Lining Toby Fox’s “Deltarune” up with other role-playing video games, one thing that separates it is that its heart can easily be seen from a mile away. Whether it’s the beautiful graphics, the expertly written story, or the exciting amount of interaction, “Deltarune,” the sequel to Toby Fox’s critically acclaimed “Undertale,” is a hilarious and engaging romp worth playing through more than once.
“Deltarune” takes place in the same universe as “Undertale,” where you are yet again the only human in a town populated by cuddly monsters with outgoing personalities.
On a seemingly normal day of school, your character, Kris, is sent with your outcast classmate, Susie, to retrieve chalk from a supply closet. However, you inadvertently discover a fantasy realm called the “Dark World” that is built on pure imagination, but mysteriously retains connection with the real world. After jumping in and meeting a companion named Ralsei, all three of you embark on a journey like no other.
What makes each jaunt across all four of “Deltarune’s” long chapters irresistibly entertaining is the presentation. Each chapter’s adventure has distinctively interesting themes, like a kingdom constructed from playing cards and chess pieces, or a futuristic city within the circuitry of a computer. It’s all gorgeously pixelated, accompanied by a riveting musical score.
“Deltarune’s” brilliant writing is also what keeps your quest exhilarating because of how interestingly unpredictable it can be.
Most of the time, you’ll be laughing thanks to the game’s great sense of humor. The game doesn’t always take itself seriously with its slapstick humor, puns, and a few fourth wall breaks. There was a point where I was forced to design a killer robot that was supposed to thrash me, but I ended up designing a giant duck instead.
It’s rare to find a game consistently hilarious like this in the gaming industry. After all, when was the last time you played a game that let you fight or flirt with a water cooler?
This level of creativity also seeps into how you progress. “Deltarune” reflects that this is really *your* adventure by allowing you to handle obstacles however you wish.
Nowhere can this be seen better than in enemy encounters. In fights, you must dodge projectiles or attacks fitted to the enemy’s theme. When it’s your turn, you can either attack, perform special actions, use items to boost your abilities or heal, spare the enemy (when allowed), or defend and generate tension points that unlock certain special actions.
It’s always a treat to spare enemies because the process feels like you’re solving a small puzzle. Choosing the “ACT” option lets you engage in maneuvers like rearranging an enemy’s body composition to their satisfaction, rolling a four on a die, or dropping a cage on some pesky mice. Enough of these actions can allow the enemy to be spared and even recruited to your town. It’s more rewarding than killing your foe since the only payoff of slaying enemies is that it gets them out of the way faster.
“Deltarune” also has an open, sprawling world with lots of people with plenty to say, places of interest to explore, or objects to examine. Exploration is highly advised, as you might find better armor or even secret boss fights.
Toby Fox has made the trip from point A to point B satisfying. There are impactful choices that affect future outcomes and fun activities that push the game along, like being on a game show and playing a video game that pays tribute to “The Legend of Zelda.”
Then, “Deltarune” pulls an unexpected trick from its sleeve amidst its shenanigans: it gets surprisingly emotional.
“Deltarune” doubles as a coming-of-age tale, asking the player: What does it mean to be a friend? Susie, for example, starts off as a menacing bully but gradually shows that she cares about others. Others undergo a similar transition, and it’s heartwarming to see them open up.
Besides being a throwback to old video games, playing “Deltarune” evokes nostalgia with its childhood reminiscence.
Metacommentary is sprinkled throughout as well. Never would I have expected to cry from a TV begging me not to throw it away due to cable television slowly dying.
RATING (for chapters 1-4)
What you have in the end is one of the most powerful experiences in recent video games. “Deltarune” is an astonishing role-playing game from start to finish and one worth seeing in all its completeness. While its last three chapters will arrive in the future, what’s currently here is still awesome, wholesome, and so much fun.