Why a little indie game continues to teach us about being kind in a prejudiced world

For those who know me, you'll be aware I don't "game" that much, nor would I consider myself a "gamer" by any stretch. But there are a few exceptions to that rule - a select few games that have impacted me in a way I could never imagine, whether from story, characters, soundtrack, or the central focus on choice-based gameplay, which determines what kind of ending the player will get.

There are many games that have incorporated the choice-based mechanic, with varying methods and results. Examples of this include Life is Strange, Night in the Woods and Mass Effect. However, in my view, there is only one game that has not only mastered the choice-based mechanic, but perhaps revolutionised it and therefore influenced games that came after it. 

That game is "Undertale", an 8-bit-style indie game created by Toby Fox. 

 

Undertale was released in 2015 and is set in a world where humans and "monsters" live side-by-side until a war breaks out, and the victorious humans banish the losing monsters to live underground for eternity as punishment. The player controls a human protagonist who has mistakenly fallen into the underworld and must find a way to return home, all while encountering various characters/enemies on their journey.

This game plays on the classic genre of an RPG, turning the usual mechanics on their head by giving the player the option to spare enemies they encounter in battle, instead of only being able to win fights by killing their opponents. At the time, this was groundbreaking as it was unheard of for RPGs, and made the player psychologically question their moral choices while playing. Completely based on the player's choices throughout their journey, the game will end with either a Pacifist, Neutral or Genocide ending, where you will either have spared all enemies, killed all enemies, or a mix of the two. 

At first glance, the visuals of Undertale as well as the pun-based humour could put people off, regardless of the unique gameplay, but part of why I wanted to talk about it so much after ten years is to tell anyone - whether you're a veteran gamer or have never played a video game once in your life - that you should never judge a book by its cover and go into it with an open mind, and see how your own journey impacts you. 

Ironically, not judging a book by its cover is, in my opinion, one of the main themes of Undertale. It's hard to explain what I mean without spoilers, but ultimately the choice of sparing or killing enemies is deliberate, because it makes the player question whether they will take life just to get ahead or reach a particular goal. Regardless of what you choose, it affects the outcome of the game, and the outcome will leave you satisfied, empty, or on another plane of existence as you realise the impact of your mercy.

Another reason I wanted to talk about Undertale is because we are living in a very difficult world in 2026: politically, economically, environmentally, and of course in relation to war. I can only speak for the UK specifically here, but there is also a constant fear of judgement, bias and hostility because of who you are, based on your race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, disability etc., which means those on the receiving end are treading on eggshells all the time. However, most of those who are judgemental due to certain characteristics are not 'bad people', but simply misinformed, influenced by old-fashioned ideas or preconceptions about those who are 'not like them'.

One of the purposes behind Undertale is to make the player question their judgements, and stop to think before they make their opinions about the creatures they meet. If given the choice to kill or spare a person you'd just met, what would you do? What reasons do you have that makes your decision truly worth it? In other words, would killing every creature you meet in a genocide run of this game make you feel good about yourself? I can't touch on the results of that route without spoiling the story, but if you've played it, you know exactly how you'll feel. 

If you haven't played it, then I highly suggest you give Undertale a go. Even if you're someone who has rarely played games, or never played games in your life, don't let that put you off. The tutorials (tu-Toriels, I should say) teach the tactics well without influencing your choices too heavily, and the world-building, character depth, charm and humour is enough to pull in even the most sceptical of first-time players.

Undertale is a beautiful indie game that can be enjoyed for its fun and light tones as a way to help players escape from the intensity of the world right now. Because of all that, I don't want to make my promotion of it entirely heavy or politically-fuelled, but I will say that my recent nostalgic play-through reminded me of the times we live in and how we could learn a lot from a 'little indie game' like this, and how the smallest acts of kindness and non-judgmental attitudes can go a long way in making the world better than the one we live in right now. 

A newfound interest: is school librarianship the way to go?

I am in the final semester of my Library and Information Services Diploma, and one of my core modules focuses on the public, school and prison library sectors. As someone who has so far only worked in higher education libraries, I didn't think my interests would expand so widely to other sectors, but this course has opened my eyes to opportunities I would never have considered previously. 

Before beginning my course, I pondered roles in public libraries, browsing library assistant positions while working my front desk role at UWE Bristol in 2021-2023. I have also come to know the local libraries since my move to Weston-Super-Mare, getting to know their services and their nature as essential community hubs, even using them myself as a study space. 

During this time, I never quite considered the opportunities school libraries might have, or if they'd be of any relevance to me. While on my course, I learned more about the sector, including only recently discovering that primary and secondary schools in the UK are not legally required to have a library service, and instead leave it up to the school authorities on whether a library is "needed". As someone whose first memories of being in a library come from my primary school, this shocked me, and frightened me. After all, who is to say that the removal of school libraries won't eradicate the introduction or mere concept of reading to children?

Learning about the roles and responsibilities of existing school librarians during my module has opened my eyes to how much pressure is on their shoulders. This is not to say there is not great reward for what they do, but given the current crisis of reading and literacy for the UK's population, with only 30% of children saying they enjoy reading, there is an obligation for school (and public) librarians to improve these stats. However, as mentioned, there is also the potential for massive reward in the everyday work of librarians to ignite and support a love of reading in children. 

