2015-12-27 20:55:57 ¶ ●

By Toby Fox

A big part of Undertale’s success relies on its pacing. And this song’s moment in the game is a great example of that.

First you’re forced to suffer through a melodramatic performance of this song where all you can do is listen and watch. Then, moments later, you’re dropped into a manic race through an impossible puzzle maze while the timpani boom out the imminence and pointlessness of your demise.

It’s a really well-paced bit of gameplay. The drawn-out first bit is absolutely essential to making the second bit as funny and memorable as it is.

The soundtrack to Toby Fox’s game Undertale can be purchased from Bandcamp.

2015-12-31 22:43:32 ¶ ●

By Toby Fox

Ah, Papyrus. I think this is the only ‘boss fight’ I could play a dozen times and laugh out loud every single time. There’s so many variations. Flirt with him. Threaten him. Play fetch with him. Lose to him. Lose to him again and watch as a sort of reverse Stockholm Syndrome starts to take hold in his mind.

All while this goofy, quasi-malicious theme plays in the background. I’ve brought it up before in relation to other songs, but the tone reminds me of the Edison family theme from Maniac Mansion: antagonizing, but in a bumbly Snidely Whiplash kind of way.

Like much of the soundtrack, it’s fertile material for variations and covers.
Violin-based version with an Eastern European vibe? Check. Wobbly Silent-era cartoon version? Got that too. Heavy metal version? But of course.

That last cover’s off of a whole album of Undertale metal cover songs, recently released by RichaadEB and Ace Waters. It’s a little bit like a Gary Hoey Christmas album, but for Undertale, and well worth a listen.

The soundtrack to Toby Fox’s game Undertale can be purchased from Bandcamp.