In the dead of the night, after hearing legends and fantastical stories of monsters being sealed away in a deep, secluded hole on top of Mt Ebbot, a small human makes the trek, climbing up the looming mountain and falling into the world of Undertale. They say that whoever climbs Mt. Ebbot never returns, but the character the player’s control, filled with determination and love, preserve. 

With such a colorful cast and a compelling story, it’s no surprise that the small game “Undertale” created by indie developer Toby Fox inspired thousands of people to create their own works of art and view their life with more passion than before.

“It made me realize that everyone is deserving of friendship no matter what,” Vin wrote over Instagram, “It changed the way I viewed other games.” 

“Undertale” is a game about choices. Unlike most games, “Undertale” gives you the opportunity to be a pacific, not killing any of the foes and monsters the player runs into. The ability to grow and change is at the core of the game, letting the player choose who they want to be and what they want to accomplish. 

“It showed me my actions have consequences,” Sophomore Robin Nichols said.

As the player controls the main character, a genderless human who stumbled upon a world filled with magic and monsters, despite all the choices and routes they might take, they still have the ability to make an impact on others, rather it’s friendly or evil, every action has an equal opposite reaction, even if it’s malicious. “Undertale” has also been an inspiration to many young artists as well. 

“I started animating because of it,” Ally, a Freshman, said.

“Undertale” is full of characters with animal and monster attributes. Though the art style is simple, the characters are unique and recognizable. These characters became comforts for players, and they soon started to adapt and mimic the game’s art style and colors. Though referencing off “Undertale,” most began to branch out and make their own original characters and animations using what they learned from “Undertale.” 

 It also inspired others to start coding and make their own music

“It made me more interested in music,” Teal, a Junior, said in an email.

The soundtrack for “Undertale,” like most aspects of the game, was created by a singular person, Toby Fox. The fun melodies scattered throughout the game helped the player get into the mood during boss battles or exploring the lush underground tunnels. Not only did it set the mood and feel, but it also inspired others to make music for their own projects, delving deeper into their characters and their mindsets, expressing their thoughts and actions using music.

“Undertale” helped bring people from all sorts of backgrounds together to share their love for the game.

“It was a huge part of my middle school life,” Abi, a Junior, says, “It brought me closer with my friends.”

The “Undertale” fandom was a huge part of internet culture in its height. Though separated by oceans and living miles apart from each other, fans still bonded virtually over the game by drawing, creating their own “Undertale” based stories, cosplaying, and roleplaying as the characters. People from all different backgrounds were brought together to share their love and appreciation for “Undertale.”

Though “Undertale” is not as big as it was years ago, its waves still send ripples in other fandoms and artistic places. Through the passion of Toby Fox and his game, others were inspired and touched by the power of choices, friendship, and art. As other games rise and fall, “Undertale” has always been a staple of inspiration for other small creators and continues to shine years later.