As unique as Undertale is, we scoured the internet for the best games like Undertale. I hope this list helps you kill time until the next chapter finally comes.
Selecting Games Like Undertale
To identify similar titles, we had to list the critical Undertale features:
Non-violent Runs: Undertale promises you can defeat the entire game without “killing” anyone. That’s because you have an “Act” option on top of “Fight,” “Item,” and “Mercy” options. “Act” offers unique and humorous non-violent solutions. For example, you could criticize an enemy until submission. Mercy is for fleeing or sparing a foe. Over-the-top Dialogue: The next ingredient is the story, which comes to you through NPC dialogue. The tone is funny, enthusiastic, and nearly overblown. Moreover, conversation tends to break the fourth wall.Music: Last but not the least, there’s a fantastic soundtrack playing across the entire campaign (a 6-hour playthrough).
In summary, its core experience relies on humor, dialog, choice, music, vibrant characters, and heart.
Deltarune
The obvious choice is Deltarune, the next game by Undertale’s creator, Toby Fox. Chapter 1 & 2 are currently available, and they are free-to-play. It’s not Undertale’s sequel, but it has a very similar vibe. And even though the plot happens in a distinct world, there’re minor connections between the two games. Moreover, if you check Undertale’s page and Deltarune’s page, you’ll see how much these two can be alike. On Deltarune, you play as classmates Kross and Susie. They are on the “Dark World,” a hidden place on Earth, where they find their destiny is restoring the balance in the world. Your enemies are otherworldly creatures known as “Darkness.” There’re violent as well as non-violent options to defeat them. Naturally, the game is full of the same charm, humor, and gorgeous music we found on Undertale. Deltarune Chapter 1 debuted in 2018 for Windows and macOS. There’s also a version for Nintendo Switch and PS4.
Earthbound
Undertale is Toby Fox’s most popular video game. It has sold over a million copies and has become a cultural phenomenon. It wasn’t his first game. He began using RPG Maker 2000 many years ago to create Earthbound ROMs, hacks, and mods. It’s hard to describe Earthbound, as it’s a one-in-a-lifetime RPG. It’s actually the second entry of the “Mother” series, so its actual name in Japan is “Mother 2: Giygas Strikes Back.“ Combat gameplay twists old-school RPGs by using modern sports garments. For example, the main character’s weapon is a baseball bat. Characters a PSI bar for magic, as well as items. On top of that, the game is full of humor, sarcasm, wit, and weirdness. These are essential elements outside of combat, as the many puzzles in the game present similar characteristics. As for the story, you play as Ness. You’re the destined warrior to defeat Giygas. This cosmic invader reached the Earth on a meteorite that fell near Ness’ house. Earthbound came out for Super Nintendo in 1994. It reached the Nintendo Wii in 2013, and, currently, you can play it on Nintendo DS. Also, you’d be able to find it on ROM sites.
Always Sometimes Monsters
Always Sometimes Monsters is a personal journey to win back your lost love. The story revolves around a physical journey across a country, and psychological growth in defeating an existential crisis. That’s the reason why the game presents difficult choices, choices capable of defining the story and the experience. As an RPG game, your decisions move you towards different branches. Your choices affect you, your loved one, and your friends and neighbors. It’s not about combat, though. There’s no combat. Instead, dialogue drives the entire story. As you go on, challenging conditions will force you to choose between the “moral good,” your personal good, or the good of others. Always Sometimes Monsters is exciting, charming, and full of heart. Moreover, the level and music design are similar to Undertale, so if you loved Toby Fox’s work, you’re going to love this one as well.
LISA: The Painful
LISA is a brutal side-scrolling RPG. It has a post-apocalyptic setting, and beneath its wasteland exterior, there’re broken morals. You play as Brad Armstrong, a middle-aged man traveling through the Olathe moor searching for his adoptive daughter Buddy. Along the way, the game will force you to make tough decisions. As in the game before, your choices permanently affect your fate, Buddy’s fate, and the fate of your team. Your decisions can also affect your gameplay. For example, saving a party member from death may require a sacrifice that hinders the main character. And vice-versa: progressing through the story may require the sacrifice of your team member. Yet, the game wants you to be selfish and ruthless. Otherwise, you won’t save your daughter or yourself. So, playing as Brad involves heavy choices, turn-based combat, hardships, and perma-death mechanics. Overall, LISA is a compelling game. It’s the epic story of a harsh man traveling across a dangerous land in a painful world. The overarching team is about power dynamics, greed, pain, and the politics dominating our world.
