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The 10 Best Games Like Undertale

Published

9 months ago

August 16, 2023

What are the best games like Undertale?

Undertale is one of the most unique RPGs ever created, and its intricate storytelling and memorable gameplay has earned it countless fans.

However, once you’ve earned every ending and uncovered all of its secrets, you may be itching to play something similar.

Fortunately, there are many great games like Undertale, and today we’re looking at the best of them!

The 10 Best Games Like Undertale

While nothing could ever replace Undertale, there are a lot of games with similar mechanics, themes, and storytelling.

We’ve tried to select a diverse array of these games so that there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy!

So, before you venture back to the Underground, check out our list of the 10 best games like Undertale:

10. Omori

Kicking off our list, we have the psychological-horror RPG Omori, which follows the character Sunny and his dream world alter-ego, Omori.

Throughout the game, players can explore Sunny’s life in and out of the dream world, and a majority of gameplay revolves around overcoming his hidden fears.

How Sunny reacts to things depends on player input, and the choices you make will impact which ending you receive.

While the gameplay itself is engaging, as the story unfolds, players have to grapple with some tough topics revolving around mental health.

As Sunny, players will experience a range of emotional themes, including guilt, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicide.

The overarching message is one of the importance of human connection and how loneliness can impact mental well-being.

Omori is an incredibly thought-provoking game, and its style, emotional themes, and emphasis on player choices make it perfect for Undertale fans.

9. Pony Island

Now, Pony Island may sound like something geared toward fans of My Little Pony or something, but it is anything but lighthearted and filled with magic.

Not only is it one of the best hacking games, but it is a game that uniquely blurs the lines between narrative and gameplay in a bizarre and engaging way.

In this game, players interact with an old arcade cabinet called Pony Island. However, instead of being a fun vintage platformer, the game turns out to be corrupted by Satan.

We love that this game presents itself as an innocent, happy-go-lucky game about ponies that quickly devolves into an absolutely surreal experience.

As players go through the game, they have to navigate through many different levels, solving puzzles and interacting with the souls of previous players who’ve become trapped.

It also has a habit of breaking the fourth wall to directly address players, which is super unsettling.

Like Undertale, this game has multiple endings depending on the choices you make, and it has a surprisingly deep narrative.

Pony Island definitely supplies players with an intriguing mystery to solve, and it is certainly enthralling.

If you haven’t checked it out already, we strongly recommend you give it a try. Just be sure to keep the light on when you do!

8. To The Moon

This indie adventure game was released in 2011, and it is packed with emotion and a story that explores loss, regret, and dreams.

Now, we don’t want to spoil too much about this game if you haven’t played it yet, but we will say you’ll want to have tissues handy.

The main story revolves around technology that allows people to alter their memories and is used to grant the last wishes of dying patients.

One of these patients is Johnny Wyles, an elderly man who dreams of being able to go to the moon. Hence, the name of the game.

However, while exploring Johnny’s memories, players get to experience his harrowing life story and uncover the reasons behind his last wish.

This is regarded as one of the saddest video games of all time for good reason, and it will definitely tug on your heartstrings.

To The Moon is really a gorgeous game, and while it is relatively short, the impact it has will stick with you long after you finish it.

7. Rakuen

Rakuen is another emotionally driven game, and it explores themes of compassion, self-discovery, and empathy for others.

Like Undertale, it blurs the lines between reality and fantasy while following the story of a young boy who is bedridden in a hospital.

However, as this boy, players can also visit an alternate fantasy world where a number of unique and memorable characters can be found.

Throughout the game, players get to make a number of choices that impact their lives and the lives of those around them.

While the story is fairly short, like To The Moon, it certainly doesn’t lack content, and every moment you spend playing it feels meaningful.

One thing that really makes this game interesting is that it has no combat system whatsoever and instead revolves solely around exploration and solving puzzles.

Rakuen really is a fantastic game, and if you loved the narrative in Undertale, you should definitely check it out!

6. Cave Story

Cave Story is a Metroidvania-style game, that revolves around the player character waking up in an underground world with no memory of their past. Sound familiar?

As players explore the underground world, they learn more about the inhabitants of the place, the Mimigas, who are at odds with an evil doctor.

Like Undertale, Save Story has a very distinct pixel art style, multiple endings, and incredibly challenging boss fights that are designed to test your skills.

This game is also strongly character-driven, and the interactions you have with the inhabitants really help flesh out the story.

Cave Story really is the ultimate indie game success story, and it pays homage to some of the best retro games, particularly those from the 8 and 16-bit era.

While you can still play the original Cave Story, there is also Cave Story+, an enhanced version of the game for PC and the Nintendo Switch.

