Changed

Changed is an adventure game where the player assumes the role of Colin, a human who awakens in an abandoned, post-apocalyptic laboratory complex. The facility is overrun by bizarre, gelatinous creatures known as ‘Transfurs’ that seek to capture and assimilate him, a process called ‘transfurring’ which would cause him to lose his humanity and become one of them. With the help of a mysterious, masked black wolf named Puro, Colin must navigate the hazardous environment, solve puzzles, and avoid capture in a desperate attempt to escape and discover what happened to the world while he was asleep.

Changed: A Deep Dive into a Furry Fetishist’s Fever Dream

In the annals of video game history, few titles are as simultaneously reviled, revered, and misunderstood as DragonSnow’s 2018 indie oddity, Changed. It is a game that defies simple categorization, a bizarre alchemy of survival horror, puzzle-platforming, and unapologetic fetish content that has cemented its place as a cult phenomenon and a cornerstone of a very specific online subculture.

Development History & Context

The Vision of a Solo Auteur

Changed is the brainchild of a Chinese developer known online as DragonSnow. Developed using the accessible yet often maligned RPG Maker VX engine, the game is a testament to the power of a singular, uncompromising vision. DragonSnow has been openly candid that the project was born from a personal fascination with transformation (or “transfur”) themes, a niche but persistent subgenre within the furry fandom. This was not a game designed by committee to maximize market appeal; it was a passion project, an artistic expression of a very specific kink, built with the tools readily available to a solo creator.

This origin is crucial to understanding the game’s every facet. The technological constraints of RPG Maker are evident—the 2D, diagonal-down perspective, the reliance on tile-based environments, the simple spritework. Yet, DragonSnow weaponizes these limitations. The engine’s familiarity with creating RPGs is subverted to craft a tense, action-puzzle experience where the only “leveling up” is the player’s own knowledge and reflexes.

A Landscape of Indie Oddities

Released on April 4, 2018, Changed entered a digital marketplace on Steam that was already becoming a haven for bizarre, hyper-specific indie games. It did not emerge in a vacuum. It rode a wave of interest in “meme games” and unconventional horror experiences, yet it stood apart by being utterly earnest in its execution. It wasn’t a parody; it was deadly serious about its world, its stakes, and its peculiar brand of body horror. Its commercial model was straightforward—a one-time purchase—but its content ensured it would never be mainstream.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

A Plot of Assimilation and Identity

You play as Colin, a man who awakens from cryogenic stasis in a ruined laboratory, wearing nothing but shorts, with no memory of how he got there. The official synopsis describes a world laid waste by the “Pale Virus,” a pathogen discovered under the Antarctic ice that is 100% lethal to humans. The elite of society fled to bunkers, leaving the rest to die. The scientists in this tower, the Thunder Science Company, crossed a moral event horizon, experimenting with mutagenic “latex” creatures in a desperate attempt to change human DNA for immunity.

These experiments went horribly right. The latex beasts, which assimilate humans on contact—a process dubbed “transfurring”—broke containment during riots by the desperate populace outside. The game begins years later, with Colin as one of the last uninfected humans, now trapped in a facility overrun by these creatures whose sole instinct is to absorb him.

Characters: The Heart of the Horror

The narrative is carried by three key characters:
* Colin: A silent protagonist, whose fear and determination are conveyed through excellent sprite animation. He is a vehicle for player immersion, a everyman facing an unimaginable nightmare.
* Puro: A sentient black latex wolf who becomes Colin’s reluctant protector. Puro is the game’s emotional core, a creature fighting its own assimilative instincts to help Colin retain his humanity. The relationship meter with Puro is the linchpin for the game’s multiple endings, turning a mechanical system into a poignant narrative device about trust and connection.
* Dr. K: The archetypal Well-Intentioned Extremist. Having transfurred himself to survive while retaining his mind, he now sees Colin not as a person, but as a Typhoid Mary carrying the last samples of the virus. He is the antagonist whose goals are, perversely, the preservation of life, even if it requires the destruction of Colin’s identity.

Themes: The Weight of “Change”

The title Changed is the game’s central thesis. It explores “change” on every level:
* Physical Change: The visceral, often horrific transformation of the human body.
* Mental Change: The loss of self, the Death of Personality that accompanies assimilation.
* Social Change: The apocalyptic collapse of civilization and the ethical decay of those who sought to save it.
* Emotional Change: The evolution of the relationship between Colin and Puro, from predator and prey to a genuine, tragic friendship.

