role playing video game created indie developer game players control human child fallen underground large region underneath surface earth separated magic barrier player meets monsters quest return surface mainly combat system player mini bullet hell attacks opponent opt spare monsters instead attacking killing choices affect game dialogue characters story changing based outcomes fox developed entirety game independently including writing composing score additional art created artists game inspired mother mario role playing series bullet hell shooter series project british comedy initially meant hours length released development took years effectively extending campaign delaying release game released steam microsoft windows september release game acclaimed writing thematic material intuitive combat system musical score originality praise directed story dialogue characters game sold million copies nominated multiple accolades awards including game year gaming publications winning conventions including south southwest gameplay role playing game uses perspective game players control child complete objectives order progress story players explore underground world towns caves required solve numerous puzzles journey underground world home monsters challenge player combat players decide kill flee players encounter enemies scripted events random encounters enter battle mode battles players control small red heart represents soul avoid attacks opposing monster similar fashion bullet hell shooter game progresses new elements introduced colored obstacles require players remain stationary boss battles change way players control heart players choose attack enemy involves timed button presses earning gold defeating alternatively use act option perform non violent actions vary depending enemy players uses right actions respond enemy choose spare end fight killing order boss encounters completed peacefully player required survive character facing finished dialogue game features story branches endings depending players choose kill spare enemies possible clear game killing single enemy monsters players battles game tell players monster feelings actions enemy attacks alter based players interact players choose non violent options enemy attacks easy difficult players choose violent options game relies number elements gameplay story players participate boss battle second dialogue altered depending actions previous plot takes place underground realm monsters equal humans banished war broke underground sealed surface world imperfect magic barrier point entry human child falls underground encounters flower teaches game mechanics encourages raise love gaining killing monsters attempts murder human soul human rescued goat like monster teaches human solve puzzles survive conflict underground killing intends adopt human wanting protect king underground human eventually leaves search castle contains barrier leading surface world way human encounters monsters including skeletons brothers act underground head royal guard kingdom royal scientist robotic television host created fought human having choose kill mercy human spare friends travels human learns cause war humans monsters son befriended human child fell underground adopted day child fatally poisoned flowers returned body humans attacked killed resulting declaring war seeks break barrier requires collect seven human souls game ending depends player resolved encounters monsters player killed monsters human arrives castle learns need monster soul cross barrier forcing fight stops human confrontation revealing human love acronym level violence execution points judges human based combined resolution encounters human fights killing stealing human souls monstrous named aid souls human defeats falls unconscious awakens human barrier receive phone explaining state underground human departure order player proceed obtain ending complete neutral ending regardless spared monsters final boss appears multiple paths player instead kills monsters having completed previous neutral game revealed created experiments human fights joined monsters human befriended group souls monsters older form fight human human connects new friends fight eventually child form destroys barrier expresses remorse leaving human falls unconscious friends surrounding knowledge human monsters humans surface option accepting adoptive mother ending player kills monsters influenced spirit fallen human child body attempted return reaches castle attempts stop kills fallen human child assumes control player consent destroys universe order enable game soul fallen human child exchange restoring universe future marred fallen child presence development developed years development financed campaign website campaign launched june goal ended july raised people original goal creation ensued fox created battle system game creation system studio wanted develop role playing game different traditional design found boring play set develop game interesting characters utilizes medium storytelling device instead having story gameplay completely separate fox worked entire game independently art decided work independently avoid relying fox little experience game development brothers role playing games completed fox worked number rom high school worked main artistic assistant game providing sprites concept art fox said game art style likely remain access larger team artists found psychological thread says audiences attached characters drawn simply detail particularly use visual gags art game design defensive segment battle system inspired series bullet hell shooters project series working battle system fox set create mechanic personally enjoy wanted battle system equally engaging fox want grinding necessary point game instead leaving optional players wish introduce quests involve terms game difficulty fox ensured easy enjoyable asked friends inexperienced bullet hell shooters test game found able complete felt game difficulty optimal particularly considering complications involved adding difficulty setting game dialogue system inspired particularly gameplay mechanic players talk monsters avoid conflict fox intended expand mechanic failing negotiate resulted requirement fight want create system satisfied urge talking monsters said began developing mechanic concept completing game killing enemies evolved naturally considered removing option fight development questioned difficulty playing game killing fox responded major themes game asking players think writing game writing fox partly influenced internet culture comedy shows like inspired unsettling atmosphere fox desire concepts games influenced development fox found writing easier establishing character voice mood felt creating world natural process expressed stories fox felt importance game monsters feel like individual cited final_fantasy series present opposite monsters like final_fantasy meaning character appear game created parody characters fox strongly disliked use companion character legend answers puzzles revealed early fox felt role playing video games generally lack mother characters series present mother fox felt mothers symbols characters response fox intended character mom hopefully acts like mom genuinely cares players actions music game soundtrack entirely composed fox self taught musician composed tracks little iteration game main theme song undergo multiple development soundtrack inspired music role playing games fox provided music fox stated tries inspired music particularly video games according fox songs composed specifically game song boss battle previously fox rom section game fox composed music prior programming helped decide scene initially tried music compose soundtrack found difficult use ultimately decided play segments music separately connect track soundtrack received critics success game particular use characters tracks particular hopes dreams boss theme fighting run player avoids killing monster brings main character themes perfect way cap journey according oxford notes track particular demonstrates fox ability turning old songs completely new experiences game soundtrack tyler gamespot compared music bit based melodies release game released september microsoft windows expressed interest releasing platforms unable port nintendo platforms game engine lack support platforms patch released january fixing bugs altering appearance blue attacks help players better media merchandise released including toy toys based characters game game official soundtrack released simultaneously game release additionally official cover albums released metal album determination jazz album live july announced twitter officially released game reception received critical acclaim quickly considered cult video game numerous publications review aggregator metacritic calculated average score indicating universal acclaim based reviews metacritic ranks game highest rated windows game released time praise particularly directed game writing unique characters combat system gamespot tyler declared progressive innovative come long time ign called crafted experience end preliminary report best selling games steam copies sold early february game surpassed million game informer called game combat system incredibly nuanced commenting enemy encounter praised complexity combat commenting unconventional clever occasionally difficult ben commended game ability blend turn based live combat elements way actually fucking works ign praised ability avoid combat opting friendly conversations instead boston_globe found game ability player monsters combat opted non violent actions indicative broader fundamental sweetness core reviewers praised game writing narrative ign calling excellent considered best written game writing hand hilarious end heartfelt praised game characters use comedy compared tone characters storytelling gamer provided similar comments writing weaker moments work commended soul charm game conveys writing noted dialogue borders random humor game visuals received mixed reactions called simple ign wrote game isn pretty ugly felt music animations compensate price named art bland level detail excellent character design remarked basic functional plain bad reviewers liked graphics game informer felt visuals appropriately match characters settings gamer commended ability visuals convey emotion accolades received multiple awards nominations gaming publications won game year zero game month game won best game poll awarded best game ign independent games festival awards won audience award gaming awards named fulfilling game awarded
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