Almost seven Halloweens ago, I woke up at dawn to download a mysterious “Survey Program” from Undertale creator Toby Fox. What I expected to be a simple questionnaire turned out to be the beginning of an unforgettable adventure that’s stayed with me ever since. Now, with the release of Chapters 3 and 4, that journey—Deltarune—has started to take shape fully. Like its predecessor, it flips RPG conventions on their head with clever twists, heartfelt storytelling, absurd humor, and a standout soundtrack.
Don’t let the modest pixel art or seemingly straightforward story fool you—there’s depth, wonder, and unpredictability beneath the surface. The game poses thought-provoking questions about our connection to the characters we control, adding a layer of meta-commentary while still honoring the determination and spirit of classic RPG heroes. That eerie survey program was, in fact, Chapter 1 of Deltarune.
Chapter 2 followed in 2021, and the latest two chapters dropped just last week, bringing the game closer to its “full” release, though more chapters are still planned as free updates. Whether you’re returning after a long break or starting from scratch, you’ll quickly find yourself inhabiting the role of Kris, an odd teenager. While Deltarune shares familiar DNA with Undertale, it carves its own identity with a different setting and new battle mechanics. Instead of an underground world of trapped monsters, you begin in a seemingly ordinary “Hometown”—peaceful, mundane, and curiously populated only by monsters, with you as the lone human.
Here, the biggest challenges are staying awake in class or enduring the awkward tension of your divorced adoptive monster parents bumping into each other at the local store. If you’ve played Undertale, you’ll likely enjoy spotting some of its iconic characters now living ordinary lives in this alternate world. That said, prior experience isn’t necessary.
Deltarune shines brightest when it steps out of Undertale’s shadow. While the callbacks can be amusing, the real strength lies in how these returning faces are reimagined—not as fan service, but as subtle nods. Once fearsome bosses with immense magical power, they now exist as everyday townspeople: teachers, bored cops, or small-time shopkeepers. Though they contribute to the world, the narrative doesn’t revolve around them.
The way the menus and user interface adapt to this new realm is a nice touch.
The real adventure begins when Kris and their rebellious classmate, Susie, are unexpectedly transported into a fantastical realm straight from an ’80s fantasy movie. In this world, mundane items like pencils and bandages turn into swords and armor, while forgotten classroom trinkets and old tech become sentient beings known as “Darkeners.” Many will challenge your progress. A delightful detail is how the game’s menus and UI adapt to this magical setting. These “Dark Worlds” are bursting with colorful, detailed pixel environments that, paired with a mesmerizing soundtrack, bring each location to life with unique personality and charm.
Rather, the story begins when Kris and Susie, a nasty, obscene monster classmate, are thrust into a fantastical setting reminiscent of an adventure film from the 1980s. Here, bandages and pencils become swords and armor, while abandoned school supplies or computer lab equipment become “Darkeners,” many of which will get in your way. The way the menus and user interface adapt to this new realm is a nice touch. The settings you’ll be visiting in these “Dark Worlds” are anything but; they’re brimming with breathtaking pixel art backdrops and a captivating soundtrack that perfectly captures the themes of these intriguing locales.
Happy Feet, Dumbass
Shortly after entering the Dark World, you’re joined by your third party member: Ralsei, a soft-spoken and mysterious Darkener prince who seems to know a lot more than he lets on. He lays out your heroic mission—to seal the dark fountains and prevent the world’s destruction. Classic hero stuff. But reaching your goal means battling through a mix of enemies, frenemies, and eccentric oddballs—each encounter stranger and more entertaining than the last. Like Undertale, Deltarune offers multiple paths to victory: either through traditional turn-based combat or peaceful resolutions. But here, the consequences of your choices are more nuanced. Defeating enemies gives you faster strength gains, but sparing them can populate Castle Town with friendly faces—and might even influence future events.
What makes combat shine, though, is the “Act” system. Instead of just attacking, you can perform unique actions to win an enemy’s mercy and spare them. Meanwhile, you dodge increasingly wild bullet patterns in a confined combat box during the enemy’s turn. On paper, this setup could easily become repetitive, but it stays fresh thanks to clever, context-sensitive interactions. Each enemy presents a unique challenge, often laced with humor and personality.
At first, you might find yourself having a teammate flirt with an enemy to earn mercy points. But soon, you’ll be dodging attacks from ambulance-themed enemies. Susie’s version of “Act” might involve avoiding the enemy’s “healing” bullets—because, of course, she has trust issues with doctors. Meanwhile, Ralsei might suggest getting hit on purpose, since the ambulances are just trying to help. These absurd but strategic moments are where Deltarune is at its best, mixing mechanics with character-driven comedy that makes every fight feel fresh and fun. With varied enemy types and briskly paced areas, I never felt like the game was dragging or repeating itself.
