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burgerpancakeking-blog · 7 years ago

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Undertale Game Review

This quarter I played through a game called Undertale. The game was created by Toby Fox using GameMaker Studio, and released on September 15, 2015. It is currently playable on Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita, and Nintendo Switch. Undertale was received very well by the gaming community, earning high praise from such organizations as IGN, Common Sense Media, and Metacritic. Undertale possesses many of the features of a well developed game, including a well thought out storyline and a unique set of aesthetics, while also addressing many important and controversial issues such as suicide and the consequences of actions people take. These factors make Undertale an important game to discuss, as well as a fun and entertaining game to play.

Undertale can be appropriately categorized under the genres role-playing, narrative driven, and adventure. Technopedia defines a role-playing game as a game in which “the gamer controls a fictional character that undertakes a quest in an imaginary world” (Technopedia, Role-Playing Game). Undertale fits this description as the player controls a character who has fallen into a place called the Underground, an imaginary world filled with monsters. The character, a small child, must be controlled to escape from the Underground and make it safely back to the Earth’s surface. Undertale also incorporates other common elements of role-playing games, such as levels, character statistics, a menu based combat system, and a central storyline. As a result, Undertale is similar to other role-playing video games such as Pokemon FireRed, in which the player’s decisions can have an effect on how the rest of the game plays out, although this concept is much more prevalent in Undertale than any Pokemon game. Undertale is a narrative driven game in that the player has the ability to alter the outcome of the game based on his or her decisions. The choices that the player makes throughout the game in regards to character interactions and battles can completely alter the game’s plot later. This is where Undertale differs from games in the gameplay driven genre, where the player only plays until he or she is bored of the game, rather than playing with an ultimate goal or objective. Undertale can be represented by the adventure genre. The book Understanding Video Games states that in an adventure game the player is typically represented by “an individual character involved in a plot of mystery or exploration” (Understanding Video Games, 43). The main character must explore the underground in order to escape back to the surface. The world is a mystery to the character and the player. This separates it from other genres, and relates it to other adventure games such as Minecraft and The Walking Dead. These three genres uniquely define Undertale, and give players an idea of what to expect when starting to play the game.

Undertale is also a significant game in regards to the history of video games. The game is representative of many of the advancements made in the adventure video game genre, as discussed within the book Understanding Video Games. The book states in relation to the advancements of hardware and technology in video game development that the usage of “various software products enables anyone with a Pc and a modicum of skill to create and publish her own games” (Understanding Video Games, 88). This applies to Toby Fox, as he was able to develop Undertale independently, using the hardware and software available to him, rather than through working under a large company or organization. Undertale’s ability to scroll in multiple directions is also an aspect of adventure games that was seen as having its roots in the early Super Mario Games, in which the player could move forwards or backwards. The game itself also saw several stages of development even after its release. Fox spent almost 3 years developing the game, and after its release updates were added to fix bugs and accommodate colorblind players. Undertale is representative of some of the most important advancements made within video game culture over time, showing why it is historically significant as a video game.

Undertale’s unique aesthetic separates it from many other games released around the same time. Its chiptune music and pixelated game designs could provoke feelings of nostalgia in older players of the game, as they heavily resemble the art and music styles of many older games such as Super Mario World and Space Invaders. Other games released in the same year as Undertale, such as Fallout 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops III, employ much higher resolution graphics, and also deviate from Undertale’s chiptune style of music. The control system is very simplistic, as the player traverses the Underground using only the arrow keys, with a select few keys used to control the menu system as well. However, this still provides the player with a smooth player experience. In terms of the rules of the game, the player is free in most cases to move around the map, with few boundaries also encouraging the player to move in the right direction to progress through the game. The rules of Undertale’s bullet hell battle system create a fast paced and hectic environment for the player, making the game much more engaging as the player must pay attention at all times in order to dodge incoming bullets. The puzzles also force the player to think critically, as at times the rules of the puzzle are not directly presented to the player. While this is not typical of many adventure games, these puzzles also add an extra layer of intellectual challenge to the game which can make it more enjoyable to play. Undertale also allows for emergent play, as its narrative is not set before the player starts playing the game. The player’s own decisions influence how the rest of the game may play out, with drastic changes being made to the narrative as the player continues to play. Undertale’s aesthetic is an important part of what differentiates it from other games, and makes it unique for its time.

