Undertale, released in 2015, revolutionized the gaming landscape by demonstrating how player choices could profoundly impact a narrative. Its replayability was largely due to the stark contrasts between different storylines, often revealing character insights and backstory depending on the paths chosen by players.
In stark contrast, Deltarune asserts that it offers a singular ending, a fact prominently featured on its storefront. Nevertheless, the release of Chapter 4 has left many players eager for any semblance of meaningful choice in the game. The introduction of the ‘Weird Route’—also recognized as Snowgrave—during Chapter 2 beckons those adventurous enough to delve into a unique gameplay experience.
The Snowgrave Route, aptly named, is decidedly unconventional. It compels players to view the vibrant characters within the game as mere sources of experience points (XP).Before embarking on this route, it’s advisable to complete each chapter in a conventional manner to fully appreciate the divergence once you dive in.
Toby Fox, the game’s creator, has once again crafted a narrative that explores the darker aspects of its universe, reminding players to cherish the lighter moments. If you’re intrigued by the unsettling ambiance akin to classic Creepypastas, you’ll find this route particularly compelling. So, let’s venture into the unknown as we navigate this unusual path.
Chapter 2
Your decisions in Chapter 1 of Deltarune do not influence the Weird Route; instead, we begin our journey in Cyberworld. The pivotal moment where this route truly commences is when Noelle joins the party. To prepare for future battles, engage every enemy you encounter while accompanied by the Fun Gang, as it will ease challenges ahead.
From Chapter 2 onwards, defeating enemies will conclude with an auditory cue and the phrase “you became stronger, ”signaling an increase in the party’s stats—most prominently their maximum HP. Over time, even their base attack statistics will incrementally rise.
Similar to Undertale, the foes you face are not mindless hoards; each screen contains a finite number of adversaries which will cease to spawn after you defeat them. Thus, eliminating as many enemies as possible will prepare you for some inevitable confrontations later in the route.
Continue through Chapter 2 with a combative approach until Noelle becomes a part of the team. At this point, we can fully engage with the Snowgrave Route.
Noelle Joins the Party
After welcoming our beloved character Noelle, backtrack towards the trash heap where Kris, Susie, and Ralsei previously fell after the roller coaster segment. On this journey, you’ll encounter your inaugural enemy featuring Noelle as a party member, marking the formal beginning of the Snowgrave Route.
From this juncture, it’s essential that Noelle delivers the final blow with her IceShock spell in each battle. This inexpensive spell delivers significant damage, typically defeating enemies in one to two hits. Notably, if IceShock lands the final hit, the enemy will be frozen, accompanied by a unique KO text indicating their state. The conclusion of these battles will now display “Noelle became stronger.”
Frozen adversaries will persist in the overworld, remaining visible even as you traverse between screens. Upon your first successful freeze, a peculiar musical note will signify your progress down the Weird Route. You will encounter numerous chances to abandon this path—be attuned to those sound cues as they indicate your commitment to this unique experience.
Continue your backtrack to the trash heap, ensuring you freeze every enemy in your way before returning to the primary path. If you’ve successfully frozen every foe up to this point, the streets will be clear of cards, now patrolled solely by Darkners. Maintain your momentum, freezing every adversary until you eventually arrive at the commercial district.
In this area, most Addisons will be absent, save for one vibrant pink Addison on the far right who will inquire about the relationship status between Noelle and Kris. It’s crucial to respond, “We’re something else.”When attempting to leave, he will halt you, presenting a ‘special deal’ for the two characters.
Rings
This walking advertisement will offer you a weapon for Noelle—the FreezeRing, priced precisely one Kromer above your current cash. Convince Noelle to claim it despite her hesitations. The screen will fade as the IceShock sound effect resonates, and to your surprise, the Addison’s presence will fade away, leaving the ring behind.
