Deltarune Chapter 3 ends with the formula of the first few chapters (entering a dark world, encountering the quirky villain, journeying through it to seal the fountain) being subverted in a moment that feels like a point of no return. The Roaring Knight appears, seemingly killing Tenna, an exaggeration of Fox's quirkiest characters, instantly. The ensuing fight is brutal, difficult, and its one that the Fun Gang ultimately lose. Beloved character Undyne is abducted and taken to the bunker. It feels like the last fun adventure before everything gets serious.
Chapter 4, then, lives up to that promise. It's not without its silliness, of course, but the Dark Sanctuaries have a literally darker atmosphere, the words of the prophecy ("THE LIGHT AND DARK, BOTH BURNING DIRE / A COUNTDOWN TO THE EARTH'S EXPIRE / BUT LO, ON HOPES AND DREAMS THEY SEND / THREE HEROES AT WORLD'S END") instilling the chapter with urgency and foreboding. There are multiple Dark Worlds and no quirky villain, just a desperate attempt to catch the Knight before they can take Kris's mother. It ends with the Knight successfully summoning a Titan, which literally threatens the end of the world if it isn't stopped, and the reveal that the prophecy, which has correctly predicted even the most minor interactions, does not end well. The game has taken a darker turn, and it's one that doesn't feel like it can go away.
Chapter 5, then... goes back to the goofy formula? I'd be exaggerating to call it bad; it's definitely well made, with good artwork, music, and gameplay (and a delightful secret boss). The entire hometown sequence at the beginning is excellent, heartwarming in spite of the palpable tension hanging over it, and there are some excellent moments for Ralsei throughout. It made me laugh out loud a couple of times. But that sense of urgency that the previous chapter had is completely gone. An episode focusing on Asgore could be a great way to reveal something about the bunker, or Dess, or any of the other main plot threads, but the chapter is an unserious filler episode where the plot screeches to a standstill so we can spend time with... seven bland flowers, none of whom get the time to be fleshed out at all, while Asgore stays out of the picture. The moments where there could be some clarity or a payoff has Asgore speaking so vaguely that it genuinely broke my suspension of disbelief. Maybe I would've liked it more if it was an earlier chapter, but Chapter 4 has shown that Deltarune can be so much more than just goofy Dark World of the chapter adventures and it's a shame to see the game take such a step backwards, especially for this late in the game and after the note that Chapter 4 finishes on. The genuinely horrifying 20 minute weird route is more impactful than the entire Flower Kingdom Dark World.
Playing Chapter 4 for the first time was one of those perfect, formative, transcendent gaming experiences that I'm going to be thinking about for the rest of my life. I left it with the feeling - no, the knowledge - that Deltarune would be my favourite game ever made when it finished. Chapter 5 just exists, and with only two chapters left I don't know if Deltarune can stick the landing anymore.
