10 Hated Video Game Mechanics The World Was Wrong About
4. Making Turn-Based Combat A Rhythm Game - Undertale
Undertale is a strange beast of a game, to say the least. On its release in 2015, players weren't initially sure what to make of the title. It was a grab bag of RPG. turn based battle system and dungeon crawler, all wrapped up in a whimsical story from the mind of Toby Fox.
But what did surprise people, who were skeptical at first, was the battle system itself. Whilst traditionally turn based, carrying out the attacks, or defending them, were turned into a mini-game themselves.
Some were rhythm based, requiring you to time your attacks right, much like hitting R1 when Squall attacks in Final Fantasy VIII. Others required Ikaruga-honed reflexes to avoid being hit, just to keep you on your toes.
It's one of the features that made Undertale the absolute indie darling it is today, as well as its story and multiple narrative story. It's a testament to both Fox for putting it out there, as well as slightly cautious fans for sticking with it, that really add to Undertale's staying power today.