Dream Daddy‘s Insincere Take on Gay Romance

If there’s one thing I can give Dream Daddy, Game Grumps’ gay dating sim about a neighborhood of queer dads looking for love, is that it treats representation and inclusivity with great care. Across the seven dads I was able to pursue romantically, there were characters of different races, body types and backgrounds, each of which are portrayed without delving into easy stereotypes. The same attention to detail goes into its character creator, which lets the player make a dad of different builds, skin tones, hair styles and even determine whether they’re a cis or trans man. Conversations that follow help paint a picture of their history, indicating whether they’re gay or bisexual, as well as hint at how a daughter came into one’s life, whether by adoption, surrogate or a pregnancy.
All these details make Dream Daddy an incredibly diverse game, one that puts a spotlight on different types of people and families all within the confines of the cul-de-sac it takes place in. However, despite its good intentions, it slips when it comes to what brings all these disparate characters together: gay romance. Dream Daddy omits so much of what dating in queer spaces is like, making for an idealized, almost insincere portrayal of its subject matter.
After a failed attempt at wooing the rugged, emotionally-constipated Robert, my first romantic endeavor in Dream Daddy that actually made its way to the true ending was with the adversarial Brian. My relationship with him was one of rivalry at first, with us competing in sports, parental achievements and even carnival games. When I got to the second of Brian’s three dates, I found myself wondering if I was progressing through his route incorrectly, as none of the “dates” had felt explicitly romantic yet.
By the time I reached the conclusion of his route, Brian and I were officially an item, but the entire time our relationship was growing I was questioning whether or not Brian was going to be some sort of “unwinnable” route where I’d make my move at the end only to be told Brian wasn’t interested in men. After all, nothing in Dream Daddy prior to the moment Brian and I acknowledged feelings for each other hinted at him being a queer man. It didn’t come up in conversation at all, and typically a gay relationship isn’t initiated prior to confirming that both parties are, in fact, interested in the same sex. Conversations about coming out, coming to terms with your sexuality and societal pressure, happen early on. This builds a relationship, helps people of different backgrounds find common ground, and is, sadly enough, an important thing to confirm for safety reasons in the face of real-world prejudice.