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| ==Main Part== | | ==Main Part== |
| ===Self-Reflection on Game-Genre=== | | ===Self-Reflection on Game-Genre=== |
| As an Indie-Game [[Undertale]] questioned the entire concept of the Role-Playing Game Genre. While also employing elements of player choices and morality into the game-mechanics and the narrative, Undertale significantly changed the formula of the [[Role-Playing Game]] through its combat system. The classic turn-based RPGs that Undertale drew inspiration from usually allowed players to choose between a set of four different actions, traditionally attacking, using magic, using items or running away. Would the player choose not to engage in combat however, progress would be halted as defeating enemies would usually grant the player experience points (EXP) needed to level up in order to pass later passages of the game. Undertale however does not need the player to defeat enemies to allow progressing through the game as it firstly, relies completely on the players skilled use of the game mechanics and - for this article most importantly - in its narrative completely rejects the established formula and tropes.
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| Let's start with explaining the game system. Instead of the four actions described above, the player is presented with the option to FIGHT, ACT, use an ITEM, or sparing the enemy by choosing MERCY. This is where the game majorly differs from usual RPGs as it presents the player with an option to spare their enemies, which in turn is a determinant for which ending the player achieves. By choosing to ACT the player has the option to engage with the enemy in a manner different from attacking it. The options available after choosing to ACT differ from enemy to enemy and after choosing the right action, or the right order of action, the enemies name will turn yellow signaling it can be now spared using the MERCY option. The game's narrative seems to favor this method of action compared to combat as the character Toriel who introduces the player to the combat mechanics at the beginning of the game suggests to "strike up a friendly conversation".
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| As stated before, the game does not rely on the player gaining EXP through combat to get through the game, however that does not mean that the concept of EXP and Levels (LV - pronounced "love" - as in the game) are completely absent or irrelevant, instead these concept are woven into the narrative of the game, being the deciding factor for which ending the player will get. By choosing not to engage in combat and not killing a single enemy in the entire game the player will reach the true pacifist ending. By choosing to kill every single enemy in the game the player will reach the genocide ending and going for something in between will trigger the neutral ending, though depending on the player's actions throughout the game, there may be slight variations in all of those endings. The game however chooses to incorporate the concepts of EXP and LV into the narrative, as near the end of either a neutral or a genocide route, the character of Sans reveals to the player that EXP and LV in fact stand for '''ex'''termination '''p'''oints and '''l'''evel of '''v'''iolence. The game in this case plays with player expectations and again twists the formula of what RPGs traditionally are, by wanting to make the player responsible for their actions.
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| This is done doubly by having every single NPC be considered a "monster", compared to the player who is a human. In the world of Undertale the humans are seen as the true evil, with the monsters often being afraid of the player character. It raises the question of who really is a monster. The monsters in Undertale aren't some copy-and-paste husk, only existent to either stunt or support player progress, with nothing more to define them, than their name and a character sprite. Each and every one of those monsters has a personality, which becomes apparent every time the player enters combat with one of them. During combat speech bubbles appear next to the monsters, often containing hints as to what action will lead to the player being able to spare a monster. Every monster has a unique story that the player can experience and help developing through their actions, in turn keeping their LV at the lowest. The game thus critiques the two-dimensionality of the traditional RPG game and possibly critiques the use of violence as a means to engage the player in a manner similar to Spec Ops: The Line, for example.<ref>https://the-artifice.com/three-postmodern-games-self-reflexive-metacommentary/</ref>
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| The save point thing
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| ===Self-Reflection on Free Will in Games=== | | ===Self-Reflection on Free Will in Games=== |
| Discussions of free will have been a recurring topic in the field of game studies, especially with the emergence and use of AI in games, so it makes sense for games to lead a conversation about free will themselves. | | Discussions of free will have been a recurring topic in the field of game studies, especially with the emergence and use of AI in games, so it makes sense for games to lead a conversation about free will themselves. |
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| In 2018 Toby Fox released the first chapter of his next big game called Deltarune. Interestingly Deltarune makes an enormous effort to differentiate itself from Undertale despite being connected to it in many ways. While Undertale made a point of having the player to carefully consider each of their actions, culminating in three different endings with around 90 variations in total, Deltarune takes the exact opposite approach. Storywise the game follows a completely linear path compared to Undertale and it is also supposed to only contain one ending once the rest of the game is fully released.
