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 , 2019’s List, and 2020’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 loads 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 Loads More LGBTQ Positive Visual Novels that you should totally check out this Pride Month (and beyond)!
Perfect Gold – The Alchemy of Happiness
Female Romance Option
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io
Perfect Gold: The Alchemy of Happiness is a short, coming-of-age yuri visual novel about two former friends who escape detention in order to celebrate the Sunflower Festival. Set in the magical city of Castlecoast, readers get to know Audrey Clary, an alchemy student and heiress who secretly dreams of a different life, and Marion LaRue, a rebellious elemental magic student in search of someone she once loved.
Perfect Gold: The Alchemy of Happiness is a short slice-of-life yuri visual novel developed by Yangyang Mobile, an indie game studio based in the Philippines. My experience with yuri games is few and far between, but I love that Perfect Gold puts just as much emphasis on the friendship between Audrey and Marion, taking players through the early stages of their friendship to the misunderstanding that broke them apart and back again. As you navigate the the ups and downs of their relationship you learn more about each of the girls by seeing events from both of their perspectives, which makes for a much more emotional experience. Your choices will determine whether Marion and Audrey can mend their relationship or whether they ultimately choose to go their separate ways.
A Year of Springs
Asexual/Aromantic & Transgender Female Characters
Get the Game: Itch.io
three women, three stories, three springs.
・・・
Experience the stories of Haru, Erika, and Manami in A YEAR OF SPRINGS, a visual novel trilogy about a trio of friends navigating their feelings of love, connection, and just wanting to belong.
A Year Of Springs is a compilation game of One Night, Hot Spring trilogy by npckc and includes all three games along with three brand new epilogues following the characters after the events of their respective stories. The trilogy discusses issues that people of different genders and sexualities may face in their day to day lives. In One Night Hot Spring, follow Haru a transgender Japanese woman as she navigates a trip to a local hot spring with her friends. In Last Day of Spring, follow Erika as she tries to plan a spa day for her friend Haru (and also discovers her own budding feelings of love). In Spring Leaves No Flowers, follow Manami as she discovers what love and romance mean to her. Three different women. Three different, but interconnected journeys.
Red Embrace
Male Romance Option
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io | Android
The graveyard shift at a dingy diner in San Francisco — that’s where MC’s story begins. It’s just another normal night, or at least it seems to be.
…That is, until a certain mysterious customer stops by, bringing the dangerous attention of a few people with him. When it rains, it pours, and suddenly MC finds himself in the middle of a war he didn’t even know existed… between vampires.
How does MC react to the dark, violent world that opens up before him? That’s up to you!
Red Embrace is a supernatural boys love visual novel developed by Argent Games. Find yourself drawn into the dark underworld of vampires pursue four unique vampire love interests and unlock each of their endings (1 Good and 1 Bad). What I like about this game is that your choices determine not just what which characters you can pursue, but also the personality and interests of the protagonist.
In 2018, Argent Games released Red Embrace: Hollywood which is set within the same world, but features a whole new cast of characters, customizable MC (appearance, personality, and pronouns). There’s a lot more emphasis on the vampire clans and your role in their conflicts.
Roommates
Pansexual Character, Male & Female Romance Options
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io | iOS
Welcome to the halls of Latin House!
The best dorm (that you can afford) at the greatest college (that would accept you) in the entire country (Not counting the parts that aren’t here). Okay, maybe we’re overselling it.
Either way, you’re invited along with either Max or Anne as they make their way through the first year of their college experience.
They’ll share their dorm life with four other tenants as they pick their class load, pick their jobs, and maybe even pick someone to have a little extra curricular fun with.
Neither of them can get through college without you, so who will you help? Rock god Max or Book-smart Anne? Between bitter tenured professors and a ridiculously distracting student body, it’s going to take everything they’ve got just to make it to year two.
Roommates is a life simulator/romance game developed by Winter Wolves. Play as either Anne or Max as they navigate their first year of university—make friends, find yourself, and maybe discover love along the way. The game takes you through the their whole first year and lets you decide how Max and Anne spend their time; get a job, join your housemates in fun activities, study for class, or slack off completely. Both Anne and Max have their own set of love interests to pursue, some overlap, like Rakesh and Isabella who are romanceable whether you choose Anne or Max.
Andromeda Six
Adjustable Pronouns and Male, Female Romance Options
Get the Game: Itch.io
Set in the year 3025, you take on the role of a lost traveler. With no memory of your past, you wake up on the starship, Andromeda Six, surrounded by its crew of outcasts, each with their own vivid backstory and one common goal.
You must try to recover the pieces of your past to uncover your true identity and purpose, while learning to survive the political turmoil overtaking the galaxy after its recent terrorist attacks.
On your journey you may end up discovering more than what you bargained for, but can you handle the truth of your past or will it end up consuming you? Will you follow the destiny the stars have written for you, or forge a new path?
Andromeda Six is an LGBTQIA positive episodic cyberpunk visual novel developed by Wanderlust Games. In the game you play as an amnesiac passenger on the starship, Andromeda Six. Everything about you is a mystery, but with the help of the crew of the Andromeda you may be able to unlock the secrets of your past. In Andromeda Six you have the ability to play as a male, female, or non-binary protagonist known as the Traveler, with the option to choose from three different species to identify as in the game—Tilaari, Human, or Kitalphan. Each species offers a unique background and characteristics that will define your character as you navigate the events of the game.
