Chaos;Child Critic Reviews

Chaos;Child is a smart crime fiction/ science fiction mix that might be a little too subtle for its own good. It’s a demanding game, not because it’s difficult or has gamey elements, but rather because it asks for complete focus and imagination from its players. Thankfully, with a core theme that is both poignant and fundamentally interesting, this is a game that I’ve been more than willing to make that commitment to.

Chaos Child is an excellent visual novel that expands even more the Sci Adv universe with a suspense story that absorbs the player in the crimes of Shibuya.

Chaos;Child is a thrilling visual novel that every fan of the genre needs to play.

Chaos;Child is yet another great entry in the Science Adventure series, with a peculiar but believable cast of characters and a story that will unravel in the less expected ways. An easy recommendation for visual novel fans.

While the twists and turns wind up going down a sci-fi heavy route in its back half, Chaos;Child never forgets that the main issues are societal. This is a visual novel that’ll leave you thinking long after the ending has occurred.

Chaos;Child is a great example of a visual novel done right. Its interesting and engaging storyline keeps you wanting more, with the characters lifting an already good game to another level. Some dynamics miss the mark slightly, but ultimately add to the bigger picture and widen the scope of the plot in general, so they're worth persevering with across multiple playthroughs.

While Chaos;Child doesn't do much to innovate the genre at all, I can't deny that the story, sound and art are incredible. Although, the Delusion trigger system feels pointless and changes next to nothing. This doesn't damage the story or any other aspect of the game, but is disappointing. Any fans of the series or graphic novels will thoroughly enjoy this game.

It's able to propose a well-structured science fiction story.

And interesting adventure with lots of hours to think about its deep plot, unstable characters and a great environment.

Chaos;Child offers an interesting plot and interesting characters, and even if the pacing can be a little slow some times, fans of the genre will enjoy it.

A visual interactive novel in the same vein as Steins;Gate and almost equally brilliant. Deep and unique in every way.

Chaos;Child is a grim, gory murder mystery that could have been brilliant with some judicious edits to its content and pacing.

As someone who really enjoyed Chaos;Head, I really, really wanted to like Chaos;Child. And there are a number of things I do like about it: the cast is fun, the core mystery is gripping, and the level of gore, while not for the faint of heart, is on par with a Sion Sono flick (nasty and weird, but not wholly distasteful). However, its preoccupation with padding its length with the same tired tropes and non-consensual sexual fantasies makes it tough to recommend to any but the most devoted Science Adventure Series fans. Please 5pb, hire a copy editor.

Chaos;Child delivers a disturbing and engaging story that not only stands on it’s own, but helps to expand the worlds of other parts of the Science Adventure Series. It’s just a shame that it takes so long to experience that story, and that the choices you make to find every piece of info and characterization are weirdly designed. Chaos;Child isn’t as good as Steins;Gate at the end of the day, but a more memorable cast of characters and a more distinctive art style would help future entries stand alongside Steins;Gate instead than behind it.

Fans of the visual novel genre should definitely check out Chaos;Child. There are some pacing issues but the dark tale will eventually take hold of you, helped by its strong presentation and unexpected concepts.

Chaos;Child is a deviously clever visual novel from start to finish. It plays the reader like a fiddle by presenting all the ingredients for a mystery novel, but without some of the necessary tools to solve it. A megalomaniac mystery fan will look for a logical solution finding none as the important pieces are hidden away from the protagonist, and by extension, the reader. It might seem insane and risky, but it works extremely well and creates a memorable read that, while perhaps annoying for some due to certain choices made during the prose, will impress many others. Like most visual novels, it is not a crowd-pleaser, but for the intended audience it is a must read, and one that will not easily be forgotten.

If you’re at all lacking in patience then Chaos;Child isn’t the game for you. At its core, it’s a smart murder mystery with a cast of engaging, sympathetic characters, enough shocking, unpredictable twists and a story that will take you to some very dark places. But tackling the game can be like wading through treacle; almost as if the game doesn’t trust you to “get” it unless it explains everything in explicit, unnecessary, faintly patronising detail.

Chaos;Child is almost comically long, and not all of this length felt deserved. That's a real shame because the main mystery was quite engaging.