There is no mistaking Undertale‘s smashing popularity. When it came out in 2015, it dominated “best of” lists and connected with gamers worldwide. Its heartfelt yet comedic writing and clever twists on RPG tropes made it a critical darling, spawning endless memes, merchandise, and fan-created content. It was a humble game elevated by its intense soundtrack that could be beaten in under ten hours.
Undertale‘s creator, Toby Fox’s next game would be waited on with bated breath. It couldn’t just be a sequel; it had to be more epic and ambitious and couldn’t be contained in a single release. If Undertale was like Toby Fox’s The Hobbit, Deltarune is his The Lord of the Rings.
Deltarune is a parallel story to Undertale, centering on Kris, a quiet and reserved teenager living in a town populated with Muppet-like monsters. Susie, the school bully and troubled youth who resembles a mix of Barney the dinosaur and an angsty emo gym girl, is transported to the Dark World with Kris. They’re told they’re prophesied to become heroes along with Ralsei, the kindly Dark World resident. The trio set out to seal the Dark Fountains, which are gradually destabilising both Light and Dark Worlds.
Deltarune‘s episodic release schedule is irregular, and as of June 5, 2025, chapters 1-4 are available, with chapters 5-7’s releases to be determined. Fans of Undertale will feel at home with the first chapter’s romp in the Dark World. The colorful cast of characters and quirky writing are strong throughout, with exceptional care given to fleshing out Susie’s brash character. It doesn’t take long before there are glimpses of an utterly tragic character buried beneath her angst. Undertale fans will have their expectations subverted by the time the first chapter climaxes with Jevil and the King.
The second chapter deconstructs Kris as a silent protagonist archetype. New areas in the Dark World open up as the story introduces more characters and explores bespoke themes tied to each region. Ralsei is given more depth, and his kindly, feminine demeanor begins to take on new meaning. The story hits its stride and manages to evoke powerfully heartfelt beats that are elevated by an equally powerful soundtrack. The pacing is pitch perfect and there’s never a wasted moment.
Chapter 3 is currently the shortest and feels like an intermission. Encounters are dialed back, and the gameplay leans on amusing mini-games to break up the constant battling. New climbing mechanics are introduced, diversifying the bullet-hell sequences where Kris must run around the field to avoid threats, and the party explores an amusing TV-themed world. At times, the gameplay is akin to the top-down view Legend of Zelda games that emphasise puzzle solving and exploration.
In the fourth chapter, the main story goes into overdrive and tackles its most prescient themes of control and escapism. Not only do the characters get put through the emotional wringer, but so does the player as Deltarune delivers gut punch after gut punch as it puts a mirror that reveals a greater truth of the nature of video games. Chapter 4 will be hard to follow since it concludes with many questions that seem impossible to answer without disappointing solutions.
Deltarune‘s story and gameplay are deftly married, feeding into each other. Some of the most impactful scenes happen during gameplay that gets recontextualised. Simple yet effective narrative tricks go a long way where lavish and expensive cutscenes fail. While Deltarune is undeniably effective with its drama, its sense of humour is the main draw. Like its predecessor, all the RPG and video game tropes gamers have become accustomed to are deconstructed and put on their heads.
The core gameplay module is akin to the Shin Megami Tensei series, but with Kris and the gang having peace as an option. Brutally slaughtering monsters may earn experience points, but cruel and fearsome acts come with consequences that pay off later down the road. An early example in chapter 1 is Susie refusing to follow commands and defaulting to attacking anything in her way. It’s on Kris and Ralsei to warn the enemy of Susie’s assault, then figure out how to pacify the threat. A pacifist run will play out like an adventure game with puzzles rather than a traditional strategic show of force.
The other module of Deltarune‘s combat is the Paper Mario-esque inputs and bullet-hell evasion. When enemies attack a party member, their soul is represented as a heart that can be moved around inside a box. This image is iconic of Toby Fox’s games and carries significant meaning to both titles’ themes. The idea is to move the heart to avoid bullets or to stay still when certain coloured obstacles touch. The range of possibilities varies depending on the situation, keeping Deltarune fresh and interesting at all times.
Managing the TP gauge is a tug-of-war between using abilities and magic. Defending grants a large TP boost, and barely grazing bullets during defense earns a tiny TP bonus. Ralsei’s spells need TP for casting, and every battle starts with none, so players won’t have access to his powers until the fight has a couple of turns. This system is flexible and varied enough to keep encounters strategic while fostering the potential for peaceful outcomes. It’s forgiving enough to allow gamers to make a few mistakes before correcting the situation, before things get bad.
The graphical presentation has improved since Undertale, but not by much. Deltarune still embraces its quirky, EarthBound-like surrealism, leaning on simplistic pixel art. The battles look a lot more exciting this time around, taking some visual cues from classic Final Fantasy and depicting exceptionally drawn art. Character sprites feel more dynamic than in Undertale, showcasing more frames of animation, expression, and detail. Once in a while, the story calls for some splash art to convey a critical event that sticks out due to the higher quality level of art.
The soundtrack does a lot of the heavy lifting, whether it’s in battle or during a heartfelt story beat. The boss tracks are unrelenting and pounding chiptunes that build tension and stress. Other moments are a surreal ambiance that feels relaxing or carries an ominous mood. Deltarune is very specific with its use of music and consummate professionalism. It’s no wonder that he was chosen to compose tracks for Pokémon and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
This game is so intriguing – definitely want to properly sit down and give it a proper go one day!
Sounds fantastic – I’ve downloaded the free demo now to check it out.