A dark, fantastical romantic comedy that focuses not just on falling in love, but rediscovering your past and the dangers of a supernatural world - where what's at stake is not just your heart, but also your life.
Very Positive
167 Steam reviews
| LANGUAGE | AUDIO | SUBTITLES | INTERFACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | — | Y | Y |
Finally finished all routes and all endings.
Coming from Gilded Shadows, which I liked only some of the characters/routes, I had moderate expectations starting the game but I ended up being pleasantly surprised by how taken I was with this game. Many routes had been gripping and I'm definitely glad I made the purchase!
My main gripe with the game would be the non-best ends. I find them very unrewarding and getting all the endings felt like a chore even with a guide, since they and are usually just [spoiler]dead ends that are short and feel utterly pointless. Would have liked them more perhaps if I got to see the dudes in anguish over Nora's death, but nothing of that throughout the game.[/spoiler]
This game has a compelling story, but it also SUCKS!
You get ONE choice in the entire story, and that's a hidden choice of Love Interest.
Once you made that choice, NOTHING you do will make ANY difference!
You can't hate your brother or let him die.
If you reject the guy who's story-line you accidentally chose every step of the way, he STILL kisses you.
You can't refuse to join the club.
You can't reject the whole thing and try and live your name normally.
You can't do your own thing without one or more of them breathing down your neck.
You can't make stupid choices.
You can't even join the actual Fae as far as I can tell thus far!
You have NO choices!
It may appear as if you do, but non of them matters one whit!! >_<
I don't care if you end up dying, you should be able to CHOOSE!!!
It's beyond annoying and idiotic that you can't.
I LITTERALLY choose to refuse to go near the brother, and yet somehow you end up changing your mind and walking with him ANYWAY!
And of COURSE it ends like that!
It goes directly against just about every choice I ever made, so of COURSE that's how it ends!
This SUCKS! >_<
If you want a story that someone else wrote and you might as well have picked up a book, then by all means buy this storybook disguised as a game.
But if you want CHOICES that MATTER, this game is not worth the pixles it was made with!
I love this story even though I always get a "bad" friendly ending almost with each character.
I love this story even if I left disappointed and sad after it.
I love this story and for me it it dealbreaker that even though I don't like romances I love everything else in it.
It's rare a bit creepy, but beautiful world and wide range of colorful characters cast.
One of the best FemMC, great side characters, dubious but charming love Interests.
I played through one route and didn't feel the need to try the others. Usually I like to 100% an Otome but I couldn't really find a positive with this one.
The characters were annoying, I loved the concept of being a changeling as a WOD fan but the way it was executed here wasnt compelling. I found it very youngchild/teen style writing, and to top it off the art was ugly.
I did try and give it a fair go, but just cant recommend this one.
Steamberry Stuidos makes some of the best visual novels I've ever played. The writing is amazing and the research and knowledge is just remarkable. I Love them all!
took me a while to get used to the animation style, but after a while i started to like it that way. finished all good endings except corvin, william's route was the best imo, marc and elliot's were great as well
This a fun visual novel. The female main character has a developed personality and there are other female characters she has an array of different relationships with, some good, some bad, some in-between. I could hear the inflection the characters would use when talking despite there not actually being voice acting, so strong writing in that regard. While some parts of the story overlap the routes they are still rather unique so it's worthwhile to play through each of them. I also enjoyed the music and there seem to be many different backgrounds/locations to see which help make the world come alive. I also really like that most characters who speak have portraits in this game (it is kind of a pet peeve of mine in VNs if only the romanceable or "important" characters get portraits, it makes the world feel small).
Two minor issues. I play in full screen mode, and sometimes if I click certain areas of my screen I am brought to my desktop, the game is still playing in a tab and I can easily resume playing right where I was. But this could be bothersome for some. Another small issue is sometimes it seems like the name does not match who is actually saying the dialogue, I've noticed later in the individual routes I've played thus far. This last thing is not really an issue just an observation, the icon for the game on my start menu used to be the unique design for the game, but for some reason it became a generic looking icon and has stayed that way ever since. When it first changed and the game randomly brought me to my desktop screen, I thought the game closed, but according to steam it was still playing, so I checked the icons of my opened apps again, and gave the generic looking one a try (a boring story none of you likely needed to hear, but hopefully it helps if you experience the same minor issues).
Otherwise, the only minor thing I'd add to this game is the ability to manage save data in-game. Idk about everyone else who plays visual novels, but I end up using all the save files by the time I play all the routes. It can be kind of difficult in later playthroughs.
I loved the characters and the fae lore twisted in the plot
Honestly I did this a bit backwards as i stumbled upon Gilded shadows first and completed a good chunk of that game before getting this one. would i recommend it? absolutely 100%, I have only completed Elliot and Marc so far, I am a bit disappointed about the uneven photos from these routes but having played one that has little lore versus one with more i can kinda understand.
love it
Fairy Romance before Fairy Romance was cool. Tell your cool friends.
thank god for the ending guides! very cool game, the story gets more interesting with each route <3 also do not play Elliots' first like i did cause ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ i really hated Spencer for most of my playthrough after that LOL
This is such a lovely game! I got it on a extreem sale. But i think its deff worth the full price as well! I look forward to more of these VN coming from this person that made this game and their other game that was AMAZING as well! recomend it if you have not played it
The Storywriting is really amazing and routes and characters are very thoughtful created. I was first not sure to buy it because the art level seemed behind but i came to love the art style especially with regard that this is a small Studio. What they did there is really great and for a first game this really is something all who love VN should check out.
A big praise to the mythological background. I'm a writer with focus on mythological backgrounds myself and this is a compelling and well researched take on Fae and Changeling mythology.
I played the demo way in the past but, after I bought the game, the story is a lot more interesting than I thought when first reading it. It is a dark and sometimes heavy game due to certain topics (which change a lot depending on the route and the choices you make), yet it's still enjoyable and honestly quite refreshing compared to most other story games. Changeling doesn't follow any tropes or cliches that I know of, which makes everything feel new (Which it is :P). Nothing feels overdone here to me.
I'm a sucker for an in-depth story and I love anything folklore, supernatural, or myth related. Every single one of the characters have surprised me, my first impressions were blown away since their stories and endings weren't what I was expecting based on what I first thought of them.
For those that are into things like this, I feel like you're in for an awesome game. I definitely would recommend this, I'm sure it'll surprise you. ^^
Love this game! From the moment I first picked up Changeling, I was absolutely hooked. The stories were just so interesting, and I just couldn't wait to play through every single route. Luckily, all the routes were awesome! Well-written and interesting. I also really enjoyed all the Shakespeare references, that was a cool touch. The characters are so delightful, and I love the chemistry the protag has with all the love interests. Amazing game!
Absolutely love! This is just wonderful! I decided to pause Gilded Shadows when I realized this was the save DEV/PUB. And I'm not at all disappointed. The only thing I wish for is more, haha. Basically, I'd love to read more of the lore and story - the world-building is so good that I'd easily play/read another game set in the same universe (completely different characters being totally okay; that's how good this development/build was). I truly loved each of the LIs, I didn't think I would, and it ended up being difficult to choose between them. Even the side characters, some of which you dislike/hate in some routes (tho it's still not often), I either still liked them very much, or they really were just so well-done that it didn't matter. There's so many ends, routes, options, etc. Another feat. The fact that, despite a skip-feature, and being able to skip what you've seen, there's still so much to see in the other choices you make - there's plenty of story to go around, basically. I love it.
A great visual novel with a dark fantasy modern setting. I like all the references to folklore (and the twist the developers gave on it). Nice storytelling, interesting characters and so many endings... Yes, that includes (many) bad endings, and dying is one of them. Romance is included, but I think it is a great plus that it is part of the story, not THE story, if that makes sense. The characters are teenagers, so obviously they are a bunch of hormones. But ending up as friends with the characters is far more likely if you go through the game blindly (i.e. not following a guide), and that is great in my opinion. And well, I think it is hilarious if the vampires are clearly not liking modern literature (thank goodness, they don't sparkle...)
I should have posted this review here YEARS ago, and looking through past games, I realized I needed to highlight Changeling, especially during the Summer Sale.
You know you like a game when you spend an entire week sleep deprived because you stayed up way too late playing it every single night. It’s the video game version of the “just-one-more-page” phenomenon that plagues bibliophiles. And that was my life because as soon as I started playing my advance copy of Changeling, I was hooked.
PROS:
- Beautiful acrylic-brush style artwork with varied backgrounds and diverse character designs (both ethnic and fashion).
- Lovely music that helped set tone and gave clues as to which choice may lead to a good or bad ending.
- Rich storytelling and dialog with a lot of humor and witty banter as well as drama.
- Relatable and interesting heroine with a personality. (No Lamps here!)
- Diverse but believable love interests who run the gamut of personality but are all decent people whom I could see having a relationship with.
- Unique storylines for each love interest (Playing through all of them adds extra tidbits to their stories without requiring you to play the entire game to get the full story.)