Undertale is also filled with an abundance of cultural references that can appeal to a wide range of audiences. While the game has darker points in its humor that may appeal to older players, it also has witty points of humor that could appeal to younger players. Undertale is full of social influences as well, including social influences as well as influences from other video games. The game addresses the issue of homosexuality, as Emily Speight states in an article that “The Royal Guards, a miniboss encounter in the Hotlands section of the game, are two male guards who can be encouraged to go on a date instead of attacking the main character” (Undertale's crazy success proves gamers are ready for feminism, queer romance, and progressive values, Emily Speight). Discussions around representation of the LGBT community in Hollywood and popular culture are often controversial in their nature, and Toby Fox’s direct incorporation of that discussion into the game makes a bold statement to members of the LGBT community, by allowing them to possibly see more of themselves in a game. Undertale also includes inspiration from other video games. Earthbound was one of Fox’s biggest influences for Undertale, as its unsettling tone served as inspiration to the unusual and unsettling tone of Undertale, and several character designs can also be seen as having their roots in the Earthbound games. In an article on Funcurve, Andrew writes that “When you first meet him in Snowdin, Monster Kid innocently points out that you must also be a kid because you’re wearing a striped shirt. This assumption that anyone wearing a striped shirt is also a child is a clear nod to the heroes of the Mother series” (How Undertale Makes References to 8 Iconic Games, Andrew). There are also similarities between the character Papyrus from Undertale and Starman from Earthbound, as they share a similar pattern on the clothes they are wearing. Undertale itself has made a considerable cultural impact, as communities have formed across multiple online platforms for fans to share their love for the game. This can be seen on such websites as tumblr, where fans of the game share their opinions of the game as well as art they create of the game’s characters. While Undertale found influence from several areas of popular and video game culture, it has also had its own cultural impact which can be seen in communities across various social platforms.

Part of Undertale’s massive appeal came from its complex narrative experience, as it was composed of interesting characters and a storyline that has the potential to vary greatly each time the game is played through. An important part of the game’s narrative experience is the player’s ability to influence how the story plays out. As the player progresses through the game, he or she can choose to either kill or spare the monsters that are encountered, and these decisions have a major effect on the storyline and future interactions with the game’s other characters. This shows how Undertale’s storyline follows a directed network structure, as the textbook states that through this narrative structure “the player feels more empowered as the decisions made during the story influence what happens in the later narrative” (Understanding Video Games, 215). The player realizes the consequences of his or her actions as the game progresses, and as a result this empowers the player. Undertale’s story and action elements are also merged in a meaningful way, as several of the game’s battle scenes have customized dialogue based on the player’s decisions made earlier in the game. The opponent’s dialogue is also influenced by the character’s past encounters, and whether or not the player has chosen to kill or spare a majority of the monsters encountered up until that battle. This merging of action and story creates a meaningful experience for the player, providing a greater cognizance of the way in which the player’s actions have had an effect on the way the game story has played out. Undertale’s incredibly complex narrative structure provides a unique experience to the player, and was an integral part of the game’s huge success.

While Undertale has seen success as an entertainment game, and is definitely marketed as such, there is definitely potential for it to be used as a serious game as well, in regards to education. The game includes many puzzles that the player must solve along the way. The development of problem solving skills that results from players having to solve these puzzles illustrates another opportunity for Undertale to be used educationally. In a paper on educational video games, Thomas Malone and Mark Lepper discussed the elements needed to make an effective educational game. One of these elements was Fantasy, meaning “the game activity can increase intrinsic motivation by using fantasies as a part of the game universe” (Understanding Video Games, 214). Undertale’s fantasy world is very colorful and visually appealing, which would add to the appeal for children playing the game, and keep them interested in playing more. The risks of playing Undertale would best be analyzed through the Active User Perspective over the Active Media Perspective. Undertale addresses the issue of violence and aggression in a different way than games such as Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto, in that it forces the player to view the consequences or his or her violence. Therefore, it would be more effective to use the Active User Perspective to conduct research, as it would be effective to research the ways in which Undertale affects how its players treat others. By allowing players to empathize with their perceived enemies within the game, players may result in treating the people around them differently, and this would be more effectively researched through the Active User Perspective, as it “is interested in what the players do with the video game” (Understanding Video Games, 225).

Undertale has had an important cultural impact, and even has the potential for an impact in education. The game’s engaging storyline and plot mechanics make it an interesting game for players spanning many different backgrounds and age groups, and offers lessons that would be relevant for many. I had a fun time playing through Undertale, and would definitely recommend it to anyone else looking for a new game to play.

Citations

Toby Fox. (2018, April 15). Retrieved June 9, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toby_Fox

Lievano, G. (n.d.). Story Driven vs. Gameplay Driven Game Design. Retrieved June 9, 2018, from https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/GabrielLievano/20100527/87415/Story_Driven_vs_Gameplay_Driven_Game_Design.php

What is Role-Playing Game (RPG)? - Definition from Techopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2018, from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/27052/role-playing-game-rpg

Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, J. H., & Tosca, S. P. (2016). Understanding video games the essential introduction. New York: Routledge.

Speight, E. (2015, November 06). Undertale's crazy success proves gamers are ready for feminism, queer romance, and progressive values. Retrieved June 10, 2018, from https://www.gameskinny.com/2oxox/undertales-crazy-success-proves-gamers-are-ready-for-feminism-queer-romance-and-progressive-values

A. (2016, April 13). How Undertale Makes Reference to 8 Iconic Games. Retrieved June 10, 2018, from http://www.funcurve.com/gaming/how-undertale-makes-reference-to-8-iconic-games/

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