Changeling
" Engaging casual indie sim with deep romance routes and lore but slow pacing and weak soundtrack "
Changeling Review
Changeling is a well-crafted western otome visual novel that offers a rich urban fantasy experience with a strong paranormal theme. Players follow Nora, a snarky and relatable female protagonist, through a story filled with intriguing lore, diverse supernatural characters, and six distinct romance routes. The game boasts over 600,000 words, providing substantial content comparable to notable titles like Amnesia Memories and Hakuoki. Each route presents unique storylines and character developments, ensuring varied experiences across playthroughs.
While the art style is distinctive and praised for its beauty and non-anime aesthetic, some CGs show anatomical inconsistencies. The soundtrack is generally considered bland or repetitive by some players, leading them to mute it. The choice system impacts endings significantly, but many players express frustration over the necessity of using walkthroughs to achieve good or romantic endings. The game is noted for its strong writing, realistic character interactions, and well-developed love interests, though some find the MC occasionally unlikable or inconsistent. Overall, Changeling is recommended for fans of otome and urban fantasy, offering an engaging storyline with depth and replayability.
Highlights
Players especially praise the strong, snarky, and well-developed protagonist Nora, who breaks away from typical passive otome leads. The six love interests are considered distinct, lovable, and realistic, each with unique story arcs that avoid repetitive tropes.
The game's rich urban fantasy lore and modern faerie tale elements are well integrated, drawing favorable comparisons to authors like Holly Black and Charles de Lint. The writing quality is consistently highlighted as immersive, witty, and emotionally engaging. Additionally, the art style is admired for its uniqueness and departure from conventional anime aesthetics, with detailed sprites and backgrounds enhancing the atmosphere.
Multiple routes and endings provide substantial content and replay value, with many players appreciating the balance between romance and plot development.
Criticisms
Common criticisms revolve around the game's soundtrack, which many find bland, repetitive, or ill-fitting, prompting some to mute it entirely. The lack of a proper backlog for reading previous dialogue is noted as an inconvenience.
Several players express frustration with the choice system, stating that many decisions feel inconsequential to the story and that achieving good or romantic endings often requires consulting walkthroughs due to obscure or unintuitive "correct" answers.
The main character's personality divides opinion; some find Nora occasionally passive, inconsistent, or overly bratty, detracting from immersion. The story pacing is sometimes criticized for being slow or padded with filler dialogue, and some routes are viewed as uneven in quality or content. Additionally, some players desire more romantic or mature scenes, as the romance is generally light and PG-rated.
Pros
- • Six distinct romance routes with unique storylines and endings.
- • Strong, relatable, and snarky female protagonist with personality.
- • Rich urban fantasy lore with well-integrated supernatural elements.
- • Well-written, witty, and emotionally engaging narrative.
- • Unique, non-anime art style with detailed sprites and backgrounds.
- • Love interests are realistic, lovable, and avoid common tropes.
- • Substantial content providing many hours of gameplay and replayability.
Cons
- • Soundtrack is often considered bland, repetitive, or ill-fitting.
- • No proper dialogue backlog, making rereading inconvenient.
- • Choice system can be unintuitive; walkthroughs often needed for good endings.
- • Main character sometimes perceived as passive, inconsistent, or bratty.
- • Story pacing occasionally slow with filler dialogue and uneventful scenes.
- • Some routes vary in quality and content length.
- • Romance scenes are light, PG-rated, and may feel insufficient to some.
Rating Criteria
Screenshots
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Changeling released?
Changeling was released on January 30, 2019.
Who developed Changeling?
Changeling was developed by Steamberry Studio.
Is Changeling available on Mac?
Yes, Changeling is available on Mac.
Is Changeling available on Linux?
No, Changeling is not currently available on Linux according to our data.
Where can I buy Changeling?
You can buy Changeling on Steam.
Game Details
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.