- Reaching the Good/Friendship or Good/Romantic endings is pretty intuitive, so I had less fear of stumbling into something horrible.
(minor) CONS:
- The amount of text sometimes distracted from appreciating the artwork and changing expressions on the sprites. (I’m a fast reader and it took me about 4 hours to get through a single route, so slower readers may want to take that into account when playing.)
- Sometimes Nora and her romantic lead look a little odd in the CGs, but the artwork is still beautiful. (I think that’s because I got so used to seeing them from one angle that a new angle seemed strange at first glance.)
- The number of endings seems heavily weighed towards Bad and Tragic endings. Each character only gets one (or maybe two) Friend and one Romance ending, but some of them can have seven or more Bad/Tragic endings, which seems a bit excessive. (This does seem to be fairly typical for visual novels, so it wasn’t completely unexpected. In any story, it’s always easier for things to go wrong than right.)
- Not being able to get access to all 6 routes at once requires some backtracking, which is doable with the right saves, but still takes a little time so be prepared for that. (Hint: Be sure to create a save when you reach school.)
Read more longer, more detailed review on my blog Second Unit Reviews: https://secondunitreviews.wordpress.com/2019/01/25/advance-praise-for-changeling/
Haha, like many here, I wasn't super sure about the art and more "high school" setting of this one (so sorry ><), so I got Gilded Shadows instead. And... played it obsessively. For HOURS. Then when I was finally done, even though the Steam sale was but a few weeks away, I immediately got this VN because this author is amazing and I figured even if this was an earlier project, their writing and level of detail and just AMAZING storytelling would probably make this a knockout as well.
I wasn't disappointed!! >o<
It IS different. This one felt a bit more to me like you had to solve the puzzle of the route to get the best ending (which you CAN do without a guide- the game will give you hints throughout the route), and as mentioned- it's highschool, so the scope is smaller and it's not quite so spicy- more on the fluff side. xD HOWEVER, it's soooooo worth it, oh my gosh. There is a little bit at the beginning that is the same regardless of route, but pretty quickly, you'll find you're dealing with interesting and different problems on each route. PLUS, of course, the characters you interact with are just sooooo lovable. <3 And hilarious! It's definitely a sweet, sappy, romantic romp with a little tongue-in-cheek teasing at some of the tropes it's playing off of, and it's a delight. And despite it being highschool, the characters are actually smart, so you don't have to worry about seeing the same dumb patterns over and over again. They have braincells and personalities! (Shame that's where the bar is, but trust me, it's good. xD)
Also, after playing Gilded Shadows, I came over here and loved the art? So I don't know what's wrong with us. xD It's more of a fairytale book style. Maybe it's that it tries to make more realistic-looking people, which isn't the norm? But then once I acclimated to that, I was loving it. The music was also simple, but I found it very touching.~
ANYWAYS, TLDR, get this!!! <3 Let's share it around and give it the attention it deserves. >o<
Eu amo tudo que essa mulher faz <3
Vim jogar esse jogo apos terminar o trabalho mais novo dela e obviamente não me decepcionei. Amei toda a historia e como cada rota tinha seu gostinho especial, não consigo nem ao menos escolher um favorito, porque tudo é tão bom!
OMG
OMG
For once- heroine has a BRAIN! Get it? She actually has a brain and she knows how to use it!
She is in one word : fantastic MC I love her sarcasm, her emphaty, her character, not to much not to little of everything. Perfectly balanced with spice of her own unique personality. Haaaaaa... And oh mama, personally for me, this surprise when starting the game and there she is... redhead with green eyes. I nearly cried from happiness.
Writing is so good that even slightly cliche things like you know, this all amnesia thing on the beggining, so amazingly wrapped together I let it go immidietly. I love writers who never forgot about those tiny detailes, which always forgotten in plenty VN's are giving me annoying itch in the brain. Conciderate plenty of possibilities and giving me an actuall reason why MC decided for that one particular or other and not only because writer says so, to push situation in the way they want. All MC actions they have sense. They all suitble to the story and her character.
Damn I m charmed. And wait... I forgot it actually has romance in it. THAT GOOD :)
I m far from finishing all of 44 endings but I have this feeling it wan't be my first night in fron of my screen
So far 10/10 and I can't even say much about plots and all stories
Style is like in AMNESIA- same story line but different chocies are taking you to different plots and of course endings.
It's very good but I sometimes get the error in some of the scenes
I really enjoyed this game!
The MC is funny and relatable, and it was cute to see how she connected with the love interests in each of the routes. I feel like in some games like this the MC mirrors the love interest too much or is too permissive of their shenanigans, and it takes me out of the story a bit each time. While Nora is a little different with each of the guys, IMO it never feels forced--she just treats them a little differently because they are different people. And she is definitely not a doormat.
The worldbuilding and story are also great. Lots of interesting fantasy elements! We are all familiar with the fairytale/supernatural tropes at this point, and a lot of that is (obviously) present, but there are twists that make it interesting.
Definitely recommend picking this up!
Pro:
Plot was engaging with all routes having distinct storylines
Lis are all different and offer their own unique character dynamic with MC
Neutral
MC acts like a typical teenager, can be hit or miss depending on your tolerance and personal taste
Her brother is even more hit or miss with his behavior (though explained in the story), development is varied over different routes
No way to look at past text without scrolling back
Con
Not a lot of CGs
Wish there was more length to some of the endings, felt kind of abrupt
I've only played through two endings so far and I love it. To summarize, I'm new to visual novels but I can be picky when it comes to them. I'm easily swayed by the initial look and vibes of VNs regardless of what the story is about. This one is a little older and you can probably tell what inspired it's story. By no means is that bad, If anything it made me nostalgic. I think this story surpasses it's teen YA romance impressions and goes into interesting lore and situations with it's characters and this one is a pretty extensive VN to start with.
The main characters internal conflict is compelling. I like knowing the character is going through something and how it ties into the romanceable characters. The love interests have their own problems as well, and apparently (according to other reviews) getting the "good ending" where you end up with the guy you like isn't easy. So if you're expecting a self explanatory dating sim, keep that in mind.
I have only played Ewan's route so far and didn't end up with him but the way the story played out was believable to me. Sometimes you can't just jump into a relationship after a harrowing ordeal, no matter how much you like each other. So yeah, i'll try again, and maybe look up some guides if i get desperate, but I liked the adventure.
The second ending I got was [spoiler]♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ dying[/spoiler], which I didn't expect. But it explains the amount of potential endings you can get. So yeah be reckless, it's fun.
Amazing game!
great story plot
11/10.
Liked it a lot. Ewan's root is the BEST, you cannot change my mind.
P.S. Twins cannon be different genders, so which one of them has a dirty little secret? :D
Ich war etwas zwiegespalten bei dieser Story Novel: Auf der einen Seite ist es wirklich richtig, richtig gut und einfach nur HAMMERgenial, auf der anderen Seite hat es doch einige Punkte die mich etwas gestört haben.
- Pro: Man hat die freie Wahl mit welchem Charakter man eine Romanze anfangen mag (oder auch nicht). Stichwort: Buch-Auswahl. 6 männliche Romanzen stehen zur Verfügung. Nette sehr unterschiedliche männliche Optionen.
- Pro: Wunderschöne, fantastische Zeichnungen. Ein sehr ansprechender, etwas "anderer" Zeichenstil. Satte Farben.
- Pro: "Tiefe", glaubwürdige, interessante und fesselnde Charaktere. Die Protagonistin, die Romanzen-Optionen, wie auch alle anderen waren sehr gut gemacht. Und auch einfach sympathisch (bzw. manchmal auch nicht). Die Beweggründe und das Verhalten dieser Charaktere wirkten für mich immer sehr echt.
- Pro: Die Welt, die Geschichte an sich, die gesamte Atmosphäre packt einen sofort. Die "Magie" wird außerdem glaubhaft dargestellt und wirkt nicht aufgesetzt oder unecht.
- Pro: Sprachlich hat mir dieser Story Novel sehr gefallen. Mein Englisch ist nicht top, aber ich hatte den Eindruck daß es wirklich sprachlich etwas anspruchsvoller war, ohne so schwer zu werden, daß ich nicht mehr mitkam.
- Pro: Subtiler, feiner Humor. Situationskomik, die aber nie albern wirkte. Echt gut gemacht. Stichwort: Frettchen. :-))
- Contra: Wenn man ein bestimmtes Ende will, dann muss man einen Guide dazuholen. Hier bei Steam gibt es zum Glück einen guten. Das mag ich aber nicht wirklich: Wieso kann ich nicht anhand der Auswahlmöglichkeiten selber ein wenig bestimmen (erkennen) in welche Richtung das Ganze gehen wird. Manchmal wirken die Fragen alle total gleich (!) und sucht man eine Antwort aus und hat ein tolles Ende und wenn man die (irgendwie) gleiche andere Antwort aussucht hat man ein schlimmes Ende. Ich mag das gar nicht, wenn man eine Story Novel so komplett mit Guide spielen MUSS. Finde ich ein wenig sinnlos .... und stört mich persönlich sehr.
