7 Games Like Undertale (2026): Story-Driven RPGs | Jabali
The best games like Undertale in 2026 — quirky story RPGs with heart, humor, and choices that matter. What makes each similar, plus make your own with AI.
Jabali Team
Nov 5, 2026
5 min read
7 Games Like Undertale to Play in 2026 (And How to Make Your Own)
Direct answer: The best games like Undertale in 2026 are Deltarune (Toby Fox's follow-up), Omori (emotional psychological RPG), EarthBound (the classic inspiration), OneShot (fourth-wall-breaking heart), In Stars and Time (time-loop RPG with soul), Lisa: The Painful (darkly comic morality), and Undertale Yellow (fan-made prequel). What they share: writing that makes you feel something, choices that matter morally, and combat that's part of the story rather than separate from it.
Key Takeaways
- Undertale's DNA: heart first — humor, empathy, and subversion of RPG conventions.
- Closest experience: Deltarune (same creator, same soul).
- For emotional devastation: Omori; for classic roots: EarthBound.
- The unifying lesson for creators: one strong voice beats a big budget.
- Story RPGs and visual novels are among the easiest genres to make with AI — writing is the differentiator, and AI handles the systems.
Why Undertale-like games feel different
Most RPGs use story to justify combat. Undertale-likes invert it: combat is characterization (you can spare anything), choices alter the world's memory of you, and the game knows what you did — and remembers. When hunting for similar games, look for: moral weight in mechanics, humor that turns on a dime into sincerity, and subversion of genre expectations.
The 7 best games like Undertale
1. Deltarune — the official successor
Toby Fox's ongoing parallel-world follow-up: same humor, deeper systems. For you if: you want more of the real thing.
2. Omori — the emotional heavyweight
A dream-world RPG about trauma and friendship that hits harder than almost anything in the genre. For you if: you want to feel everything.
3. EarthBound — the ancestor
The 1994 SNES classic that inspired Undertale's quirky-modern-world RPG formula. For you if: you want the roots.
4. OneShot — the fourth-wall heartbreaker
A puzzle-adventure where the game talks to you, and your single shot matters. For you if: meta-storytelling is your favorite part.
5. In Stars and Time — the time-loop soul
A monochromatic RPG about repetition, found family, and trying again. For you if: you loved Undertale's structure play.
6. Lisa: The Painful — the dark mirror
Brutal, hilarious, and devastating — choices with genuinely horrific costs. For you if: you want Undertale's morality with the gloves off.
7. Undertale Yellow — the fan-made gem
A full prequel made by fans, proof that the formula lives beyond its creator. For you if: you've exhausted the rest.
Make your own story RPG with AI
Undertale-likes are the most writing-driven genre — and the most AI-friendly to build, because branching dialogue, choices, and turn-based systems are rule-explicit. The differentiator is your voice. Try this prompt in Jabali Studio: "A quirky story RPG. The player is a ghost who doesn't remember dying, helping the living resolve regrets. 5 NPCs with intertwining problems; conversations include choices tracked by a hidden 'kindness' meter that changes the ending (3 endings). Turn-based encounters where you can talk instead of fight. Pixel art, melancholy-but-warm tone." Iterate on the writing above all else — see our RPG guide and visual novel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What should I play after Undertale? A: Deltarune first (same creator), then Omori for emotional depth, OneShot for meta-storytelling, and EarthBound for the classics. Q: Are there games like Undertale with similar combat? A: Deltarune evolves the bullet-hell-turn-based hybrid directly. In Stars and Time and Omori riff on it with their own twists. Q: Is Deltarune finished? A: Deltarune releases episodically — several chapters are playable now with more in development. Check the official site for current chapter status. Q: Can I make a game like Undertale with AI? A: Yes — story RPGs are among the easiest genres for AI game makers: branching dialogue, choice meters, and turn-based encounters generate reliably. Your writing voice is what makes it special. Q: What makes Undertale-likes different from normal RPGs? A: Mechanics with moral weight (sparing vs fighting), worlds that remember your choices, and humor that pivots into sincerity. The writing is the gameplay.
Related reading
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