanted to tell with his game. It's always a treat to see what a character is going to say next, whether it be a goofy, unexpected joke or a sad, profound piece of lore.

The combat system is the icing on the cake when it comes to Undertale's metaphorical deliciousness. Unlike other RPGs, Undertale's battling system consists of controlling a little red heart and dodging tons of unique, intrinsically fascinating attacks. It feels like a beautiful, fresh spin on 80's arcade games. In addition to dodging enemy attacks, you can face your enemies in multiple ways. You can either attack using a timing bar, or interact with the enemies socially in an attempt to give or receive mercy, ending the battle. It's really enjoyable, no matter what tactic or variety of tactics you use.

The biggest and most talked about aspect of Undertale is its endings. Undertale has 4 main endings, but up to 93 varied endings with unique dialogue and slight variances in plot. In fact, previous playthroughs of the game affect future playthroughs and games, as well as adding meta jokes and 4th wall-breaking moments. Even though you can beat the game once in under five hours, you can complete half a dozen playthroughs and still have more to explore.

Overall, Undertale has quickly managed to become one of my favorite games ever. Its impressive stories, charming characters, lovely settings, and deep allegorical messages meld together into one of the most unique, awe-inspiring experiences of its decade. If you haven't gotten a chance to play this game, I'm ordering you right now to buy it, clear your schedule for a while, and delve into the meaningful world of Undertale. You will not regret it.