- Contra: Ich habe nur 2 von den 6 möglichen Romanzen gemacht, da die anderen 4 einfach nicht mein Ding waren. Trotzdem haben mir ein paar "Auflösungen" einfach gefehlt ... z.B. was ist / wird mit der fiesen Kara? Die Eltern hätten zumindest hin und wieder etwas mehr auftauchen können.
- Contra: Ich mochte die Protagonistin, ABER hin und wieder war sie mir einfach etwas zu sehr im Zicken-Modus. Meistens ein echt netten, umgängliches Mädchen mit einer frechen Art, wurde es doch hin und wieder zuviel und sie wurde zu einer richtigen Zicke. Da wunderte man sich doch wie die Typen da so ruhig und umgänglich bleiben konnten .... kam aber zum Glück nicht oft vor.
Diese Story Novel ist so hervorragend und auf einem so hohen Niveau, da kann man über die Schwachstellen durchaus hinwegsehen und einfach eine tolle Zeit haben.
Was fun going through all the routes. Great story and graphics.
Unexpectedly fun! I enjoyed the different avenues and the different perspectives it gave.
If you are into Faes and otherworldy beings along with a spot of teenage romance and angst, this could be the game for you. The common storyline follows a final year high school student as she starts transforming into a Fae just before Halloween, and the help and support she gets from a group of friends, some of whom have gone through similar experiences. As the heroine, you get to choose to share that path with another member of your group so there are many different and possible endings, some good, some romantic, and some not so good, and at least one is very abrupt and unexpected. There could be as much as 35 hours of play here, depending on your choices and game style. The skip button is fantastic when you want to do a replay with a different outcome.
The artwork is simple and attractive, as is the background music, though you could find it tedious if you don't turn it down low as there are plenty of opportunities to find the different outcomes so the game has a lot of replayability. There are also plenty of save spots, because from early on in the game, your choices do become significant. You can also influence the development and maturity of your character through the way you react to situations, bearing in mind you are playing a 17 year old girl with all the conflicting emotions that not-quite-an-adult age naturally has, without the added supernatural ingredient.
However this game does have a dark side to it as it explores coming to terms with who and what you are, and contains quite a bit of lore to back this up. This makes it an adult game, rather than a teen romance and the content is a lot more serious than many other visual novels touching on these themes. I am enjoying it, your mileage may be different, but I have no hesitation in recommending it if this is what you look for in a CYOA visual novel.
(This review is based on GOOD ENDINGS ONLY. I hate bad ends, so you can be the one in charge reading them. ENJOY!)
Come here, come all, allow me to share my opinion with you all!
I am not going to describe the game for you nor the game play nor what's in it, as you already have access to that stuff.
What I will say is this: You have six male characters routes and depending on options chosen, you go to that one route selected. Each route is individual, but some things you may already know from other routes.
I myself started off with Marc's route... I shouldn't have... BECAUSE THAT WAS THE BEST ROUTE. These TWO are MADE FOR ONE ANOTHER. Both are snarky and the drama between them? WORKED. I don't care for drama... Maybe a little... Depending... But this route... I couldn't stop reading it!
But can it get better? That's up to you. For me... After Marc's route I couldn't find anyone as good or better. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy myself. I still read through other personalities/stories and allowed myself to explore this world more.
I wouldn't say ALL options are based on romance... For example: William's route? It's psychological horror. Don't worry, if I can play it? You can survive it. Why he no qualify? Uhm... This route didn't have much "romantic touches". THERE IS NO KISSING EITHER. I made up my own kiss scene!!! I went to the forums and saw that William is actually as*xual... In a romance game... Really? How... How will that work out later on in life........? I mean if it does, GREAT! But I just don't see it.
What I really liked: MERLE! GOODNESS DAMN THAT Guy is hot. He also looks Asian when he laughs... FAIRY MEN!!!!!! NEVERMIND hating fairies! I am going to party with those guys! Especially when they look like that?! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! (I mean the Doppelgangers). Ewen can join in as well.
Also Corvin's pout... Marc's interesting personality and his charm on screen... Even in other routes... Disregarding that he is blonde...
Let's just say every other character had something to offer or tick you off... I felt like Elliot was more of a submissive "good boy"... But I know there are people who like that...
OH! Kaya is amazing too! I would like to know her story, as well as Merle's! BRENNA -> MUST KNOW TOO!
Spencer was a mean beep... But then again... I know how that can be. (Don't look at me like that).
There was a lot of references to Vampires being cann... (people eaters...) But um... They aren't the same species? But okay... I am just confused as to how "biting" is attributed to that... That's why I truly wish that Best Ends had both Marc and Elliot have a bite scene... But then again................ They were going for something else and I can't blame them for that. This is where my imagination comes in.
So overall... It was pretty good and I actually picked up new words for my vocabulary! (Thanks!) I can't say I was thrilled all the time, but there is no such thing anyway.
Thank you for entertaining me for quite some time and have fun to keep on having fun!!! :D =) :>
I LOVE Changeling! Every route I played has an exciting and new take on the old paranormal tales I know, if you want to date hot vampires, werewolves, psychics, wizards or fae this is your Visual Novel.
This is a really good story and I love how each LI route the story changes a little and you find most the story itself! The art is good and the setup of everything is nice too! I would defiantly tell anyone who likes a good mystery, supernatural romance story that this is a must buy!
A really well written story. There were a few times where I felt like the story was a bit rushed, and could have benefited from another chapter or two per route, but I was never dissatisfied with the conclusions. There wasn't a single main character that I disliked, and I appreciated Nora's sense of humor. Altogether, reading this was a really enjoyable experience.
Changeling is one of my favorite otome games, and I can not recommend it enough!! The MC, Nora, was a delight to play as. She’s funny, assertive, and realistically flawed. Her relationship with her brother Spencer was one of my favorite parts of the game (I love, love complicated sibling relationships).
The love interests were great. I genuinely enjoyed all of their routes. The romantic development was wonderful in each one and never felt forced to me. William and Marc were my personal favorites. I loved how unexpextedly sweet Marc was and how he and Nora bantered with each other. And William was just a complete sweetheart; I wanted to hug him so bad lol. It was always hilarious to watch William’s and Marc’s expressions change whenever they’d hear Nora’s thoughts. It was subtle detail but a very good one!
I also enjoyed the main mystery and the different ways it unravelled across the routes. Things could get delightfully creepy at times (looking at you William’s route).
Overall, Changeling was a great game! It has a special place in my heart, and I’m very fond of all the characters. Definitely play it!
Sometimes when I play a game by a developer of a game I really like, I end up really disappointed. I love Gilded Shadows by Steamberry Studio, so I was a bit nervous about trying Changeling (by the same developer). However, there was no reason to worry. The game is excellent: good art, compelling plot, and charming characters.
Good! Give it a chance even if you're not big on the art style.
I really like the lore of the game, evolution of the characters, art and soundtrack
Este juego me enseño que las hadas son unas hijas de puta y deben ser víctimas de un genocidio.
Recomendado
Reaally love this game. Though we have some typical charcters for a dating sim and the main character is annoying sometime, the stories are really good and interesting. Would have loved to have some achievements to unlock but other than that i enjoyed it very much.
I love this VN -- it's the perfect mix of interesting characters, romance, and an overall mystery. I also really love how each route feels like it's own route and not a constant repeat with a few changes!
This game is so fun, I love this game, I originally got the preview of the game on itch and buying it was definitely worth it. (see playtime)
Ok, I make this short. The game looks great, the story is interesting, the development, all would be an 8/10. But. There is something I really, passionately hate in games like this. You absolutely HAVE to give 100% the right answers to get the "Good" Ending (meaning where you have the romance ending.) You cannot guess the right answers, you can be as friendly with the romance char as you wish, but you have to mindright him, aka without the Walkthrough you will likekly get a bad "friendzone" ending.
And I am sick and tired of games with love interest doing that. I don't want to play a game with a walkthrough to have a good ending, I want to be able to know the right answers from the game itself. It just sucks. So I have my "forever alone ending" and feel like ♥♥♥♥.
Thanks for nothing.
10/10 Good stuff.
If a fan of teen romance/young adult style reads then give this a try. I personally adore the lore of "modern fantasy" and the art is different in a good way. There's lots of replay value; but utilizing a guide would be ideal if trying to get onto route and endings specifically.
A great visual novel! The art style somehow made my brain first assume this game would be unpolished or amateur, but I'm glad I gave it a fair try because it's well-written and very polished. Tons of content - 6 routes each of which is probably 3-4 hours or more, especially if you try out all dialogue choices and try to get all endings. A classic setting (high school seniors with normal school problems + they are secretly supernatural beings) but with some very non-cliche choices regarding its protrayal of the supernatural, and with healthy relationships and good relationship development. Every one of the guys is at least a little sweet, if not a complete cinnamon bun.
