Going Platinum #4: Undertale

Platinum Trophy #4: Undertale

Date Earned: 19th August 2017

Dopamine Index:

For someone as deeply entrenched in the video game space as I am, it was very difficult to escape Undertale for a while.

The massively successful indie RPG was a phenomenon back when it launched on PC in 2015, with players falling head over heels in love with its quirky cast of characters, earnest story, and unique approach to enemy encounters.

I had to see what all the fuss was about, but with no access to a proper PC at the time, I ended up watching a run through the game via YouTube.

It didn't make it onto PS4 until 2017, which turned out to be good, because by that time I had forgotten many of the finer details of the game. I was able to play it somewhat fresh.

Looking back, it is a brilliant game. There's a reason it became so popular so quickly — it has a rich, heartfelt narrative, it's packed with endearing characters, and it continually subverts expectations in its design.

It's also genuinely funny, a feat not many games achieve on purpose.

I remember Papyrus explaining the complex rules of his floor tile minigame, only to cross straight over it with no issue; I remember the bird that carries you over a disproportionately small gap.

There are so many memorable moments, and I think that's because it finds a great balance between its daft humour and some seriously affecting narrative beats.

I think, nowadays, Undertale doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves, because it got so much recognition at the time that there was just as much pushback from naysayers. However, on reflection, I think I'd go so far as to call it a modern classic.

What's great about the PS4 (and PS Vita!) version of the game is the addition of Trophies, of course. And how very Undertale the Trophy list is.

In addition to a handful of Trophies for getting items and reaching certain locations in the adventure, half of the list is related to a Dog Shrine. The only thing you can do here is donate gold and unlock Trophies, each one requiring incrementally more money.

It's a bit of a middle finger to Trophies, basically just wasting your time if you're inclined to complete the list, and I admire the cheekiness of it.

"Don't You Have Anything Better To Do?" mocks the platinum Trophy. I mean, yes, but also no.

Cheers, Undertale.

Do you have the platinum Trophy in Undertale? Let us know in the comments section below.