Undertale

Undertale is an indie-game created by Toby Fox.

About the Game

Undertale is an indie-RPG created by Toby Fox and originally released on Steam in 2015. While the game draws inspiration from classic turn-based RPGs from the 80s and 90s, the games' creation is especially attributed to EarthBound (Nintendo, 1995) of which Toby Fox was a massive fan of, creating multiple ROM hacks around it.

The story follows a human falling into the Underground, where they encounter monsters, that were banished after a war between humans and monsters broke out.

While according to the creator not set in the same universe, Toby Fox's next game Deltarune (2018) is heavily related to Undertale in some aspects, such as using most of the same graphics and the name Deltarune being an anagram to Undertale as well as being a recurring symbol in the world of Undertale.

Research-Relevant Topics of the Game

Core game mechanics

Combat system

Undertale is a turn-based RPG with elements of Danmaku, a sub-genre of shoot 'em ups. At the beginning of each battle the player is allowed to either choose between FIGHT, ACT, using an ITEM or choosing MERCY. By choosing to ACT instead of FIGHTing it is actually possible to later SPARE enemies through the MERCY option. After the player made their choice the enemy will attack. During the enemies' turns dialogue will pop up in a speech bubble next to the enemy often containing hints how to spare them. When the enemy attacks the player will be given the choice to evade the attack in a danmaku style minigame where the player is represented by a red heart, his SOUL. If the SOUL gets hit by an attack the player loses HP. If the player kills an enemy they'll get EXP (EXtermination Points). Depending on how many EXP the player has their LV (Level of Violence) will increase. Their LV is one of the determinants for the ending the player gets.

Related Research Approaches

Self-Reflexivity

Undertale as a game is filled with self-reflexive metacommentary on the game genre of RPGs, parodying and subverting several tropes, conventions as well as game mechanics. Similarly Deltarune also portrays self-reflexive commentary on the idea of free will in video games.

Decisions and Morality in Video Games

As a part of its self-reflexive narrative Undertale also presents the player with the choice to either kill or spare all the monsters in the underground. It makes a point of humanizing them and depending on the player actions this will lead to either the "pacifist" or the "genocide" ending.