However, regardless of which version you decide to play, you can expect to experience an incredibly engaging story filled with memorable moments!

5. Heartbound

Heartbound is an RPG currently in early access, but it already has a ton of promise despite not being fully complete.

Like Undertale, Heartbound is a narrative-driven game, but it also has a unique combat system that utilizes quick-time events that players have to react to.

The story follows a young boy, Lore, and his adorably loyal dog Baron as they adventure through a mysterious world.

Now, the addition of a dog companion already makes this a great game, but if that isn’t enough to sell you, the exploration and environments will be.

Players are encouraged to explore as much as possible to uncover secrets about the world around them and learn the truth behind what’s going on.

Of course, there are also many puzzles and minigames to encounter as well while you’re roaming around.

Despite not being complete yet, Heartbound has already proven to be a very engaging and emotionally invested game.

It is certainly something that Undertale fans won’t want to miss out on, and we highly recommend giving it a try!

4. Lisa The Painful

Lisa the Painful takes inspiration from some of the best post-apocalyptic games while providing a story that is filled with dark and emotionally charged themes.

Set in a ruined world following a catastrophic event known as the White Flash, players have to struggle through the wasteland Fallout style to stay alive.

The world itself is filled with dangers ranging from desperate survivors to vicious mutated creatures who want nothing more than to end your run.

All the combat is turn-based, and it is known for being unforgiving and challenging if you don’t plan and manage your resources effectively.

Like Undertale, the choices you make will have an impact on how the game plays out, and the story is incredibly thought-provoking.

However, unlike Undertale, in Lisa the Painful, you can recruit companions, and there is a great focus on survival and struggling with scarce resources.

This game also deals with many heavy themes, particularly how surviving in the post-apocalypse impacts the human psyche, blurring the lines between right and wrong.

It also has a lot of disturbing imagery that really hammers home how forlorn and twisted the world has become.

Lisa the Painful will definitely make you grapple with some difficult moral choices while keeping you glued to your screen until the end!

3. OneShot

OneShot is an indie puzzle-adventure game that stands out for its metafictional elements, and it’s portrayed as a game where “the world knows you exist.”

Throughout the game, the player is talked about as being separate from the main character, Niko, who arrives in a world devoid of sunlight.

The goal for Niko is to replace the missing sun, which is a light bulb, by getting to the top of a tower which requires numerous levels of puzzle-solving.

However, as the game progresses, the player will also uncover more information about the strange world and Niko’s place in it.

There are also many memorable characters to meet, and the player’s choices can impact how their stories end.

Speaking of endings, this game has multiple, and they all depend on your choices and how you’ve interacted with other characters!

Like To the Moon and Rakuen, this game is relatively short, but it does a lot with less time than many games do in 100+ hours.

2. EarthBound

EarthBound is an old-school RPG, and it was an inspiration to Undertale creator Toby Fox prompted him to create his own game.

This game was published in 1994 for the SNES, and it gives players control of Ness, a young boy with psychic abilities who must save the world from aliens.

Even if you’ve never played this game, you’ll probably be familiar with Ness, as he’s appeared in many Super Smash Bros. games as a playable character.

While he may not be as recognizable as some of the best Super Mario characters like Yoshi or Donkey Kong, he’s definitely important to video game history!

Of course, in EarthBound, there are many other fantastic characters that get to tag along with Ness on his adventure.

These friends can also use psychic abilities, which adds a unique aspect to combat when used strategically.

EarthBound also enjoys breaking the fourth wall, with characters acknowledging they’re in a video game and speaking directly to the player.

While this game is relatively lighthearted, like Undertale, it does touch on deeper themes of growing up and the importance of friendship.

If you missed out on it in 1994, don’t worry because it has since been made available on Nintendo Switch Online, so you can play it anytime!

1. Deltarune

Taking our number one spot is the spiritual successor of Undertale, Deltarune, a game developed by Toby Fox.

This game is remarkably similar to Undertale, and it even features familiar characters such as Alphys, Asgore, Undyne, Sans, and Temmie.

However, the story of this game is completely disconnected from Undertale, so the versions of these characters aren’t the same.

Like Undertale, this game allows players to control a human, this time named Kris, who, along with monsters Ralsei and Susie, falls into the Dark World.

The Dark World exists alongside reality, and while it mirrors many things, it often twists the mundane into surreal copies.

While exploring this world, there are many new characters to meet, including Lancer, the realm’s mischievous prince.

If you love Undertale, Deltarune is an absolute must-play, and chapters 1 and 2 are available right now.

While it has been over two years since chapter 2 was released, Toby Fox has stated that part 3 is in development, and it’s apparently going to be a big one!