Having played the good endings for 4 of the guys and all the endings for 2, I feel confident with giving a review at this time. The story is richly detailed and I've definitely enjoyed the bits of folklore woven throughout it. I also like the artwork and music. Each guy has something about them and it's been fun getting to know what makes them tick. Sometimes Nora's sharp tongue is a little too sharp but overall, I really like her as a MC. If the person reading this likes otome visual novels and a modern take on folklore, I'm sure they would enjoy this game.
This game. THIS GAME. It's so good, you guys.
The game is great all around: the art is gorgeous in its cozy design and shading, both for backgrounds, sprites and CGs (THAT HAIR! I know from experience and just by looking at it that that hair and skin took a lot of work!); the music is mysterious and although somewhat repetitive, it still sets an incredible mood; the UI is pretty and it's all easy to grasp. But the writing...
If you're like me and you put writing above all else, do yourself a favor and pick up this game. It's SO good. There's just something about it that speaks to me on an intimate level. The prose is detailed and the inner thoughts really let you get to know Nora (the MC, whose name you can change) really well. Each route has its different story and plot, but it's still kept together by a cohesive central conflict. The dialogue is snappy and funny but it can also get very emotional (*sobs* William). The boys are many things: developed, fun, funny, sympathetic... and while at other times you may want to strangle them (looking at you Marc (I still love you <3)), not a single LI has left me cold. This is rare for me, yet here we are. I love them all for different reasons, and it's a big strength of the writing. Of course, I'm not saying everyone is going to love all of them, it's just my experience. But my point is, this whole style and story and cast of characters is so up my alley it's ridiculous.
Also, I feel I must conclude all of this by saying that I only played the good romance endings. I'm planning a second, more thorough playthrough of the bad ends (pray for me) and the friendship ends. But honestly, even if I play it all, I doubt I'll come to the conclusion that it's not a good game anymore. It is.
If you're a fan of this genre, please get it. I love it to bits! And I can't wait for more games from this studio! :D
good enough
后知后觉回来改个差评。Ewan线最后还是没回来推，因为不想再冒坐牢的风险。少量人设亮点实在没办法补足其他各方面的缺陷，经典的不乐意做乙向一点的剧情，非要重点搞一些不知所谓的亲情羁绊；然后还没有足够的实力讲好，花了好大的篇幅，故事却让人一点也不感兴趣。
----------
原评↓
虽然选了推荐，但实际上游戏体验和之前的预期的确存在一些差距。
[spoiler] [strike] 我是不会说我原本是抱着玩点无脑甜饼的心情随意地买了这游戏的（草 [/strike] [/spoiler]
↑如果有人抱着同样的心情，快跑，在这里是得不到快乐的（悲
目前只通了Marc的he线路，如果再玩的话可能会考虑Ewan线，其他的人设实在是没能戳到xp，全成就无望系列。
不过如果要充分理解游戏里每一种奇幻种族的设定的话，通完全线应当能有更好的认知。
以下是一些我流理解，可能含有轻微的模糊剧透。
整体来说，游戏把重心放在了讲述一个带有悬疑色彩的奇幻故事上，围绕着女主的自我身份重新认知、与双胞胎兄弟之间存在的龃龉和一系列谜团展开。在英文评测区里看到高赞认为romance部分“绝对是重要组成部分之一，只是有点慢热”，我个人并没有太感受到这一点，甚至在某几个场景里一度怀疑恋爱部分完全只是个用来推主线的工具罢了。
乙游常常偏重的甜饼向描写被弱化的十分慢热且稀薄。单论Marc线，发展可以说是究极慢热而且流于表面，其描写十分之矜持纯情加浅尝辄止，是拿给未成年小朋友观看都毫不担心的程度（前提是不会被一些画风清奇的立绘和设定吓一跳）。
我个人还是挺吃慢热纯情发展的，但是推进、转折和结局都十分之仓猝，花了大量笔墨强调的身世谜团解开了，姐弟长达数年的矛盾也折腾明白了，然后就大功告成，匆匆给个cg打发就当做he了——一时有点不知道该说什么系列。我个人觉得如果故事足够精彩的话，那弱化感情部分我也意见不大；然而整个剧情设计给我留下的印象就是雷声大雨点小，仿佛一拳锤在棉花上。更不用提其中花了不少的时间查询一些奇怪的词汇，体验就很一言难尽。（本质菜鸡，痛苦面具已经戴起来了）
然后不得不说说画风问题。玩过unmoor之后我原本感觉我对这种近似画风的接受度大大提升，这方面再也不会造成困扰...才怪。可攻略角色的立绘我权且尽力接受了；然而剧情内一些非人类种族npc的立绘，各种意义上的震撼我妈，一度怀疑我玩的可能是个恐怖游戏......速效救心丸，我的速效救心丸（尔康手
虽然但是，感性部分的脑回路对于我决定对一个乙游的印象起了挺大作用，毕竟乙游对我来说是一种被用以日常放松精神的途径。要在这部分获得加分，就得取决于角色人设立的怎么样。别人暂且不太了解，但Marc的塑造最终还是有香到。十分老套且经典的白富帅高冷吸血鬼设定，配上了我原称之为（也许并不是一个恰当的形容，但暂且只想到这词）brat的属性，当然还有无敌的读心术，这种相处模式确实是有点可爱...suki。但也正是因为有了这样的设定更显得剧本完全没进行任何稍微深入一点的展开...（怨念增加了
或许等我（有朝一日）推了Ewan线再来更新补充。
最后提一句最好不要想不开原价入，这个定价个人觉得真心不太值当。以上。
Have only barely explored the routes and I already love this game!
Love the storytelling
<3 from Ori
I have a hard time recommending this game - for various reasons. If you're interested in playing it, buy it on sale (if you really must), otherwise, it's not worth it.
Firstly, I'm only focusing on the story, not the artwork or overall gameplay (though it will get an honerable mention).
[h1]TL;DR[/h1]
MC is unlikeable. Story is dull and mostly not that interesting (skipped my way halfway through to at least finish one route). Music was okay, but not that good. Choices didn't matter, only for getting different character endings, not for the story.
If you're a teenager, you'll enjoy this. Otherwise, it's really not that good and too childish. "Dark" is not the word I'd use to describe the game, more like "light-hearted" and "funny with sometimes forced humor". The Brownie was cool, though.
So yeah, if you want the explanation for these points, prepare yourself for a wall of text. When I rant, I rant thouroughly.
[h1]The longer explanation[/h1]
Buckle your seatbelts, this is going to be a ride.
Starting with the [b]MC[/b]. For me, this is one of the two most important things in a VN - if I don't like a MC, I have a hard time liking the whole VN itself. It sounded like I was promised a more western MC, and with that I mean someone who can stand up for herself without being ignorant or lacking empathy. And here, I was utterly disappointed. The MC in this story is just... weird. Can I say that? Yeah, weird is the best word for her.
I think she's supposed to be a normal teenager, nice, understandable, quirky and so on (yeah, she's not like other girls *sigh*). To [i]me[/i], she's soft, sometimes spineless (The reason: [spoiler]Her brother treated her like sh** for 5 years, and she's still concerned about him? In my mind, it doesn't make sense. Stop giving him chances, ffs. His messed up behavior is excused later in the story, but... meh. I hate it that I have no other choice than to forgive him. I hate that brat.[/spoiler]) and a brat you just want to grab at the shoulders and shake her. If you're interested in an example: [spoiler]She's okay with endangering three "strangers" to help her get back to normal, just because... she's feeling that she was treated unfair? So that justifies this? They're risking their lifes here, and you just want to... yeah, ok, that's fine, don't even think about it. Who are these people, anyway. They oblieged to help you, right, I mean, they're fairies. My god. At least take a moment to think about it.[/spoiler]
In the beginning, I liked her. Really, I did, but the turning point was the day when she discovered that she wasn't human. She behaved really, really weird, what she said and did didn't make any sense. And after that, it only got worse. You get the impression of someone who speaks without thinking, or who is only concerned about herself (honestly, sometimes, she is). Her attitude changes in this story sometimes as well.
So yeah. Me no likey.
Onto the next point!
The [b]story[/b]. Honestly, it started well, but than it got. So. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. Boring. Most scenes feel like they're just there to fill the story with [i]something[/i], they don't contribute anything to the story - and strangely, those who [i]do[/i] are way to short. I have to wait a ridicously amount of time to get to the thrilling part (or, in other words: The part where this whole damn plot is starting to make sense). Look at my playtime. I really tried, I did, but I took several breaks to do something interesting instead because I got bored or annoyed. If you want some examples, here they are:
1. MC learns what she may (or may not) be. [spoiler]Her reaction is, as described above, ridiculous. Afterwards, she tries to "research" about these things, and there are so many scenes where nothing happens, she... just sits in the library and is reading, maye talking to her LI. Skip those scenes, read the journal after, and you're totally fine.[/spoiler]
2. Most of the dialogues are pointless. They're joking, they're talking about hot chocolate, school, and discussing things that aren't necessary. Way to fill up the word count, I guess. If you do it, do it in a way that I am still interested in reading these things.
