‘Undertale’ levels up retro-style games

“Undertale” has been nominated for three Game Awards, won best PC game at Destructoid, and won game of year at The Jimquisition.

It has also received an average of 93 percent on six major video game websites, such as Metacritic, Game Informer, and Timestech.

Released in late 2015, the game has taken the PC gaming world by storm. The Role Playing Game (RPG) is about the world of humans and monsters; and is available on Steam for $9.99.

The story follows a young child who falls down a hole into the underground world and must find their way out. Monsters have been outcast and put into a sheltered underground society away from all humans after conflict between the two.

It is a game of choices. Every choice the player makes in the game is incredibly influential to the game’s ending.

The game includes a pacifist mechanic during combat where the player actually has the choice to show mercy rather than kill.

The player also comes across many quirky characters through their journey in the underground.

Toriel is a goat-like monster who guides the player through a tutorial and has a very mother-like attitude toward the child.

Flowey is a genocidal maniac sunflower, and two skeleton brothers by the names of Sans and Papyrus (all of their text is written in the digital fonts Comic Sans and Papyrus) are just a few of the many characters the player encounters.

“My favorite is Papyrus,” said sophomore Asha Ray Chaudhuri. “He’s a hilarious skeleton with ‘high standards.’ My little brother even calls me Papyrus as a nickname.”

The music is also an adoring factor in “Undertale.” Songs such as “Bones to Pick,” “Hopes and Dreams,” “Spear of Justice,” and “Megalovania” are just a few examples of the themes that get stuck in fans’ heads because of their catchy rhythms.

On GameFAQs’ website, “Undertale” reached first place in a poll known as “Best. Game. Ever.” It topped games such as “Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” “Metal Gear Solid,” and “Fallout 3.”

Video game critics are very impressed with this game’s success considering it is an indie game. The game was written, drawn, developed, and composed by Toby Fox and additional art was done by Temmie Chang.

These two, as well as supporters of “Undertale” on Kickstarter, are responsible for its production.

Fox has declined interviews about his game’s revolution by explaining, “I try to avoid interviews as much as possible.”

Undertale’s humor has also won over many PC gamer fans. It’s heartwarming, fun, and clever comedy makes it even more lovable among young adult gamers.

Not everyone has adored “Undertale.” Many Zelda fans were enraged about the poll on GameFAQs because “Undertale” beat the extremely beloved “Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.”

“The difficulty in the game is rather random,” junior John Chew said. “Some bosses are ridiculously easy while others are frustratedly hard, the difficulty isn’t consistent and it doesn’t gradually get easy to medium to difficult like other games.”

When considering “Undertale” for Game of the Year, Ben Croshaw wrote, “What really makes ‘Undertale’ the best-written game of 2015, is the story and the writing. Which is on the one hand hilarious enough to suck you in from the start, and is also, by the end, rather heartfelt as well.”