Deltarune#Chapter 3 – Late Night

File:DeltaruneCombatScreenshot.png, Susie and Ralsei (top to bottom), fighting two Tasques]]

Like Undertale, Deltarune is a role-playing video game with a top-down perspective.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/109921/deltarune-chapter-1-comes-to-switch-for-free-later-this-month|title=Deltarune: Chapter 1 comes to Switch for free later this month|last=Vincent|first=Brittany|date=13 February 2019|website=Shacknews|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214074852/https://www.shacknews.com/article/109921/deltarune-chapter-1-comes-to-switch-for-free-later-this-month|archive-date=14 February 2019}} The player directly controls a human named Kris,{{cite web|url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/delta-rune-like-undertale-urges-you-to-show-mercy-to-your-foesbut-it-doesnt-make-it-easy|title=Delta Rune, Like Undertale, Urges You to Show Mercy to Your Foes—But it Doesn't Make it Easy|last=Oxford|first=Nadia|date=October 31, 2018|work=USGamer|access-date=October 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101015428/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/delta-rune-like-undertale-urges-you-to-show-mercy-to-your-foesbut-it-doesnt-make-it-easy|archive-date=November 1, 2018|url-status=live}} but has a party of other characters which they select actions for during battle. The game includes both overworld and combat sections; in the former, players can solve puzzles,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/deltarune_chapter_1| title=Chapter 1 Review|last=Vogel|first=Mitch|date=12 March 2019|website=Nintendolife|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502213125/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/deltarune_chapter_1|archive-date=2 May 2019}} collect items, and interact with characters and the world. The random encounter system from Undertale has been removed; players can see the enemies in the environment before they encounter them, allowing for the possibility of avoiding or deliberately initiating combat.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/deltarune-is-a-beautiful-extension-of-a-deeper-und/1100-6463044|title=Deltarune Is A Beautiful Extension Of A Deeper Undertale Universe|last=Higham|first=Michael|date=12 November 2018|website=Gamespot|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530060229/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/deltarune-is-a-beautiful-extension-of-a-deeper-und/1100-6463044/|archive-date=30 May 2019}}

The game uses a turn-based combat system, where players can choose from a set of actions each turn: Fight, Act, Item, Magic, Spare, and Defend.{{Cite web|url=https://www.keengamer.com/article/21153_deltarune-preview|title=Deltarune Preview|last=Ronan|first=Tim|date=4 April 2019|website=Keengamer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425165842/https://www.keengamer.com/article/21153_deltarune-preview|archive-date=25 April 2019}} As in Undertale, players control a heart-shaped soul in a fixed area, which must dodge enemy attacks in the form of bullets, though the exact mechanics are sometimes unique to the respective enemy.{{cite web |last1=Diaz |first1=Ana |title=Deltarune's new chapters defy every rule of RPG logic |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/deltarunes-new-chapters-defy-every-rule-of-rpg-logic/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=12 June 2025 |language=en |date=6 June 2025}} Defending or "grazing" an incoming attack by letting it come close to the heart without getting hit by it, increases the Tension Points (TP) gauge, which allows party members to use spells or particular acts. For example, Ralsei can pacify tired enemies with a spell.

Using acts and spells allows a player to spare enemies non-violently; from the second chapter, this can allow them to be recruited to live in the player's Castle Town. Alternatively, fighting an enemy, which also increases TP, can lead to them being defeated violently. When a party member's hit points (HP) drop below zero, they are downed and will not be able to fight until revived. The HP of downed party members will regenerate slowly until it reaches 1, but other healing sources can also revive a downed party member. For example, Revive Mint, which also heals additional health.{{cite web |last1=Ali |first1=Usama |title=How To Get More Revive Mints in Deltarune |url=https://gamerant.com/deltarune-how-get-use-more-revive-mints/ |website=Game Rant |access-date=8 July 2025 |language=en |date=18 June 2025}}

==Plot==

Deltarune{{'}}s narrative spans multiple chapters, of which four have been released, with three more being planned for a later release. Although it features characters and elements from Undertale, it takes place in a different setting; it is officially referred to as a "parallel story" to that game.{{cite web |last1=Valentine |first1=Rebekah |title=Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 Are Launching Alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 in June |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-chapters-3-and-4-are-launching-alongside-the-nintendo-switch-2-in-june |website=IGN |access-date=8 July 2025 |language=en |date=2 April 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/deltarune-details-chapter-2-1203018254/|title='Undertale' Creator Says 'Deltarune' Isn't a Sequel, Has No Idea When it Will Be Done|last=Rose|first=Victoria|date=2 November 2018|website=Variety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502213120/https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/deltarune-details-chapter-2-1203018254/|archive-date=2 May 2019}}

The game begins with a voice prompting the player to create an avatar, but the "vessel" is ultimately discarded, as "no one can choose who they are in this world". Instead, the player is given control of human teenager Kris, who arrives to school late. After being paired up with their delinquent monster classmate Susie for a group project, their teacher, Alphys, sends the two to get supplies. However, the supply closet pulls them into a strange realm—the Dark World—where they meet the dark prince Ralsei. He tells them of a prophecy stating that the three are heroes destined to close the geyser-like Dark Fountains that give form to the Dark Worlds. A new Dark Fountain has created a Dark World next to Ralsei's, ruled by the tyrannical King. Susie, uninterested in Ralsei's prophecy, joins King's son Lancer in fighting Kris and Ralsei, but both are convinced to change sides and join the party.

Lancer refuses to confront his father or to see his new friends hurt, so he imprisons them in King's dungeon. Susie frees Kris and Ralsei and fights Lancer, but reconciles with him and promises not to hurt King. The three confront and defeat King, who remains unrepentant. After sealing the Dark Fountain, Kris wakes up in an unused classroom with Susie, that is filled with objects resembling characters, implying that Dark Worlds are ordinary rooms transformed, and their inhabitants, known as "Darkners", are objects within those rooms. That night after returning home, Kris rips out their soul, which remains controlled by the player, locks it away, and draws a knife.