3. Another example for bad storytelling is in Ewan's Route. BEWARE, Spoiler ahead (and I don't want to put it behind black bars, so you've been warned).
MC is a changeling. You might have guessed from the title, but wait for it. The MC's body is swapped (or her soul? Didn't quite catch the part because SOMEONE had the GLORIOUS idea to explain the important part about the whole changeling thing in a heavy scottish accent. As a non native english speaker, I have a hard time understanding the words), but they told her more than once that she may lose her memory after that happend. Yep. Happened. She loses it for exactly 10 minutes, after that, she recalls everything without any missing memories, like, in an instant. That's just... I'm sorry, it's dumb. She was swapped back, recalls everything immediately (would have been more interesting if she really lost her memory) and JFC, it took SO long to get to part where something interesting happens! Even though all the characters are talking about that she's still in danger, the fairies will want her back... Like, guys, were you even trying to tell a thrilling story? Did you have fun writing this?
END OF SPOILERS
These are the main points - and yeah, I'm still annoyed by the third point, in case you didn't notice.
Something to add: This story is not dark. Not in any way. Vampires who don't bite (you can get an ending where they do, but... they're not doing it once in the story). Werewolves who are a whole lot like Jacob from Twilight. A wizard who is clumsy. And a [spoiler]dullahan[/spoiler] who has a bakery. This story is as bright as a story with this theme can be. Some endings can be dark, that's true, but not dark enough to justify this description.
Concerning the romance aspect: The story doesn't give you many romantic scenes. Most of the scenes are cute, but not romantic (they're acting like a bunch of 14 or 15 year olds when they're supposed to be (almost) 18). The amount of CG's depend on the route you're playing, I figured out that much. Most of the time, what the characters do is pointless and annoying, so yeah, not many romance on that front, sorry to disappoint. The story focuses heavily on the MC and her past, which is not that bad, but the romance in this [i]romantic[/i] comedy is suffering from this point.
I don't understand the choices in this game, either. They have no effect. It doesn't matter what you click, MC is doing still the thing that gets the story going. You want to ignore someone? MC thinks about it, then turns around and still talks to this person. Why giving me choices in the first place, when they don't even matter? That's really disappointing.
Oh, and the only character who was likeable was Brenna. Go on Ewans Route, you'll see. If u don't want to: [spoiler]She just tells the MC in the face what kind of bs she's thinking, doing, etc. - I just love her. For example, the MC is trying to explain fairies what she learned about them and changeling, and Brenna interupts her that the MC doesn't know anything just because she researched something in human books. My heart. I want to romance Brenna.[/spoiler]
The others are just a bunch of teenagers who don't behave like a bunch of teenagers. They're behaving like they're either in middle school or some really, really boring adults. Not even one party? Come on!
The Brownie was cute. I loved it to pieces because it annoyed Spencer so much. Serves him right.
So yeah, that basically concludes it all. These are the things I didn't like about this game. There are more VN out there who are far better than this, and they even cost less. So if you're ready for a teenage drama, go for it - but don't pay 16€ for it.
A young, teen girl would likely enjoy this. It is an interesting story with a subpar execution. I consider it a waste of money, as I couldn't even finish the game. I'm glad I bought it on sale.
The negative...
The main character is a stereotypical whiny, bratty teen girl, but annoyingly exaggerated. Her responses to situations are over the top and unrealistic, which detracts from the story. She acts far too childish for a senior in high school. The other characters' personalities--including the romance options--are cliche and boring. The dialogue, and writing overall, lacks depth and realism.
The positive...
The art is okay, and the music is enjoyable, although it doesn't fit with the story very well. I really appreciated the nod to Christina Rossetti's 'Goblin Market.'
I highly recommend this game. It is really amazing on many levels. The art is so unique and refreshing. I love that it is not too anime style (don't get me wrong, I LOVE anime but it is nice to see something different). I normally don't like "fae" related plots but this one spoke to me for some reason.
The MC is smart, witty, and useful (she has a few "damsel" moments but they are sincere and make sense), and she grows with the story. The ROs are also well written and feel so...real! I started off thinking I would do the few that piqued my interest initially through the common route but I ended up doing all of them since the writing is awesome (also, the creators are really nice and seems like amazing people).
Give this game the chance it deserves because it is worth your time and money. I honestly can't wait to play the next game Steamberry Studio is working on! ^A^
Changeling is a gem that is often overlooked due to the art not being in line with flat paint choices that most otoge players are used to. And I get that. But the thing is the art is reflective of the Grimm fairy-tale-like storybook plot and feel that this VN gives to us. The multitude of choices, the expansive story, the realistic characters, and detailed writing bring several different plots together to make something truly beautiful.
As if I didn't praise it enough, let's check out what I consider the good, bad, and in-between for Changeling.
Good: So many choices. Each route has roughly 40 choices, with only a handful of them being for flavor. Skip feature is super fast and stops at unread text, a feature that is often overlooked in indie games. Amazingly fleshed out story and characters that I got lost in the world multiple times. Practically error-free, there were a few, but minor and far between. Ending list and CGs that link to the scenes, not even commercial otome all have these features. Strong MC who does as much saving as she needs saving, and that's awesome. Great romance/plot ratio without one overshadowing the other.
Bad: Inconsistent art in regards to CGs. Can't take computer pictures, you have to use the Steam picture snap feature and I'd just rather use my own desktop.
In-Between: I was disappointed with the choices we're given for LIs; vampires and werewolves are extremely popular, but a game about Changelings with a Dullahan LI should have had some more exotic Cryptics, imo. Highly detailed sprites and backgrounds, which can turn some people off, but they were beautiful to me. Long game with many endings (about 40 hours with about 50 endings). Very chaste game, if you're looking for heavy petting this will not be the game for you. Why does everyone have side-parted hair? Is this a fashion statement?
For serious, I didn't even want to pick up this game originally, but eventually got convinced after months of friends suggesting it and went for it. It has made second tier on my favorite VNs. I'm intending to buy the lorebook the dev has on itch.io. I can't get enough of this world that has been given to us. It takes a good writer/artist to bring you into their fantasy, and I feel like I've always belonged here. It is totally worth the chance.
Если вы сомневаетесь, то советую все же сыграть. Это хорошая история с примесью мистики, детектива, драмы и конечно же романтики. Кто-то писал, что ее здесь недостаточно, а я скажу, что как раз в пределах хорошей нормы. История балансирует между рассказом о существах и поиском себя и чувствах между героями. Нет резких скачков в обожании, герои ведут себя естественно. Мне понравились почти все руты. Героиня адекватна и не играет роль испуганной принцессы, если надо - даст в зубы. Но есть то, что мне не понравилось в этой НВ: это логика героев в некоторых рутах и мораль. Насчет первого: иногда мне было больно читать, когда гг несмотря на поддержку окружающих решала скрывать свои проблемы, что только добавляло новые. Понятно, что автор так пытался закрутить сюжет, но когда ты в ситуации, где вокруг опасность и ты не знаешь кто ты и что надо делать, то скрывать что-то это просто странно. Насчет морали: мне не нравится, когда злодеям прощают их поступки. Мне не нравится, когда героиня перенеся похищение, сталкерство, грубое обращение и даже намеки на убийство потом говорит что-то типа: "Ну-у, может он не хотел. Им манипулировали...". Мне кажется, что это натягивания альтруизма на глобус вместо совы. Давайте дружно возьмемся за ручки и простим всем преступникам их проступки. Я уверена, что они тут же выучат урок и подобреют/поумнеют. Особенно забавно, когда агентство только грозило пальчиком таким вот злодеям и говорило: вот если они снова сунутся...
В остальном эта игра хороша. Она рассказывает историю постепенно и окунает игрока в лор. Единственное, что забавно, так это - игра в самом начале дает жирную подсказку о том, что же такое гг. Но даже и с этим сложно угадать именно правду. Потому что в конце все равно переворачивают сюжетные повороты. Но все же хотелось больше таинственности с главной историей.
Еще плюс в том что в каждом руте свои проблемы и свой маленький апокалипсис. И что очень приятно, проблема из другого рута может быть упомянута в нынешнем, что дает ощущение живого мира.
Есть небольшой минус в отношениях. Вообще, мне понравилась романтика. Она написана как-то просто и живо и ты веришь в чувства. Но где-то дальше середины автор обязательно вбрасывает конфликт - ссору, что выглядело клишировано, особенно, когда эта ссора в стиле "мы должны расстаться".
Но не смотря на мелкие штуки, мне очень понравилась новелла. Я не пожалела денег и времени. ... И, похоже, сна.
