DELTARUNE Chapter 2 Review (Switch eShop)

Almost three years after the release of Deltarune Chapter 1, the long-awaited Chapter 2 release is finally here. Available as a combined download on the eShop with the previous chapter, it’s far from a conclusive follow-up and introduces more questions than answers, but this generally feels like a worthwhile continuation of an intriguing release. In addition, it is also free, so you really have no excuse to stop trying.

The story begins right after that suspenseful ending, although it hilariously treats that event in a rather anticlimactic way. From there, it isn’t long before Kris and Susie find themselves back in the Dark World and are embroiled in another adventure with Ralsei. This time, your group has to explore a city inspired by the beginnings of the Internet and you will mainly fight against a silly and drunk antagonist named Queen. And while the decisions made in the previous chapter may have affected the story that leads to the ending, but not the ending itself, there is a second notable route you can take here that leads to a cold and substantially different result.

As expected from a Toby Fox game, the absurd and washed-out sense of humor is on display here, making for a refreshing and goofy take on the traditional role-playing format. Item descriptions are often written sarcastic and there are occasional fourth wall breaking moments to keep things interesting. For example, when a notable boss fight goes on for too long, one of the party members decides to take an action that they are not “supposed” to do to speed things up. However, the mood is well balanced, with sudden contemplative moments and sharp tonal shifts that keep you going.

The gameplay mostly mimics the previous chapter, and the biggest change here is that you can ‘recruit’ most of the enemies. If you choose to go the pacifist route in battles, you will eventually recruit your enemies in a city where all the other recruited enemies go, and then you can interact with them again and learn more about them. Then when the final battle starts, all of your recruits will band together and make the final fight a little easier depending on how many you’ve saved. The draft isn’t a massive tweak to what came before, but it adds a bit of extra content for finalists looking for more replayability, and it feels like an organic extension of the morality system that lies at the heart of Deltarune’s combat.

Like in the previous chapter, it still feels a bit like Deltarune is struggling to form its own identity. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, Undertale was a hugely popular game for a reason, but the rendered art style, battle system, and writing mean that the distinctive ‘X factor’ that made its predecessor so pleasantly surprising is now something. that simply suppose. Regardless, Deltarune Chapter 2 is a riveting, fun, and exciting deconstruction of RPG tropes and for the retail price of any, you could also try.