The next morning after school, Kris and Susie return to the closet Dark World and reunite with Ralsei. He instructs Kris and Susie to bring the items from the unused classroom into the closet, restoring them to their Darkner forms, but then tells them to focus on a project with their classmates Noelle and Berdly. Arriving at the library's computer lab, they discover a newly created Dark World, ruled by a computer named Queen, who recruits Berdly to her side and attempts to recruit Noelle. They find Ralsei but soon split up, with Kris joining Noelle and helping her evade Queen.

Queen captures everyone, but Kris and Susie escape, convince Berdly to change sides, and reunite with Ralsei. Queen reveals that the Dark Fountain was created by the "Roaring Knight", and that she is trying to force Noelle to open a Fountain, something that any inhabitant of the Light World can do. She threatens Noelle and the party with a giant mech, but they make her realize the error of her ways. Berdly then attempts to create a Fountain, but Ralsei warns him that opening too many Fountains will cause an apocalyptic "Roaring".

Kris closes the fountain and the four awaken in the computer lab, Noelle and Berdly believing it was a dream. Kris heads home, and their mother Toriel invites Susie to spend the night. While Susie and Toriel are occupied, Kris secretly rips out their soul, locks it in the bathroom, and briefly leaves the house; Toriel's car tires are slashed and she calls the police. After everyone else falls asleep, Kris rips out their soul again and creates a Fountain in the living room with their knife.

Kris and Susie awaken in the Dark World Kris created. After reuniting with Ralsei, who explains to Susie the true nature of Dark Worlds, they meet Tenna, a Darkner created from Toriel's television, who convinces the trio to star in various game show segments. Sneaking away from Tenna, the party discovers Toriel being held hostage by Tenna inside of a giant toy capsule.

The party demands Tenna stop the games, allowing them to seal the fountain and return home with Toriel, but he refuses; feeling abandoned and obsolete, he explains that the Knight promised him relevance in exchange for keeping the Fountain open. After the party defeats Tenna, Ralsei and Susie comfort him, explaining that he has already spent years bringing joy and can find love and appreciation in another household. However, he is suddenly attacked by the Knight, who also attempts to capture Toriel.

The party fights the Knight and is defeated, but is rescued by the arrival of police officer Undyne, who the Knight kidnaps. Kris and Susie chase the Knight through the Light World until reaching a locked bunker which appears to have a Dark Fountain inside of it. The door shuts before they can enter, but they discover a lock requiring three numeric codes. Susie runs back to Kris's home to rescue Toriel. The chapter ends with the bunker door opening in front of Kris.

After Kris and Susie close the living room Fountain, Toriel invites them to church. Questioning townsfolk about the bunker, the two conclude that their best lead on the codes is Noelle's mother, Mayor Carol Holiday. They visit the Holidays' house, where Susie distracts Noelle while Kris searches. In the bedroom of Noelle's missing sister Dess, Kris finds a code in a guitar, but Kris rips out their soul before it can be read. The player-controlled soul enters the house's ventilation, finding Kris on the phone with an unknown person, who discusses the Knight's actions and instructs them to prevent Susie getting the guitar. Kris fails to prevent Susie finding the guitar and returns the soul to their body, but Carol returns home and expels Susie from the house before she can read the code.

Upon returning to the church, Kris and Susie find it transformed into a Dark World containing depictions of the prophecy. They reunite with Ralsei, and encounter an old man formed from the ashes of dead Light World inhabitant Gerson. Ralsei admits that he has been hiding parts of the prophecy from Kris and Susie because he believes the truth would be too upsetting.

The party encounters the Knight, which opens a Fountain within the Dark World, creating a "Titan," a harbinger of the Roaring. The party defeats the Titan with help from Gerson. Against Ralsei's protests, Susie runs ahead and sees the ending of the prophecy. She smashes it before the player sees, dismissing it as something the party would never let happen. After sealing the Fountain, they return home to find Toriel drunk with new neighbour Sans. Susie leaves and Kris, alone in their bedroom, is reminded by the unknown caller on their phone of a promise Kris made.

During Chapter 2, the player can begin an alternate route (commonly referred to as the "Snowgrave" or "Genocide" route, and internally referred to as the "Weird" or "Side B" route){{cite web |last1=Ferguson |first1=Liam |date=2021-09-20 |title=Deltarune Chapter 2 Hints At the Full Story Going Forward |url=https://gamerant.com/deltarune-chapter-2-full-story-hints-kris-knight-dark-fountain/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922001300/https://gamerant.com/deltarune-chapter-2-full-story-hints-kris-knight-dark-fountain/ |archive-date=September 22, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-22 |website=GameRant}}{{cite web |last1=Van Allen |first1=Eric |date=2021-09-20 |title=Deltarune Chapter 2 has an alternative route, and it's dark |url=https://www.destructoid.com/deltarune-chapter-2-snowgrave-route/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921170750/https://www.destructoid.com/deltarune-chapter-2-snowgrave-route/ |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-22 |publisher=Destructoid}}{{cite web |last1=Woodrick |first1=Sam |date=2021-09-20 |title=Deltarune Chapter 2: How to Start Secret Genocide Route (Snowgrave) |url=https://gamerant.com/deltarune-chapter-2-secret-genocide-route-snowgrave/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921202950/https://gamerant.com/deltarune-chapter-2-secret-genocide-route-snowgrave/ |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-22 |website=GameRant}}{{cite web |last1=D'Argenio |first1=Angelo |date=19 September 2021 |title=Deltarune Chapter 2 Guide: How to Access the Darker Alternate "Snowgrave" Route |url=https://halfglassgaming.com/2021/09/deltarune-chapter-2-guide-how-to-access-the-darker-alternate-snowgrave-route/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008031003/https://halfglassgaming.com/2021/09/deltarune-chapter-2-guide-how-to-access-the-darker-alternate-snowgrave-route/ |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |access-date=8 October 2021 |website=Half-Glass Gaming |ref=D'Argenio 2021}}{{efn|The route is referred to as "Weird" or "Side B" in the game's internal files. "Snowgrave" is a fan nickname based on the spell which Noelle uses to freeze Berdly. "Genocide" is another fan nickname which refers to the fan nickname of the Undertale route where the player kills every monster.}} by forcing Noelle to use her magic to freeze enemies, with the help of Spamton, a spambot normally encountered in an optional sidequest that leads to his superboss fight, who sells a "Thorn Ring" that enhances Noelle's power. As the player continues to manipulate Noelle, she is eventually forced to freeze Berdly, becoming shaken by her actions and too exhausted to participate in Queen's plans. Ralsei informs Queen of the Roaring preemptively, preventing her battle. Spamton, who took over the mansion and upgraded himself, tries to stop Kris, but is frozen by Noelle as Kris seals the Fountain. In the Light World, Berdly is found in a coma, and Noelle later questions if the Dark World really was a dream. Chapter 2 ends identically to that of the normal route, with Kris opening a Dark Fountain.

