[b]Note:[/b] An awesome friend gifted me a copy of this game. ^^
[h1]A psychological horror VN that warns of the horrors of candy. :o[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]Re:Metamorphosis Candina[/i] is a short, psychological horror visual novel developed by 矢澤 豆太郎 and published by ヨアケラボ. You're an unnamed girl, and the story starts off by visually narrating girls in distress, wishing that they could be cuter, better, etc. Then you're presented with five different candies, and depending on which candy you choose, you'll get one of five horror endings. After getting an ending, you'll be looped back to the candy selection screen and you can choose a different candy. Once you've gotten all five endings, then an epilogue of sorts will be unlocked, and that's when you find out what's really going on... :o
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3758118001
As for gameplay, I pretty much explained it earlier with choosing different candies. That is the only choice available, so the gameplay is very simple. There are several psychologically disturbing pixel art CGs and a varied soundtrack although no voice acting. Steam achievements are available, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "Steam is learning about this game".
[h2]Review[/h2]
After a friend sent me a copy of this game, I took a look at the store page and wondered what I'd be in for. Feeling curious, I decided to take a look at it and share my thoughts. XD
[h3]Story and Gameplay[/h3]
The story starts off on a relatable note, as many girls feel insecure and wish that they could be more likable or whatnot. I will say, though, that I personally think it's better to be yourself than to try to fit into a crowd, especially if it turns out to be more on the toxic side. Anyway, the story doesn't waste time in letting you choose a candy and gosh, the endings that unfold are crazy. They'll mess with your head, and I even found one to be really disturbing because it involved [spoiler]hurting cats, which I find hurting animals to be unacceptable, even if it's just in games or media[/spoiler]. Of course, when the epilogue is unlocked and it's actually revealed what's going on, then I thought, "Oh, this makes sense, sort of lol". I'll try not to spoil it, but let's just say that things are definitely not what they appear to be on the surface, especially in regards to the MC. :o
With the gameplay, it is very simple. You just choose which candy to get one of five endings. After finishing that ending, you're back to the candy selection screen in which you can choose a different candy. I found this to be a nice feature since I didn't have to worry about making a save (but the save feature is present if you need it). The writing is solid, simple but to the point, and the English translation is understandable. The only slight negative is that the game is awfully short. It took me around 10 minutes to get all the endings and read the epilogue. All the achievements are obtainable, though, for those who are looking for them.
[h3]Art and Music[/h3]
The art has this psychologically dark theme going on and with the pixel graphics and the use of black and purple, it feels perfect. The game is way more on the mess-with-your-mind spectrum, so if you're looking for a more light-hearted story, you may pass up on this. However, there isn't any gore or anything of the sort.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3758118219
As for the music, like the art, the tracks give off that psychologically dark vibe. They just fit well with the game and there's a decent variety. Of course, all tracks are instrumental.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]Re:Metamorphosis Candina[/i]? If you're looking for a psychologically dark story that may mess with your head (but you're strong enough mentally to handle it), you don't mind a very short story, and/or you like looking for easily obtainable Steam achievements, then it's worth checking out. Even though I enjoyed the story, it's definitely on the short side. As a friend pointed out, the game is shorter than the time it took me to write this review. lol However, I wanted to give my thorough take on this, so you can determine for yourself whether it's worth getting. XD
[quote]For more detailed, fully complete, high quality reviews like this, please follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44702020/]The Introverted Gamer[/url], prioritizing heart and soul always. ^^[/quote]