The FreezeRing significantly enhances the damage output of Noelle’s IceShock spell, making subsequent freezes much more achievable. Shortly after, you will encounter the second mouse room puzzle. Instead of solving it traditionally, the dialogue options will provide a path to proceed without resolving the puzzle. As Noelle is pressured against a lightning gate, she will freeze the entire area, advancing the narrative and producing another sound cue.
Upon arriving at the extensive road puzzle, you will find it devoid of traffic; only enemies are present, who will flee upon spotting you. Continue freezing every foe you encounter, progressing towards the end of the second road where you must divert left.
In a typical run, this is where you would face an annoying dog in a Fisher Price car. However, you will instead discover a quivering dumpster, where the recognizable Spamton awaits. He will offer to sell you the ThornRing, provided that you freeze every enemy before the rematch with Berdly. Helpfully, he will keep a count of how many encounters remain, reminiscent of save points during Undertale’s Genocide run.
Advance to the next areas while freezing the fleeing Darkners you encounter, keeping Spamton’s count in mind—it decreases by one with each engagement, not the total number of enemies. If completed, the culminating battle will be against a second Poppup, lurking in an alley amid traffic cones.
After ensuring that every foe has been frozen, return to Spamton’s dumpster. For 1, 997 Kromer, he will sell you the ThornRing, one of the most potent weapons in Deltarune. This ring halves the magic cost of Noelle’s ice spells while depleting her HP to a third during each encounter.
Your next destination is clear: equip Noelle with the new ring and prepare for the confrontation with Berdly. Prior to initiating the battle, make sure to instruct Noelle to proceed. Justification for actions against Berdly is unnecessary.
As the battle commences, it becomes evident that Noelle has acquired a new spell—Snowgrave. The cost of this spell is equivalent to your entire TP gauge after the discount from ThornRing, which may render it unusable otherwise. Engage in defensive actions and dodge Berdly’s basic attacks to quickly accumulate TP, allowing for the spell’s use.
When you command Noelle to cast it, she appears confused, insisting she does not recognize such a spell. Continue to press her until she yields, levitating before delivering overwhelming damage to Berdly, freezing him in the process. Following this, Noelle will state she is “heading home”and exit the screen.
Cleaning up
This concludes the specific actions necessary to navigate the opening of Chapter 2’s Weird Route, yet you will soon realize just how dramatically this has derailed the chapter’s climax. Following closely in Noelle’s footsteps, you will discover a manhole cover. Entering will transport you just outside of Queen’s castle, greeted by a delighted Ralsei and Susie, oblivious to the earlier events.
The run through Queen’s mansion feels distinctly more frigid, with Spamton seemingly taking charge. The shop is obstructed by Rouxls’ immobile form, and Pipis fill the halls. Progressing through the castle ultimately leads you to the rooftop, where the Queen skips her usual fight, immediately donning her imposing robotic form. Ralsei quickly explains the concept of the Roaring, resulting in an unexpected surrender from the Queen.
While Susie and Ralsei comfort the Queen and Noelle, Kris is left to close the fountain alone. As they near the spire, Spamton appears to confront them, having independently acquired the NEO body.
This revelation triggers a challenging solo fight against the chapter’s superboss. Unlike other encounters, this fight retains its complexity, and having only one action per turn adds to the difficulty. However, defeating Spamton NEO proves to be more expedient than severing his wires as in a standard playthrough, particularly with Kris’s unique ACTs during this duel. X-Slash discharges the power of two attacks simultaneously, and FriedPipis can restore a generous 120 HP.
If you’ve previously faced Spamton NEO, you’ll recognize this encounter’s rhythm. Focus on evading attacks, remaining calm, and employing X-slashes to maximize damage output. Eventually, Spamton may bolster his DEF so significantly that typical attacks yield minimal impact. In this state, he mockingly taunts Kris, but this opens up new ACTs displaying party members’ faces instead.
In this moment, Kris calls for assistance, yet no one comes forth. Spamton encourages Kris to persist, confident that no help is forthcoming. Calling on Noelle, but not by Kris’s initiative—by your command—she swiftly freezes Spamton, rewarding you with the Puppet Scarf for Ralsei along with a Shadow Crystal.