Chapter 3 proceeds as normal, but in Chapter 4, Noelle asks Kris if they can talk privately after Kris removes the soul. Entering the ventilation system, the soul overhears a conversation between Kris and Noelle, where it is revealed that during the previous night Kris took Berdly to the hospital and visited Noelle. During their visit, Kris claimed the Dark World was just a dream and removed a thorn, the Thorn Ring's form in the Light World, from her hand. The soul enters the room, takes control of Kris, and directly communicates with Noelle, revealing to her that the soul can read her thoughts and that the previous events actually happened, before forcing the thorn back into her. Afterwards, Kris furiously throws the soul in a trash can and beats it up, before Carol tells everyone to leave the house. The chapter continues relatively unchanged until the end, where Carol leaves a phone message for Kris, telling them that Noelle is looking forward to seeing them at the festival tomorrow.{{cite web |last1=Mills-Cox |first1=Jessica |date=2025-06-12 |title=5 Biggest Weird Route/Snowgrave Changes In Deltarune Chapter 4 |url=https://screenrant.com/deltarune-chapter-4-weird-route-snowgrave-changes/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=ScreenRant}}

The idea for Deltarune came to Toby Fox in a fever dream he had in 2011 in college.{{cite web |author=Soejima |date=February 14, 2019 |title=『Deltarune Chapter 1』が2/28に配信決定 |url=https://topics.nintendo.co.jp/c/article/0e438e10-2b35-11e9-b104-0a6d14145cb1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223134914/https://topics.nintendo.co.jp/c/article/0e438e10-2b35-11e9-b104-0a6d14145cb1.html |archive-date=February 23, 2019 |access-date=March 3, 2019 |publisher=Nintendo |language=ja |trans-quote=That game... I ended up repurposing a few of the songs from it for Undertale. For example, "Heartache" was originally called "Joker Battle" and "Bonetrousle" was originally the main battle theme.}} In the dream, he saw the ending to a video game and was determined to create it. Fox was also inspired by a collection of playing card designs posted on Tumblr by artist Kanotynes. Development of the game started in 2012 but was abandoned before Fox created the first room. Some music from this initial attempt was recycled for Undertale, most notably the main battle theme (which became Papyrus' battle theme, "Bonetrousle") and a piece called "Joker Battle" (which was reused for the Toriel fight as "Heartache"). Various factors, such as the graphics, an overhauled combat system, and Fox's mental state, made Deltarune a more challenging game to produce than Undertale.{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Toby |date=2 November 2018 |title=Here are my thoughts on Ch 1 of Deltarune. This should answer some questions. |url=https://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sqn3p9 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=TwitLonger |quote=Lots of things make this game harder to make than the last time.

- The graphics are much more complicated and don't play to my strengths (black and white battle graphics were easy...)
- The battle system is much more complicated due to multiple characters (I'll write about this later)
- The overworld and other sections are more complicated due to multiple characters
- Having multiple main characters is much harder to write especially introducing everyone properly in chapter 1
- The entire town had to be created correctly on the first try to set up properly for the rest of the game

And further things outside of those:
- Trouble starting tasks/concentrating and general difficulty paying attention
- Travelling / other responsibilities like translation/ports
- Self-doubt / burnout regarding the creation of the game

Essentially it's not possible to make this game as one person (and Temmie). |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114203238/http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sqn3p9 |url-status=live }}

Deltarune is being developed in GameMaker Studio 2.{{cite web|last=Kim|first=Matt|title=Undertale Creator's New Game Also Has an Uninstalling Bug |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/undertale-creators-new-game-also-has-an-uninstalling-bug|website=USgamer|access-date=November 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118235609/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/undertale-creators-new-game-also-has-an-uninstalling-bug|archive-date=November 18, 2018|date=October 31, 2018|quote=But Fox says that they used Game Maker Studio 2's default uninstaller so the problem could lie somewhere else.|url-status=live}} The game introduces a new battle system comparable to the one used in the Final Fantasy franchise, contrasting with Undertale{{'}}s combat system (which shared similarities with that of the Mother series). Unlike Undertale, Fox has stated that Deltarune is planned to have only one ending.

