Game Making: Start By Healing the Player

Meta-elements aside, the plot of ‘Undertale’ is actually quite good.

And the game is full of interesting and charismatic characters.

(TL: At this point the author basically repeats character descriptions from previous chapters, so I made the decision to skip that part. Apologies. )

Killing monsters and upgrading, this is a given in basically every RPG.

But with the change of LV to Level of Violence, and EXP to Execution points, ‘Undertale’ turns the setting on its head. 

For most players getting into the game for the first time, they will play through it normally and get the Neutral ending. Getting into contact with Flowey and experiencing the shock. 

However, if at the end of the Neutral ending, the player chooses not to kill Flowey, it will point them towards the Pacifist ending, more fondly referred to as the True ending. 

In the Pacifist ending, the player does not kill, but instead befriends all the monsters they encounter, by talking and interacting with them in silly but endearing ways. 

And during this route, many of the characters reveal a cute and lovable side.

For example, Undyne 

[ Listen up, human. We’re not just going to be friends ]

[ We’re going to be… BESTIES ]

[ I’ll make you like me so much… You won’t be able to think of anyone else!!! ]

[ Fuhuhuhu! It’s the PERFECT REVENGE!! ]

Under the “provocation” of Papyrus, the legendary captain of the Royal Guard came to accept the protagonist as a friend. 

They had a cooking class together, burning her house down in the process.

This is something that is seen in all the main cast. 

Especially near the end, where the players face the “final” boss, Asriel, the child of Toriel and Asgore. Which made countless players tear up.

During this battle, when you die, the game does not show that you have failed.

Instead, the text reads: But it refused.

Finally with the determined help of countless friends, the player is able to defeat Asriel.

At the same time, the player would finally learn the background of the game from the little goat. 

A long, long time ago there was a human child who fell to the Underground, and happened to be saved by the little goat, and then was taken in by the king and queen. 

They became best friends, but then for some reason he lost that friend.

So the little goat absorbed the soul of the child and turned into an immensely powerful being with the power to pass through the barrier. 

The little goat left the underground and came to the surface in order to fulfill his friend’s last wish.

But it was attacked by humans who mistook it for having killed the child. Eventually the bruised and battered goat hobbled home, then fell to the ground in a heap, turning into a cloud of dust that drifted throughout the garden.

Its resolve was infused into a golden flower, and this is where the little flower came from.

In this final battle, the little goat finally gets relief and release, letting go of the pain it has been clinging onto.

With the Neutral and Pacifist endings obtained, the players should be satisfied, correct?

But it is human nature to be curious, and with the knowledge of LV and EXP, players were tempted to explore another ending. 

And it’s within this ending that the player truly feels an unspeakable shock, and perhaps feels the need for spiritual reflection.

……………

Sitting in front of the computer, Jiang Ping’s expression was very serious.

[ 3 left ]

This is what appeared when he interacted with the save point. It replaced the normal silly dialogue. 

In the underground, nearly all the monsters have been slaughtered, and there are only 3 left in this area. 

The map was empty, the previously bustling tavern was completely silent. 

Jiang Ping didn’t know how to describe the feeling, it was something close to bitterness. 

Ever since the release of ‘Mirror’, he had been curious about the future works of Chen Xu. 

He had first experienced contempt when he started the game, and then was shocked at discovering how much depth it had. 

He reached the Neutral and Pacifist endings, so he grew curious about the other 2 endings.

But now, perhaps he had been too hasty. He’s feeling some measure of regret. 

Monsters who were once his friends died by his hands. Simply to fulfill the plot of the game. 

Including Papyrus, that little angel, bless his heart. Even as he was dying, he still believed that the protagonist could change his ways. 

The game’s narration became full of irony. 

But he didn’t stop, he had to finish what he started and see the endings. 

At this point, every monster is killed in a single strike. 

Until he met Undyne once more. 

Near a waterfall, she appeared to save a small monster child from being killed by the protagonist. 

As captain of the Royal Guard, she is supposed to protect the monsters of the Underground, but now she feels that she has failed.

But just as she was about to die, an exciting BGM sounded.

The wind howled, and there was a flash of bright light. 

[ The heroine appears ]

Listening to the exciting BGM titled “Battle Against a True Hero”, Jiang Ping felt a great sense of irony.

A monster in the game has become a hero. 

And the protagonist he is controlling is behaving like a real monster. 

This was the hardest fight he had experienced in the game so far. 

After working hard to beat Undyne, he moved on and reached a familiar place. 

The corridor was magnificent as ever, and inside stood Sans, waiting for him.

In the previous playthroughs, Sans would be here to judge the player’s actions. 

But now?  

[ It’s a beautiful day outside ]

[ birds are singing, flowers are blooming ]

[ on days like these, kids like you… ]

[ should be burning in hell ]

As soon as he finished speaking, a massive wave of attacks swept over him, instantly killing the unprepared Jiang Ping.

He scribbled a correction in his notebook. This was now the hardest fight in the game so far. 

Hours later, with continuous efforts and continuous attempts.

With every attempt he got better and better, Sans was growing visibly exhausted. 

He even tried to not move during his own turn to trap the protagonist. 

Unfortunately, that still wasn’t enough. 

While Sans was resting, he quietly moved the UI to the attack position, and killed Sans in a sneak attack. 

Then Flowey appears, and unlike in the normal routes, it is full of fear towards the protagonist, begging him to spare his life. 

The protagonist’s answer was eight consecutive slashes, ripping Flowey apart. 

Everything seemed to be over, but at that moment, a new character appeared and surprised Jiang Ping.

Chara, the first human to fall into the Underground, was awakened from death.

Two choices appeared before him: to destroy the world or not to destroy it.

Looking at the dreadful darkness and the ominous looking Chara, Jiang Ping felt extremely depressed. 

He only wanted to know the plot of the other endings. He regretted it halfway, but did not stop. 

Now, that feeling of regret is amplified. So he chose no. 

But the next moment, Chara’s smile somehow became even more unsettling.

[ Hmm… ]

[ How curious ]

[ You must have misunderstood ]

[ Since when were you the one in control? ]

The world shook as Chara approached with a now ghoulish face. 

There was the flash of a blade, and blood red damage numbers of 999999 filled the screen. 

Then the game shut itself down. 

Is this the ending of the Genocide route?

Jiang Ping, took a deep breath, and pursed his lips.