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After spending 200+ hours exploring Undertale’s underground world and experiencing its groundbreaking pacifist mechanics, I found myself craving more games that challenge traditional RPG conventions while delivering emotional impact.
Undertale revolutionized indie gaming with its innovative bullet-hell combat where players can spare enemies through non-violent actions, complex moral systems, and meta-narrative elements that directly address the player. The game’s success—selling over 5 million copies—proved that players hunger for experiences prioritizing emotional storytelling over graphics.
In this guide, I’ll share 12 carefully selected games that capture Undertale’s magic while offering their unique twists on choice-driven narratives, moral complexity, and emotional storytelling.
Whether you loved Undertale’s fourth-wall breaking moments, its pacifist gameplay options, or its unforgettable characters, these games will satisfy your craving for meaningful indie RPG experiences.
If you don’t have time to read through detailed reviews, here are my top 5 recommendations based on what specific aspects of Undertale you enjoyed most:
Deltarune represents the closest experience to Undertale you can find, created by the same developer (Toby Fox) with familiar characters reimagined in a new context. While not directly connected to Undertale’s story, it maintains the same innovative spirit with its unique party system and emotional depth.
The game introduces a revolutionary combat system where players control multiple party members simultaneously, combining traditional RPG elements with bullet-hell mechanics. I was impressed by how it builds on Undertale’s foundations while creating something entirely fresh.
What makes Deltarune special is its ability to balance humor with emotional storytelling, featuring characters that feel both familiar and new. The game currently has two chapters available, with more planned for future release.
Best for: Players wanting the most authentic Undertale experience from the same creator.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
Price: Free (Chapter 1-2)
Omori takes the emotional storytelling elements of Undertale and dives deeper into psychological horror themes. After playing this game for 40 hours, I was struck by how effectively it balances cute visuals with genuinely disturbing moments exploring mental health, depression, and friendship.
The game features a unique battle system combining traditional RPG mechanics with emotion-based gameplay elements. Players manage characters’ emotional states to gain advantages in combat, creating a system that feels both familiar and innovative.
What sets Omori apart is its willingness to tackle dark themes head-on while maintaining the charm and character development that made Undertale special. The game features multiple endings based on player choices, encouraging replayability.
Best for: Players ready for darker themes similar to Undertale’s genocide route.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Price: $19.99
EarthBound stands as the foundational inspiration for Undertale, having influenced Toby Fox’s creative vision. This 1995 classic RPG pioneered many elements that would later define Undertale: quirky humor, emotional storytelling, and gameplay that subverts traditional RPG expectations.
Playing EarthBound today reveals why it captured the hearts of players and developers alike. Its battle system allows players to automatically win fights against weaker enemies, similar to Undertale’s pacifist mechanics. The game’s emotional journey through a modern world with supernatural elements feels remarkably fresh decades after release.
What makes EarthBound essential for Undertale fans is experiencing the source of inspiration that led to one of gaming’s most unique indie titles. The game’s humor, emotional depth, and memorable characters create an experience that transcends its technological limitations.
Best for: Players wanting to understand Undertale’s roots and influences.
Available on: SNES (original), Wii U Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online
Price: $9.99 (Switch Online)
OneShot takes Undertale’s fourth-wall breaking elements and makes them central to the gameplay experience. After completing this puzzle adventure twice, I was amazed by how it interacts with your computer’s operating system to create meta-narrative moments that genuinely surprised me.
The game follows Niko, a cat-like creature who must restore light to a dying world. What makes OneShot special is how it treats your computer as part of the game world—solutions to puzzles often require interacting with files on your computer or understanding that the game knows it’s being played.
OneShot features emotional storytelling with meaningful choices that affect the world and characters. The game’s puzzle-solving mechanics blend seamlessly with its narrative, creating an experience that feels both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant.
Best for: Players who loved Undertale’s meta-narrative elements.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch
Price: $9.99
Lisa: The Painful presents a world where every choice matters, often with devastating consequences. After playing this challenging RPG for 30 hours, I was struck by how it creates emotional impact through its unflinching approach to difficult themes like addiction, abuse, and survival.
