If you've paid attention to the gaming world, you've probably heard of Undertale. It's one of those independent games that suddenly gets a huge following and becomes something more than a simple piece of entertainment. If you're looking to play the game, though, you do deserve to know what you're getting into. Fortunately, much of what makes Undertale work is fairly easy to explain.

Concept

Undertale is kind of an RPG, in that there are absolutely encounters with monsters. Some of them want to talk to you, while others just want to fight. What you do is ultimately up to you, of course, and you're more than able to treat the game as a straight action-adventure experience. If you pay closer attention, though, you'll see that there's a lot of heart here. The concept here seems to be turning the traditional kill 'em all RPG on its head, and it works surprisingly well. What's unique, though, is how subtle Undertale can seem with its goals until you get to the end.

Graphics & Audio

It's probably a good idea to get the graphics out of the way because they're pretty forgettable. The character designs are top-notch, of course, but the general presentation isn't all that different from any retro-RPG that's on the market. The graphics feel like a means to an end more than anything else.

The music, though, is something special. In fact, it's honestly worth purchasing the soundtrack by itself even if you are not planning on playing the game. It's an amazing testament to what can be done on a fairly small budget and a really good look at the heights to which independent developers can aspire.

Game Play

If you really want to see where Undertale shines, it's in the gameplay. There's so much to like here - the unique way that battles occur, the way you interact with characters, how you progress in the game, even the way that the story progresses. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to think of this as a game that's in any way simple, even if you'll master a lot of the basics fairly on in the process.

It's a little hard to talk enough about how good the gameplay is, save to say this - there are spoilers everywhere, and you owe it to yourself to play the game without looking at them. The game is charming even if you know what's coming, but it's better when you don't.

Conclusion - Replayability

Undertale is really a one-of-a-kind game. It's not for everyone, but it's definitely a game that has earned its spot on the list of recent greats. While the action tends to fall a little flat, the story is solid and the encounters are all very meaningful. If you're looking for a game that's a little different than everything else out there, this game is a can't miss.

Undertale is a unique action/RPG game that makes players really take stock of their combat encounters.