In Chapter 3, Tenna's game show was originally going to include three rounds rather than just two. Despite the third round almost being completed, it was scrapped due to pacing issues.{{Cite web |last=Life |first=Nintendo |date=2025-06-27 |title="I've Made The Equivalent Of Like 2 And A Half Undertales At This Point"- A Quick 'Deltarune' Chat With Toby Fox |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/features/ive-made-the-equivalent-of-like-2-and-a-half-undertales-at-this-point-a-quick-deltarune-chat-with-toby-fox |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}} There was also originally supposed to be a "Cowboy segement" in the chapter, which although was teased in the Spamton Sweepstakes ended up being cut.{{Cite web |last=rawmeatcowboy |date=2023-03-31 |title=Toby Fox gives a progress update on DELTARUNE |url=https://gonintendo.com/contents/18346-toby-fox-gives-a-progress-update-on-deltarune |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=GoNintendo |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-25 |title=ISSUE 2 - Spring 2023 |url=https://toby.fangamer.com/newsletters/spring23/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=Toby Fox |language=en |quote=(Toby Fox only put this infomation to people who subscribed to the higher tier of Undertale and Deltarune Newsletter in these words: "!!THE FOLLOWING FACTS ARE FOR ONLY HIGHER SUBSCRIPTION TIERS!!) Cowboy Segment True maniacs know that there is some sort of extremely brief Cowboy Scene in Chapter 3. This was teased on the Spamton Sweepstakes website. sprites of cowboy susie and kris However, this segment is in danger of being cancelled. Seriously, one of the only segments that we teased, may end up cancelled!? Well, that's how Cowboy Shows go, I guess... By the way, if you didn't know the initial Cowboy fact, then you need to unsubscribe from the Maniac tier and go down one tier. Sorry... you need to like, do the work if you want to stay in the tier. It's like Splatoon... every Season, your ranking gets reset.}} However remants of the "Cowboy segment" can still be seen in-game during the TV World area and Tenna's boss fight in Chapter 3.

{{Main|Music of Deltarune|l1=Music of Deltarune}}

Fox also serves as the primary composer for the game's music; while some of it is completely new, it also incorporates motifs from the Undertale soundtrack. It is comprised mainly of multiple soundtrack albums, released alongside each chapter of the game. These feature guest appearances by Laura Shigihara, Lena Raine, Marcy Nabors and Itoki Hana. Each album is published under Materia Collective.{{cite web |title=DELTARUNE Soundtrack on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/3752270/DELTARUNE_Soundtrack/ |website=Steam |access-date=24 June 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Fox |first1=Toby |title=DELTARUNE Chapter 2 OST |url=https://tobyfox.bandcamp.com/album/deltarune-chapter-2-ost |website=Bandcamp |access-date=24 June 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Fox |first1=Toby |title=DELTARUNE Chapters 3+4 OST |url=https://tobyfox.bandcamp.com/album/deltarune-chapters-3-4-ost |website=Bandcamp |access-date=24 June 2025 |language=en}}

Temmie Chang, who previously assisted Fox with character art in Undertale, serves as the main artist for Deltarune. She helped design characters, sprites, and animations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/1025759/temmie-chang-artiste-sur-undertale-publie-son-rpg.htm|title=Temmie Chang, artiste sur Undertale, publie son RPG|last=ChewbieFR|date=3 April 2019|website=Jeuxvideos|language=fr|access-date=June 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611194208/http://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/1025759/temmie-chang-artiste-sur-undertale-publie-son-rpg.htm|archive-date=June 11, 2019|url-status=live}} Fox came up with Susie's design after playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. He originally based her on Maya Fey, and she would act "nice and cute". However, as her design progressed, she eventually turned into more of a "thug". Fox also stated that he planned to give an unnamed character a fire spell that they would not be good at using but decided against adding it in the first chapter. Ralsei's name of was derived from Ralse, a character from an uncompleted RPG Maker game made that Fox's oldest brother made when he was a child.{{Cite web |title=chart's Translations |url=https://chartcarr.neocities.org/secretbase_5 |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=chartcarr.neocities.org}}{{Cite book |last=Fox |first=Toby |title=Weekly Famitsu Magazine Issue #1788 |date=August 3, 2023 |publisher=Famitsu |publication-date=August 3, 2023 |language=Ja |trans-title= |chapter=Volume 5: My First RPG Maker Games. |quote= One day when I came back from elementary school I heard some big news from my older brothers. They found a way to turn our drawings into real games. That way was through the RPG maker series which allowed you to turn anything you wanted into a turn based RPG... Additionally, the name of the main character (who just used the default player sprite) was named Ralse. Later, I took the name "Ralsei" from this character, and used it in another game I created. But even that game my older brother made was never finished.}}

Queen was initially intended to be more tonally serious, inspired by characters such as the Xenomorph from Alien and the villains in Power Rangers, but she shifted into being "humourous"; her design was simultaneously simplified to make her easier to draw.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-04 |title=CHAPTER 2 CONCEPT ART!!! |url=https://toby.fangamer.com/interviews/chapter2_concept/ |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=Toby Fox |language=en}} The secret Spamton NEO boss fight was originally conceived by Fox as an extended Mettaton NEO fight, to compensate for said fight ending in one turn in Undertale.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-04 |title=CHAPTER 2 REJECTED TRACKS |url=https://toby.fangamer.com/interviews/chapter2_music/ |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=Toby Fox |language=en}}