Beyond the fun of acting and dodging, I came to enjoy the tactical depth that comes with managing your trio. Later battles require careful planning of who heals, who uses items, and who acts, so someone else can deliver the final, sparing move. Even dodging gets its layer of strategy, thanks to the “graze” mechanic, where narrowly avoiding attacks builds up energy to use special abilities. Magic, too, becomes more than just flashy effects; it evolves per battle, allowing you to adjust your playstyle in response to new challenges. And more often than not, taking risks—like brushing up close to enemy attacks—pays off in satisfying, unexpected ways.
Page Breaks’ Power Is Inside of You
Even outside of battles, Deltarune offers a world rich with charm and curiosity. Exploring towns, chatting with NPCs, and interacting with random objects might not be groundbreaking for an RPG, but what sets Deltarune apart is how confidently it makes all of that feel meaningful—and often hilarious. Take, for example, stumbling upon a can of Ice-E’s Cool Boys Body Spray, “Spray For the Boys,” in a bizarre Flamin’ Hot Pizza Flavor under a bathroom sink. That kind of wonderfully weird detail isn’t just decoration—it’s baked into the DNA of the world.
The game’s surreal, offbeat humor seeps into every corner like some kind of strange, addictive goo. It connects all aspects of the experience—combat, story, dialogue, puzzles—into a cohesive and consistently entertaining whole. Where else would you fight a dolphin that bombards you with internet pop-ups, a callback to a 14-year-old meme about shady desktop ads? It’s absurd and oddly brilliant.
But Deltarune’s appeal goes beyond its jokes (even if they’re everywhere). What truly impressed me is how much thought has gone into the smaller, quieter parts of the world. There’s a reward for those who go off the beaten path—talking to overlooked characters or inspecting seemingly unimportant items can reveal surprisingly deep or funny insights. Not everything is handed to you in big dramatic cutscenes. Sometimes, the tiniest detail—like a patch of moss—can evolve into an ongoing joke across chapters, making you feel like you’ve discovered something personal and secret.
These little discoveries and moments are what make the game special. They create space for characters to shine in subtle, memorable ways. Whether it’s through a strange object or an offhand comment from a background NPC, Deltarune is packed with small anecdotes that gradually form an emotional connection, turning what could be a standard RPG into a genuinely unique and unforgettable experience.
Every location you visit has an embarrassingly good soundtrack.
Every area in Deltarune is filled with imaginative detail, transforming ordinary settings into extraordinary, dreamlike landscapes. As I progressed through the quest to seal the dark fountains, I found myself in wildly reimagined versions of familiar places. A forgotten classroom’s soft carpet became a sprawling red forest with flowing fields of purple grass. A mundane computer lab evolved into a dazzling city of lights, complete with glowing highways and towers built from digital ads. These environments come to life beautifully through the game’s expressive pixel art style, which knows when to hold back and when to dazzle. The game’s restraint with visual spectacle makes those moments of brilliance hit all the harder. Even the character portraits continue to impress, growing more expressive with each chapter and capturing emotion in ways that are often surprisingly impactful.
And then there’s the music—Deltarune overflows with it. Each location you explore is paired with a rich soundtrack that is every bit as memorable as Undertale’s. Toby Fox’s decision to compose the music himself once again pays off tremendously. From funky, high-energy battle themes to haunting, atmospheric melodies in the Dark Worlds, every track elevates the moment it accompanies. The soundtrack spans a range of genres while staying cohesive, and somehow, each boss theme manages to top the last. (At one point, I could’ve sworn I caught a nod to the TMNT: Turtles in Time soundfont!) But it’s not just the quality of the music—it’s how it’s used. Leitmotifs reappear at key emotional moments, tying characters and story beats together in deeply satisfying ways. In a later chapter, a scene underscored by a sparse, emotional live piano performance completely floored me, elevating the moment to something truly unforgettable.
Verdict
Toby Fox and his team have achieved something truly special with Deltarune and its latest chapters—even if the journey isn’t quite over yet. That what feels like only the midpoint of the story can already deliver such intense, emotional, and high-stakes moments across roughly 20 hours is genuinely impressive. It leaves me both thrilled and slightly overwhelmed, knowing there’s still so much more to uncover. While I have my theories about where the story might go, one thing feels certain: no matter how it ends, Deltarune has already made a lasting mark. Its unforgettable cast, brilliant mix of humor and sincerity, and masterful soundtrack have cemented it as an experience I won’t soon forget.