I have personally loved reading since I was a young girl, but was fortunate to be raised in a household where reading was encouraged on a daily basis, with my mum reading to me almost every night with a collection of books in the house. Nowadays, I am consistently reminded that not every child is so lucky, many of them living in financially difficult circumstances, where parents are unable to buy books, nor take them to a public library with so many of them being closed down or their hours being cut.

Thus, I am inspired by the work librarians do to advocate, promote and run the few library services UK schools provide, as they are the agents for reading as a discipline, hobby and love for children and others, in a time where reading is in danger of becoming a niche hobby, as stated by author Jacqueline Wilson. 

I never saw myself aiming for the role of school librarianship, but after hearing about the joy the library space can bring to children, many of them saying how it feels like a safe haven where they can hide away in their books, I'm keen to contribute to making that safe space a permanent ones in schools, so that new generations of children can experience the joy of reading in the same way I did, without their families having to worry about paying for books. 

After all, a right to basic literacy and the joy of reading should be free and accessible to all, with no exceptions, and want to champion that for the children of the world, not just the adults.

New Blog, New Start.

Hello!

Wow, it's been three years since I wrote a blog post or even looked at a blog. Why is that, I ask myself?

If I'm honest, writing about life and having the time for it has been near-impossible over the last few years. I've been working hard in my job, investing in my career by starting a new postgraduate course, moving house, finding new relationships, and having many contemplative, anxiety-ridden and panic-stricken moments about my future - all of which I haven't been writing down. So now I think it's time I start writing them down! 

Why now?

I was partly inspired to restart my blog by my postgraduate course: a Diploma in Library & Information Services Management. I'm in my final term and one of the modules requires a lot of reflective writing, where we evaluate our professional skills, what we've learned in the past, and how we can improve our skills now. For my portfolio assignment, I will have to reflect on various experiences in my career, both professional and personal, to evaluate the person I am now and use that to apply for jobs.

Not only has this encouraged me to reflect on my professional self, but also on my day-to-day life, and myself as a person. After so long not writing in my blog, I've realised how little I've reflected on myself generally, and I think now is the perfect time to get back into the habit, given my course completion is near and I'm keen to move into a new job once I'm qualified. 

Alongside studying for my Diploma, I have been working as a part-time Library Administrator at UWE Bristol. 2026 marks two years of being in this role, which feels mad, not only because of how quickly the time went, but because I didn't expect to remain in the role for this long. I either felt I would struggle too much with a job I had no prior experience in (I'd never worked in finance, reading list support etc.) or I'd find another role more local to me within a year. 

I am proud of how I persevered in my administrator role and excelled in areas I didn't think I would, but haven't yet secured another role despite getting various interviews. In a way, I'm glad I've had as much time as I have to feel like an expert in my role, as well as dedicate spare time to studying, so I can leave both my job and my course feeling completely prepared for the next step.

While working towards completion of my Diploma, I have taken up Careers Mentoring through the University of Sheffield, which has paired me with a voluntary mentor so they can offer careers advice, such as CV edits, interview tips, LinkedIn profiling, and help with job applications. Communicating with my mentor while studying and attending webinars from CILIP, British Library, and NLISN is allowing me to soak in as much knowledge and advice as possible. I feel more readily armed with the skills and awareness of the sector needed to progress in my LIS career, even if it's just the early stages.

Life outside my library career

I am currently living in the seaside town of Weston-Super-Mare, with my best friend for a housemate and an amazing boyfriend living ten minutes away. It's been surprising how at home I feel in this shabby yet charming town, perhaps because it reminds me of the equally shabby seaside town I grew up in, which also has its charm in many other ways. I've made friends here, learned about the local landmarks, and immersed myself in the local culture and coffee hideouts. But it's only a matter of time before I leave, likely to return to Bristol, so I plan to make the most of my remaining months here.

While living here, I've obviously dedicated most of my time to my job, course, and professional development, but I've also been writing in my spare time. Writing has been my passion since I was a child, hence my choice of university degrees in English/Creative Writing and Scriptwriting. While I haven't been writing quite as much as I did, due to focusing on my library career, I still write as much as I can in the evenings and weekends, and I'm pleased to announce a full-length novel is in the works. This project is an adult romantasy, taking inspiration from stories like Game of Thrones, Narnia, The Hunger Games, and adult animated works like Hazbin Hotel and Samurai Jack, and I can't wait to work on it further once my free time has increased.

How this blog will work

I will have two main pages for my blog posts.

One will be a personal/general blog, where I post about any daily musings, reflections, or random topics in my head at the time. I will also post about my writing, including any short-form or long-form fiction projects I'm working on (short stories, novellas, novels etc.), and potentially thoughts on books I've read recently (though I may make that a separate page to avoid overcrowding).

The other will be my professional career-focused page, where I reflect on any updates or news relating to my career in Library and Information Sciences - hence the name, 'LIS Blog.' I thought this would be a good way to have a space for ongoing reflections on my career, given this is important for continuous professional development, and to share my achievements and experiences with others who wish to read.

I don't currently have a schedule for how regularly I will post, but I will aim for once a month for both my personal blog and LIS blog.

Contact me!

One of the main reasons I'm starting this blog is to reinforce my connections and networking, both in the LIS sector and the writing/authors community. So if you want to get in touch to chat about anything I blog about, please go to my 'Contact' page and reach out via LinkedIn, Bluesky, or my email. 

I'd be really happy to hear from you and am open to chatting about anything and offer/receive any relevant career advice. For now, thank you for reading my first post and I can't wait to expand this blog further. :)