One Shot
OneShot is a fantastic puzzle adventure across a barren wasteland. Such a simple setting delivers a heart-wrenching storyline, charming characters, a haunting music score, and gorgeous visuals. You play as Niko, a cat, in a Sunless world. You carry a lightbulb across the land. The objective is to restore the Sun by putting the bulb at the top of a tower. Doing so requires solving many puzzles, which offer the primary gameplay experience. Yet, the game “knows” you’re playing, so gameplay involves a meta-narrative that adds an extra layer of challenge. This happens because the player and Niko are two separate entities. As a result, OneShot creates a relationship between the gamer, the main character, and the game itself. Notably, many puzzles require you to interact with the operating system outside of the game, like finding a clue within the game’s files. That means OneShot is not your typical adventure game. However, puzzles still require interacting with items, forming new things, and going to specific locations. Like Undertale, OneShot is another story-driven RPG indie title that became a success. It’s clever, delightful, and has a fantastic OST.
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 is one of the most iconic JRPG of the last decade. You may think it doesn’t share anything with Undertale, but it does. See, the theme of the game is the existence of true justice. During combat, you catch and beat different Persona. Yet, because you believe in fair judgment, you can negotiate and spare enemies. The ability to choose how to approach combat and the overall story-arc is something Undertale fans will appreciate. The setting is modern-day Tokyo, within a Metaverse born from humanity’s darkest desires. Such a world delivers a familiar JRPG combat, exploration, dungeon crawling, choices, and social sims. We believe you’ll find Persona 5’s spare mechanics worthy of the iconic “RPG game where you don’t have to destroy anyone” quote. We’re recommending the Persona 5 Royal version instead of Persona 5, as it brings many upgrades. That includes better graphics, new set designs, gameplay updates, and character creation updates. Moreover, it has new characters and extra story-bits.
NieR: Automata
Coming from a beloved developer, NieR: Automata is the next iconic JRPG we add to the games like Undertale list. The game thrives on a strong awareness of its genre and its video-game nature. That opens up a fascinating storyline about self-agency, morality, and freedom. Its heavy themes and strong emphasis on self-awareness made us add it to the list. Also, NieR: Automata is one of the best RPGs of all time. The action gameplay is also unconventional. It mixes the hack & slash formula with the general Action-RPG dungeon-crawler. As a result, combat is satisfying, addictive, and fun. As for the plot, it seems like a story of Androids fighting for humanity against machines. There’s much more under the surface, though. Only completing multiple playthroughs (three, to be specific) unlocks the whole storyline. If you’re looking for an RPG with a solid and gripping story full of dialogue and worldbuilding, this is your pick. As a side note, Toby Fox and NieR: Automata’s creator, Yoko Taro, had a friendly chat in 2019. They talk about how they felt playing each other’s game.
Pony Island
Pony Island developers say this game is “as indie as it can be.” It’s an okay description, but it’s so much more. You see, you play as a “cute” pony on increasingly challenging arcade-style levels. Levels may be 2D or 3D; either way, brutality ensures. Loe-wise, the Pony is in a video-game limbo, trapped within an evil arcade machine. Satan himself programmed the malfunctioning device. That means Pony Island is a puzzle-adventure title within an arcade setting. As you go on, an 8-bit evil hardcore OST walks the levels with you. The music is as disturbing as it is excellent. Also, we find the game’s ability to break the fourth wall similar to Undertale. It’s conscious, over-blown, comedic, and yet very evil. I’m leaving the trailer below, as I think it’s worth a watch: Overall, Pony Island is an unexpected indie game that’s not about ponies.
Rakuen
Rakuen is an indie adventure video game. Like Toby Fox’s first works, Laura Shigihara created it with the RPG Maker XP engine. The game works with a “sprite-based exploration” gameplay. That means text boxes are your primary way of communication and action. It is also an exploration game with old-school RPG graphics. There’s no combat as the game relies instead on puzzles, dialogue, and a heartfelt storyline. The plot takes you towards the emotional journey of a young boy. As he lays down in a hospital, sick, his mother reads the “Rakuen” (“Paradise”, in Japanese) book to him. The story opens a magical land where the boy can find happiness for himself and the rest of the hospital patients. And at the center of the game is music. The boy must find pieces of music throughout the game. Overall, the game delivers puzzles, challenges, odd characters, and a gorgeous OST. Text-based mysteries are the meat of the content, though. Rakuen shares the kind of emotional plot and charming characters Undertale fans are craving.
Alicemare
Alicemare is an adventure sci-game with hints of horror, survival, and puzzle-solving. You play as Allen, a young boy who recently lost his memory. After losing his father and mother, he moves to a foster home. Allen’s adventure starts when he investigates a rumor that leads him into a strange dream. Returning home requires exploring maps, solving puzzles, and running away from demonic characters. There’s no combat, as the game relies on exploration, chase scenes, and careful worldbuilding. This setting opens up a horror adventure RPG with exploration gameplay similar to Undertale. As a result, Alicemare feels familiar and yet unique. Its extra horror ingredients create an unnatural environment full of rich and surreal characters. Overall, Alicemare is a thrilling experience. It has a punchy musical score, oddball characters, and a sci-fi storyline. Also, it has plenty of jump-scares to keep you on your toes.
Conclusion
We hope our selection of games like Undertale fits your tastes. There’re not many games like it, but we did leave behind many indie story-centric RPGs. If something is missing, please add it to the comment section.
