After almost ten years, it’s impossible to think of a bigger franchise in the indie gaming scene than Deltarune. What may have initially seemed like a spin-off from Undertale has only expanded in scale with the release of every new chapter. Last year, Chapters 1-4 of Deltarune were released as a single package and proved to both new and returning players that everything its predecessor brought to the table was only the tip of the iceberg.
However, this raised a new question: what surprises did Toby Fox have in store after the bombastic halfway point that was Chapter 4? Well, finally, we have an answer in the form of Deltarune Chapter 5. As someone who has been following both Undertale and Deltarune since their release, I couldn’t have been more excited to see how Chapter 5 continued the story and gameplay mechanics of all previous chapters. Ultimately, while the finished product may not have been what I expected, I was still enamored with Chapter 5 and more convinced than ever that, when Deltarune‘s story comes to an end, it may go down in history as one of the best RPGs to date.
Festival Day
Deltarune Chapter 5, perhaps unsurprisingly, begins the morning after Chapter 4 ended. The long-awaited festival that’s been built up since the very beginning is finally here, and Toriel eagerly encourages Kris to make their way there. If you’re like me and you haven’t played any Deltarune since the release of Chapters 1-4, this intro does a great job of reintroducing you to all of the game’s most important characters. We see how Toriel and Asgore both care for Kris in their own ways, for example, with the former apologizing for her behavior the previous night, while the latter promises to support his ex-wife and children however he can in the days to come.
Of course, Kris, Susie, and Noelle take center stage. Susie and Noelle are only growing closer, and Susie in particular finds herself ruminating on the nature of love. Even without any dialogue from Kris, we can see what they’re thinking about the festival, and how they’ve become more nostalgic than ever. I loved how this introduction served as a final calm for the trio of characters, while hinting at the darkness still to come. In general, that “calm before the storm” tone fits the entire chapter, as even when both Kris and Susie are forced to respond to the opening of another Dark World, there is still the feeling of it being a jovial adventure rather than a harrowing brush with death.
Narratively, Chapter 5 doesn’t have the same high stakes as Chapter 4 in particular. Toby Fox himself reflected on this in a newsletter, remarking that while Chapter 4 focused on dark clouds in the distance, Chapter 5 is all about one last adventure before “the sun goes down completely.” As a result, we get a chapter that focuses more on character work rather than necessarily advancing the story. While I was initially caught off guard, the fantastic handling of each character quickly made this one of my favorite chapters thus far.
When Kris, Susie, and Ralsei all venture into a new Dark World, they interact with a group of characters that truly believe they’re humans. Not only are each false human charming, but the way they play off of each member of the core trio only adds to the chapter’s strengths. For example, fairly early on, you meet a certain character with yellow hair and a name that I’d rather not spoil. His entire design is themed after old anime series, with his introduction even reflecting those inspirations. He is obnoxiously smug, constantly interrupting Kris, Susie, and Ralsei’s progress, and undermining Ralsei especially.
As a result, we see a new rageful and jealous side of Ralsei that we’ve never seen before. There are countless moments throughout the chapter where Ralsei snaps and insults the yellow-haired human directly to his face, even going as far as to threaten him. On the flipside, this is a chapter where Susie gets to shine and show her new, softer side, as she constantly reflects on her “date” with Noelle. In a vacuum, these interactions may seem meaningless and more like filler that distracts from the “action.” But in practice, it demonstrates how far these characters have come, and considering we’ve been following them since 2018, that development only hits harder.
Chapter 5 does a great job of balancing its tone. For the majority of the chapter, the main characters allow themselves to enjoy this adventure across a world adorned with stunning locales. As the player, we also get to enjoy the beautiful visuals, which are absolutely jaw-dropping in some cases and push the boundaries of what should be possible with Deltarune‘s art style. Easily one of my favorite moments in the entire chapter is in one of the new storefronts, where you interact with a mysterious character watching the sunset. When I first saw the sight, I genuinely put my controller down for a few seconds to just appreciate how beautiful it was.
In between these moments, though, Deltarune reminds you that the sun is indeed setting, and this idyllic adventure is coming to an end. Soon, these moments of levity are overshadowed by the reminders of darker times to come, with more hints about the nature of the Dark World being revealed, alongside the return of a character synonymous with the very threat that the main trio is trying to stop. Worse still is the so-called “Weird Route” that replaces the Genocide route from Undertale. Chapter 5’s iteration of the route is genuinely one of the most horrifying things I’ve seen in a game in a while, and is enough to remind anyone who encounters it that Toby isn’t just capable of writing heartfelt and comedic scenes.
From beginning to end, there was never a moment in Chapter 5 where I wasn’t captivated. The character development and the way the tone built towards something more ominous constantly kept me hooked, and by the time the credits rolled, I was both staggered and eager to see where the story goes next. Overall, it’s safe to say that Toby Fox keeps outdoing himself with each new chapter. This doesn’t just apply to the narrative, but also to the gameplay, which offers the most ambitious new ideas for the series to date.
