Undertale

Gender ambiguous person standing on a rug of leaves next to a star in a corridor. Doorway to the north with vines nearby. Text reads 'Playfully crinkling through the leaves fills you with determination.'.
Honestly, I finally played Undertale because I was sick of everyone assuming I already had. It didn’t take long to work out why. It’s hard to talk about it without spoiling some of the things that make it great, but I can say that never have I felt so unsure of what was coming next as I did while I was playing this game.

The mechanics are so unique that I found myself completely oblivious to how I’d have to approach the next battle, because everything was ever-changing. I was in a world of the unknown, and I kind of loved it. I say kind of, because sometimes the fact that things are a little wacky and unnatural makes them into nightmare fuel, and at times this does nearly cross that line. Nearly.

You should play this if…

You have enough patience to make it through a dynamic but frustrating experience. Undertale’s combat is ground-breaking in a lot of ways, and most of the time it’s a ton of fun – but it isn’t easy. The game was enjoyable enough that it made me want to persist through those more frantic tests, but if you want to make it to the end then you’re going to need to be constantly adapting. Having said that, the diverse and bold cast of characters is more than worth the trouble, and the challenges never feel insurmountable. It’s about getting a little better every time you try.