Dating sims and visual novels are interesting sort-of games, where the bulk of the game is carried out through its script. Visual novels are extremely dialogue-heavy simply due to the nature of the game, so it might take a bit of effort to complete it. However, many dating sims can feel repetitive. All you need to do is play through a route of a particular character that falls into a specific trope or archetype. If you like it enough, then you replay the entire game to see an alternate ending or go through another character's route. Rinse, wash, and repeat.
It can be hard to find a visual novel that retains a sense of novelty in it, especially since the majority of them tend to be made in Japan and are rarely translated for Western gamers to enjoy.
Enter Dream Daddy; the new indie game in which you play as as a single dad that can date other dads.
Yes, you read that right. This is definitely one dating sim that stands out from the rest.
You, the protagonist, have just recently moved into a new neighborhood with your daughter Amanda. You happen to meet seven other dads too, each with their own flair—you have the resident “bad” dad, goth dad, the teacher dad, the cool youth minister dad, the fitness dad, the cool dad, and the rival dad.
There's plenty of room of customization as well. Players can create their “dad-sona” to best match their preference. You can customize your appearance to your will with the different options for skin type, hairstyle, and clothes. Another option on the selection screen is the binders, in the case you want to character to be a trans man going through their transition process.
That doesn't change the fact that you are a somewhat socially awkward guy with a love for dorky dad puns and frequently dotes on your daughter.
The whole idea of Dream Daddy is to meet variety of different dads, get to know to them, have a few dates, and eventually decide which out of the seven is your real Dream Daddy that you would consider having a serious relationship with. Throughout the course of the game, you will encounter various dialogue choices and minigames that can affect the flow of the specific character route. Every conversation is like a window into the other character's personalities and past.
The fact that you play as a dad really ties everything together. Your relationship with your daughter Amanda is playful and fun. But there are times where you have to step in and guide her as she enters a new chapter in her life—moving into a new home, choosing an university that's just right for her, and so on.
As for developing your own relationship with the dad of your choice, Dream Daddy keeps things fairly clean. No need to worry about NSFW stuff here; that's simply not what the game is about. The father-daughter interactions are really what helps make the game shine. That also applies to the rest of the dad cast and their own children. You bond with other dads over the journey of fatherhood and the struggles that they may have with being a parent.
I think that the Game Grumps, the YouTube personalities that created Dream Daddy, were on to something great. Hundreds of games are released every year but there's hardly ever anything that has content for the LGBTQ+ community. Dream Daddy portrays candid and positive gay relationships without falling into the negative stereotypes. Bonus points for having a racially diverse cast and body types. This is the sort of representation that should be in more games.
Dream Daddy is a game in a niche of its own and sets the bar high. There's certainly room to give the characters more growth and depth, but given the overall short length of the game, it's a very solid start. Hopefully, the success of Dream Daddy can goad more developers into creating more games that give more positive exposure to queer representation and relationships.