Initially, Fox intended to create a 3D model for Tenna himself, and in 2016 he purchased a Kinect to rotoscope the character's animation, which was conceived as incorporating MikuMikuDance moves. He planned for Tenna to be rendered in "lineless 3D" style inspired by Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective but this got scrapped as he thought it looked "tremendously bad".{{Cite tweet |last=Fox |first=Toby |date=2025-06-19 |access-date=2025-07-03 |title=For many years I wanted him to be rendered in a "Ghost Trick" style of lineless 3D. However, this looked tremendously bad, so I slowly abandoned this idea. ... Anyway, if anything I make ever seems similar to another idea... usually, I came up with it in 2016! |number=1935631802343022874|user=tobyfox}} The model was eventually created by Chelsea Saunders, who previously worked on promotional material for Undertale, with assistance from Fox and a number of other collaborators, including SmallBü.{{Cite tweet |number= 1935635308231770167 |user=tobyfox |title=It should be obvious, but I needed a lot of help to make Tenna. All of Tenna's 3D (including the intro) was modeled, animated, posed, and rendered by the amazing and talented @PIXELATEDCROWN . (You might know her from making 3D Toriel...). |first=Toby |last=Fox |date=2025-06-19 |access-date=2025-07-03}}{{cite web |last1=Bolding |first1=Jonathan |title=Deltarune's Tenna was first envisioned in 3D almost a decade ago in a delightfully janky prototype |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/deltarunes-tenna-was-first-envisioned-in-3d-almost-a-decade-ago-in-a-delightfully-janky-prototype/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=7 July 2025 |language=en |date=29 June 2025}}

After previously teasing something Undertale-related a day earlier, Fox released the first chapter of Deltarune for free on October 31, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/31/18047410/undertale-spinoff-sequel-deltarune-toby-fox|title=Cult RPG Undertale gets a surprise spinoff for Halloween|date=October 31, 2018|work=The Verge|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031151031/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/31/18047410/undertale-spinoff-sequel-deltarune-toby-fox|archive-date=October 31, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=October 31, 2018}} Initially disguised as a "survey program",{{Cite news|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/11/01/deltarune-chapter-1-undertale-sequel/|title=Deltarune Chapter 1 is the free and surprising start of a new Undertale saga|last=Tarason|first=Dominic|date=1 November 2018|website=Rock Paper Shotgun|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502154830/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/11/01/deltarune-chapter-1-undertale-sequel/|archive-date=2 May 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/31/18044640/deltarune-free-download-undertale-game|title=Undertale creator's new game is Deltarune, a mysterious surprise|last=Frank|first=Allegra|date=October 31, 2018|work=Polygon|access-date=November 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101015346/https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/31/18044640/deltarune-free-download-undertale-game|archive-date=November 1, 2018|url-status=live}} it was then described as a game "intended for people who have completed Undertale". As he envisioned a larger project than Undertale, he said that he needed to form a team to release the full game, which would be sold as a single package.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-11-02-undertale-creator-says-the-rest-of-deltarune-has-not-been-made-yet|title=Undertale creator suggests it's going to be a while before we see more Deltarune|last=Kent|first=Emma|date=November 2, 2018|work=Eurogamer|access-date=November 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102141244/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-11-02-undertale-creator-says-the-rest-of-deltarune-has-not-been-made-yet|archive-date=November 2, 2018|url-status=live}} The first chapter was later released on Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4 on February 28, 2019, after being announced at a Nintendo Direct earlier that month.{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/13/18224021/deltarune-nintendo-switch-release-free-download-eshop|title=Deltarune: Chapter 1 will be a free download on Nintendo Switch on Feb. 28 (correction)|last=Kuchera|first=Ben|date=February 13, 2019|work=Polygon|access-date=February 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222152254/https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/13/18224021/deltarune-nintendo-switch-release-free-download-eshop|archive-date=February 22, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/deltarunes-first-free-chapter-is-also-coming-to-ps4-next-week/|title=Deltarune's first free chapter is also coming to PS4 next week|last=Wood|first=Austin|work=GamesRadar+|date=February 21, 2019|access-date=February 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222032520/https://www.gamesradar.com/deltarunes-first-free-chapter-is-also-coming-to-ps4-next-week/|archive-date=February 22, 2019|url-status=live}} The console versions were developed and published by 8-4.

Development of the second chapter began in May 2020.{{Cite web|title=Deltarune Status Update - Sept 2020|url=https://undertale.com/deltarune-update-092020/|access-date=2021-12-15|website=undertale.com|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120033544/https://undertale.com/deltarune-update-092020/|url-status=live}} In addition to further designing the game's story and characters, Fox spent much time experimenting with game engines other than GameMaker Studio 2. He eventually concluded that GameMaker "still felt like the best fit for the project", and using the first chapter as a base, he began working in May 2020, with Fox and Chang joined by a few other team members. Fox has stated that Chapter 2 is perhaps the game's largest, due to it having the most cutscenes and its usage of a large number of characters, among other factors.{{Cite news|last=Morton|first=Lauren|date=2021-09-20|title=Deltarune Chapter 2 launched for free because the world is tough enough|language=en|work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/deltarune-chapter-2-launched-for-free-because-the-world-is-tough-enough|access-date=2021-10-10|archive-date=March 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310080059/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/deltarune-chapter-2-launched-for-free-because-the-world-is-tough-enough|url-status=live}} In a 2020 update, he revealed that he was considering expanding his four-person team following wrist and hand pain, which had delayed production; this led them to receive over 1000 applications.

