CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience

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CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience is a single player survival role playing game. It was developed by Delve Interactive and was released on May 1, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

"CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience" is a rouge-like survival game set in a randomly generated city, where players must explore, earn perks, find items, and experience acts of kindness to help their character escape homelessness. The game offers depth with hundreds of perks, items, and events, and is inspired by the developer's personal experiences. 20% of profits will be donated to charities focused on homelessness.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience screenshot

+16

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,539 reviews

gameplay69 positive mentions

stability37 negative mentions

The game provides a unique and emotional perspective on homelessness, making players reflect on their own views and encouraging empathy.
Gameplay is engaging and challenging, with a variety of characters and strategies to explore, leading to high replayability.
The developers are responsive to community feedback and regularly update the game, adding new content and fixing bugs.

The game can be repetitive after a few playthroughs, as the core mechanics and winning strategies become apparent.
There are numerous bugs that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with saving and randomizing city layouts upon reloading.
Some mechanics, such as the addiction system and the impact of happiness, can feel unbalanced and frustrating, making it difficult to progress.

gameplay
230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
61%
9%
The gameplay of "Change: A Homeless Survival Experience" is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics that effectively convey the challenges of homelessness, offering a mix of survival and time management elements. While many players find the gameplay addictive and immersive, with a strong emotional impact, there are frequent mentions of bugs and repetitiveness that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game is praised for its unique concept and the depth of its mechanics, making it a thought-provoking experience that encourages empathy and strategic thinking.
- “It's a mechanic that mirrors the systemic realities of homelessness, where effort does not always equate to success and where survival often hinges on factors beyond one’s control.”
- “The gameplay is great and the game isn't complete yet.”
- “The mechanics are well thought out and make you feel for the type of challenges people just like you have to go through.”
- “The gameplay loop feels repetitive and uninspired, despite the emotional and deep homeless survival experience it presents.”
- “The gameplay is very grindy and boring, and the rogue-like elements are very poorly implemented.”
- “The mechanics are simple, and the gameplay becomes repetitive mid-playthrough, while the world interactions are minimal, limited, and surface level.”
story
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
74%
4%
The game's story is centered around the harsh realities of homelessness, offering players a deeply personal narrative that varies with each character's unique backstory. While many players appreciate the emotional depth and the opportunity for empathy, some feel that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks a satisfying conclusion, leading to a diminished drive to replay. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its humanization of the homeless experience, though some players desire more depth and variety in the narrative structure.
- “Every playthrough becomes a personal story about resilience, misfortune, and the fragile balance between despair and hope.”
- “The story is not a fairy tale either.”
- “The story telling aspect is phenomenal; I appreciate how it humanizes the experience.”
- “I started a new story with mental illness and nothing changed, just the character I played as.”
- “The gameplay and all events were the exact same and the story unfolded in the same way as before.”
- “After you finished the story of one character, the drive to play again is low.”
graphics
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel art style that evokes emotion and complements the game's themes, despite being simplistic and reminiscent of older console games. While some players appreciate the charm and atmosphere created by the visuals, others criticize the lack of graphical enhancements and the overall quality, noting that the 2D art can feel outdated. Overall, the graphics effectively convey the game's serious subject matter, with many players finding them beautiful and fitting for the gameplay experience.
- “The pixel art style is understated but evocative, using color to communicate emotion.”
- “A beautiful game with graphics that are both simple and elegant, Home is a fantastic game that brings a taste of realism with every step.”
- “The graphics are beautiful; I love games with pixel graphics.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
- “Forget the fact that the graphics are comparable to cheap early 90s games.”
emotional
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game "Change" is widely praised for its impactful storytelling and heartfelt portrayal of homelessness, evoking a strong sense of empathy and reflection on societal issues. Players report feeling deeply connected to the characters and their struggles, with many describing the experience as both heartbreaking and eye-opening. While some critiques mention a repetitive gameplay loop, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to resonate emotionally, making it a significant and thought-provoking experience.
- “The premise is simple yet emotionally weighty: you must survive long enough to rebuild your life, one meal, one night, and one decision at a time.”
- “It's a heartbreaking experience, but totally worth it.”
- “This game is a very honest and emotional portrayal of homelessness.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
65%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with soft, ambient melodies that reflect themes of despair and resilience. While some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, its mellow, lo-fi quality effectively supports the game's emotional weight without being intrusive. Overall, the music is considered a significant element that deepens the immersive experience, although a few players suggested the option to adjust volume levels for a more personalized experience.
- “The soundtrack complements this quiet despair with soft, ambient melodies that rise and fall like passing days.”
- “Great game overall, very good atmosphere and the music is awesome, really depicts what it's like being homeless and all the challenges it takes to get out of it.”
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the painful honesty is what really sets this game apart in some of the few that should truly be remembered and played for such an experience.”
- “The music makes the experience too jarring and melodramatic for me.”
- “It plays only when something bad happens to you or if the weather changes, and yes it is creating the right mood and conveys emotions of despair, but I miss music accompaniment in regular day-to-day gameplay.”
- “All you have to do is turn off the overly dramatic soundtrack, and this is a poignant piece of work.”
replayability
