What should be my first route?

[Trash]

That's the only thing stopping me from playing this...over analysis. You only get 2 chances to choose. Once you kill, Pacifist is locked out. Once you spare (at least a key character), Genocide is locked out.

[DJ]

Your first route just play the game and do whatever, after that you may choose what you wish. After the route you can go back and do another route but be aware that after the genocide route there will be...irreparable consequences.

[Releasethebeast13]

Pacifist. Just spare everyone. You also don't only get 2 chances, you can reset whenever you want.

[AiAi]

Pacifist is hard as heck though

[Releasethebeast13]

Not as hard as genocide

[Releasethebeast13]

Originally posted by DJ Spicy Deluxe:

Your first route just play the game and do whatever, after that you may choose what you wish. After the route you can go back and do another route but be aware that after the genocide route there will be...irreparable consequences.

The consequences aren't that bad, the end part of the end credits for pacifist get changed

[AlchemicalArbiter]

Well, actually, if you do Genocide first, I'm fairly certain it is impossible to get True Pacifist, but I don't know. I have only done Geno since it seemed more fun.

[Releasethebeast13]

Originally posted by Regen Wülf:

Well, actually, if you do Genocide first, I'm fairly certain it is impossible to get True Pacifist, but I don't know. I have only done Geno since it seemed more fun.

You don't get the normal pacifist ending. The end part of the end credits get changed as a reminder of the genocide route you took before. Nothing that significant. It's just that understanding the Genocide route would require the context that a neutral (prefferably pacifist) route would give you

[D YellowMadness]

A lot of the events of the genocide run would lose their meaning without the context provided by the pacifist run so, at the very least, I'd say wait until you've done that before attempting genocide. Especially since the genocide run is simultaneously the hardest & least fun run.

Originally posted by Releasethebeast13:

Originally posted by Regen Wülf:

Well, actually, if you do Genocide first, I'm fairly certain it is impossible to get True Pacifist, but I don't know. I have only done Geno since it seemed more fun.

You don't get the normal pacifist ending. The end part of the end credits get changed as a reminder of the genocide route you took before. Nothing that significant. It's just that understanding the Genocide route would require the context that a neutral (prefferably pacifist) route would give you

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""not that significant""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

[heavy-mouse]

For the first time it's better to just play the game however you want. It makes more impact this way. There is a lot of stuff that you aren't supposed to know before you try it (that includes knowing about pacifist and genocide tho, lol). The game is designed around the idea that if you don't like some choice you made, you can load a save or reset completely. Also, you can't get even a half of the game's content in one playthrough. So it's more about if you got time to try it all or not.
If you just want to complete what is close to the "main story" route and do it the fastest way possible - just do pacifist.
And as said above, don't do genocide first, you really aren't supposed to and it's very unlikely for someone who doesn't know anything about the game to stumble upon a genocide route.

[CoryStar]

Originally posted by heavy-mouse:

For the first time it's better to just play the game however you want. It makes more impact this way. There is a lot of stuff that you aren't supposed to know before you try it (that includes knowing about pacifist and genocide tho, lol).

About This Game
Welcome to UNDERTALE. In this RPG, you control a human who falls underground into the world of monsters. Now you must find your way out... or stay trapped forever.

((Healthy Dog's Warning: Game contains imagery that may be harmful to players with photosensitive epilepsy or similar condition.))
features:
Killing is unnecessary: negotiate out of danger using the unique battle system.

Told from the store page, that a pacifist ending is not only possible, but is encouraged. Knowing that, and how RPG players are, the murder everyone isn't that crazy to think about. Ever since people were using GameFAQs, they have been figuring out all sorts of challenge runs, including kill everyone.

Really, the only thing that Undertale does new, is give an in-universe reward for doing it, through a different POV to the story. The only reason people say "Play the first plathrough however you want", is because mechanically, the game doesn't reward you for doing such challenge runs, on the first playthough.

[orange89o]

probably nueteral

[RaNd0mLuKe]

nuteral

[(Edgy) Asriel Dreemurr]

Completing pacifist doesn’t prevent you from getting Genocide in a later run.

You should try to play the game blind first.

But if you already know what happens, do Pacifist first.

[(Edgy) Asriel Dreemurr]

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by heavy-mouse:

For the first time it's better to just play the game however you want. It makes more impact this way. There is a lot of stuff that you aren't supposed to know before you try it (that includes knowing about pacifist and genocide tho, lol).

About This Game
Welcome to UNDERTALE. In this RPG, you control a human who falls underground into the world of monsters. Now you must find your way out... or stay trapped forever.

((Healthy Dog's Warning: Game contains imagery that may be harmful to players with photosensitive epilepsy or similar condition.))
features:
Killing is unnecessary: negotiate out of danger using the unique battle system.

Told from the store page, that a pacifist ending is not only possible, but is encouraged. Knowing that, and how RPG players are, the murder everyone isn't that crazy to think about. Ever since people were using GameFAQs, they have been figuring out all sorts of challenge runs, including kill everyone.

Really, the only thing that Undertale does new, is give an in-universe reward for doing it, through a different POV to the story. The only reason people say "Play the first plathrough however you want", is because mechanically, the game doesn't reward you for doing such challenge runs, on the first playthough.

People say play it blind first because most of the humor and story are based on subversion of expectations, and broadening personal perspective.

You’re supposed to form your own opinions of the different characters and determine if you believe they should be spared or not based on your personal views.

Then going through pacifist later can become a learning experience where you can better understand the way you think perceive the acts and perspectives of others. Instead of just reading a step-by-step guide on getting the good ending.

[ApplePie18]

Don't think about this, play how you want! You don't have only two chances, you can do unlimited resets. There are only 2 things: 1 your morals, after some endings you might not want to do the other, but if you really want to do other ending, sure. 2 thing, some endings might affect other endings, but it will not be much more then a small detail, I won't spoil you what. Also, believe me this game is best absolutely spoiler-free so my personal tip, don't go on the forums unless you have technical problems. Sometimes something that you might think is a glitch, is a feature. Sorry if I made any mistakes, English isn't my native laguage. Good luck!