I enjoyed Changeling a lot. The visuals are gorgeous and the story was interesting from start to finish. All love interests have their own story lines and different antagonists. The only critiques I have is that the music doesn't have much variety so it becomes repetitive quick. And some of the same information comes up in every route so there's a lot of reading what you, the player, already know. But it makes sense plot-wise. The price is more than fair for the content you get so I highly recommend this game!
I love how all the romantic routes are completely different. The best romance for me is Ewan's BUT you need to do his route last. I feel like it would spoil the whole game to do him first. I wish there were more CGs in the game then there are but the ones that were made do make sense with the scene. Honestly, this was a very cute visual novel that you need to check out.
Unfortunately lost some of my playtime when my hard drive crashed but I've played through Elliot's route! I really enjoyed it:) I'm excited to play through and learn more about this world!! Thanks dev team
It took me about 7,5 hours to finish Ewan's route. Seriously, I'm glad that the game is long enough so that I don't have to end this interesting journey soon :3 The story is engaging and I can't help but continuing to read till the end. As far as I know, Ewan and Elliot routes have very different plots (not just change the guys you're with) so you can enjoy all the routes completely without getting bored (I'm playing Elliot's route now). Besides, the game functions well and it has all the things I need in an otome game.
I felt immediately drawn to this game base solely on the description. I played the demo first and loved it, but got turned off by people saying it had a lack of romance and I didn't buy it.. I should not have listened them. It takes place over the course of a few weeks so of course there may not be time for some relationships to fully develop, BUT I feel that there was enough romance and each route is different with the amount of romance it has. It feels like a naturally progressing relationship based of the feeling and personalities of the people involved. Not only that but the events that take place within that few weeks that effect the feelings of the MC and he LI. Even if you don't think there is enough romance, the story and writing more than make up for that fact. The characters are beautifully written and the writers did their research on lore aspects of the writing. I also love the visuals, they're different and beautiful. Like I said each route is different based on the LI you pick. You have different challenges in each route you need to overcome, and sometimes I just yelled at the characters for being dummies (mostly Spencer lol)... Nora has ALOT more patience than me. That's another thing, you can rename the MC!! Mine's name was Aurora :).... I felt MANY emotions while I was playing this game, I laughed and cried. By the end of each route though(I have only played good endings), I was always smiling. I love a happy ending, and it delivered in my opinion. It is hands down one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure of playing and I am glad I went ahead and bought it to give it a chance. I highly recommend this game <3
Changeling is a fantastic supernatural VN with an interesting plot and compelling characters. I enjoyed that each LI had their own path and it changed the story dramatically. The MC was excellent! She has a strong personality which is a far-cry from our VNs that have MCs that just let things happen to them. My one and only complaint is that I do wish there was a little more romantic content.
This is an excellently done game, with unique art and a compelling story. It’s worth it to play all of the routes so you can get a fuller idea of what all of the characters are like - and your favorite might not be the type you usually go with!
This is very much a “Fae” story and not at “Fairy” story, so manage your expectations there because it’s not a fluffy otome. It’s not depressing, but the Fae are much more “dangerous tricksters” and not cutesy.
I had really high expectations for this game and was very happy with its outcome. Overall this is a great game with only minor issues here and there.
The story - which is the main selling point of Changeling - was genuinely very enjoyable. The creators did a great job with the urban fantasy setting. This game is anything from one note as scenes range from tense to moving to lighthearted. Nothing feels rushed, things unravel at their own pace and our cast of colorful characters keep us entertained and engaged along the way. Also, the story changes very drastically on each route! This keeps things from feeling too same-y from route to route, although it does mean that your favorite characters and favorite routes aren't always going to match up. I found all of the routes very interesting, and all of them except for one managed to keep my interest the entire way through.
The characters in this game are also really amazing. All of the love interests are fleshed out and incredibly realistic, each with their own very distinct personalities and personal struggles. Obviously everyone will have their favorites, but I do believe that all six love interests are lovable in their own ways. Some reviews said that they felt there wasn't enough romance, but I was really satisfied with my experience. I feel like if they had added any more it would have started to feel unbelievable and take away from the story.
Side characters and the main character are great as well! I have to throw in extra points for a totally developed, non pushover main character and a loving, strong willed best friend. The sibling element is great as well, you end up really feeling for MC as she tries to fix her damaged relationship with her brother. It added a lot to the story! And some of the back and forth between characters is highly entertaining as well.
One of my only complaints involve some of the mechanics. Unless you want to fumble through bad endings and friendship only endings, you're going to need a guide. Every single dialogue option, even ones with your parents or non LI characters about random things are going to affect your ending. I was a little annoyed that I had to use a guide the whole time as I was hoping to achieve the best endings on my own, but no such luck. If you want to sink some extra time into it to get those endings with no help, more power to you. But if you're like me and don't want to wait or replay routes, use a guide.
Lastly, the art and music are nice! Some of the CGs are a little awkwardly drawn and the style doesn't always look amazing, but overall they're pretty good. There a few, and I mean very few, typos here in there. I caught maybe 5 throughout the whole game? So it's a very minor complaint but they're still there.
Overall I had an extremely positive experience with Changeling, my only real complaints being needing a guide and getting a little bored on Danny's route, but both of those things really come down to preference. I highly recommend this game to dating sim fans, it's definitely one to remember!
This is a really overlooked otome game. It has a wonderful main character and six love interests - almost all of them are incredibly sweet. Each route is basically a different story in its own right and the common route is fairly short, so you're getting a ton of content for your money.
Enjoyable story-line. Very easy to get swept up and attempt to finish a route in one sitting.
The graphics give a hand drawn feel which is great.
Highly recommend giving this game a try.
I wish that I could take a pill to forget this game just so I could replay it and experience everything all over again. In fact, I am tempted to replay it right away again anyway just to get that same awesome feeling. This game makes you feel like you're not only getting to know the "love interests" but also the other characters who pop up in every route. It's also not every day that you run into an actually lovable MC. The things she says are hilarious and echo a lot of my own thoughts during this game. Praying for a sequel, heavily considering writing fan fiction, and contemplating how many times I can replay this before I go crazy.
So I never really write reviews, but I have to get my opinions out on this game. I'm going to give my opinion on it based upon how each romance section tackles it and in order of best to worst. Overall, I liked it... Anyway spoilers ahead!
William
A lot of these will just be opinions, but William is baby. He is sweet and thoughtful. His story is good, they handle Spencer fairly (which will be a big point later on in the other views). I thought his was the most interesting story for the male counterpart. It does have some spooky horror themes but it is overall feel good. Out of all the characters, I think the MC makes the biggest impact on William's life as his ghost squad goes from bullying him to being chill and he has someone that loves him. That's a big improvement from being alone and miserable.
Pros
•William is the sweetest boy
•Really interesting ghost story
Neutral
•Spencer is okay
Con
•There is no kissing scene. Upsetti spaghetti.
Ewan
Ewan was insanely enjoyable. His only real flaw in the story is when he snaps at MC for trying to help, not nice. Otherwise, amazing. It is basically the only story that goes into detail on MC. The others focus on the problems of the boys. This one here was different but also improves the life of Ewan since he gets back into acting. The only reason he doesn't beat William is because William is baby and the story is just more fun.
Pros
•Ewan is cute
•There is a lot of good humor here, their chemistry is really good.
•Literally the only ending that tells you that you have changeling blood in your ancestry.
Neutral
•Spencer is okay
Con
•*Sigh* That ending riddle part. You have to do a lot of things right to get there and I did not, I got the friendship ending and had to do it again. I was missing Breanna and Danny so he wanted to remain friends for some reason. This ending was a little to specific to get in my opinion.
Danny
Danny is also baby. He is insanely sweet. He gives Nora a cute necklace. The only issue I have is this romance option feels very standard "good boy". It also feels like it's ripped straight out of a YA novel. I liked how MC was given her body back by manipulation, it made me laugh.
Pros
•Also sweet baby
Neutral
•Once again, Spencer is okay... And this is the last time he is neutral.
•A standard take on werewolves in regards to clans and such. Didn't try anything crazy.
Cons
•A little predictable on the romance side
Elliot
So this was a tie between Corvin and Elliot. I decided Elliot gets 4th place because Corvin makes me a bit uncomfortable. Elliot is really sweet, the story is really cool - but that is also the problem. It is believeable that all other characters (maybe except Corvin), have their individual issues going on at the same time. We know William still has to hide, we know Ewan still is not acting and is a recluse, we know other vampires still probably go to the school, we know wolves still probably have an obsession with Danny, and we know Corvin isn't going to quit his day job because MC isn't romancing him. This story never appears in any of the others. It is never explained where the Ferals come from. It seems to only exist in Elliot's story. That bothers me. The same applies to the school dou-I mean psychologist. He ONLY exists in this story. Why does he only harass MC and Spencer in this story? Why doesn't he care in the others? It's not like he even mentions Elliot so that isn't the motivator. It feels like a random NPC tossed in to stir the pot. The story really didn't need him.