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
6%
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability. Many players appreciate its depth, diverse characters, and varying scenarios, which contribute to a high replay value and an engaging experience. However, some users express concerns about limited replayability due to predictable winning conditions and a desire for more randomness or updates to enhance the experience.
- “It's a great challenge, with massive replayability due to different characters, perks, and maladies, as well as new city spawns.”
- “There are so many small details that I love about this game - so many different ways to fall, and to pick yourself back up again... especially for such a simple game, the replayability is impressive.”
- “Absolutely fantastic, challenging and very replayable homelessness simulator.”
- “After losing multiple runs, succeeding to 'win the game' and then trying another run after, I can say that this game has little to no replay value as it stands.”
- “My only true gripe is that the replay value is a bit low due to the fact that the conditions for winning never change.”
- “I like the game, just no replayability.”
stability
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, significantly impacting stability and making it nearly unplayable for some users. While many players find the gameplay enjoyable and the developers responsive to feedback, the frequent freezes and game-breaking issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, especially in its early access state.
- “The glitches and freezes I am experiencing on my three-year-old laptop have rendered this game nearly unplayable.”
- “Extremely buggy game and gameplay is a lackluster experience.”
- “It has gotten to the point where it just freezes as soon as I load the game and it has become unplayable.”
grinding
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The reviews highlight that the game features a significant amount of grinding, which some players find tedious and repetitive, especially as they progress towards the end-game. While the grind reflects the harsh realities of homelessness, it can become overwhelming, particularly due to RNG elements that can disrupt progress. Overall, players appreciate the game's unique premise but express a desire for a more balanced approach to grinding, with suggestions for improved mechanics to alleviate the tedium.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “My only real criticism is that despite the amount of content and things there are to do, you are quite heavily punished in terms of happiness, your time, and your cash for doing anything outside the most optimal strategy of finding the right cluster of buildings together, grinding until you have a job, then working until you can get real estate.”
- “The gameplay is very grindy and boring, and the rogue-like elements are very poorly implemented.”
- “It starts off well but quickly becomes apparent that winning the game requires a bit of repetitive grinding while you're at the mercy of RNG events affecting your stats, which can erase a lot of work you've put into your run.”
atmosphere
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
22%
11%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its emotional depth and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the struggles of homelessness through compelling art and music. Reviewers note that the blend of engaging gameplay with a poignant, often melancholic atmosphere enhances the overall experience, making it both relatable and thought-provoking. The minimalistic graphics complement the atmosphere, creating a cohesive and impactful setting that resonates with players.
- “Great game overall, very good atmosphere and the music is awesome, really depicts what it's like being homeless and all the challenges it takes to get out of it.”
- “Side scrolling yet it still gives off a sad and lonely atmosphere.”
- “I love this game, its atmosphere really sells the desperation and difficulty of homelessness.”
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the painful honesty is what really sets this game apart in some of the few that should truly be remembered and played for such an experience.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of absurdity and charm, with players finding amusement in quirky scenarios and dialogue mishaps, such as the mix-up between crisps and fruits. While some reviewers noted that the humor can be silly and far from reality, it adds a lighthearted element to the gameplay experience. Overall, the humor is appreciated, though opinions vary on its effectiveness.
- “I've seen some kind of funny layouts though, like two laundromats, a bar, and two police stations... I just wish the code for generating the cities was a little refined so it would make starting a new playthrough simpler.”
- “Fun little game, not much to it but it's funny to try to beat your own score and try the different scenarios.”
- “The dialogue for crisps and fruits got mixed up, so I was being given crisps when offered fruit (I found this more funny than frustrating).”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while it is lightweight and doesn't consume much memory, players have reported issues such as stuttering during movement, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Even though the game is very small and doesn't consume much memory, it feels surprisingly optimized.”
- “Although there is some poor stuttering when I move from one place to another, which is slightly annoying.”
- “Even though the game is very small and doesn't consume much memory, it feels oddly optimized.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Character development in the game is noted for its depth and storytelling, surpassing many AAA titles, yet some users feel it lacks meaningful choices and activities, leading to a more superficial experience overall.
- “Hobo, tough life looks like a much better game, with actual graphics, first person, role-playing, and character development.”
- “There's no real depth to the character development, and with the very limited options you can actually do inside buildings, there's not much to do here but walk and click.”
- “Hobo, Tough Life looks like a much better game, with actual graphics, first-person perspective, role-playing elements, and character development.”
- “This game provides more story and character development than most AAA games nowadays.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect introduces a curfew related to shelter ads, creating a time constraint that encourages players to strategize and plan their actions more thoughtfully.

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17h Median play time

22h Average play time

7-40h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience is a survival role playing game.

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience is available on PC, Mac OS, Phone, iPad and others.

On average players spend around 22 hours playing CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience.

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience was released on May 1, 2020.

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience was developed by Delve Interactive.

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience is a single player game.

Similar games include Hobo: Tough Life, This War of Mine, Garbage, The Red Lantern, Youtubers Life and others.

CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience

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