Undertaleburst onto the indie gaming scene in 2015 and quickly gathered a huge following. By the time console ports arrived in 2017, it felt as thoughUndertalewas one of the most popular releases in the world; the Internet hosted plenty of glowing reviews, as well as countless pieces ofUndertalefan art, memes, and merchandise.
Over five years have passed since 2015, and to those who only followedUndertaleit may seem like creator Robert “Toby” Fox has been quiet. However, Fox has been busily working onUndertale’s follow-upDeltarune, which is being released episodically, as well as contributing to the soundtracks of an array of other video games.
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How Toby Fox and Undertale Took the World by Storm
Toby Fox was born in 1991 and began his career in the games industry working on the soundtrack forHomestuck(a webcomic written, illustrated, and animated by Andrew Hussie). He also cut his teeth in game development by working with his three brothers to create games inRPG Maker 2000, infamously including the romhack “Earthbound Halloween Hack.”
His breakthrough hitUndertaleis atop-down 2D RPGthat casts the player as a child who has fallen into “the Underground,” a secret region beneath the Earth’s surface protected by a magical barrier. Billed as “the friendly RPG where nobody has to die,” the title sees the player exploring the Underground while interacting with a diverse cast of monsters. Although these can be battled in the traditional way, the player can also choose to engage them in conversation, completing bullet hell-style minigames to better understand the creature’s motivations, needs, and issues.
These unique mechanics, which reward a nonviolent approach to playing the game, were widely commended by critics and fans. Also lauded wasUndertale’s warm and often hilarious dialogue,fourth wall-breakingboss encounters, and moving story. Also singled out for praise was the game’s soundtrack.
The game was built in theGameMaker Studioengine, with Toby Fox responsible for everything from the dialogue to the music, and Temmie Chang contributing to the RPG’s distinctive artwork.Undertale’s graphical style owes much to titles likeEarthbound, and fans have warmed to its lovingly crafted pixel art characters.Papyrus and Sanshave proven to be particular favorites, and their skeleton puns have appeared on everything from T-shirts to paperweights alongside other in-game catchphrases like how the player is, “Filled with determination.”
The game received multipleGame Of The Year nominationsand has sold over a million copies, cementing Toby Fox as a force to be reckoned with in the indie game scene. Although he has continued his output in the years since this debut title, his activities have slowed with delays in the development ofDeltarunedue to issues such as chronic wrist and hand pain.
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Toby Fox Has Been Busy Since Undertale
SinceUndertale, Toby Fox has released Chapters 1 and 2 ofDeltarune. Observant fans will notice the follow-up’s title is ananagram ofUndertale, and the similarities between the games don’t end there. AlthoughDeltarunehas been positively received so far, there is criticism for it not diversifying far from the originalUndertaleformula.
Deltarunecasts the player as teenage human Kris. The game revisitsUndertale’s bullet hell combat, although this iteration of the action is closer to the fighting mechanics of theFinal Fantasyseries, and random encounters of the previous game has been removed. Once again, players are able to resolve each of these encounters using either violence or by pursuing a peaceful alternative.
Deltaruneactually began development beforeUndertale, with work commencing in 2012. The game takes place in a different setting, although someUndertalecharacters have made appearances inDeltarune, including Sans. Toby Fox plans to release three more chapters for the game, which is currently available for PC, PS4, and Switch.
Aside from his work on the first two chapters ofDeltarune, themulti-talented Toby Foxhas also been pursuing his career as a video game composer. His works span a number of indie games, as well as contributions to major releases likePokemon SwordandShieldandSuper Smash Bros. Fox’s musical talents are certainly in demand after the acclaim for hisUndertalesoundtrack, with tracks like “Megalovania” going on to inspire a large number of fan covers and remixes.
Fans are now awaiting thethird installment ofDeltarune, as well as news of any other upcoming Toby Fox projects. He has yet to announce his plans beyond the conclusion ofDeltarune, but one thing is certain: there is much more to come, whether it be game development, musical composition, or any other field he chooses to try.
Undertaleis available now for PC, PS4, PS Vita, Switch, and Xbox One.
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