one of the best visual novels i've ever played, and certainly the greatest piece of furry media that's ever come my way.
Changeling Tale sets the stage like so: after a grueling tour in the first world war, our protag, Malcolm, returns to his idyllic hometown of Ach-na-Creige and the sensation of it all. he revels in the tastes and smells he hasn't known since shipping out to the front lines while the reader bathes in a soundscape so above and beyond the usual visual novel fare that it's currently in orbit.
there's something about audio that can truly elevate a game. sure, Changeling Tale isn't Halo 3 or Homeworld, but both the soundtrack and the backgrounding are just stellar.
gorgeous, almost hymnal piano drapes the entire game, punctuated by Scottish bagpipes and a scattering of brass. it's packed with dozens of songs -- i can think of more than a few triple-A releases without that sheer repertoire. on top of that, the phenomenally mastered backgrounding: barflies chatter, hooves clop, waves crash. no detail is overlooked. all of it assembled, somehow, from royalty-free audio.
this dedication to atmosphere's purpose is, of course, to support the writing. that's not to say the writing is bad; on the contrary, it's absolutely yoked. it carries the game like a powerlifter carries groceries. its characters burst at the seams with color and charm, and their relationships with each other are vivid in a way i haven't seen outside of, y'know, books.
on that topic, the relationships themselves are remarkable. calling this game a dating simulator seems almost crass: Malcolm and the girls tease, they fight, they face real concerns and problems with each other that must be overcome. it's soulful in a way that ninety-nine percent of porn games aren't. Changeling Tale is about love before it's about sex, but in my opinion, the love makes the sex all the better.
and Changeling Tale is thoughtful about its love. Malcolm and the girls are young and lonely in their own ways, and so much of the writing is dedicated to untangling not only the fantastical knots but the very real ones: abandonment, self-loathing, duty. Malcolm spends more time worrying about the nature of his relationships and their future than he does worrying about the fact that his girlfriend has turned into a fish/wolf/cow.
the transformation, too, has had its due diligence: Changeling Tale lingers for a long, long time on what it means to be human through exploring this kink. the girls' changes are all at once terrifying and liberating. how do you interact with society when you sprout fluffy ears and fur? is it better to run naked through the woods as your true self? can you still find love? are you even a person anymore? what an intensely strong core theme. it's like a BDSM story that's secretly about trust: it makes perfect sense, but you'd never expect it from a visual novel posted to F95.
i could go on and on about Changeling Tale's writing. to be totally honest, i broke one of my personal rules to write this: i haven't actually finished each girl's storyline yet, purely because i just had to tell you how goddamn good this story is. please play it. i can't do it any more justice in this already over-long review.
Changeling Tale sets the stage like so: after a grueling tour in the first world war, our protag, Malcolm, returns to his idyllic hometown of Ach-na-Creige and the sensation of it all. he revels in the tastes and smells he hasn't known since shipping out to the front lines while the reader bathes in a soundscape so above and beyond the usual visual novel fare that it's currently in orbit.
there's something about audio that can truly elevate a game. sure, Changeling Tale isn't Halo 3 or Homeworld, but both the soundtrack and the backgrounding are just stellar.
gorgeous, almost hymnal piano drapes the entire game, punctuated by Scottish bagpipes and a scattering of brass. it's packed with dozens of songs -- i can think of more than a few triple-A releases without that sheer repertoire. on top of that, the phenomenally mastered backgrounding: barflies chatter, hooves clop, waves crash. no detail is overlooked. all of it assembled, somehow, from royalty-free audio.
this dedication to atmosphere's purpose is, of course, to support the writing. that's not to say the writing is bad; on the contrary, it's absolutely yoked. it carries the game like a powerlifter carries groceries. its characters burst at the seams with color and charm, and their relationships with each other are vivid in a way i haven't seen outside of, y'know, books.
on that topic, the relationships themselves are remarkable. calling this game a dating simulator seems almost crass: Malcolm and the girls tease, they fight, they face real concerns and problems with each other that must be overcome. it's soulful in a way that ninety-nine percent of porn games aren't. Changeling Tale is about love before it's about sex, but in my opinion, the love makes the sex all the better.
and Changeling Tale is thoughtful about its love. Malcolm and the girls are young and lonely in their own ways, and so much of the writing is dedicated to untangling not only the fantastical knots but the very real ones: abandonment, self-loathing, duty. Malcolm spends more time worrying about the nature of his relationships and their future than he does worrying about the fact that his girlfriend has turned into a fish/wolf/cow.
the transformation, too, has had its due diligence: Changeling Tale lingers for a long, long time on what it means to be human through exploring this kink. the girls' changes are all at once terrifying and liberating. how do you interact with society when you sprout fluffy ears and fur? is it better to run naked through the woods as your true self? can you still find love? are you even a person anymore? what an intensely strong core theme. it's like a BDSM story that's secretly about trust: it makes perfect sense, but you'd never expect it from a visual novel posted to F95.
i could go on and on about Changeling Tale's writing. to be totally honest, i broke one of my personal rules to write this: i haven't actually finished each girl's storyline yet, purely because i just had to tell you how goddamn good this story is. please play it. i can't do it any more justice in this already over-long review.
. All-in-all I loved it and you should give it a try for sure!