During a livestream celebrating the 6th anniversary of Undertale in September 2021, Fox announced that the second chapter would be released for free on PC and Mac two days later, on September 17.{{Cite news|last=Bankhurst|first=Adam|date=September 15, 2021|title=Deltarune: Chapter 2 Arriving on PC and Mac This Week|work=IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-chapter-2-release-date-this-week-pc-mac|access-date=September 15, 2021|archive-date=September 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916033148/https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-chapter-2-release-date-this-week-pc-mac|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Plunkett|first=Luke|date=September 15, 2021|title=Deltarune Chapter 2 Is Coming Out This Week|work=Kotaku|url=https://kotaku.com/deltarune-chapter-2-is-coming-out-this-week-1847685560|access-date=September 15, 2021|archive-date=September 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916033138/https://kotaku.com/deltarune-chapter-2-is-coming-out-this-week-1847685560|url-status=live}} In his blog, he said that this price point was since the COVID-19 pandemic made the world "really tough for everybody recently." The Switch and PS4 versions were updated to include Chapter 2 on September 23, in conjunction with that day's Nintendo Direct.{{Cite web|last=Carr|first=James|title=Deltarune Chapter 2 Coming To Nintendo Switch Today For Free|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/deltarune-chapter-2-coming-to-nintendo-switch-today-for-free/1100-6496514/|date=23 September 2021|access-date=23 September 2021|website=GameSpot|language=en|archive-date=September 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924032135/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/deltarune-chapter-2-coming-to-nintendo-switch-today-for-free/1100-6496514/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Lada|first=Jenni|title=Deltarune Chapter 2 Switch and PS4 Versions Arrive (Update)|url=https://www.siliconera.com/deltarune-chapter-2-switch-version-arrives/|date=24 September 2021|access-date=24 September 2021|website=Siliconera|language=en|archive-date=September 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924031352/https://www.siliconera.com/deltarune-chapter-2-switch-version-arrives/|url-status=live}}

Initially, the third, fourth, and fifth chapters were intended to be released as a single paid title once completed,{{cite web|url=https://deltarune.com/update-092021/|title=Deltarune Status Update - Sept 2021|date=September 17, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918141650/https://deltarune.com/update-092021/|archive-date=September 18, 2021|access-date=September 18, 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Abent|first=Eric|date=2021-09-20|title=Deltarune creator outlines big plans for next three chapters|url=https://www.slashgear.com/deltarune-creator-outlines-big-plans-for-next-three-chapters-20691579/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=SlashGear|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921083854/https://www.slashgear.com/deltarune-creator-outlines-big-plans-for-next-three-chapters-20691579/|url-status=live}} and by 2022 work on these chapters was being undertaken simultaneously.{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Toby |title=Deltarune Status Update - Sept 2022 |url=https://deltarune.com/update-092022/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=deltarune.com |language=en |archive-date=December 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226152200/https://deltarune.com/update-092022/ |url-status=live }} In September 2023, a version of the third chapter that was playable from beginning to end was finished.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-15 |title=Toby Fox Shares Another Development Update On Deltarune Chapter 3 |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/09/toby-fox-shares-another-development-update-on-deltarune-chapter-3 |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB |archive-date=September 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916041316/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/09/toby-fox-shares-another-development-update-on-deltarune-chapter-3 |url-status=live }} Due to the ongoing length of development, Fox announced the following month that the initial paid release would only include the third and fourth chapters.{{cite news |last1=Nightingale |first1=Ed |title=Deltarune release strategy altered, will be available to purchase sooner |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/deltarune-release-strategy-altered-will-be-available-to-purchase-sooner |access-date=31 October 2023 |work=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network Limited |date=31 October 2023 |archive-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031131915/https://www.eurogamer.net/deltarune-release-strategy-altered-will-be-available-to-purchase-sooner |url-status=live }} He recruited Robert Sephazon as a producer in the beginning of 2024, and his team set an internal deadline of September 1 for the completion of Chapter 4's main content, which was met.{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Toby |date=2024-02-13 |title=ISSUE 5 - Winter 2024 |url=https://toby.fangamer.com/newsletters/winter24/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=fangamer |language=en |quote=We've set an internal deadline for ourselves regarding Chapter 4 and our new producer is going to help us make the sweet sweet moves we need to make to meet it. I am confident this is going to be a really productive year!!!}}{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Toby |date=2024-09-13 |title=ISSUE 7 - Autumn 2024 |url=https://toby.fangamer.com/newsletters/autumn24/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=fangamer |language=en |quote=We met our internal deadline to complete Chapter 3&4's main content, which was September 1st.}} Owing to his wrist issues, by this point Fox used speech-to-text software to input text into his computer, relying on other team members to do the programming.{{Cite magazine |date=2025-06-06 |title=Fantastic Mr. Fox |magazine=Debug |last=Oakwood |first=James |pages=7–11 |issue=10}}

Later in 2024, Fox stated that the next two chapters were undergoing localization and being ported to consoles, and would be released the following year;{{cite web |last1=Romano |first1=Sal |title=DELTARUNE Chapters 3 and 4 to launch in 2025 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2024/10/deltarune-chapters-3-and-4-to-launch-in-2025 |website=Gematsu |access-date=31 October 2024 |date=31 October 2024}} he also stated that the fifth chapter had begun production.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-19 |title=Toby Fox Shares Another Development Update On Deltarune Chapter 3, 4 & 5 |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/12/toby-fox-shares-another-development-update-on-deltarune-chapter-3-4-and-5 |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}} As development continued, content from Chapter 3 was cut to improve the pacing of the game as a whole.{{cite web |title=「Hello! インディー」『DELTARUNE』の開発者トビーさんにインタビュー（後編） {{!}} トピックス {{!}} Nintendo |url=https://www.nintendo.com/jp/topics/article/9bb8ab8c-08db-470f-8478-ec42f7be1743 |website=Nintendo |access-date= 2025-06-07 |language=ja |date= 2025-06-06}} During the April 2025 Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, it was announced that a paid version of Deltarune will release on June 5, 2025, as a launch title for the Switch 2.{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Rebekah |date=2025-04-02 |title=Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 Are Launching Alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 in June |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-chapters-3-and-4-are-launching-alongside-the-nintendo-switch-2-in-june |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=IGN |language=en}} On May 9, Fox announced that the game's releases for the PS4, Switch, PS5, and PC will be on June 4, 2025 in the West and on midnight June 5, 2025 in Japan.{{cite news |last1=Nightingale |first1=Ed |title=Deltarune available on Switch 1 and 2 through cross-buy, when it launches with new Nintendo console |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/deltarune-available-on-switch-1-and-2-through-cross-buy-when-it-launches-with-new-nintendo-console |access-date=May 9, 2025 |work=Eurogamer.net |date=May 9, 2025 |language=en}} Fox stated that making each chapter of Deltarune felt like making another game, adding that making Deltarune Chapters 1 to 4 was like making "2 and a half Undertales".

