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This isn鈥檛 one of those articles proclaiming that gay folks like video聽games.

We鈥檝e always played them聽and we鈥檙e聽starting to see a whole lot more representation.

The medium has become increasingly more sophisticated over the years. The visuals are getting closer to photo realism. The gameplay gets refined and perfected with every iteration. It鈥檚 the progress on the storytelling front that鈥檚 most exciting, though 鈥� developers are聽more聽game聽than ever to explore mature stories, including gay-themed subject matter.

Here are my favourite聽games聽that have something to say about the experience of being gay鈥�

LIFE IS STRANGE

Life is Strange聽is an episodic mystery told over five parts. It plays very much like the love child of a serialised television series and an old school choose-your-own-adventure book.

We鈥檙e introduced to the sleepy, seaside town of Arcadia Bay through聽the perspective of Max Caulfield, who鈥檚 making a triumphant homecoming of sorts. It鈥檚 been sometime since the family moved away, but her old stomping grounds remain disconcertingly familiar. She鈥檚 returned for聽her senior year at Blackwell Academy, a prestigious liberal arts boarding school.

It doesn鈥檛 take an especially keen power of observation to notice the missing person posters scattered across the sprawling campus. Rachel Amber, a former student, has disappeared鈥�

We hear the gossip and rumours 鈥� it鈥檚 something fellow students tend to talk about, after all. There鈥檚 talk of a possible affair with a teacher. There鈥檚 talk of cliques and a secret society on campus known as the Vortex Club.聽We get a hazy sense of who this missing girl is as a person.聽It鈥檚 not until Max reunites with her childhood best friend that we get some clarity.

Chloe Price has changed dramatically in the years since Max moved away. We spend the first portion of聽Life is Strange聽reconnecting with an old friend and finding that common ground again. It doesn鈥檛 take all that long, though 鈥� the connection that made them friends in the first place is still most definitely there. Max confides in Chloe and Chloe confides in Max.

Something weird has been happening to Max ever since returning to Arcadia Bay.

An 鈥榓bility鈥� has manifested. It seems she鈥檚 a human time machine of sorts, with the power to alter the timeline through sheer force of will. That鈥檚 quite the hook, right?聽It鈥檚 safe to say that聽Life is Strange聽leans heavily towards the 鈥榟igh concept鈥� realms of the teen drama genre. It鈥檚 one that鈥檚 grounded in compelling, relatable character stories and a well realised world.

So, how does this all relate back to the disappearance of Rachel Amber?

Rachel and Chloe were close. Really close. So close that Chloe spends her days plastering those missing person posters across town and desperately investigating her whereabouts. Intuition gives a distinct impression that these girls were more than friends, something that鈥檚 soon confirmed. Rachel initially filled the best friend void left by Max when she moved away, but that developed into something else. Chloe is gay, that鈥檚 not a throwaway piece of information.

The high concept weirdness of聽Life is Strange聽is grounded through the normal day-to-day life of Arcade Bay. Being gay is normal. It鈥檚 just a part of us. The other parts are also important.

Chloe Price is flawed, impulsive, irresponsible, selfish, and might just be an awful influence on Max.聽She鈥檚 also funny, smart, and incredibly loyal. There鈥檚 many a thing that makes her tick. We鈥檙e given a character that is a complicated on many fronts and is聽pivotal to the plot. Her experiences are meaningful.聽This is a gay character who isn鈥檛 just here to make the聽game聽diverse and isn鈥檛 a caricature in the slightest. She鈥檚 a聽well-rounded person with a story to tell.

The real strength of聽Life is Strange聽is in the strong, complicated friendship between two people who have drifted apart over the years. It鈥檚 a mystery framed around a human story.

Max joins forces with Chloe, using her ability to work out what really happened to Rachel.

Life is Strange聽is the video聽game聽equivalent of a page turner.

There鈥檚 twists, turns, and cliffhangers a-plenty over the course of the five episodes. You鈥檙e given many agonising choices that shape how the story will unfold in very real ways.

THE LAST OF US AND THE LEFT BEHIND DLC

The Last of Us paints a harrowing picture of a world destroyed by a zombie-like apocalypse.

It鈥檚 an action/adventure survival聽game聽with a strong focus on story and characters.

Humans adapt, survivor鈥檚 survive, and life goes on. It鈥檚 been a good twenty years since Joel lost his daughter in the initial out break. He lived to tell the tale. It鈥檚 not the greatest of lives, though 鈥� he works as a smuggler in the militarised zone that once was downtown Boston. Experiences have hardened Joel, but he presses on the best he can. It鈥檚 not too long before he鈥檚 reacquainted with the dangerous, overgrown perils of the world outside the city walls.

Joel is recruited for his smuggler-related skill set. The contraband is unusual this time around from the usual food, drugs, and supply runs that make up his day-to-day life. He鈥檚 tasked with smuggling a teenage girl named Ellie out of the city. Yeah, this is a little close to home for Joel.

