With Pride Month right here, there’s no higher time to play a brand new recreation or two that focuses on LGBT+ characters and tales. Luckily, the variety of video games with LGBTQ+ illustration has been rising over the previous few years, notably within the indie house. There’s a major historical past of the queer neighborhood not getting represented in video video games in any respect or in lower than well-intentioned methods. And whereas there’s nonetheless loads of room to develop by way of queer storytelling in video games, there are a number of unbelievable video games to select from.
From video games that function queer important characters like The Last of Us Part II to titles that give gamers the liberty to construct out their characters’ identities themselves like The Sims franchise, there are video games throughout genres which have LGBTQ+ illustration. Here’s a listing of video games that signify totally different queer identities, offering place to begin when you’re seeking to see how video games sort out queer tales this Pride Month.
Note: Some spoilers are talked about beneath.
The Last of Us Part II
Sony
The Last of Us franchise from Naughty Dog is a postapocalyptic journey survival recreation that primarily follows the story of a number of characters together with Joel, Ellie, and later, Abby, 20 years after the world has been overrun by cannibalistic creatures. Since the primary recreation launched in 2013, the franchise has change into critically acclaimed and a fan favourite throughout the board. It’s also called one of many first extra mainstream video games to function a number of queer characters.
Ellie is the central character for the franchise, and has confirmed to be a fancy protagonist as she grapples with the damaging and tragic world round her — together with the lack of her finest buddy and first romantic curiosity, Riley. Ellie is the primary lesbian important character in a triple-A title, and whereas she was not at all the primary lesbian to be featured in a recreation, she was a little bit of a groundbreaking character, notably in The Last of Us Part II, which additionally featured queer characters in Dina and Lev, a trans man.
I Was A Teenage Exocolonist
Finji
Choices matter on this narrative-centered RPG that places gamers within the sneakers of protagonist Sol, a child rising up on an area colony removed from Earth. With a concentrate on deckbuilding, I Was A Teenage Exocolonist actually places the liberty of selection into your palms with the power to construct expertise, tackle what jobs you like, and concentrate on the relationships with different characters (together with aliens) that you simply need to pursue. All of those selections influence the present life you’re taking part in by and the following, courtesy of an in-game time loop.
Queer illustration in I Was A Teenage Exocolonist is entrance and middle. Players are in a position to customise Sol’s pronouns and their common look from the get-go and at any time all through the sport. Sol’s pals are all dateablem irrespective of the participant’s personal identification, ought to gamers need to pursue romance. But the forged even have particular person identities of their very own that influence how they preserve relationships amongst themselves, making for a various group of characters to work together with.
The Outer Worlds
Private Division
Players in search of more room adventures with queer illustration can flip to The Outer Worlds. A single-player, character-driven RPG, The Outer Worlds is about in an alternate future the place your participant character finds themselves misplaced in house aboard a colonist ship that was meant to take you to a brand new world. After escaping the ship, you discover an open world, together with a few of the deepest reaches of house. But you additionally encounter the continuing conspiracy that’s threatening the Halcyon system and colony, all whereas assembly a ton of latest characters – a few of whom will change into shut companions.
One non-player character particularly who gives express queer illustration is Parvati Holcomb. A possible companion to hitch you in your ship and a mechanic, Parvati has a private quest that you could undertake. The quest reveals that Parvati has emotions for a lady named Junlei Tennyson, and also you additionally discover out by early dialog with Parvati that she is asexual. Parvati’s character and story has even been famous by GLAAD to be one of many “most prominent examples of an authentic asexual character ever seen in a major studio title.”
Hades
Supergiant Games
Released in 2020, Hades delivers large on each dungeon crawling and mythological journey. Following the Greek demigod Zagreus, the story sees him making an attempt to flee from the underworld. Along the best way, he faces loads of battles and meets a number of Greek gods, monsters, and ghosts. Hades loved each important and business success following its launch, incomes a number of awards, together with Best Game on the 2021 British Academy Game Awards.
Much like Ellie in The Last of Us, Hades additionally encompasses a important character below the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Zagreus is bisexual, and as you play your approach by the numerous dungeons, you’ll come throughout potential romances to pursue in Dusa, Thanatos, and Megaera. Hades facilities queerness inside the recreation, each by Zagreus and different relationships, such because the love story between Achilles and Patroclus.
Arcade Spirits
PQube
Arcade Spirits is a neon-fueled romantic visible novel that locations the participant character into an alternate timeline. Set within the yr 20XX, you’re given the liberty to design your character earlier than you discover employment at a neighborhood arcade, the Funplex. The arcade is residence to a lot of totally different characters, out of your co-workers Ashley and Naomi to Queen Bee and Percy, who’re players and frequent guests to the arcade.
Arcade Spirits is closely choice-driven, prompting you typically with selections that maintain you engaged and that have an effect on each your persona and the relationships you’ve developed with these on the arcade. How you select to work together with everybody round you’ll in the end influence your relationships and the general ending of the sport. There are seven potential romances so that you can pursue, however Arcade Spirits additionally offers gamers the liberty to stay to simply friendship.
Unpacking
Humble Games
For the puzzle followers on the market, Unpacking is a brief and candy recreation that’s all concerning the act of unpacking in new houses throughout an unseen character’s lifetime. Described as “part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration,” Unpacking slowly reveals context clues as you unpack containers in every new stage of life over the course of 20 years. Though the bigger story is one thing you’re by no means informed, the act of unpacking containers and establishing every new residence prompts you to pay shut consideration to the small particulars.
Some of these small (and not-so-small) particulars reveal that the unknown protagonist is bisexual, one thing you slowly study all through the sport. During the method of shifting and unpacking, the principle character strikes in with a boyfriend earlier than happening to have a girlfriend transfer into her house afterward. Unpacking is all about catharsis through puzzle play, and it focuses on a bisexual important character’s life in a really odd and fulfilling method.
Stardew Valley
ConcernedApe
Stardew Valley is an indie title that pops up on many lists – these itemizing LGBTQ+ video games, indie suggestions, and extra. It’s an enthralling simulation RPG recreation the place your character inherits their grandfather’s outdated farm. From there, gamers can farm, stay off the land, discover, and customise the sport to their coronary heart’s delight. In a way much like The Sims, queer romance inside the recreation is elective for gamers to pursue.
There are 12 romanceable townsfolk inside Pelican Town, the place gamers construct out their inherited farm. Players are free to romance and date any of them, no matter gender. Same-sex relationships are wholly accepted in Stardew Valley and queer {couples} can get married, undertake children, and even get divorced. And some gamers have even expanded the queer illustration by mods that assist so as to add in queer-specific dialogue and even a Pride Month occasion.
Editors’ Recommendations