Lookouts by Marble Claws [on itch]
Included in the 2023 Queer Games Bundle
Summary: "Lookouts is a romance visual novel about two gay trans masc outlaws in the old west, finding refuge in each other, and a little hope for a better life." (via itch profile)
General thoughts: I was really very charmed by this game! The art is striking and beautiful, and the setting is a lot of fun. Just on its own, I think the story is worth a read, the romance between the two main characters is sweet and they are both very likeable.
Unique game design aspects: As a game focused on trans masc characters, there's a running theme about identity, how people refer to the protagonist and how the characters view each other. The game is written in second person, and during the first scene when the protagonist meets the secondary romantic lead, Joseph, the dialogue box refers to the protagonist only as "You." There is tension in that initial scene as the protagonist and Joseph are feeling each other out (as members of different gangs), but there is also a careful and sympathetic connection between them as two trans masc individuals who innately resonate with each other. You get a sense that the protagonist is consistently belittled and misgendered by his gang. Later, we find out that the protagonist rarely speaks among his gang at all, and his leader doesn't even know his actual name, having always referred to him through disparaging nicknames. This early set up makes the next scene, where the protagonist is directly asked his name (and the player is given a name input), have a very different context than if the name prompt had been given at the very start of the game. It's a great way of incorporating standard, simple game design into the broader themes of the game.
Also it has a really fun Black Jack style minigame
The whole game took me maybe 3 hours to play, definitely a great use of your afternoon if the theme or art style speaks to you.
