The tragedy of Undertale is that it's become so well-known as a game that its schtick becomes almost rote. Every bit of wit and cute, small subversion practically expected. It's become an originator of a style, and as such, faces the same sort of scrutiny of such titles, where you can see every little thing it does in its imitators and all it inspired, but done to a more specialized degree in those titles.
Fortunately it's still really GOOD at being subversive and fun. Undertale is a game that wants to throw a little moment at you, a little something to remember it by, in every single second, and it does so with a little cheek and a knowing smile that it's gonna be a bit silly. It's a highly sincere game, irreverent but never disrespectful of its world, and willing to show vulnerability and care with all of its characters once all of the jokes have landed or gone off-course. All of its attacks a cute way of trying to surprise the player and get them invested in every individual encounter. It uses the simple premise of a punch-line as its way of expressing both challenge and sincerity, and while it's perhaps a tad clumsy and limited in how exactly it delivers its gameplay on the whole (facing new things all the time naturally leads to some vulnerability that doesn't work as well in an RPG compared to its bullet hell roots... and it also doesn't do the RPG stuff particularly well), it's exactly that amateur humbleness that makes Undertale feel like such a special experience, that has caused so many people to want to praise it, defend it, bond with it, and explore it even further. It's simultaneously a fantastic game and a beautiful template of creativity by staying altogether playful and relatable.
... anyway this playthrough I fought sans for the first time, since I felt guilty doing it on my original computer. Actually really brilliant fight, plays with Undertale's limitations incredibly well, the weight of failure is entirely on the player and their stamina and that's the entire point the fight's trying to make, but it's so mechanically fascinating and addictive in the sheer speed required of it at times that you can't help but go in repeatedly. In spite of everything, it's a good time. And it knows it, and it hates it. And that's GREAT.
Fortunately it's still really GOOD at being subversive and fun. Undertale is a game that wants to throw a little moment at you, a little something to remember it by, in every single second, and it does so with a little cheek and a knowing smile that it's gonna be a bit silly. It's a highly sincere game, irreverent but never disrespectful of its world, and willing to show vulnerability and care with all of its characters once all of the jokes have landed or gone off-course. All of its attacks a cute way of trying to surprise the player and get them invested in every individual encounter. It uses the simple premise of a punch-line as its way of expressing both challenge and sincerity, and while it's perhaps a tad clumsy and limited in how exactly it delivers its gameplay on the whole (facing new things all the time naturally leads to some vulnerability that doesn't work as well in an RPG compared to its bullet hell roots... and it also doesn't do the RPG stuff particularly well), it's exactly that amateur humbleness that makes Undertale feel like such a special experience, that has caused so many people to want to praise it, defend it, bond with it, and explore it even further. It's simultaneously a fantastic game and a beautiful template of creativity by staying altogether playful and relatable.
... anyway this playthrough I fought sans for the first time, since I felt guilty doing it on my original computer. Actually really brilliant fight, plays with Undertale's limitations incredibly well, the weight of failure is entirely on the player and their stamina and that's the entire point the fight's trying to make, but it's so mechanically fascinating and addictive in the sheer speed required of it at times that you can't help but go in repeatedly. In spite of everything, it's a good time. And it knows it, and it hates it. And that's GREAT.