I submit undertale as canonical.
For one thing, its genre is incredibly unique. It contains aspects of rpgs, but it also feels like the successful integration of shoot-em-up with puzzle. It's a remarkable achievement. Most people would not interpret undertale as a shoot-em-up, yet the majority of it's actual gameplay elements that require skill are just in that category. The clever twist is that you can use positional manipulation of the projectiles flying towards you in unique ways not conceived of before.
Toby Fox figured out that every enemy and boss can feel like their own unique puzzle. The gameplay has a unique, standout feel reminiscent of portal, in that your brain is offered an assortment of puzzles that is offered within the confines of an common set of surprisingly simple rules.
Another thing that is fairly unique is the very successful use of new game plus within undertale. While a game like Chrono Trigger made you want to play through a couple more times, Undertale made you feel like the additional playthrough was part of the playthrough.. This is again, a unique experience not found in many other games.
This game feels like it has its own unique stylization. In the same ways Basquiat, Pollock, and Salvado Dali had their own unique stylizations, undertale carves out its own niche with the context of unique gameplay configurations.
I know it's a bit early to bring up undertale in the context of great games, and also in the context of canonical greats, but it's hard for me to not look at this game as not offering a unique niche in the same way games like symphony of the night, Portal, and Shadow of the Colossus, each had a unique approach to a genre that gave you this delicious sampling of the qualia of an art form. What makes this all the more impressive is that it was pushed out almost entirely by a single individual. This game did make me laugh. It made me feel sad at times, it made me think at times. It has an amazing sound track, and hearing it now generates this pleasureful nostalgia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2-6GFkMpdM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNN0HyO3rM4
I can't help but feel that history will be kind to this game. It really highlights the ability of individuals who are truly talented to still be able to enter the industry, in spite of market oversaturation. I hold out for more games like undertale to come, and for individuals to never give up on their dreams.
are you using the right word?
Videogames as an artform? Perhaps.
The canon of Western culture? Probably not...
Yeah. It's being used in the stylistic sense instead of the lore sense.canonical to what? to itself?
are you using the right word?
I feel like there're other games that touched on a lot of its themes prior, but Undertale's the one that did them all together. I'll have to agree w/ Earthstrike on this one.
Think of it as saying if we wanted a museum exhibit that displayed the most notable and unique works of video games, the ones that illustrated what the medium was truly capable of, then Undertale would be in that exhibit.canonical to what? to itself?
are you using the right word?
And then the Annoying Dog would steal it.
can·on1
ˈkanən/Submit
the list of works considered to be permanently established as being of the highest quality.
"Hopkins was firmly established in the canon of English poetry"
F O U L ! ! !Originally Posted by WrenchNinja
Forgot the game existed.
Wait so how does the port work? Undertale shuts your PC off midgame for shenanigans (like that one gamecube game by dennis dyack who's name escapes me right now)
OP is not responsible for people's ignorance. Nor would I be surprised at people here complaining about the "hyperbole" of such a statement and making jokes about Ubisoft and Watch Dogs if he used the word iconic.I get what you're saying, but I think referring to it as a staple, iconic, or legendary would cause far less confusion. Canon has a very specific meaning these days and usually pertains to a series, but it's an appropriate word here as well.
Reminds me of people who think "memes" are strictly JPEGs of cats with extra bold text on top.
This 100%. It is a very unique game, and maybe some day it will achieve that classic status, but until this announcement dropped, the game has not been talked about at all this year. The initial reception was immense, a dude even gave it to the fucking pope, but it died down significantly very quickly.Originally Posted by Marmaladefire
This thread is why people groan when they hear "Undertale"
* Undertale is canon
* Undertale is not canon <3
For things that would be in the hypothetical video game canon, it goes beyond the "list of great video games," they have to be foundational works that others built upon or were influenced by.
Yoshi's Island is a fantastic game, one of the best on the SNES, but it's not canonical. Super Mario World might not even be, considering so much of its ground was laid in Super Mario Bros. 3 (which absolutely would be canonical).
I agree with adding this game to the best examples of vidya though.
Given the use of canon as "something canonical to the overall plot", "canonical" might be more confusing than helpful when describing the best of video games.
It's a correct use of the word, but it's an inelegant way to use it.
Ok OP Undertale can join the canon, but just so you know, I'm also nominating DOA Beach Velleyball.
Hence literally the first line of the OP:Originally Posted by yanipheonu
To be fair, canon is rarely used to describe the "best of video games." It's more of an art and literature thing.
Given the use of canon as "something canonical to the overall plot", canonical might be more confusing than helpful when describing video games.
"As we all know, various art forms have what they consider to be their canon. If we accept video games as an art, then it too should have its own canon."