Summary

• Visual novels offer diverse LGBTQ+ representation, from light-hearted romances to deep explorations of struggles.
• Free games like A Date With Death and One Night, Hot Springs provide inclusive narratives for LGBTQ+ players.
• Games like Ace In Space and Butterfly Soup delve into asexuality and nonbinary identities, refreshing the visual novel genre.

Visual novels are games with an emphasis on good narrative and well-written dynamic characters. They feature interactive elements, where your choices often determine the plot's outcome. Although visual novels also frequently function as dating sims, that isn’t the case for every single one.

In some, when romance is one of the primary objects, you can divert and opt for a platonic relationship as well. Some of the best visual novels feature L⛄GBTQ+ aspects, whether it’s romantic or queer-platonic relationships. Of course, not every story is lighthearted, and some give really good i𝓡nsights into the struggles that LGBTQ+ people face. This makes visual novels great and really well-nuanced storytelling tools.

Updated on June 13, 2024 by Tallis Spalding: Pride Month has arrived once more and with it the desire to play more gay visual novels. Of course, the market is always growing and the best gay visual novels can be a little bit hard to find at times. But, worry not, there’s plenty out there for the LGBTQ+ community to experience and there are plenty of stories to be told. Some are really sweet and wholesome moments, while others dive into those heartfelt stories that make your heart ache. Visual novels are a really dynamic medium because both the lighthearted and heartfelt stories are so easy to get your hands on, and most of the time, they’re accessible. Whether they’re free-to-play or cost a pretty penny, there’s just something so special about LGBTQ+ visual novels.

13 A Date With Death 🌄 🌼

A Date With Death is a chat-based visual novel, that gives you a prime opportunity to woo the Grim Re💛aper. This game features an extensive amount of customization options, allowing you to craft your perfect character, or to simply craft yourself. Not only do you have custom pronouns, but you also get to pic😼k your gender and customize your descriptive words.

The character creation in A Date With Death, despite being relatively simple, feels like it genuinely sees you and allows you to express yourself. There may only be one romance option, but th⛎e visua﷽l novel’s LGBTQ+ acceptance is undeniable.

12 ERROR143

ERROR143 is a partially cyberpunk aesthetic visual novel with a heavy emphasis on the 'dating' portions of it. The premise of the game is that you, essentially, end up in a hacking competition with Micah Yujin, further cementing the idea of the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Regardless of what pronouns you pick when you are crafting your character, the story revolves around your growing romance with Micah. Although LGBT+ elements are not the central theme of this visual novel, it still functions as a light-hearted and relatively inclusive enemies-to-lovers experience. It also really helps that it’s free to play and is ava✃ilable on android and iOS.

11 Missed Messages 🧸

Do you want your heart to hurt? If so, you should play Missed Messages. M♐issed Messages has four different endings, each one exploring concepts of life, death, depression, a𓃲nd familial pressure. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in whatever path you’re aiming for, or in specific situations, that you almost lose yourself and, inevitably, end up missing some messages.

Missed Messages, through the story of its lesbian lead, shines a light on the depression and struggles that LGBTQ+ people often face. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:It's a shorter experience to play through, but that doesn't hinder the heartbreaking and hopeful story it has.

10 🌊 Dream Daddy: A 𒆙Dad Dating Simulator

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a pretty classic gay visual novel. A🍬s is in the name, you are a dad looking to date other dads. While the game can be pretty lighthearted, it does deal with some serious topics at times.

The various dads are well-rounded, enjoyable characters (some of whom have dark se൩crets to hide) and it’s really easy to fallღ in love with them. There are seven different dads you can pick from, each one offering a unique experience and some insight into different aspects of being in the closet or coming out.

9 Our Life: Beginnings & Always 🃏⛎

Our Life: Beginnings & Always is a visual novel where you progress through childhood with a character you design. You begin with a specific set of pronouns (he/she/they) and, later in the story, you're given the option to transition, if you'd like. You grow up with your neighbor, Cove Holden. Cove is your only love interest, and his character will develop based on the unique experiences and choices you make with him.

You can decide whether your relationship with Cove is one where love blossoms, or choose to remain childhood best friends. Whichever you decide, Our Life: Beginnings & Always is an inclusive experience, and you will have a fulfilling journey throughout your character's life.

8 🐼🐲 One Night, Hot Springs

One Night, Hot Springs is a game tꦓhat explores the life of a transgender woman in Japan and the challenges that she faces. The main protagonist is Haru, and the story begins with Haru being invited to Japan’s hot springs by her longtime f🌟riend Manami.

Haru is a shy, sweet girl who doesn’t want 𒆙to invite any trouble into her life. Manami takes the role of her supportive friend, helping create♑ a positive atmosphere throughout Haru’s challenges. Although the game is short, it packs a punch, with a story that many may find relatable.

7 Life Iꦫs Strange: True Colorsꦇ

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Life Is Strange: True Colors is the fourth installment in the Life is Strange series. All games in♑ the Life is Strange collection feature a queer protagonist; however, True Colors is unique in the fact that you can explore love interests with two dynamic characters, Ryan and Steph. Alex Chen is the main character of True Colors, a bisexual young Asian-American woman with psychic empathy abilities.

Alex can see people’s emotional auras, and control the feelings of those around her. The narrative starts with tragedy, and Alex loses her brother in a mysterious accident. You will play as Alex and discover the truth about your brother’s death. Throu🎉gh your choices and interactions with the other c🥃haracters, you can shape thღe narrative and end up in one of the many endings available.

6 B꧋utterfl🗹y Soup

Butterfly Soup is a coming-of-age romantic visual novel that follows four LGBTQ+ Asian-American teen baseball players. The story takes place in 2008 in San Francisco when California’s Proposition 8 sought to end marriage equality. You follow alon🐲g with Diya, Noelle, Akarsh, and Min-Seo as they navigate high school, develܫoping relationships along the way.

The gameplay focuses on each character’s individuality, and the de💛veloper, Brianna Lei, has been praised for her in-depth writing of the four protagonists. The characters are nuanced and feel fun and unique. Pair that with some the occasional snarky piece of dialo𒆙gue and all of it comes together to make a fun and refreshing experience.

5 Ace In Spa♏ce ♔

Ace in Space is a visual novel and dating sim game that explores the realities of asexuality and nonbinary identity. You play as Ad꧅rian Clarke a♉nd are given the chance to live on a distant planet, T-3R4, with kindhearted robots.

Throughout your time playing, you will write blog posts and keep Planet Earth updated regularly. Ace in Space gives you the choice to date up to five different individuals, or not date anyone at all; it is your story to unveil. The nonbinary and a🐓sexual identities are frequently overlooked, so it’s a breath of fresh air to see such a unique and enjoyable visual novel.

4 ꦿ Highway Blossoms 𒐪

Highway Blossoms is a story that follows Amber, a young girl on a trip to the American S♈outhwest. The journey begins with an old gold rush miner’s journal being discovered and making headlines because it details where his secret stash of gold might be located. While the prospect of getting rich quickly seems enticing, Amber isn’t all that interested.

She is overcome with loss, mourning her grandfather, and wanders the desert in the motorhome she inherited from him. It doesn’t take long for Amber to come across Mar𒁏ina, a young girl who is lost hitchhiking in New Mexico. Once Amber and Marina meet, romance is in the air, and you two set out on a gold rush together.