3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Lovable Misfits Make an Unfinished Game So Satisfying
The battlefield reeks of 'dusty mustard.' A fanged, freckled character threatens to bite off someone's face. Coat racks talk, and you're called a thief when you purchase something from a store. Such is the topsy-turvy world of Deltarune.
This stunningly imaginative role-playing adventure is perhaps the most lo-fi of the earliest releases for the Nintendo Switch 2. But through four expansive and generous episodes — two of them newly published, the others from 2018 and 2021 — Deltarune proves to be the most surprisingly wonderful of those games.
Very early on, as a group of lovable misfits tread through the darkness to bring balance back to their world, the question one could ask is, How could these 'prophesied heroes' save anything, even themselves? Perhaps that feeling of doubt surfaces because the pixel artwork is reminiscent of 1980s Atari visuals instead of the assertively modern graphics of, say, Mario Kart World.
But Deltarune's art style is a trick. Simplicity makes these sprites more endearing, more seemingly real. This merry merging of computer dots transforms into beings who are edgy, flirty and multifaceted. The lovably punky human-monster Susie, the one who threatens to bite faces, ultimately opens their heart to another character. Kris, their face partly hidden by strands of hair, is the silent, introverted teen hero who leads the way. But Kris has something of a dark side, too.
In groups of three, they set forth to explore a universe spun off from Undertale, the 2015 game that sold millions — making its young creator, Toby Fox, wealthy — because fans found so many things to see and do. That variety continues to hit home in Deltarune (an anagram of Undertale). Yes, a sword can kill enemies during turn-based battle. But putting foes to sleep and pacifying them is not only less cruel. It's much more satisfying.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
