Indie games have the power to tell stories in ways that many big-budget titles from massive studios fail to capture. Fortunately, projects of this kind have emerged, like ConcernedApe’s Stardew Valley and many more.
Likewise, one game that stands out for its creativity and emotional depth is Undertale. Created by Toby Fox, this indie game attracted players globally with its unique characters, memorable music, and the ability to make choices that truly matter.
This article highlights Toby Fox and dives into the story of how Undertale came to be, which is just as interesting as the game itself. At the same time, it will talk about the project’s success.
The Mind and The Game
Toby Fox is an American video game developer. He has gained recognition for his work on the critically acclaimed indie title Undertale.
Specifically, this project is a retro-style RPG inspired by Earthbound (1994) and Shin Megami Tensei (1992). It focuses on the journey of a child who falls into the Underground, where monsters live after battling humans. The protagonist must then find a way out or stay trapped beneath the Earth.
In terms of gameplay, Undertale allows players to choose between killing all enemies or sparing them.
The Creation of Undertale
As a kid, Toby Fox started making RPGs with his brothers using the RPG Maker 2000. It continued during his high school days, where he ventured into making a few ROM Hacks of Earthbound. His interest in developing games remained until he made a battle system after randomly reading about programming a text system using arrays. In turn, this discovery and his long-time interest in making an RPG where one can befriend bosses pushed him to make a demo.
To fund further development of the game, Toby started a Kickstarter campaign in 2013. While he only intended to reach $5,000, the initiative raised him over $50,000 from nearly 2,400 backers.
After the successful campaign, Fox resumed developing the game. He handled almost every aspect of Undertale himself. Toby wrote the story, designed the characters, and composed the music. Although it was a largely independent project, he eventually hired artists to draw some of the art.
The biggest challenge for Fox was finishing the game on time. He exceeded his deadline due to unforeseen issues and underestimating how long some things would take to make. That is why his original summer 2014 release got delayed, and the game officially came out in September 2015.
Reception and Recognition of Undertale
Upon launch, players praised Undertale for its humor, characters, story, and innovative battle system. The game’s 96% positive reviews on Steam highlight how word-of-mouth drove its immediate success. It even recorded an all-time peak of 10,462 concurrent players, with an average playtime of 13 hours.
Moreover, Undertale won several awards and earned multiple nominations alongside blockbuster games. As of writing, the game has already sold over six million Steam units, gaining roughly $30 million in gross revenue, proving its powerhouse status.
Legacy of Toby Fox and Undertale
The work of Toby Fox is now considered one of the most influential indie titles. His game shows an inspiring story of creativity, dedication, and willingness to do something special.
Note: To ensure accuracy and reliability, this article draws on sources such as Levvvel, Medium, Melos Han-Tani, and PC Gamer.