The paid release contains the first four chapters, with future content intended as free updates; the game's menu shows a total of seven chapters.{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Catherine |title=Deltarune has finally been given a price tag, and Toby Fox says that future chapters beyond 4 "will be added as free updates" so "you only have to buy the game once" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/deltarune-has-finally-been-given-a-price-tag-and-toby-fox-says-that-future-chapters-beyond-4-will-be-added-as-free-updates-so-you-only-have-to-buy-the-game-once/ |website=GamesRadar |access-date=10 April 2025 |language=en |date=3 April 2025}} The credits of the fourth chapter state that the next chapter will release in 2026.{{cite web |last1=Valentine |first1=Rebekah |title=Deltarune Chapter 5 Will Release in 2026 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-chapter-5-will-release-in-2026 |website=IGN |access-date=21 June 2025 |language=en |date=20 June 2025}}

The first chapter of Deltarune garnered many comparisons to Undertale. Jason Schreier of Kotaku and Dominic Tarason of Rock, Paper, Shotgun praised it for refining its elements, with the latter describing it as "a higher-budget production".{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/if-youve-played-undertale-you-must-play-deltarune-1830225222|title=If You've Played Undertale, You Must Play Deltarune|last=Schreier|first=Jason|author-link=Jason Schreier|date=5 November 2018|website=Kotaku|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106133527/https://kotaku.com/if-youve-played-undertale-you-must-play-deltarune-1830225222|archive-date=6 November 2018}} Although Mitchell Parton of Nintendo World Report thought that the chapter did not "significantly change up the formula", he did not have a problem with it.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/49937/deltarune-chapter-1-switch-review|title=Deltarune: Chapter 1 (Switch) Review|last=Parton|first=Mitchell|date=10 March 2019|website=Nintendo World Report|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508172349/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/49937/deltarune-chapter-1-switch-review|archive-date=8 May 2019}} Nintendo Life{{'}}s Mitch Vogel was less positive, being disappointed that after how "fresh" Undertale was at its release, the chapter ended up being {{" '}}just' more of the same".

Schreier claimed that the chapter's "soundtrack should be enough of a selling point," and Adam Luhrs of RPGFan praised Fox's "clever use of motifs," feeling that they were incorporated well in the story.{{Cite web |last=Luhrs |first=Adam |title=Deltarune Chapter 1 OST |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/deltarune-ch1/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612132341/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/deltarune-ch1/index.html |archive-date=12 June 2019 |website=RPGFan}} Both Parton and Tarason liked the pixel art, with the latter calling it "more detailed and expressive" compared to Undertale, and GameSpot{{'s}} Michael Higham praised its ability to "communicate so much with so little". Conversely, Vogel criticised some areas as having "very little in the way of interesting design or presentation", resulting in a chapter that was overall "not very pretty... to look at."

Its gameplay was also generally well received, with Parton calling it "unique" and Vogel describing the combat as "an organic and well-implemented expansion of the original". However, Higham also criticized some sequences—such as the Card Castle—as being "a bit barebones". Allegra Frank of Polygon stated that the first chapter's sense of humor was one of its "defining features".{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/31/18048352/deltarune-undertale-toby-fox-story-gameplay|title=Undertale fans should play Deltarune before they get spoiled|last=Frank|first=Allegra|date=31 October 2018|website=Polygon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414231815/https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/31/18048352/deltarune-undertale-toby-fox-story-gameplay|archive-date=14 April 2019}} Higham stated that it had "witty writing, snappy jokes, and absurdist humor", and Tarason praised the "fresh (and lovable) set of characters".

Screen Rant rated the second chapter 4.5 out of 5, saying that "[t]he quality of the experience matches that of a full-price game, and it makes the wait for the next chapters even harder", describing it in comparison to the first chapter as "[feeling] like a game that's more confident in its direction, and more willing to let players shape the fate of its characters."{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/deltarune-chapter-2-review/|title=Deltarune Chapter 2 Review: Building Towards Something Big|last=Baird|first=Scott|date=21 September 2021|website=ScreenRant|access-date=24 September 2021|archive-date=September 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926014941/https://screenrant.com/deltarune-chapter-2-review/|url-status=live}} Ana Diaz of Polygon described Chapter 2's world as "welcoming" despite being a "harsh challenge", praising its humor and noting that it "complicates the moral and ethical questions posed by the game's predecessor, Undertale, while adding to the story started in Chapter 1."{{cite web |last1=Diaz |first1=Ana |title=Deltarune Chapter 2 offers a brief reprieve in a world that's still healing |url=https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22691556/deltarune-chapter-2-review-toby-fox-undertale |website=Polygon |date=September 24, 2021 |access-date=26 September 2021 |archive-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926144540/https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22691556/deltarune-chapter-2-review-toby-fox-undertale |url-status=live }}

