What Are The Other Au's For Undertale

2 min read 29-11-2024

Undertale, the beloved indie RPG, has spawned a vast and creative universe of Alternate Universes (AU's). These fan-created worlds reimagine the characters, story, and mechanics of the original game in countless ways. While tracking every single AU is a near-impossible task, we can explore some of the most popular and influential ones.

Beyond the Underground: Notable Undertale AUs

The popularity of Undertale lent itself perfectly to creative reimagining. Fan artists, writers, and musicians built upon the established lore to create unique narratives and aesthetic experiences. Here are a few standouts:

Underswap:

This AU flips the personalities of the main characters. Sans is the kind and naive one, while Papyrus is the stern and powerful one. This simple switch creates a drastically different dynamic and gameplay experience. The core conflict remains, but the approach and motivations are completely altered.

Underfell:

In Underfell, the setting is much darker and grittier. Characters are twisted versions of their original selves, with a more ruthless and aggressive edge. This AU explores the "what if" scenario of a much more hostile underground environment, significantly impacting character interactions and the overall tone.

Horrortale:

This AU takes the darkness to an extreme. It depicts a brutal and unforgiving world where the monsters are significantly more monstrous. This AU is not for the faint of heart, as it delves into the darker aspects of the original game's themes in a graphic and unsettling manner.

Dusttale:

This AU focuses on a genocidal route taken to the extreme. It portrays the aftermath of repeated resets and genocide, showcasing a world ravaged by the player's actions. This AU explores the consequences and emotional weight of player choices in a deeply impactful way.

Storyshift:

In Storyshift, the roles of humans and monsters are reversed. The humans are trapped underground, and the monsters are on the surface. This changes the narrative dynamics and provides a refreshing perspective on the original conflict.

The Ever-Expanding Universe of Undertale AUs

These are only a handful of the many AUs that exist within the Undertale fandom. Many more explore unique concepts, such as alternate timelines, character fusions, and vastly different plotlines. The creativity within the community is truly astounding. The flexibility of the original game’s relatively simple mechanics allowed for a level of interpretation that has fueled this explosion of creative content. The key takeaway is that the Undertale AU universe is a vast and constantly evolving landscape of creative expression and reinterpretation, offering something for every fan.