Undertale

Don't get fooled by the outdated graphics or the hipster fanboys overpraising it: "Undertale" might not be a masterpiece, but it definitely goes beyond being a mere old-school JRPG pastiche with psychedelic quirks and meta-references. It's the perfect example of how a no-budget bedroom project can entertain and tugs at your heartstrings more than a AAA game if built with good taste and passion.

Even if highly derivative of the "Earthbound" series in tone, it deconstructs JRPG story-telling and clichés in its own original and compelling manner. It starts off as the lighthearted parody of one of the most stereotyped plots in history, but darker revelations that might even lead you to question your approach to videogames await at the end. However, I have to admit that despite the engaging beginning and the heartfelt ending(s), the middle section is a little dull. In particular, the whole part with Dr. Alphys and her robot was a little too tedious with the same jokes repeated all over again.

The combat mixes traditional turn-based actions with bullet hell kind-of mechanics for dodging. The fun part is that each enemy offers completely different mechanics and patterns, to the point that each fight can be considered as a separate minigame.