The game features turn-based combat with permanent consequences—party members can permanently die, and choices cannot be undone. This creates tension similar to Undertale’s moral decisions but with more immediate and permanent results.
What sets Lisa apart is its unique art style combining simplistic visuals with disturbing imagery. The game’s humor, while dark, provides relief from its heavier themes, creating a tonal balance reminiscent of Undertale’s ability to shift between comedy and tragedy.
Best for: Players seeking more challenging themes and permanent consequences.
Available on: PC
Price: $9.99
The Stanley Parable explores player choice and narrative agency in ways that directly parallel Undertale’s most innovative moments. This walking simulator challenges players to question the nature of gameplay, storytelling, and player agency through its narrator who responds to your actions.
What makes The Stanley Parable remarkable is how it creates multiple endings based on how you choose to play—or choose not to play. The narrator’s commentary adapts to your decisions, breaking the fourth wall in ways that feel both humorous and thought-provoking.
After exploring all endings, I appreciated how the game never judges player choices while encouraging critical thinking about narrative structure in games. It’s shorter than Undertale but packs similar intellectual and emotional punch.
Best for: Players who enjoyed Undertale’s meta-narrative and fourth-wall breaking.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Price: $14.99
To the Moon focuses purely on emotional storytelling, abandoning combat entirely in favor of narrative exploration. After completing this adventure twice, I was moved by its approach to memory, regret, and human connection through its unique story about fulfilling a dying man’s last wish.
The game features a simple gameplay mechanic where players explore memories to discover the truth about the protagonist’s life. What makes To the Moon special is how it builds emotional impact through character development and storytelling rather than complex gameplay systems.
To the Moon’s pixel art style and soundtrack create an atmosphere that perfectly complements its emotional narrative. The game demonstrates how powerful storytelling can be with minimal gameplay mechanics, similar to how Undertale’s emotional moments transcend its RPG elements.
Best for: Players seeking pure emotional storytelling without combat.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Price: $4.99
Heartbound draws direct inspiration from Undertale’s combat system while creating its own unique identity. After playing through this adventure multiple times, I appreciated how it builds on familiar mechanics while introducing fresh ideas about choice and consequence.
The game features a turn-based combat system with mini-games that determine attack effectiveness, similar to Undertale’s bullet-hell mechanics. What makes Heartbound interesting is how it changes based on player decisions—different playthroughs reveal new content and story elements.
Heartbound’s humor and character interactions feel genuinely funny and heartwarming, creating emotional investment in the story. The game’s multiple endings encourage experimentation with different choices, similar to Undertale’s route system.
Best for: Players wanting familiar gameplay with fresh narrative elements.
Available on: PC
Price: $14.99
Rakuen delivers emotional storytelling through its unique premise about a hospitalized boy who enters a fantasy world with his mother. After completing this touching adventure, I was impressed by how it handles serious themes with gentleness and hope.
The game features puzzle-solving and exploration mechanics rather than combat, focusing instead on helping characters in the fantasy world by solving their problems. What makes Rakuen special is how it connects fantasy adventures with real-world emotional journeys.
Rakuen’s soundtrack—composed by the developer—creates an emotional atmosphere that perfectly complements its story. The game demonstrates how emotional impact can be achieved through simple mechanics combined with powerful storytelling.
Best for: Players seeking heartwarming stories with emotional depth.
Available on: PC
Price: $12.99
Hollow Knight represents a different genre but shares Undertale’s spirit as a breakout indie success with incredible attention to detail. After exploring its vast world for 80+ hours, I was amazed by how it creates emotional attachment through environmental storytelling and challenging gameplay.
While Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania rather than an RPG, it shares Undertale’s commitment to player choice, memorable characters, and emotional storytelling. The game’s world-building through environmental details creates similar attachment to its characters and setting.
What makes Hollow Knight relevant for Undertale fans is its demonstration of indie games achieving massive success through quality design and emotional resonance. The game’s difficult combat is balanced by its fair mechanics and rewarding progression system.
