(Written Jan 27th 2024)

Deltarune is one of those game franchises besides like, Zelda maybe- that proves even if using the same characters or lore- that remixing it into an alternate universe interpretation of itself, can be as equally entertaining as any direct sequel or original standalone title could be.

I'm writing this piece up for myself after just last night revisiting Chapter 2. (Whenever the day comes that more chapters are released you bet your ass I'm gonna amend this with my thoughts when they're a lot fresher than these ones are LOL). I wanted to return to the game to confront the next secret boss- so that it actually made use of my Chapter 1 file and carried that data over.

Compared to Undertale, which even a near decade later I've hesitated to replay after how conclusive and satisfied the ending had left me, Deltarune feels more built towards replayability, if not actively encouraging it. With multiple save slots per chapter, as well as different ways to compLETE a chapter- for Toby's supposed 'one ending' I can only imagine the amount of variations it will have towards reaching it.

It has to go without saying I think that if you loved Undertale, you're going to love Deltarune. It gave me so many of the same fond emotions to experience in a new setting as the orignal game had, and I remember the absolute nuclear energy between me and my friends when the original demo executable dropped under everyone's noses. It felt like being in the moment of Undertale's original release all over again from the excitement and fervor surrounding it. That feeling nearabout doubled on the release of Chapter 2, and I can only imagine what it's going to become at the drop of Chapters 3 & 4.

Like in my Undertale article, it's hard to fully put into words my feelings towards Deltarune as a game experience, though I do think it expands in a fantastic way from the style of bullet-hell and puzzle-based battle mechanics (or bullet hell and button mashing if you go the combat route over the acting one). I have the same love for both chapters of this game as I do for Undertale outright, with each one feeling like satisfying as its own experience as it does being played in tandem with one another.

Less spoiler-y of a write up this time; if you've somehow put off playing them aND not being spoiled for all this time as well. You got no excuse.

They're free.

Game good.