Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 77 | 15 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 93% | 88 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 88% | 82 | 26 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 72 reviews sampled · 74 total reviews in window · weighted 60 up / 7.9 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (33)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Chaos;Child is, by most metrics, a step up from its predecessor and has every right to stake a claim at being the best game in the Science Adventure series. There is a huge amount of content and it will take several dozen hours for players to get to the bottom of the return of the New Gen Madness case. Despite some small issues with the text's formatting, the story is compelling enough to keep most players invested through the long runtime. With solid characters and some genuinely surprising twists, fans of visual novels will want to get their hands on this one if they haven't played Chaos;Child before.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Featuring a dark atmosphere with some moving moments (and a few touches of immaturity here and there), it’s been a long time since a visual novel has grabbed me as much as this one did. Even with the weaker final quarter, this is a story that comes highly recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“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.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“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.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Chaos;Child does have some issues with its pacing and the localization is rough in places but its twisting storyline and unique cast of characters create a visual novel that is definitely worth experiencing for those who like lengthy stories.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“If there's a patch to fix the text bugs - as of the review time, the game was still on 1.0.0 - then I might endeavor to dive back into Chaos;Child. But for now, there's still plenty of other things for me to read that I'm not worried about bouncing out of the game early.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While Chaos;Child may suffer a bit from some poor localization and text formatting decisions, the story is rather unique and engaging, leading to a fascinating murder mystery full of twists and turns. While I would suggest going through Chaos;Head Noah (or the non remastered version even) before going through Chaos;Child for a little more backstory and context, Chaos; Child still largely works as a standalone title, and will be a good choice for anyone looking for a grittier visual novel experience.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Chaos;Child was a bit of a disappointment for me. I enjoyed its improvements, but the previous game did things in a more interesting way, as it was all new to me. So having problems reappear while new ones came to light didn't convince me that this was a worthwhile sequel.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Chaos; series has remained one of the most iconic visual novel series for years, and with good reason - despite some dated visuals and slow pacing, both titles offer jaw-dropping stories full of winding twists and incredibly well developed characters. The pacing hiccups, length and obtuse ending requirements won't be for everyone, but if you're trying to explore the history of visual novels and want to play the biggest ones, you owe it to yourself to add this double pack to the list.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Directly succeeding CHAOS;HEAD NOAH is no easy task, but CHAOS;CHILD manages to be a worthy experience. Its story is exciting and addictive from start to finish, the characters and supernatural elements are better enjoyed and the consequences of CHAOS;HEAD NOAH are approached in an extremely satisfying way for those who played it without alienating those who start their journey in this universe in the second title. It's still hard to swallow the impossibility of finishing the final and most conclusive route, and small problems with the presentation and flaws in the script pop up with some frequency.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Like its predecessor, *Chaos;Childkept me thoroughly entertained, and I found myself reluctantly tearing myself away from it right in the middle of chapters. The deaths and the search for the truth behind them are gripping and at times dramatic, with the music enhancing the atmosphere. In between, calmer moments and humour lighten the mood, particularly in some of the protagonist’s inner monologues.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Chaos;Child tells a heartbreaking tale of murder, delusions, and what drives the essence of person. It's a painful tale, but one that very well may stick with you forever.”
read full review ↗
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Patch history
- [5/20][PATCH NOTES]May 20, 2019