The game is a prolonged meditation on identity: what makes us “us”? Is it our body, our memories, our species? The various endings, from the downer conclusion of Colin succumbing to the virus to the bittersweet truce of the “True Ending,” all force the player to confront these questions. The infamous “transfur” scenes are not just fetish fuel; they are the ultimate expression of the game’s core thematic terror—the erasure of the self.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

A Deliberately Punishing Loop

Changed is, at its heart, a Run or Die puzzle-platformer. Colin has no weapons, no inventory (barring a single keycard), and no health bar. Contact with nearly any enemy or environmental hazard results in an immediate Game Over via transformation. This creates an atmosphere of relentless tension and vulnerability.

The core gameplay loop is one of trial, error, and memorization. The player must learn enemy patrol patterns, environmental layouts, and puzzle solutions through repeated failure. This “I WANNA” style of difficulty is brutal but often fair; death is a teacher. The game constantly introduces new mechanics:
* Stealth Sections: Timing your movements to avoid the gaze of patrolling beasts during power outages.
* Puzzle Rooms: Using movable objects to block hazards, solve mirror games with latex cubs, or navigate decontamination chambers that spawn new enemies.
* Chase Sequences: Frantic sprints through obstacle courses while being pursued by relentless foes like the Snow Leopard, requiring perfect execution.
* Press X to Not Die: Quick-time events to break free from a creature’s grasp before assimilation.

The Special Edition (2020) added significant Anti-Frustration Features, like an auto-save system and a clearer relationship meter with Puro, smoothing out some of the original’s rougher edges without diluting the challenge.

Flawed but Functional

The game’s systems are not without fault. The RPG Maker engine can feel clunky for precision platforming, leading to deaths that feel unfair. Certain puzzles, like the infamous roomba sequence in Dr. K’s lab, border on Guide Dang It! territory. The game can also softlock the player if they push objects into the wrong positions. Yet, these flaws almost contribute to the charm—it feels like a raw, unfiltered artifact from a determined creator, not a polished corporate product.

World-Building, Art & Sound

A Masterclass in Atmospheric Dread

The world of Changed is a hauntingly effective example of Urban Ruins and Post-Apocalyptic storytelling. The decaying laboratories, flooded generator rooms, and overgrown greenhouses tell a story of catastrophe without a single line of dialogue. Apocalyptic Logs from deceased scientists are scattered about, providing chilling fragments of backstory and deepening the sense of loss.

The visual direction is a surprising strength. While built from RPG Maker assets, DragonSnow’s custom spritework is expressive and detailed. The enemy designs are a grotesque and often adorable menagerie of Blob Monster-like creatures—from gooey wolves and sharks to squid-dogs and hypnotic cats. The contrast between their often “Ridiculously Cute” appearances and their horrifying purpose is deeply unsettling.

The 8-bit style soundtrack, composed by Shizi, is a highlight. Tracks range from melancholic and atmospheric, enhancing the loneliness of the exploration, to pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled beats during chase sequences. The music perfectly complements the mood, and the Special Edition’s credits, designed as homages to classic album covers, show a deep love for musical history.

Reception & Legacy

A Divided and Defining Reception

Upon release, Changed was met with bewilderment. Mainstream critics largely ignored it. Its user reception, as seen on platforms like Metacritic, is sharply divided—a binary between those who see it as “fetishbait trash” and those who hail it as a “deep, emotional masterpiece.” Many reviews openly admit: “It turned me into a furry.”

This divisiveness is its legacy. Commercially, it found a significant audience, selling enough to justify the extensive Special Edition update. But its true impact is cultural.

Industry and Cultural Influence

Changed did not influence the triple-A industry. Its influence is felt in the deeper corners of indie development and online fandom. It became a foundational text for the “transfur” genre, inspiring a wave of RPG Maker games and online content exploring similar themes. It is a Creator Cameo-laden hub for a community of artists and writers.

It became an internet meme, a symbol of bizarre furry culture often referenced out of context. The phrase “Do you want to be transfurred?” and the image of Puro are instantly recognizable within these circles. The game is a landmark, for better or worse, in the ongoing conversation about the role of fetish content in games and the blurred lines between horror, art, and kink.

Conclusion

Changed is an impossible game to review with any objective critical distance. It is a flawed, janky, and often frustrating experience built in a limited engine. It is also a work of profound passion, with a surprisingly rich and tragic narrative, effective horror atmosphere, and a unique, uncompromising vision.

To dismiss it as mere fetish fuel is to ignore its thoughtful exploration of identity and its genuinely effective puzzle-horror design. To praise it without acknowledging its deeply niche and often uncomfortable premise is equally dishonest.

Its place in video game history is secure not as a titan of the industry, but as a cult classic. It is a testament to the fact that video games can be anything—a personal, peculiar, and powerful expression of a single creator’s id, released into the world to find its own audience. Changed is a challenging, bizarre, and unforgettable experience. You will either understand it, or you won’t. And that, perhaps, is the entire point.