Billed as a classic RPG in which enemies can be defeated non-lethally, Undertale has players controlling a mysterious (and silent) human child who falls into the "Underground": a hidden realm of monsters magically sealed away from the surface world long ago. After acclimating to their new surroundings, the child must find a way to return to the surface, interacting with the world's various denizens along the way (through friendly or hostile terms).The game, playing similar to some early JRPGs (most notably the EarthBound series), employs a unique turn-based combat system combining elements of both bullet hell shooters and quick micro-games, along with traditional menu-based commands (including the "ACT" system, which are unique things players can do with different enemies). It is also known for its morality system, where NPCs react differently depending on how the player deals with each battle during the course of the game, leading to one of several possible endings.Undertale was initially developed using GameMaker: Studio and was successfully crowdfunded via Kickstarter on June 24, 2013, raising ,124 from 2,398 backers. The game was later ported by 8-4 to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on August 15, 2017, to the Nintendo Switch on September 18, 2018, and to the Xbox One on March 16, 2021, all published by 8-4 themselves. The PS4, Vita, and Switch versions also received a retail release by Fangamer.It later received a multi-episode successor, known as Deltarune, which is set in a "parallel story" to the game and builds on several of the game's concepts (including a multi-character party system) and characters (with several of the game's characters returning with revised backstories).GameplayPlayers navigate the retro-stylized 2D world of Undertale from a top-down oblique perspective. Like most RPGs, Undertale's silent protagonist will interact with many non-player characters through dialog text boxes over the course of the game. Many areas also feature random encounters with monsters. Undertale primarily uses the framework of a traditional turn-based RPG combat system to present its encounters. The main battle menu displays four basic commands: "FIGHT," "ACT," "ITEM" and "MERCY".FIGHT: The player physically attacks a monster with their equipped weapon. After choosing "FIGHT" and selecting a target, a slider bar appears on-screen, allowing the player to perform an active reload-style quick time event to determine the amount of damage dealt. Monsters may also attempt to dodge the attack. Like the player, monsters die when their HP reaches zero.ACT: The player interacts with a monster in a non-violent fashion. Selecting "ACT" and a corresponding target will open a sub-menu with one or more possible actions, which vary depending upon the targeted monster. Undertale features a variety of unusual ACT commands such as "pet," "encourage" and "tell joke"; by choosing the correct sequence of actions, the monster's name will turn yellow in battle menus, indicating that the monster is reluctant to continue fighting.ITEM: Opens the player's inventory to select a single item for use during their turn. The player can also equip armor or weapons during battle through this menu. Some items can end certain battles non-violently on their own.MERCY: The player attempts to resolve an encounter peacefully. Choosing "MERCY" allows players to either "Spare" monsters or attempt to "Flee". Monsters can typically be Spared only after the player has ACTed one or more times to make the monster friendlier as indicated by their yellow name. Certain monsters can be Spared immediately without the need to ACT. Other monsters, particularly bosses, may require players to repeatedly Spare them in order to reach a peaceful resolution. The player acts first in nearly all encounters. After the player's turn, any remaining monsters will attack the player simultaneously in a bullet hell-style micro game. The protagonist's "SOUL," represented by a heart, appears inside a white "bullet box" near the middle of the screen during the enemy's turn. The SOUL is maneuvered with directional keys, allowing players to dodge enemy attacks and avoid taking damage.Enemy attacks are color-coded by their effect. Most enemies attack using white-colored objects, which damage the player's SOUL upon contact. Green objects will actually heal the player. Additionally, some enemies can only be Spared after the player has touched one or more of their green projectiles. Aqua-colored attacks only deal damage if the player's SOUL is in motion; conversely, orange attacks deal damage if the player's SOUL is stationary.Soul ModesMost of Undertale's boss fights include special "soul modes" that significantly alter the manner in which the player's SOUL behaves while inside the bullet box.Red: The default color. While red, a player's SOUL can freely move anywhere within the borders of the bullet box. This is the only mode in which players may attempt to Flee from an encounter.Blue: The SOUL is affected by gravity and must avoid obstacles by jumping with the Up directional key in a manner similar to an auto-scrolling platformer.Green: The SOUL is immobilized and uses a shield to deflect incoming magic spears. Using the arrow keys, the player positions their shield as each spear approaches from one of the four cardinal directions.Purple: Horizontal lines appear in the bullet box, and the enemy projectiles will follow these lines. The player's SOUL may only move left or right along the lines, but it can switch to a new line with the up or down keys.Yellow: The yellow SOUL is flipped upside-down and can fire bullets from its tip, which can destroy certain incoming enemy projectiles or damage enemy characters directly.SoundtrackUndertale's original soundtrack was composed by Toby Fox and is available on his bandcamp page (some songs are hidden).#TitleLength1Once Upon a Time1:292Start Menu0:323Your Best Friend0:234Fallen Down0:575Ruins1:326Uwa!! So Temperate♫0:567Anticipation0:228Unnecessary Tension0:179Enemy Approaching0:5610Ghost Fight0:5611Determination0:5012Home2:0313Home (Music Box)2:0214Heartache1:4815sans.0:5016Nyeh Heh Heh!0:3217Snowy1:4418Uwa!! So Holiday♫0:3019Dogbass0:0620Mysterious Place0:4421Dogsong0:3722Snowdin Town1:1623Shop0:5024Bonetrousle0:5725Dating Start!1:5626Dating Tense!0:2627Dating Fight!0:3528Premonition1:0129Danger Mystery0:1830Undyne0:4531Waterfall2:0632Run!0:2633Quiet Water0:3234Memory1:1535Bird That Carries You Over A Disproportionately Small Gap0:2536Dummy!2:2537Pathetic House0:3838Spooktune0:2339Spookwave0:2540Ghouliday0:1241Chill0:5642Thundersnail0:4243Temmie Village0:5744Tem Shop0:4545NGAHHH!!1:2246Spear of Justice1:5547Ooo0:1448Alphys1:2549It's Showtime!0:4650Metal Crusher1:0351Another Medium2:2252Uwa!! So HEATS!!♫0:3453Stronger Monsters1:0354Hotel1:2755Can You Really Call This A Hotel, I Didn't Receive A Mint On My Pillow Or Anything1:0156Confession0:4257Live Report0:1758Death Report0:4759Spider Dance1:4660Wrong Enemy !?0:5861Oh! One True Love1:2462Oh! Dungeon0:3263It's Raining Somewhere Else2:5064CORE Approach0:1265CORE2:4666Last Episode!0:0767Oh My...0:1468Death by Glamour2:1469For The Fans1:4770Long Elevator0:2071Undertale6:2172Song That Might Play When You Fight Sans1:0273The Choice2:1274Small Shock0:1475Barrier0:3176Bergentrückung0:2177ASGORE2:3678You Idiot0:3479Your Best Nightmare4:0080Finale1:5281An Ending3:2882She's Playing Piano0:1883Here We Are2:0684Amalgam1:2085Fallen Down (Reprise)2:3086Don't Give Up2:0287Hopes and Dreams3:0188Burn in Despair!0:2189SAVE the World1:5390His Theme2:0591Final Power0:1892Reunited4:4493Menu (Full)0:3294Respite1:5495Bring It In, Guys!4:1296Last Goodbye2:1597But the Earth Refused to Die0:3498Battle Against a True Hero2:3699Power of "NEO"0:30100MEGALOVANIA2:36101Good Night0:31