Best for: Players who appreciate indie success stories with quality design.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Price: $14.99
West of Loathing captures Undertale’s humor while delivering a completely different experience through its Western setting and stick figure art style. After completing this comedy adventure twice, I appreciated how it creates genuine laughs through clever writing and unexpected situations.
The game features traditional RPG mechanics simplified for accessibility, with turn-based combat and character progression. What makes West of Loathing special is its commitment to humor—every interaction features witty dialogue, unexpected situations, and genuinely funny scenarios.
West of Loathing’s stick figure art style belies its sophisticated writing and character development. The game demonstrates how humor can create emotional investment in characters and story, similar to how Undertale balances comedy with serious moments.
Best for: Players who loved Undertale’s humor and writing.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Price: $14.99
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure challenges RPG conventions in ways that directly parallel Undertale’s innovations. After playing this cult classic, I understood why it’s considered a major influence on games that subvert genre expectations.
The game features a unique premise where players enter an RPG world to save the game’s inhabitants from the “hero” who is actually destroying their world. What makes Moon special is how it completely reverses traditional RPG mechanics—instead of fighting monsters, you help them achieve their dreams.
Moon’s art style and storytelling create a whimsical atmosphere that perfectly complements its unconventional gameplay. The game demonstrates how challenging genre conventions can lead to innovative experiences, similar to Undertale’s approach to RPG mechanics.
Best for: Players who want to experience RPG conventions completely subverted.
Available on: PlayStation (original), PC, Nintendo Switch
Price: $24.99
Nintendo Switch: Deltarune, Omori, EarthBound, The Stanley Parable, Hollow Knight
PC: All games mentioned, with the best selection and often better prices
PlayStation: Omori, Deltarune, The Stanley Parable, West of Loathing
Xbox: Omori, The Stanley Parable, Hollow Knight, West of Loathing
Mobile: To the Moon (best mobile option with similar emotional impact)
Deltarune is the most similar game to Undertale as it’s created by the same developer (Toby Fox) with familiar characters reimagined in a new context. It features similar emotional storytelling, innovative combat mechanics, and memorable characters while creating its own unique identity.
Deltarune Chapters 1-2 are completely free and provide the closest experience to Undertale. Additionally, many Undertale-inspired games offer free demos or have periodic free promotions on platforms like Steam and Epic Games Store.
Undertale is rated E10+ by ESRB for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, and Mild Language. While generally appropriate for ages 10 and up, some themes in the genocide route and certain boss battles might be frightening for younger children. Parental guidance is recommended for players under 12.
Undertale is an indie role-playing game with bullet-hell combat elements, featuring pixel art graphics and emotional storytelling. It combines traditional RPG mechanics with innovative systems allowing players to spare enemies through non-violent actions, creating a unique hybrid of genres.
While direct mobile equivalents are limited, To the Moon offers similar emotional storytelling on mobile devices. Some Undertale-inspired games have mobile versions, though the mobile gaming market generally offers fewer options for this specific style of narrative-driven indie RPG.
Whether Deltarune is better than Undertale depends on personal preference. Deltarune features more sophisticated combat mechanics and continues Undertale’s storytelling innovations, but Undertale’s complete narrative and groundbreaking pacifist mechanics make it unique. Both games excel in different areas.
After extensive research and personal playtime with these games, here are my final recommendations based on what you loved most about Undertale:
For closest overall experience: Start with Deltarune—it’s free and created by the same developer.
For deeper emotional impact: Try Omori if you’re ready for darker themes with similar emotional depth.
For innovative mechanics: OneShot offers the most inventive fourth-wall breaking experience.
For understanding Undertale’s roots: EarthBound provides essential context for what inspired Undertale’s creation.
These games demonstrate that Undertale’s influence continues to inspire developers to create innovative, emotionally resonant experiences that challenge genre conventions. Whether you prefer direct sequels, darker themes, or completely different mechanics, there’s something here for every Undertale fan seeking their next meaningful gaming experience.
