VideoGame ...I don't think it fazed me. (Chapter 1 Spoiler Review)
I loved Undertale, but I wasn't seeking a sequel. So when I heard about Deltarune, I wasn't ecstatic, but intrigued. Deltarune is set in what seems to be an Alternate Universe to Undertale. Notably, what appear to be different versions of characters from its predecessor show up at the beginning and ending.
Unfortunately, the game has that Alice in Wonderland thing where we leave that world for the actual adventure and only come back at the very end, like it was all a dream. I tend to dislike those stories. And I wasn't really attached to the characters from the home world; I didn't have much time with them, and I don't even know if they're really the same characters from Undertale.
But otherwise, it's similar to Undertale in mostly good ways. Gameplay has been improved and enhanced. The Dark World's story is serviceable. The characters there are funny and interesting enough. The music is bouncy. The visuals are once again kind of blocky for my taste, but on the whole the presentation is great.
What I found iffy is the apparent theme. "Your choices don't matter"? I felt that at the beginning, where the game throws out your creation, and Susie flat out spells it out for you, and at the end (which I noticed retrospectively), where Kris seemingly rips control from you.
But in all the time between those moments... I didn't really notice it.
Or maybe I slightly did, but more to the point, I didn't really feel it.
It just felt like another video game. Embark on journey, fight enemies, save the world.
Personally, I don't mind the "linear" complaint as much as other gamers seem to. And I haven't really angsted much over ideas of free will (not directly, at least).
I'm not sure what that says about me.
VideoGame I loved it!
At first, I thought that it would be boring, bland and not at all fun. I wanted to ignore it. Then, a friend actually convinced me to try it. So I did. After skipping through the scary character sequence, I was surprised to see how beautiful and colorful everything looked. The music was also amazing. It had me focusing all my attention from the very start of the game right to the end. The point is, I loved it. But if you were looking for a sequel to Undertale, then this is NOT the game you're looking for. It's a game of its own. It is Undertale, but it isn't Undertale at the same time.
VideoGame Chapter 2 Spoiler Review: A Return to Classic Undertale Shenanigans
I remember being excited for Chapter 1 when its reveal took everyone by surprise. And while I enjoyed it a lot, Chapter 2 blew me away. With some surprising gameplay expansions, great music, more fluid visuals and Toby's best writing yet, it's a huge step up from Chapter 1—and maybe Undertale!
There's some new additions since Chapter 1. Violent players can now increase HP with K.Os, while pacifist players can repeatedly spare enemies to "recruit" them to Ralsei's kingdom, now a hub of sorts between chapters, where new interactions are unlocked with recruits calling you "Boss" (as someone who got into Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain just a while ago, the similarities were funny to see). Both of these add more choice elements to the game compared to Chapter 1.
Story-wise, you get to visit a new cyber-themed Dark World inside Hometown's Librarby. This Cyber World is run by "Queen", a new villain who holds Noelle (a classmate returning from Chapter 1) hostage. However, where the King was a ruthless tyrant defying aesops in Undertale, Queen can be described as a classy, laughing meme generator. No, really—despite what Chapter 1 set us up for with its darker tone, Chapter 2 takes on a lighthearted and comedic bent not unlike Undertale.
On your quest to rescue Noelle and seal the next dark fountain, there's a plethora of new interactions, side paths and intricately-placed dialogue to find. One thing I love is how in-depth the characters get; there are genuine heart-to-hearts between everyone across all the comedy and plot, namely Noelle as we learn more about her and watch her overcome her fears. But everyone, even Berdly (yep, he's relevant too), is colorful and engaging.
The dark elements from Chapter 1 are reduced, with the main exception being bonus boss Spamton; he's one of the few Gaster-linked(?) additions, and he's as funny as he's unsettling. There's also the ending with the twist of Kris making their own dark fountain. But there's not much else; the game doesn't look back after setting off on its wacky tone.
...except for the "Weird" or Snowgrave path, a hidden counterpart to UT's Genocide route. It's triggered by using Noelle's only damaging move, Iceshock, and manipulating her to freeze every enemy to death. You can even make her kill Berdly. The abuse is haunting and many die...yet the game stays the same, with only the order of events being affected when not dropped entirely. Even the last boss is just the bonus boss, only as a 1-on-1. It's darkly brilliant how senselessly depraved the route feels; you get what you came for, but was it worth it?
Chapter 2 feels more like an evolution of Undertale rather than the antithesis Chapter 1 was. There's an element of choices not mattering; one fight requires pacifism, and even the Snowgrave route feels futile despite existing at all. But while it's vague about that, Deltarune Chapter 2 is an awesome game and paves a bright future for what's next.