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| The game starts out with a character creation in which the player is given the option to design their own character called a "vessel" by the game, as well as being asked a few questions about their creation. In total there are more than 500.000 possibilities, however the game narration then discards the creation with the words: "No one can choose who they are in this world." This immediately creates this idea of agency being denied to the player despite video games being a medium that is usually defined by promoting player agency. There are multiple instances in the game where characters refer to this inability of making a difference through their actions, which again is counter-intuitive to what is one of the defining features of video games.
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| This is repeated multiple times throughout the game through different methods. In one of the beginning scenes of the game the character of Susie is bullying the player character Kris, she asks them to do their school project for them, after which the player is presented with a textbox asking him to choose between "Good" or "Bad" (as a response to Susie asking "How's that sound?") The player however is barely given a chance to press a button, as the text automatically advances with Susie saying: "Don't bother answering."
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| Deltarune uses quite a similar combat system to Undertale, however it again undermines player agency by not allowing them to actually kill any enemies. Enemies either flee as soon as their health drops to zero, leaving you with zero EXP, confirming you didn't kill them, battles get interrupted by cutscenes and whether you attack or spare an enemy does not effect the further game progression. One notable exception is a cutscene near the end of the first chapter after the final boss having two different versions, depending on how you treated your enemies. However the outcome of the chapter remains the same, again confirming that in the end your actions don't matter and the outcome will remain the same.
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| Deltarunes combat system differs from Undertales however in one key aspect: The player doesn't fight alone, but with additional party member by their side. In this instance the player takes control of both Kris and Ralsei during fights, during the beginning portion of chapter one however, not of Susie. She attacks enemies on her own, prompting Kris and Ralsei to warn their enemies if they wish to end an encounter peacefully. In this instance, again, the player is stripped of their agency in controlling all characters during battle.
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| In a later portion of the chapter this unwillingness of Susie to be controlled shows in a more direct manner. During this segment Kris and Ralsei are incarcerated leaving Susie to save the two of them. While the game follows Susie in this segment the player is left no choice as to controlling her actions. She walks on her own, ignores the players choices in text boxes and later solves a puzzle completely on her own. During a boss fight at the end of this segment she fights against a boss, the player only being allowed to dodge the enemys attacks. This battle will always bear the same result, no matter player choices.
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| At this point it should be clear how Deltarune undermines player choices and free will both through its narrative as well as through game mechanics. However there is another instance in which the game reflects on these topics.
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| Deltarune near the end of its first chapter also heavily plays into the idea of game characters being autonomous beings with a mind of their own and the player overriding Kris's agency through their own actions. In the beginning of the game it is already hinted at that Kris and the player are not the same. When the player first uses a save point they can see that it has already been used by Kris, as their name is the one displayed here. When the player saves for the first time however Kris's name gets replaced with the one the player chose at the beginning during the character creation.
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| This idea gets developed further with the ending of the first chapter in which Kris seems to reject the players control, by ripping out what seems to be their heart-shaped soul. While souls don't get any mention in the plot of Deltarune compared to Undertale where they are an important plot device, Deltarune still uses the soul as part of its gameplay. In both Untertale and Deltarune the soul acts as a cursor in menus and textboxes where the player is allowed to make a dialogue choice. Furthermore it is used in fights in both games, to allow the player to evade attacks. Through ripping out their soul Kris rejects the players control, which gets further confirmed by the fact that for the remaining few seconds of the game the player is still able to move the soul that has been thrown into a cage by Kris. This gets further supported by Kris's janky movements with their limbs hanging around limply before ripping out their soul, movement almost akin to a puppet. All of this creates this idea of Kris being possessed by the player.
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| Determination
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| ===Self-Reflection on Games as a medium=== | | ===Self-Reflection on Games as a medium=== |
| ==Conclusion== | | ==Conclusion== |
This page is going to discuss self-reflexivity in video games, that is the process of a medium reflecting on itself as a medium.[1] However since this is a vast topic, only certain aspects of it can be covered with the option to add more in the future.
Introduction
Self-reflexivity is considered a token trait of postmodern games.[2] While there are multiple examples of video games employing self-reflexivity and metacommentary as a part of their core narrative (e.g.: The Stanley Parable, 2013) this article will mostly focus on games in which self-reflexivity about different aspects of the medium can be found.
Main Part
Self-Reflection on Game-Genre
Self-Reflection on Free Will in Games
Discussions of free will have been a recurring topic in the field of game studies, especially with the emergence and use of AI in games, so it makes sense for games to lead a conversation about free will themselves.
Self-Reflection on Games as a medium
Conclusion
Related Links/Research