After Snowgrave, several notable shifts occur in Hometown. Notably, Berdly remains unconscious in the computer lab instead of awakening with his peers, and players will experience distinct interactions with Noelle if they head to the hospital. Additional unique dialogue is available if Noelle’s silver watch is equipped to Kris, leading her to question the reality of the traumatic events that unfolded.
This is where the route currently stands—until the recent releases of Chapters 3 and 4. Chapter 3 doesn’t introduce new elements for the Snowgrave Route aside from unique dialogue during the ERAM encounter, but Chapter 4 offers intriguing developments.
Sealing the Deal in Chapter 4
Chapter 4 of Deltarune opens with an extensive segment in Hometown, culminating in Kris and Susie’s quest for the Shelter codes. If you import a save file from a Snowgrave Route into Chapter 4, expect some variations in the narrative.
The first distinction arises when Noelle invites Kris and Susie to collaborate rather than Susie proposing to hang out. Notably, Susie alludes to their current situation being a “weird route, ”which seems to yield positive results. The scene begins similarly, shifting when you attempt to decode the information from Dess’ guitar, prompting the standard moment where Kris rips the Soul from the character, leading them to conceal it.
However, in this scenario, Noelle will meet Kris, requesting them to visit her room at once. Once inside the customary gift box, follow the vent leading into Noelle’s personal space.
Within the vent, Noelle reveals significant details. She describes how Kris managed to carry Berdly to the hospital overnight and tries to convince her that the bizarre events of their adventure were merely an elaborate ruse.
Noelle, feeling reassured by Kris’s ‘true’ voice, inadvertently asks a question—a crucial moment that allows player choice. Selecting Proceed will deposit the Soul in the room, enabling a return to the unwilling vessel.
Choices that fail to support this decision, or discouraging Noelle from asking further questions, are among the many opportunities available to revert from this path. However, that is not why we are here.
Noelle inches closer to Kris, revealing that Kris pleaded with her not to broach the topic, fearing eavesdropping. Kris even attempts to cover Noelle’s mouth, yet in a moment of vulnerability, she brushes him off, questioning who they could be worried about.
Answer honestly: “Me.”The atmosphere shifts; the colors intensify, and shadows envelop the two friends as Noelle recognizes your voice from her dreams. Be truthful again: tell her “it wasn’t a dream.”
Stunned by your response, Noelle begins to panic at the thought that you might have insight into her inner thoughts. You’ll receive another chance to exit, yet by now you’ve committed to the journey: “I heard.”
Trying to rationalize the situation as mere coincidence, Noelle’s attempt to downplay the events gives you one last chance to withdraw, though you’ll readily decline.“It’s not a coincidence.”
As Noelle’s dialogue unfolds, she tests how many of her thoughts you can perceive, ultimately leading to her acknowledgment of your power over her. Pointing out her increased strength, you are prompted to equip.
Kris presents the ThornRing, gradually moving towards Noelle as you instruct them to Proceed. With no other options, Kris forces the ring onto Noelle’s finger, and the screen fades to black, a stark red snowflake emerging at their point of contact. The quintessential Snowgrave sound cue transitions into a melodic tune, indicating a critical turning point.
Afterwards, Kris transports the soul to the restroom, mercilessly discarding it in a trashcan before being prompted to leave, abruptly concluding their meeting. Susie laments their inability to socialize as they exit, and an optionless dialogue box appears, hinting at Kris’s refusal of player directives at that moment.
Thus, you’ve firmly established the Weird Route—Kris will respond aggressively to any mention of Noelle, and even Ralsei will exhibit unique dialogue, sensing the weight of something amiss. Relish in your newfound power and the distinct version of the cliffhanger ending as we anticipate the release of Deltarune Chapter 5 in 2026.
How could a game promising a singular ending accommodate such variance? We shall leave the theories for another time. What’s certain is that we’ll share in this journey through the chilly months ahead, strengthening our resolve together.
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