Hey Hey Blerdy Tribe, it’s LGBT Pride Month, the annual celebration dedicated to the richly diverse LGBT+ community!! Now more than ever, representation matters, especially in the wake of the recent string of injustices carried out here in the United States and abroad.
These past few years I celebrated Pride Month with lists of 10 LGBTQ positive visual novels–2018’s List and 2019’s List–and I highly recommend giving those a read, there are some seriously great titles there that definitely warrant a look. Because it’s June once again, I have compiled another list with even more LGBTQ+ positive Visual Novels!
I tried my best to choose games that presented members of the LGBTQ+ community in a positive light, focusing less on sexual orientation or gender identity and more on telling meaningful stories that focus on the human experience. As in previous years, I have include links to each of the games, a synopsis of the story, and a short summary of the types of representation you’ll find in the game. So, without further ado, here are Even More LGBTQ Positive Visual Novels that you should totally check out this Pride Month!
A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986
Female Romance Option
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io
Follow the story of Michelle and Sam, and how their chance meeting evolves into a deeper romantic relationship. Set in vibrant Hong Kong in the year 1986, it is an original story about love, family, and culture. A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986 is about seeking identity and meaning in a rapidly changing world where conflicting world views and cultures collide.
A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986 is mature yuri visual novel developed by Oracle and Bone and released on April 23rd, 2020. Set in 1980’s Hong Kong, the game is heavily inspired by Hong Kong cinema, 80’s anime, and contemporary literature–it’s a loving homage to the fast paced era of neon lights, retro fashion, and evolving social norms.A Summer’s End focuses on the relationship between Michelle and Sam as they come to terms with their identity after a chance meeting evolves into a deeper romantic relationship.
Spring Leaves No Flowers (T)
Asexual/Aromantic & Transgender Female Characters
Get the Game: Itch.io | Google Play
Play as Manami, a young woman with a boyfriend named Tatsuya, and join her as she spends the weekend with her friends. Help Manami come to an understanding about herself as she thinks about what friendship and romance mean to her.
Spring Leaves No Flowers is a short LGBTQIA positive visual novel developed by npckc and released November 30, 2019. This is the third game in the One Night, Hot Spring series, which tells the story of Haru, a transgender woman living in Japan and her friends Manami and Erika. Spring Leaves No Flowers follows Haru’s friend, Manami as she comes to an understanding about her own identity and features discussions about sexual orientation/romantic identity.
Dream Daddy
Male Romance Option
Get the Game: Steam | Nintendo Switch
You and your daughter have just moved into the sleepy seaside town of Maple Bay only to discover that everyone in your neighborhood is a single, dateable Dad! Will you go out with Teacher Dad? Goth Dad? Bad Dad? Or any of the other cool Dads in this game? With a variety of paths and endings, Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator hopes to be the year’s most anticipated Dad-based game for the second year in a row.
Dream Daddy is a Dad dating simulator developed by Game Grumps and released on July 20, 2017–an expanded version of the game Dream Daddy: Dadrector’s Cut was released in October of 2018 and features additional content not included in the original release of the game. Despite it’s comedic tone and premise, Dream Daddy is a progressive title that normalizes the same sex relationships between your player character–a lonely single father–and the eligible fathers living in his cul-de-sac neighborhood: Mat Sella, Craig Cahn, Hugo Vega, Brian Harding, Damien Bloodmarch, Robert Small, and Joseph Christiansen.
Night in the Woods
Pansexual Character & Male Same Sex Relationship
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io | Nintendo Switch | Playstation 4 | Xbox One
College dropout Mae Borowski returns home to the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs seeking to resume her aimless former life and reconnect with the friends she left behind. But things aren’t the same. Home seems different now and her friends have grown and changed. Leaves are falling and the wind is growing colder. Strange things are happening as the light fades.
And there’s something in the woods.
Night in the Woods is a single-player exploration adventure game developed by Infinite Fall after being successfully funded through the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. The game was originally released on February 21, 2017 for PC and Playstation 4, the game has since been released on several consoles. While, Night in the Woods isn’t a romance game, the protagonist Mae is pansexual and her friends Greg and Angus are in a loving same sex relationship.
The Neptune Diaries
Adjustable Pronouns and Male, Female, & Non–Binary Romance Options
Get the Game: Itch.io
You are inexperienced yet promising detective that was sent to far away town on Neptune to investigate human- and drug trafficking. But is everything just as simple as it seems to be? What if every single polite smile and every kind gesture is a mask of a skilled criminal? Every neighbour may be a potential victim. Or maybe an accomplice? 5 characters hiding their own secrets, so different yet so alike.
The Neptune Diaries is an episodic sci-fi detective visual novel developed by Meduza Games and released on February 14, 2019. The project is ongoing, but as of this writing up until chapter 6 has been released. In the game you choose your own gender pronouns and romance one of five love interests (three male and two female). Your choices determine the course of the story and which of the five love interests you romance.
Newfound Courage
Male Romance Options
Get the Game: Itch.io | Steam
Alex’s story starts in the strange cliff side town of Silverpine that is home to The Vault, a mysterious institute containing the knowledge of a long-dead civilisation. Alex must explore The Vault’s many mysteries and help the colourful townsfolk he meets along the way, while learning to understand and accept his feelings for another young man named Jake.