Pros
•Elliot is also a big baby. He is too kind for his own good.
•You get to slap Spencer! >:) Listen, in a lot of these versions he's mean. Especially this one, it was good for my soul.
Neutral
•The feral story is fine and unique, I like what they did with this weird twist on the vampire virus possibly turning into something worse. The only reason this point is neutral is the ferals don't exist unless you romance Elliot.
Cons
•Spencer is a jerk. He is the biggest jerk in this one out of all of them. He is going along with kidnapping Nora and even murders her in some endings. Genuinely horrid and unforgivable in this route. Do NOT play this route first if you want to like Spencer. Grant ruins him.
•Grant is also a jerk. He encourages Spencer to be a jerk. Is basically a psychopath okay with manipulating and hurting children. Encourages spying on children. I don't get why he exists at all in this game.
Corvin
Corvin was actually going to be my last place but I remembered Marc... And I will get to him next. The only reason Corvin isn't last is because Marc exists and Spencer is an ANGEL. In this story he is super sweet. He brings you pizza and talks to you. It feels like he's actually trying and is worried about MC. However... There are two possible endings in which he also murders you. So you know, try not to be a jerk? Corvin himself is okay... Just way too weird, flirty, and childish for my taste. I'm sure Corvin will be some people's #1s. He just isn't mine. He is just too odd. Oh, this is also the only story that talks about Kara.
Pros
•Corvin is nice.
•Spencer is really enjoyable.
•Story is really unique.
Neutral
•None really.
Cons
•Corvin's slight pervyness can be okay... except when he talks about seeing you in underwear. The two aren't in a relationship and it feels wrong. He also just isn't my taste as I mentioned.
Marc
Ah... Marc. I really wanted to like Marc. I thought he was the type that was going to be snippy and closed off then warm up. Through other stories and ESPECIALLY this one, he's honestly just a jerk. I cannot believe we get two kissing images with him but none with William. Marc throws MC against a wall, screams at her, makes fun of her feelings, basically calls her property, and basically abandons her because he considers her human and is... racist I guess. Also there is a weird ending with Adrian that feels unsettling because... you become not only his source of energy but there is art that depicts you rather nasty. So you know, that's messed up.
Pros
•The banter with Marc is actually good, I wish they went with more of the teasing route with his character instead of this pompous jerk route.
Neutral
•The story. I liked the main story of Andrian accidentally becoming addicted to fairy energy but that one energy where MC is depicted like she was ruined it for me.
Pros
•Marc. Just in general. As I mentioned above, he is just awful. I am not into abusive relationships. Hard pass.
•Spencer. He is a jerk in this story, no where near as bad as in Elliot's.
Overall, I liked the game. I had continuity issues with the game. I also had an issue with the fact Spencer was the meanest in both Vampire plot-lines. I think Marc's character arc or lack thereof was a mistake. Grant is a waste of time. However, rant aside, the others were really enjoyable. You can find enjoyable bits even in Marc's. Like I mentioned, he has witty banter. But the top three are good. Spencer won't make you hate him, the boys are sweet, and the stories are good. The game isn't incredibly expensive so for those three alone it's worth it.
Changeling was a strange experience to begin with considering I'm used to a different art style for otome games. However if you get through that first hurdle, the protagonist and the romance options are likable and all unique. Of course this is a supernatural otome game, so you're also getting a bit of lore about Fae and the other creatures as you play. It's a short game (compared to something like Code Realize or Hakuouki) and I enjoyed it.
i have played through all the story lines multiple times, have worked my way through to all the endings (bar a couple I can't reach because intermediate choice points don't pop up), and I STILL find myself reaching for it with the comfort of a favourite book series. It's also one of the few games which has repeatedly had someone walk the length of the house to see if I'm laughing or crying, because I'm laughing so hard that I can't even gasp out "I'm okay". Fantastic art, amazing story lines, and so damned much fun I not only recommended it to the whole blended family, but bought it for partner and several of the kids. And oh, by the way? This is the ONLY game I have EVER found where the music doesn't drive me out of my mind after playing it for a bit. I have hundreds of hours into this and am still enjoying all the music.
The graphic style surprised me at first, but once you get used to it it is nice to see a visual novel without an "anime style".
The story is where the game shines, Nora is a really endearing MC with a strong personality. All the love interest are charming and well written, and you really have time to see the relationships develop.
It is a long game too, so the price is well justified !
Spoiler-free review~
If you've been looking for a nice meaty western otome, this is possibly the best one on steam at the moment. You will be disappointed if you were hoping for eroge, but that's not my preference, and it isn't like there aren't other options if you're into that.
[b]Things you get with Changeling[/b]
✼ 6 [i]distinct[/i] routes. Same two weeks, but once you're out of the common route, every boy plays out very differently.
✼ A sassy and relateable protagonist
✼ They're not joking about the 600k words. It's about the same length as Amnesia Memories, or OG Hakuoki.
✼ Many interesting side characters, which left me wishing we had more romance interests, even though I love the 6 we have.
✼ I don't hate any of the Love interests. Somehow. Usually, there's at least one who I will hate and despise, but these guys are all great??
✼ A good best friend
✼ Interesting lore notes.
I went in pretty sure I'd like this because I've always liked urban fantasy, and also paranormal type stories? I really liked the writing in the Secret World if not the gameplay because of this, and a fair bit of Changeling reminded me of the works of Charles d'Lint and Holly Black. If you like these things and prefer a female protagonist, you'll probably like this even if you've never been super into otome.
[b]Issues:[/b]
✼ Soundtrack is kinda bland to bad. I ended up muting it and playing something else in the background.
✼ There's no backlog. You can scroll back and read it that way, or remake a choice too, but this isn't ideal, and I prefer a log. Neither of these are really dealbreakers.
Overall great game and I'd really like more like this.
It's a good and engaging history
That female creature haunts me in my dream ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
First the basics: it runs well; no glitches, lagging, dead ends or crashes were noticed. The artwork is retro which I like. The story line is fresh and interesting. The romantic possible partners are all different and attractive. I
One of the best western otome VNs I've played. Very much worth the price. The story is long and intricate. The characters and the world are fully fleshed out. Each route / love interest has their own supporting cast and their own involvement in the world. The art is gorgeous. My favorite routes are Corvin and William, even though the latter one may disappoint some folks due to the lack of kissing CGs.
A little bit of warning: This is a plot > romance VN, so if you're just here for the sexy stuff, you won't find any. It's a bit of a "slow burn" (and very much worth it, I think!) when it comes to the romance as well. At best, the romance is hugging and kissing. Also, everyone, even the main character, has a fully formed personality. This means that there are times when people on screen will be annoying and it'll be frustrating that there are no choices to get the MC out of the dumb situation she got herself into. Strap yourself in for the ride!
Я вообще во много отоме поиграла, много чего бросала еще в начале или не доигрывала, но вот эта зацепила и понравилась очень. В отличие от многих отоме где есть руты, в этой руты полностью разные, прям полностью другое развитие игры, что делает ее реиграбельной.
Отличный язык, сюжет, персонажи. Очень большой выбор из парней, Элиот конечно лучше всех. Пока что я прошла только рут Элиота и Марка. Они очень отличаются. Планирую еще других парней пройти.
Глав героиня не бесит, что круто. Разве что в руте Марка она очень защищает своего брата, который меня бесит дико. Много интересных выборов.
Вообщем крутая игра, рекомендую!
Не пожалела потраченного времени на новеллу, читается легко, главная героиня тоже обладает своим шармом, хотя надо признать, что меня она частенько раздражала своей упертостью и даже грубостью, но в общем и целом она намного приятнее невинных овечек, как во многих новеллах.
Сюжет интересный, мир достаточно хорошо прописан, персонажей много, они все отличаются друг от друга характером, парочку второстепенных персонажей встречаются только в определенных рутах.
Из каждого рута можно узнать особенности о жизни той или иной мистической расы, если их так можно назвать.
Из минусов, отношения между главной героиней и выбранным персонажем порой развиваются чересчур стремительно, это для меня большой минус.
Very cool story!! Loved the mystery and the world building. The heroine is also super feisty. Great game!
I was turned off by the art for a while before I was so bored I just threw $20 at this and hoped for the best. First off, I love the art style now. I loved the character backgrounds. Nothing except the demo part of this game is repetitive throughout the different routes. The journal was a cool part that gave you fun information on the world. Buy this game. Play this game. If you regret buying it, you haven't gotten the good endings is all I can say. Love them, love the boys, and try to start with Elliot's route first and save Ewan for last. Not because of spoilers but Ewan is more in depth in the information about the world and MC that is more fun saved for last. :) Is in my top best 3 games ever.
Changeling is probably my favorite otome game. It has a beautiful art style, excellent writing, great characters, and an engaging storyline. Each route is standalone so Nora's situation gets resolved in every route, and the size of a YA novel so there's a lot of content. Nora herself is a wonderfully snarky teenage protagonist and never feels passive. Throughout the game, it really feels like she's the main character of her story and in control of how her life plays out- depending on your choices of course.
