Gayme of the Week: Coming Out Simulator
If there’s one thing that’s been done to death almost a thousand times, it’s this: the coming out story. For some gaymers, it’s a story that has been seen so many times, the ‘novelty’ of it has been worn down to nothing but dust. For others, it feels like opening up old wounds.
For myself? The Coming Out Simulator by Nicky Case shows a story of ‘coming out’ that is both mine and not mine. I’m a white, British woman who came out to her parents at the age of 12, but still hasn’t quite figured herself out even at 23. Casey’s story is different, but there are truths and lies in this game that we can all relate to.
One lie is this: there is always a happy ending. It’s depressing to acknowledge that in a time where everyone is fighting for justice, but Nicky Case conveys the lie in this without putting everyone who has had a positive experience down.
But one pivotal truth that, whilst isn’t actively explored in detail in the game, is that coming out never really stops. Coming out is a constant, exhausting thing that queer individuals need to do, and while it can be seen by an outsider to be as easy as breathing, it really is anything but. It’s not as painless as telling someone you prefer your coffee with cream, or that a, your favourite food is the banana, actually. It’s more than that. You’re exposing a vulnerable part of yourself, because we still live in a world that doesn’t accept people for who they really are.
That’s why this is a game that feels necessary to play. It isn’t all of our coming out stories, but it’s fresh and revealing in the most compelling of ways and really, that’s all the game needs to be.
You can play Coming Out Simulator on itch.io.
Check out our other Gaymes of the Week to see what other queer games you should be playing!
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