thoughts regarding the dreamdaddy discourse below!

i myself cannot speak for the entirety of those that played the game, but for what it was worth, and how it was presented, and the writing, i think that the game itself was good. was it a complete masterpiece? no. was it trash? no. it was a good game, and considering that it was made almost completely by a small group of people (the game grumps having little to do with it, as suzy has stated, some only doing voice work, others only helping pitch ideas), it’s a good game.

it’s especially poignant for being the first of its kind. a dating sim exclusively made with lgbtq+ interests at heart? the main characters all having very distinct personalities, designs, and relationships between one another? having a close family bond that grows throughout the narrative that resonates with both kids and adults? a canon option to make your player character transgender, and a canon transgender character in and of their own right? these are not things you see in a typical game. the writing is done well and done right in regards to making the characters feel human, and have lows and highs. they’re all flawed, and all want to get better as people, and your player character can help them all grow in different ways, and they can help your player character grow as well.

that being said, there are bugs (of course, there are rarely games that don’t have bugs within them), and certain values that may come across as not being completely earnest. but i personally think that for what the game is doing, it should be commended. it’s not a magnum opus that deserves to be completely praised by any means. but for what issues and challenges the game tackles, it should be recognized for putting the time, thought, and effort into creating a game that can resonate with so many people.

the cult ending: hoo boy. as someone familiar with jared rosen (the primary writer for joseph’s routes) and his… interests… in the occult, lovecraftian, and of horror and macabre in general, the learning of its existence didn’t particularly shock me all that much. i believe vernon and leighton when they said that the ending was a halloween dlc that had been left within the code. sometimes these things happen. mistakes are made. and joseph is not 100% canonically gay. his head writer has stated that he wanted to encapture the bi experience. BI. meaning that joseph is more than likely at least somewhat attracted to two genders. and he was never confirmed to be an actual DEMON in that ending either. and the rest of the characters are gay/bi/pan and portrayed with completely normal personalities, interests, and values. joseph just happened to be a character that creative liberties took on. (more on the cult ending and my personal theories to it later on, however.)

long story short, dream daddy is a good game for what it is worth. the narratives are all fun and never feel too cheesy, nor do they feel demeaning or demoralizing. they’re not meant to poke fun at anyone. they’re supposed to be complex characters that just so happen to have this sexuality. am i saying that everybody should support the game? no. am i saying that the game doesn’t deserve to be praised for the high points it gives? no. it’s just like any other game out there. highs and lows. pros and cons. ups and downs. and i can see arguments on either side. but please, at least commend it for what it has done and what it has tried to do. not a lot of games (or any other examples of media, for that matter) can do that sort of thing and make it work.