The plot is a dark urban fantasy revolving around a supernatural club in a high school. The town of Pine Hollow is a magnet for 'Cryptics' or supernatural beings, hence the high number of Cryptics in the story. Here, Nora finds out that she's one of them and strange things that are happening to her may be connected to her mysterious disappearance years prior to the start of the game. As I said, the plot is resolved in every route but playing through every route reveals a little more about the Faerie lore.
As I said, Changeling is beautifully written. It does a good job keeping you hooked and attached to the characters. This is one of the rare games where I liked every single character. Each of the characters have their own quirks but feel like real people. No character in this game feels like a strict archetype. Some might at a glance, but there's always some deeper characterization beneath it.
I can't recommend this game highly enough. There's a lot of content, every guy is likeable, the protagonist is great, and the story is very good. If you like plot-focused otome games with excellent characterization, Changeling is for you.
Unfortunately, this game was a huge disappointment for me despite the interesting premise and hugely positive reviews. A lot of situations ticked me off--secretive "BFF" who doesn't even stand up for her friend and puts off obligations so long that it becomes a moot point, bullying/intimidation that the MC just walks away from and completely forgives everyone involved for without hesitation, etc--that there weren't even options to react to, and with the MC being insanely passive to it all, it was pretty unsatisfying. Even had I somehow overlooked all that, there is basically no actual romance in at least two of the routes, imo. I mean, one of the guys wants to date the MC while also letting one of his female friends hang all over him to the point I'd have thought they're the ones dating, and that doesn't stop at any point. Also, one of them flirts with everyone/thing such that I couldn't even take the idea of there being a romance there seriously. I didn't try to read the other routes after that. It's just not for me.
Enjoyable supernatural dating sim! Lovely graphics, intriguing story, likable characters. Each route is vastly different, not only the story with the love interests but also the main plot and the relationship with her brother! I wouldn't say it's very dark or steamy, but it definitely scratched my supernatural itch! The price is reasonable for the amount of love interests with long routes. I haven't finished all the boys yet, but Elliot is the best!
EDIT: Finished all the good endings for the love interests, Elliot is still the best boi! :P Loved my time in this world!
Your mileage will definitely vary with this game. I love dark, paranormal romance and modern faerie tales (like Melissa Marr's "Wicked Lovely"), so I was very excited to play "Changeling." Once I had played several routes, however, I knew it just wasn't for me for the following reasons:
-The Music: I didn't want to let it bother me so much, but I simply couldn't help it. Changeling is described as being "dark," but the game's background music (should you choose not to mute it) completely ruins the ambiance. It's very light and cute, and seems to change at all the wrong moments. It's hard to set a dark tone for a game when the soundtrack is so pleasant and, frankly, anodyne.
-The Dialogue: I know that this story takes place in high school, but both the dialogue and the MC's inner monologue were so unoffensive as to sound, honestly, pretty lame. I found it hard to swoon over any of the love interests with them saying things like "crap" and "oh geez." I'm not saying these characters should be cursing like sailors, but c'mon. Real high schoolers don't talk like that, either. It made the characters feel rather unbelievable to me.
-The Romance: Perhaps the most disappointing element of this game for me was the romance itself. In each of the routes that I played, I found myself wishing for more romantic scenes. Not only that, but the romance scenes that I did read were painfully PG. I wasn't expecting "Fifty Shades of Grey" or anything, but I was hoping at least for "Twilight." I expected a bit of sizzle and sexual tension, and I found none of it here. The characters, who are supposed to be part of this dark, enticing narrative, are all shockingly innocent. Perhaps, as a twenty-something year old woman, this game is just out of my demographic.
I'm so disappointed that I felt the need to write this review. It's clear that Steamberry Studio worked very hard on "Changeling." To their credit, the premise is interesting, and that artwork is unique and beautiful.
Bottom line: if you're looking for a cute, G-rated rom-com with faeries and vampires who don't bite, this will be right up your alley. If you're hoping for a darker, more mature tone, skip it. I recommend playing Rolling Crown's "Demonheart" VN instead.
[b]This game exceeds expectations.[/b]
This game does not contain a "true route" because this game is a firm believer of "whatever guy you choose [b]is[/b] your true route." I started playing with Marc as my first route and my experience with him had me excited for Danny's route. After finishing the route of the third interesting guy for me, I hit a point where I wasn't too keen on playing the remaining guys routes. [b]However,[/b] at this point was where I have had such a great experience playing the other routes, that I [b]trusted the dev to deliver on the quality of the other routes,[/b] despite not having a personal interest in the guys.
[b]Why?[/b] Because the game is great at treating each route as its own contained story. Marc's route contains a completely different set of side characters and antagonists compared to Danny's route, and the same holds true for every other route in the game.
Side note: the soundtrack is a bop and I wish it was on sale :')
I love this game! Changeling has a very unique story created in the supernatural universe. The characters do not have the stereotypical features of supernatural beings, on the contrary, they are quite natural and believable. MC is not ineffective in the story's flow, which is great. The fiction is beautiful and smart also the lenght of the story is not tiring either.
But i must say that it took time to get used to two things while playing. The first is original but unfortunately inconsistent art. When i compare character designs and CG's, it felt as if they were drawn by different people. And some postures in the CG's are just.. weird. The second is that the happy endings feels rushed and do not contain romance as much as i like.
Nevertheless, Changeling is one of the best among the many otome games I've played!
Also i need a second otome game set in this universe where we can spend time with hot, cool and unpredictable fairies in the fairy land ^v^
I love this game so much! The art is amazing, the writing is really good (the story as well!) and the characters are well written. William is my boy x
Changeling is, without a doubt, THE BEST Western otome I've ever played and quite frankly, gives the OG Japanese ones a good run for their money as well. I can't praise this game enough and I'm afraid I can't do justice to how good EVERYTHING about it is and how it made me feel throughout the whole journey with my current English skills. Every otome enthusiast [i]must[/i] have this game in their library.
Thank you Steamberry for this wonderful experience.
Also [spoiler]Elliot best boy[/spoiler]
Very well written and funny. I love the graphic style as well
I really loved that game :)
Pro:
- Story, each Character has an individual story that is long enough to be interesting and short enough to not be overwhelming
- Characters: Depending on what Story Route you are, you learn about different characters and most of them even have a sprite
-
Neutral:
- Music
- Art is quite unique but not likeable for everyone (but easy to get used to it and then i found it pretty nice :) )
Contra:
- Conflicting: Sometimes in route A happens something like a big bad conflict of some races but in another route it isnt mentioned.. (maybe the main character just doesnt care? i dont know)
I love how the writing is well done, each romance option has a different story, and the facts. The creators put a lot of research into the supernatural before creating this game, and it's impressive. Definitely one of my favorite Otome games, and I've played many of them.
A really great game. I have / enjoy spending time in this game. A wonderful story with a high replay value <3
good art, sound, story, characters, alla that.
i do have one big issue with this game tho, and it's that the 'correct' choices seem to be the ones that make the least sense realistically, and the most in a purely theatrical sense. like, if you want a good ending, you have to treat the story more like a romantic comedy, cuz if you treat the characters as real people, you won't get enough relationship points, or something.
there are very few choices that actually change the plot, as well. mostly it's just a matter of earning enough points with the guys, which i personally find odd for such a plot-heavy game. would be nice if there was a 'correct choice indicator' or somethin'.
one other minor annoyance is that shared text between routes can't be skipped. so even tho i've heard the same spiel in a previous route, because it's a new route i still have to click through it.
Such an amazing game! So happy I bought it. The art and story were beyond great, you don't usually see a story this in depth for these type of games. Also very happy that all routes were different. There are 1 or 2 routes that I would have liked to seen a bit more romance but other then that I would recommend this game to anyone who likes otome/visual novels.
Love the details and the original characters, all the romance options are different from each other. Lots of doki doki moments. <3 And in a supernatural world no less, what more could I ask for?! :)
This game needs more reviews. I loved it. It reminded me a bit of a young adult supernatural romance novel, in the best way. The main route is short, leaving hours to develop the story of each of the love interests. The 'main conflict' is the same, but it gets solved in different ways, and to keep things interesting, each character route introduces its own side characters, its own separate subplots to untangle, and builds up different parts of the game lore so that nothing gets stale. I didn't think I'd like the art style, but it really grew on me. I especially loved the relationship dynamic between the MC and her brother - far too many otomes do a sibling romance trope. This game did NOT. Instead, it developed a complex relationship between the two with many conflicts and challenges to overcome- honestly seeing all the ways the MC and Spencer reconciled in the varying routes was half the fun. Plus, the female best friend character actually felt like a likable real person, which was nice. The depth to the characters who weren't love interests made this game a step above a lot of other otomes. My one complaint is there seem to be only a handful of music track and after a while it gets repetitive. Still, I highly recommend this game.