What鈥檚 so special with Ellie, though? Why鈥檚 she worth risking life and limb over?

Ellie got bit and that鈥檚 a guaranteed death sentence in the world of聽The Last of Us.

A funny thing happened, though 鈥� she didn鈥檛 turn. She was immune to whatever it was that messed up everyone else, good and proper. She just might be humanity鈥檚 best damn hope at kicking this zombie apocalypse thing for good. The stakes don鈥檛 get much higher, right? Even the most broken of people can see the value in ensuring this girl鈥檚 safety. Joel reluctantly agrees to traverse the apocalyptic wasteland with Ellie to ensure she lives to tell the tale.

The storytelling in聽The Last of Us聽is right up there with the best the medium has ever offered. It鈥檚 sophisticated, with delicate and mature writing that sets its apart from its peers.

The people who live in the world of聽The Last of Us聽reflect the diversity of real life. There鈥檚 a couple of strong gay-themed story arcs told against this perilous and bleak setting.

Joel and Ellie鈥檚 first port of call takes them to a fortified township with a population of one. This is where Bill lives. You can most definitely say that cabin fever has taken hold with this guy. He鈥檚 as paranoid as he is strange and off-putting. He鈥檚 also gay. It鈥檚 not particularly note worthy to the predicament we find ourselves in, but an interesting aspect to his character all the same. By the end of our stay here, we learn about his life and who he shares it with.

Bill is notable because he鈥檚 normal, just like any other person living in this world.

The more weighty gay-themed story line occurs in the聽Left Behind聽downloadable content.

By the end of Joel and Ellie鈥檚 adventure, we find out the circumstances in how she was bitten.

She was attacked in an abandoned shopping mall with a teenage pal who didn鈥檛 make it.

The聽Left Behind DLC聽finally gives insight into this event and the characters behind it.

Something went down between Ellie and Riley, and their friendship seems a little strained.聽The two make an effort to reconnect, knowing that Riley is about to leave town for good. The girls decide to have one last hurrah, by exploring a dilapidated shopping mall in an off-limits part of the Boston militarised zone.聽We know this isn鈥檛 going to end well鈥�

There鈥檚 still an unexpected story to be found here and a new piece to the puzzle that is Ellie.

As the plot unravels,聽Left Behind聽takes us on a relatable coming of age journey, showing us the story of two girls clumsily coming to terms with their complicated feelings for one another. It鈥檚 beautiful, understated, and deepens Ellie鈥檚 character with a steady, respectful hand.

GONE HOME

It鈥檚 tough to talk about the gay themes of聽Gone Home聽without spoiling the聽game聽itself.

It鈥檚 an experience best had with not a whole lot of knowledge going in. If you have any interest in playing this聽game聽as intended, I recommend you stop reading now. You can聽thank me later.

Time moves differently when you鈥檙e younger. A year can seem like a lifetime.

Katie Greenbriar鈥檚 about to get reacquainted with the life she鈥檚 missed while spending a year abroad. First mystery that needs solving? Just where is the Greenbriar family?

No one seems to be here to greet Katie after the airport shuttle drops her off鈥�

They say you can鈥檛 go home again, but that鈥檚 especially true for our protagonist. The family moved houses while she was away, this new place they call home is strange, unfamiliar, and the definition of spooky. There鈥檚 also an ominous note on the door from her sister.

鈥淜补迟颈别,

I鈥檓 sorry I can鈥檛 be there to see you, but it is impossible. Please, please don鈥檛 go digging around trying to find out where I am. I don鈥檛 want聽Mom and Dad聽anyone to know.

We鈥檒l see each other again some day. Don鈥檛 be worried.

I love you.

-厂补尘鈥�

Well, that settles it. It鈥檚 time to go digging around trying to find where she is!

The extent of聽Gone Home鈥檚聽gameplay is to explore the house in all its foreboding, atmospheric glory.聽There鈥檚 a thunder storm raging outside and there鈥檚 a heightened sense of isolation for Katie.聽There鈥檚 an entirely unnerving feeling that comes with playing through this聽game, as you wander the dark and unfamiliar halls 鈥� not knowing what鈥檚 around the corner.

There are聽so many clues scattered about and a whole lot of visual storytelling, all conducive with deciphering just what happened to the family during Katie鈥檚 absence. It鈥檚 all about family secrets and skeletons in the closet. You feel all kinds of voyeuristic rummaging through the聽Greenbriar residence, especially when you begin to read Sam鈥檚 journal. (Written as a Katie substitute.)

Sam has had an interesting few months, that all began when she met a girl called Lonnie.

Gone Home聽depicts a year in the life of a family and a coming out experience, while masterfully subverting expectations. It might be a slow burn, but it鈥檚 still a roller coaster of emotions. All of this is brought to life through heartfelt, honest writing and a highly detailed visual design.聽Anyone who grew up in the聽鈥�90s or has lived through the teenage angst of coming out will find something special here, but the less you know the better. Trust me.