{{Video game reviews

| OC = 100% recommend

| subtitle = Initial paid release (2025)

|GRadar=4.5/5

|IGN=9/10

|NLife=8.5/10

|TR=4.5/5

|rev1=Checkpoint Gaming

|rev1Score=7.5/10

}}

The initial version of the paid release, containing chapters 1–4, also received positive reception, with 100% of reviewers recommending it on OpenCritic.{{cite web |title=Deltarune Chapters 3 & 4 Reviews |url=https://opencritic.com/game/18695/deltarune-chapters-3-4 |website=OpenCritic |access-date=18 June 2025 |language=en}} Brendan Graeber of IGN described Deltarune as "something incredible" that he was "not likely to forget", and Ana Diaz called it a "phenomenal expression of [Fox's] signature idiosyncratic style" in her review for PCGamer.{{cite web |last1=Hood |first1=Vic |title=Deltarune is brilliantly bizarre, and a must-play on Nintendo Switch 2 |url=https://www.techradar.com/gaming/deltarune-review |website=TechRadar |access-date=11 June 2025 |language=en |date=9 June 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Graeber |first1=Brendan |title=Deltarune Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-review |website=IGN |access-date=11 June 2025 |language=en |date=10 June 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Reyes |first=Allisandra |date=2025-06-05 |title=DELTARUNE Review (Chapter 3 & 4) {{!}} We're In The Deep End Now |url=https://game8.co/articles/reviews/deltarune-review-chapter-3-and-4 |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=Game8 |language=en-US}} Errielle Sudario of Checkpoint Gaming stated that the additional chapters were "worth the wait" and contained "humour and heart" and more "polish, challenges, and questions".{{cite web |last1=Sudario |first1=Erielle |title=Deltarune Chapters 3 & 4 Review - Welcome to the darkness |url=https://checkpointgaming.net/reviews/2025/06/deltarune-chapters-3-4-review-welcome-to-the-darkness/ |website=Checkpoint Gaming |access-date=11 June 2025 |language=en-AU |date=10 June 2025}} Mitch Vogel, writing again for Nintendo Life, thought that the game alleviated his previous criticism by establishing a "distinct identity" which made it a "worthy follow up to Undertale", but viewed its unfinished nature as leaving a "lingering feeling of dissatisfaction".{{cite web |last1=Vogel |first1=Mitch |title=Review: Deltarune (Switch 2) - A Superbly Subversive RPG That Defies All Rules |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch-2/deltarune |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=25 June 2025 |date=24 June 2025}}

Shaun Cichaki, writing for Vice, described the combat design as being more "refined and elegant" than that of Undertale, and GamesRadar+{{'}}s Alan Wen saw a "delightful" variation and creativity in the design of the game's encounters.{{cite web |last1=Cichacki |first1=Shaun |title=I Wanted To Wait for 'Deltarune' To Be Done Before I Played. I'm Glad I Didn't (Chapters 1-4 Review) |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/i-wanted-to-wait-for-deltarune-to-be-done-before-i-played-im-glad-i-didnt-chapters-1-4-review/ |website=Vice |access-date=18 June 2025 |date=17 June 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Wen |first1=Alan |title=Deltarune review: "This Undertale successor is an unapologetically weird RPG epic, where each chapter is a new canvas that doesn't have to conform to any rigid rules, style, or logic" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/deltarune-review/ |website=GamesRadar+ |access-date=12 June 2025 |language=en |date=11 June 2025}} Sudario said some of the later-game combat took "some time to master", but with a "payoff [that] is worth it". Conversely, TechRadar reviewer Vic Hood criticized some attacks for being "near impossible" to avoid on the Nintendo Switch 2, as opposed to the accuracy of a keyboard.

Multiple reviewers praised the art direction, with Hood calling it "stunning", and Wen regarding the pixel art as "crude but charming" but also possessing "richer use of sprites, color and animations" compared to Undertale. Stating that the game benefited from Fox also being the primary composer, Graeber claimed it had an "embarrassment of phenomenal music", which New York Times writer Harold Goldberg described as being "remarkably diverse".{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Harold |title=Lovable Misfits Make an Unfinished Game So Satisfying |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/arts/deltarune-review.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=13 June 2025 |date=12 June 2025|url-access=limited}} Vogel said the "deep and varied" soundtrack demonstrated Fox was a "master of creating atmosphere". While she praised the overall art direction, Sudario criticized some parts of the fourth chapter for being too dark to navigate, and Vogel still described the game's visuals as "middling" and "a tad underwhelming", though he noted that the style worked well with the game's humor.

The game's plot and writing was also praised by reviewers; Sudario said the later chapters "expand meaningfully and emotionally" on the plot of the earlier game. Hood stated that the game's characters began to feel like "real friends", stating that this was a "feeling I've not had with a game before", and Wen praised them for being uniquely "memorable, goofy and flawed". Multiple reviewers praised the game's comedy, with Cichaki commending its "slapstick humor immediately pivoting into existential dread". Graeber described the plot as having hidden "intrigue, beauty, and unpredictability", saying it raised "unsettling questions" about the connection between a player and the character they control. Alisandra Reyes of Game8 also praised the "deeper and more emotionally resonant" nature of the story, though she criticized the "meandering" nature and pace of Chapter 3, perceiving it as a "detour" rather than a progression of the story.

The soundtrack was nominated for the Game Audio Network Guild / MAGFest People's Choice Award at the 2019 G.A.N.G. Awards.{{cite web |last=Fogel |first=Stefanie |date=March 21, 2019 |title='God of War' Wins Six G.A.N.G. Awards, Including Audio of the Year |url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/game-audio-network-guild-awards-2019-1203169520/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322111949/https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/game-audio-network-guild-awards-2019-1203169520/ |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=March 22, 2019 |work=Variety}}

After the release of Deltarune{{'}}s demo containing Chapters 1 and 2, it attracted around 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, far higher than Undertale{{'}}s lifetime record. Deltarune was also one of the highest-grossing games on Steam in terms of revenue upon the initial release of Chapters 3 and 4.{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Rebekah |date=2025-06-04 |title=Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 Are Out Now, and It's Already Exploding on Steam |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/deltarune-chapters-3-and-4-are-out-now-and-its-already-exploding-on-steam |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=IGN |language=en}}

{{Notelist}}

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