>>723103540
I think it comes down to nuanced characters built layer by layer by every line of dialogue and exposition.
Kris, Susie, and Noelle are so multifaceted and it's accomplished in like 1/50th of the time it takes a typical JRPG to do the entire arc of a character.
Realistically most of the potential of Deltarune is in character interactions/relationships. The Knight is cool mainly because their identity and motivation relative to their identity will necessarily shape the plot itself.
Then there's two-three wildcards: Gaster, Forgotten Man and the Human SOUL. Gaster/Forgotten Man are Chekhov's Guns for now mostly but very few games have ever done what Deltarune is doing with the soul, and I think Deltarune has done it way more interestingly than those other games (eg OFF).