This Battle Game Lets Players Fight Monsters or Make Friends With Them
Charlotte Joyce Kidd — September 28, 2015 — Tech
References: store.steampowered & boingboing.net
At first, 'Undertale' seems to be a typical battle game, albeit one with abnormally adorable graphics. Like so many role-playing games, it follows a child on her adventure through an alternate world filled with fantastical beings.
Once play starts, however, it becomes apparent that Undertale is not a conventional battle game, or really a battle game at all. The game's universe abounds with monsters of all shapes and sizes, but defeating them isn't as simple as firing futuristic weapons at them or kick-punching them into a pulp. Each monster comes with a unique backstory, and a fully developed explanation as to why they are attacking Undertale's protagonist. Like childhood bullies, the monsters have troubled pasts or feel misunderstood. Players can fight them if they choose to, but violence often has unintended consequences in Undertale's game logic.
This RPG fits into a newly blossoming category of games that focus on experiential play and the empathy that comes from a first-person video game perspective to create provocative, powerful narratives.
Once play starts, however, it becomes apparent that Undertale is not a conventional battle game, or really a battle game at all. The game's universe abounds with monsters of all shapes and sizes, but defeating them isn't as simple as firing futuristic weapons at them or kick-punching them into a pulp. Each monster comes with a unique backstory, and a fully developed explanation as to why they are attacking Undertale's protagonist. Like childhood bullies, the monsters have troubled pasts or feel misunderstood. Players can fight them if they choose to, but violence often has unintended consequences in Undertale's game logic.
This RPG fits into a newly blossoming category of games that focus on experiential play and the empathy that comes from a first-person video game perspective to create provocative, powerful narratives.
Trend Themes
1. Empathy-based Video Games - Video games designed to provoke empathy by allowing the player to experience the game world from the first-person perspective, creating diverse and provocative narratives.
2. Narrative-driven Games - Games that center around a story and create engaging and unique experiences for the player through their narrative choices.
3. Interactive Storytelling - Games that create interactive, immersive experiences through engaging narratives that allow for player choice and empathy building.
Industry Implications
1. Video Game Development - Developers can create new games that focus on narrative choice and empathetic storytelling, challenging traditional game design principles and creating more immersive experiences.
2. Education - Developers can adapt narrative-driven games to create educational experiences that engage students in learning about history, culture, and social issues.
3. Psychology/therapy - Empathy-based video games can be used in therapy sessions to help patients explore and work through their emotions in a safe, interactive environment.
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