Game Analysis- Undertale

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Around the time of playing and discovering the eerie Middens, I also heard of the currently popular Undertale, that in many ways, carries the same themes as Middens. More cute, less existential.

From the outset, the game seemed warm and inviting, this mood set by the chirpy chiptune soundtrack that felt nostalgic, remembering when I would play LoZ on my Gameboy color. The games has a LoZ vibe in puzzle solving and an Earthbound way of battling. The game opens with what is described in the instructions and intro as a friendly flower who wants to help you, however in a grim sucker punch reveals its actually trying to kill you- setting the theme for the game- who can you trust?

Undertale is filled with some truly charming moments, that oppose these grim plot twists.


A lamb women makes you a pie...I mean...


Where Middens can be in any way comparable is during combat, where you can kill all that oppose you or "spare" them. All mechanics are interactive and have the player actively take part, pressing a button at the right time at the right sweet spot to do the most damage. Choosing from the "Act" menu  lets you interact with the enemy, complimenting, flirting, talking or consoling among many other actions that will let you defeat the enemy passively by "sparing" them. To be successful, you must navigate a tiny heart through a sort of obstacle course, each enemy having a set of unique ones, to win them over and spare them. In this way, each enemy is a puzzle in their own right and its actually more fun and rewarding to be kind, comment on normal behavior?


Writing and humor play a key role in this game, most puzzles are somewhat comical. A key moment is a boss fight with a depressed ghost, who if you persist in cheering on, will gain confidence in itself, show you some tricks, and leave happy that its made a friend. Outright brutality is also an option.


The little box in which you must guide your heart isn't always a puzzle, sometimes an enemy will simply provide you with a little animation. Like Middens, this game features pixel art yet is highly emotive and often adorable. Play aesthetics here are Narrative, Challenge and Sense Pleasure, its musical score key for broadening the emotional power of the game in both tragic and sweeter moments. The Act mechanic lead to some memorable dynamics and interactions with other monsters, feeding the soft overall aesthetic of the game, what makes a monster? Why must you kill them? Its a simple but excellently executed mechanic, perhaps something I could take inspiration from.