La Vie en Rose
Male Romance Options
Get the Game: Itch.io
If our lives were meant to be,
If the future’s ours to see,
Shall we walk down this path hand-in-hand?La Vie en Rose is a sweet tale of the relationship between two young men; from the start of their romance, their daily lives, to the conflicts they experience.
In their beautiful rose-coloured world, which path will their love lead to?
La Vie en Rose is a boys love game developed by Abyss Team for the two month game jam, Yaoi Game Jam 2020. The game focuses on the relationship between two teens and follows them through the ups and downs of their relationship. While initially the game has more of a slice-of-life vibe to it, as the story progresses it does transition into themes that some people may find triggering, such as; abuse, violence, and some sexual situations. That aside, La Vie en Rose is an emotional ride that takes players through the positive and negative sides of being in a relationship.
Sew in Love!
Female Romance Option
Get the Game: Itch.io
When Nova is invited to go to Riversone to support her friend in a cosplay competition, she thinks she’s in for a stress free vacation. She doesn’t account for her friend’s old rivalry with the gorgeous social media goddess and cosplay queen, Imani Pierce. Things get heated quickly when Nova starts catching feels for the enemy. Can you help her maintain her friendships and still fall in love along the way?
Sew in Love! is a short yuri game developed by LegendEx Games for the two month game jam, Yaoi Game Jam 2020. Cute girls who sew and fall in love, help your friend with a cosplay competition and fall in love with the competition, the beautiful Imani Pierce. Sew in Love! is a short and sweet visual novel about finding love in unexpected places. And if you’ve played any of LegendEx Games’s other titles you’ll be happy to see a few familiar characters popping up as side characters!
Arcade Spirits
Adjustable Pronouns & Male, Female Romance Option
Get the Game: Itch.io | Steam | Nintendo Switch | PS4 | XBox One
Arcade Spirits is a romantic visual novel that follows an alternative timeline where the 1983 video game crash never occurred. It’s 20XX and you’ve just started a new job at the Funplex game arcade. Who will you meet along the way? Will you find the romance you’re seeking?
Arcade Spirits, an 80’s themed romance visual novel developed by Fiction Factory Games. Set in an alternate timeline where the 1983 video game crash never happened, you play as a new hire at the Funplex game arcade. It’s your job to keep the peace in one of the most popular arcades in the city, while trying to figure out your next step in life. At Funplex, you’ll meet a whole host of unique characters and maybe even find a little romance along the way.
Sentimental Trickster
Male Romance Options
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io
“I decided it was time. I packed my old, tattered bag and left home. I still have nightmares… But I’m hanging in there.
I conquer the world one snarky comment at a time and I have no sense of direction. When I deal with people, things can get awkward. Ballet-dancing-with-a-peg-leg kind of awkward. So far, four-eyes hates my guts, pretty boy laughs at me and the landlord thinks I’m weird. At least I can always try to get myself killed with this pierced hero-wannabe…
I try not to think about the future. When you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed, right? I just want to attend classes, graduate and become independent. Making friends would be great, but… how can you expect someone to like you if you don’t even like yourself?”
Sentimental Trickster is drama heavy slice-of-life boys love visual novel developed by Lovenuts and published by Y Press Games. Follow Haru as he comes to terms with trauma from his past while attempting to get along with his fellow housemates—each with their own problems. Sentimental Trickster doesn’t sugarcoat some of the less than positive experiences of the characters, and at least two of the characters in the game have storylines that focus on them coming to terms with their sexuality and overcoming emotional trauma. The relationships can be a bit… intense at times but sometimes a few bumps in the road are what make a story really stand out.
Mizuchi 白蛇心傳
Female Love Interests
Get the Game: Steam | Itch.io
“Is there a true path to happiness?”
Abruptly finding herself at the bottom of a snake pit, an impoverished girl named Linh is bound and helpless for a crime she did not commit. Left to the mercy of the village snake god, a mysterious entity appears before her, offering to save her in exchange for her soul.
Finding herself in a new reality, she is torn between staying with the beautiful temptress, Ai, who had rescued her from death, and the resourceful wanderer, Jinhai, who promises to set her free.
Who is the real savior? Will Linh discover the strength to change her own fate? Journey with Linh as she is forced to question her understanding of life, happiness, and what it means to be human. Each decision matters in this tale about identity, friendship, love and loss.
Mizuchi is a fantasy yuri visual novel developed by Aikasa Collective and inspired by the Legend of the White Serpant, a famous Asian romance story. Take on the role of Linh a young woman who is given a chance to really live when she is taken in by the serpent goddess, Ai and the traveling monk, Jinhai. This is very much a slow burn romance that takes its time building up the bond between the three main leads before ever going anywhere close to romance. So if you’re looking for a WLW game with more natural feeling relationships (and images of delicious food) definitely give Mizuchi a play!
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 posts!
Hoping to see Lady in Mystery in the list next year 👀
Thank you for this. I wish there were more mainstream games that had openly gay male characters.