Newfound Courage is a story-driven adventure game developed by Cafe Empty and released on April 18, 2019. Set in the town of Silverpine, the game follows Alex, a young man who falls in love with his best friend, Jake. While the game is reminiscent of old school RPG adventure titles, with it’s challenging puzzles and fun mysteries–Newfound Courage is more of a coming of age story, exploring the budding relationship between Alex and Jake.
A New Life
Female Romance Option
Get the Game: Itch.io | Google Play | App Store | Steam
A classic love story: Meet, marry, grow old.
But when your loved one hurts you, what do you do?
Is it better to love and be hurt, than never love at all?
a new life is a short slice-of-life romance visual novel developed by Angela He and released on April 16, 2020. The game serves as a sequel to He’s 2019 visual novel, missed messages and follows August and May (the main characters of the previous game) as they navigate ups and downs of life and love. Like Angela He’s previous games a new life does deal with heavier themes that may be triggering for some players like: death, loss, and grief.
Love Hues
Adjustable Pronouns & Male, Female, & Non–Binary Romance Option
Get the Game: Itch.io
Love Hues! is a university-based visual novel packed with both character and world secrets. You’ll be playing as Skyler (changeable name and pronouns) and navigate your first few months at Falls West University, where you’ll meet 5 romanceable – or befriendable! – characters who hide certain truths about themselves and the world around them.
Love Hues! is an LGBT+ positive visual novel developed by Oneirocritica Games and released on April 11, 2020. The game is set in the fictional Falls West University and follows freshman Skyler, as they navigate the ups and downs of college life. Love Hues! allows players to determine their own gender pronouns and appearance and gives them the unique opportunity to either romance or befriend five different character (two female, two male, and one non-binary). There is a mystery element to the game, so some routes are only available after players complete specific tasks or achieve certain endings.
Coming Out On Top
Male Romance Options
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io
Coming Out on Top is a choose-your-own-fate game which places you in the role of college senior, Mark Matthews. You’re about to come out of the closet and are ready to make up for lost time. With the help of your loyal roommates, play through six hilarious routes and ten unforgettable dates. 18 hot guys are waiting for you to win them over.
Coming Out On Top is a gay choose your own adventure game developed by Obscurasoft and released on December 10, 2014. In the game you step into the shoes of Mark Matthews, a college senior who has recently come out of the closet and he’s ready to make up for lost time. Join him as he explores his sexuality with the help of his roommates in this hilarious visual novel. Coming Out on Top doesn’t shy away from sex, giving players the chance to craft their own coming out story–whether that means having a lot of sex, exploring your kinks, or simply developing meaningful relationships with others–the choice is yours!
Heart of the Woods
Transgender Female Love Interest & Female Protagonist
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io
Maddie Raines is ready to move on. As editor, manager, and eternal sidekick for her best friend Tara’s supernatural investigation vlog channel, Taranormal, she heads towards adventure, but all Maddie feels is held back. Despite Tara’s boundless enthusiasm and internet popularity, she has yet to make a true discovery, and Maddie is ready to move forward with her own life and leave the channel for good.
A strange young woman named Morgan from Eysenfeld, a village an ocean away, invites Tara with the promise of undeniable proof of supernatural activity. Tara leaps at the opportunity, but Maddie has her doubts. The last thing she expected to happen was for Morgan to be telling the truth.
Heart of the Woods is a fantasy yuri visual novel developed by Studio Élan and released on May 19, 2018. In the game you follow best friends Maddie and Tara as they investigate paranormal mysteries–their latest case takes them to a remote forest village to investigate rumors of the supernatural, they find a whole lot more than they bargained for. Heart of the Woods features two distinct romances, one of which is a standard yuri romance between Maddie and Abigail (a ghost) and the second involves Tara, a trangender woman and Morgan, a cisgender woman. Though, I should note that the mystery and not the romance is the main focus of the game.
And that’s my list. As always, this is not an exhaustive list of all the great LGBTQ+ positive games out there–this is just a good starting off point–so I challenge you guys to go out and do a bit of searching of your own. Also, if your favorite game didn’t make the list feel free to share it down in the comments section and tell me what it is that you love about the game!
Throughout the month of June, I’ll be covering LGBTQ+ games, so be on the look out for even more games like the ones above! If you want to know what games I chose in previous years check out the following links:
- [Pride Month 2018] 10 LGBTQ Positive Visual Novels
- [Pride Month 2019] 10 More LGBTQ Positive Visual Novels
Thank you for reading and supporting Blerdy Otome! 🙂
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Summer’s End looks especially awesome and I love the Nonbinary rep in the other one! Definitely adding those to my play list. 😀
It is such an amazing game!! I think there were some non binary game options on the 2018 and 2019 lists too. But, I know for a fact that The Arcana, When the Night Comes, One Thousand and One Days, and Errant Kingdom have non binary characters as part of their main cast.
No House in Fata Morgana on any of these lists?? Yall are missing out on one of the best visual novels ever, with fantastic rep included
It’s an amazing game. You should definitely read some of my other content–I have mentioned the game before 🙂