Undertale is a game about love.
I'm not talking about it's story or its premise. Undertale is a game made with love; An un-quantifiable substance that permeates into every single aspect of the game.
This is the game biggest strength, it's a cohesive dance of mechanics, audio and video. The simple yet charming artwork leaves room for imagination while giving the player a good idea of how the world you inhabit looks like. The music (which by many is considered the main attraction of the game) is a work of art, perfecting conveying the emotion of any given moment. And the mechanics all work wonderfully to convey the -Ludonarrative-.
Ludonarrative is a term coined as a blend of ludology (“the study of games”) + narrative. This is to say that the actions you are led to perform in-game go hand in hand with the narrative or story of your game.
All these components work wonderfully together, and that's thanks to (I believe) a clear artistic intent. The person who made the music is the same that did the dialogue and combat. They know the story and characters they wanted to tell, and how to do it.
Everything about this game makes sense, what it makes it great it's not the individual value of its assets but how it all comes together thanks to the love the creator had for this game.
For me, this game is the undeniable proof that games can be art, and perhaps more importantly, that -indie- games can be art. A creation that surpasses the quantifiable value of it's parts.
It's been five years since the release of this game, a game that even today it ignites the flame that fuels my desire to make games so I can -as well- tell my story.
It's my dearest hope that one day I can deliver such a personal experience to someone else. It's been a long time with lots of ups and downs I still doubt I'll ever be able to do it. But there's a phrase that even in the darkest times on my quest to create art keeps me afloat.
Despite everything, it's still you.
I'm not talking about it's story or its premise. Undertale is a game made with love; An un-quantifiable substance that permeates into every single aspect of the game.
This is the game biggest strength, it's a cohesive dance of mechanics, audio and video. The simple yet charming artwork leaves room for imagination while giving the player a good idea of how the world you inhabit looks like. The music (which by many is considered the main attraction of the game) is a work of art, perfecting conveying the emotion of any given moment. And the mechanics all work wonderfully to convey the -Ludonarrative-.
Ludonarrative is a term coined as a blend of ludology (“the study of games”) + narrative. This is to say that the actions you are led to perform in-game go hand in hand with the narrative or story of your game.
All these components work wonderfully together, and that's thanks to (I believe) a clear artistic intent. The person who made the music is the same that did the dialogue and combat. They know the story and characters they wanted to tell, and how to do it.
Everything about this game makes sense, what it makes it great it's not the individual value of its assets but how it all comes together thanks to the love the creator had for this game.
For me, this game is the undeniable proof that games can be art, and perhaps more importantly, that -indie- games can be art. A creation that surpasses the quantifiable value of it's parts.
It's been five years since the release of this game, a game that even today it ignites the flame that fuels my desire to make games so I can -as well- tell my story.
It's my dearest hope that one day I can deliver such a personal experience to someone else. It's been a long time with lots of ups and downs I still doubt I'll ever be able to do it. But there's a phrase that even in the darkest times on my quest to create art keeps me afloat.
Despite everything, it's still you.