An Unforgettable Adventure
Even if there weren’t many surprises with Deltarune‘s narrative, there were plenty to be found within the gameplay. For starters, the unique combat mechanics stand out more than ever, with certain enemies having unique mechanics that are so absurdly creative that they sometimes had me cackling with glee. Initially, the game eases you back into the gameplay loop with fairly basic bullet hell moments that slowly start to escalate in complexity.
For instance, there’s one enemy themed around scissors. To spare them, you have to trace an outline with the controller, and despite how jarring it was to trace the shape using the joystick, I’d be lying if I said I still didn’t find the minigame fun. This applies to the bosses too: some of them can be deeply challenging, and even frustrating. In the case of the final battle, the way it takes the combat elements from previous chapters to their limits made each encounter feel fresh and exciting.
Where the game truly surprised me was after Kris and the party retrieved a special-looking feather. This feather completely changes Deltarune‘s perspective from a top-down RPG to a 2D platformer hack-and-slash. The new style is a core gimmick for the chapter, but one that is utilized expertly. You can switch between the two viewpoints by triggering a switch you can find around the world, and there are plenty of puzzles and even bosses that test your mastery of the mechanic.
The use of the platforming genre and its role in traversal, bosses, and puzzles don’t feel forced. If anything, they only add to just how fun Chapter 5 is. Even though the game changed genres, I didn’t have to completely re-learn how to play, as both the RPG and platformer elements required me to have near instant reaction times. Above all, it perfectly demonstrates Toby Fox’s willingness to experiment. The way Deltarune masters not just the RPG genre, but elements from both bullet hells and platformers is incredible, and makes me really curious to see what new genres chapter 6 and 7 implement.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how Deltarune Chapter 5‘s soundtrack contributed to the overall adventure. While I wouldn’t say this is the best soundtrack from Deltarune thus far, there are certainly several very memorable tracks that have already made their way into my daily playlists. In particular, I loved the exuberant final boss theme and the melancholic shop track. Each entry in the album adds to the feeling that this is the final ray of sunshine that the characters and we, the player, will get to experience before everything goes horribly wrong.
As a whole, it’s hard to think of any issues with Deltarune Chapter 5. Some enemy encounters have a major difficulty spike, but I never thought that these were as hard as some battles in prior chapters. It certainly helps that Toby Fox and the rest of the team are planning to address some of these issues, as well as any bugs, in subsequent updates. There’s even a good reason to replay the chapter, as, even if there isn’t a post-game per se, the promise of a hidden alternate story with the aforementioned Weird Route and even a secret boss is enough to make revisiting Chapter 5 all the more enticing. Needless to say, this chapter only continues the quality that Toby Fox has maintained with each of his games since Undertale, which makes me deeply curious to see how this journey comes to an end.
The Night Draws Near
I have been following the story of Deltarune and its characters for what is now a third of my life. To me, the game feels like an old friend: every time I start to forget about them, they re-enter my life when I least expect it, and remind me of why they mattered to me so much in the first place. Now, though, Deltarune‘s story is coming to an end. With the now yearly release rate of each chapter, it seems likely that we may only have to wait two years for the finale in the form of Chapter 7. As that ending draws nearer, it’s not hard to wonder if Toby Fox will be able to give Deltarune the conclusion it deserves. If Chapter 5 is any indication, fans have nothing to worry about.
The narrative of the new chapter trades major reveals for exquisite character work. We get to see how these characters that were first introduced to us in 2018 have changed over the last eight years, and said progression, alongside the introduction of new charming characters, makes the trade-off more than worth it. Further, the few reveals we do get are enticing enough to give players something to chew on while we wait to see where Chapter 6 goes.
In exchange for a story that is more leisurely paced, the gameplay evolves in leaps and bounds that exceed all expectations. Not only are the core combat and bullet hell elements better than ever, but we also get elements from the platforming genre to create an experience that is ambitious without being forced. Plus, thanks to a fantastic presentation and the enticing secrets, such as the hidden boss fight and “Weird Route,” you likely won’t be bored while playing Deltarune Chapter 5.
At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the prospect of a chapter that took a step back from the high stakes that both Chapter 3 and 4 introduced. Yet, once I realized that this was to be the last reverie that both the characters and players would be able to experience, I appreciated the change in tone even more. I have no idea what’s going to happen next in Deltarune‘s story. I don’t know where certain characters are going to end up or the solutions to all of the game’s mysteries. However, considering all of the quality we’ve gotten from the Deltarune story thus far, I can confidently say that when it finally ends, we will be left with a game that can only be described as “generational.”
Disclaimer: Deltarune Chapter 5 was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch 2.
