![]() Boyfriend Dungeon is an independent queer video game from Kitfox Games that blends the romance of a dating sim with a dungeon crawler where you date your weapons and heal from a previous relationship. The parasocial relationship - a relationship between a public figure and their fans that is fueled by largely one-sided interactions - has become a focal point in the way that we interact with celebrities, politicians, and even journalists.įast-forward to 2021, and we see that the expectations for trigger warnings have evolved to extend to content made by relatively mainstream media. Dive into 2021 below: A 2021 Buzzword: Parasocial Relationshipsĭespite the best efforts of Gal Gadot and the cringeworthy celeb “Imagine” video back at the dawn of the pandemic, the culture of celebrity and the relationships we try to build with celebrities are still going strong. Throughout the first year of our Fan Service column, we’ve explored the discourse online around people like Lil Nas X and Meghan Markle, and examined the nuances of escapism in fandom, queer representation, and even real person fiction.Īs we look to 2022 and the discussions that will inevitably arise next year, it’s worth taking a look back at the year in fandom discourse - the things you may have missed that were integral to shaping fandom as a whole. ![]() Materials are used to craft clothing and zines: the former are mainly cosmetic though and the latter offer a disappointing mix of magical powers.2021 was a busy year for fandom across the internet. Combat feels stiff and floaty and lacks strategy. It’s clear, though, that dating was the main emphasis of the game. Dating each weapon further encourages you to experiment with them all to enhance both combat and your relationships. Each has a slightly different playstyle and abilities, though don’t expect Hades levels of depth. You see, you use each partner as a weapon in “the dunj”, whether they transform into a sword, a dagger, a glaive or more. Going on dates and offering them gifts deepens the bond between you, which in turn levels up their abilities in combat. But it’s also about friendship, sexuality and polyamory. If you want it to be, Boyfriend Dungeon is simply a game about getting laid in one hot summer of love. That’s what makes dating them so fun as you genuinely want to get to know them better, awaiting the next message and invite on your mobile phone. They’re seductive, or mysterious, or suave, or downbeat, but there’s always more behind these initial emotions. One minute you’ve got a character offering you “sword pics”, the next you’re having a deep emotional conversation about a character’s past.Īnd those characters don’t rely on stereotypes either, but have well-written and interesting back stories. It’s certainly a bizarre premise, but thanks to honest and open writing that’s full of tongue-in-cheek innuendo, it all works. It’s a game of two halves where you crawl through dungeons to find weapons who then transform into people you can date. Boyfriend Dungeon can best be surmised as Dream Daddy meets Hades. ![]() It’s very clear the message of the game is that dating is for all, no matter who you are, as long as it’s loving and consensual. The character creator allows for multiple pronoun options (in fact, it defaults to they/them) and you’ll date characters of all genders throughout the game (despite its title). By the end, you’ve been on multiple dates – maybe even dabbled in polyamory – and grown in confidence in both yourself and in your queer identity. You begin the game as someone who’s never been on a date before. Dating is about opening yourself up and being vulnerable, learning to deal with the good and the bad that comes with that. ![]() There’s catharsis that comes with this in the game’s final moments, if you persevere. It quickly becomes clear that Eric is the villain of the game and – spoiler alert – he gets his comeuppance in the end. But it’s also an integral part of the plot. This could be triggering for some, hence that content warning. He’s called Eric and he’s an arsehole.Įven with the content warning at the start of the game, this story beat still comes across as shocking when it happens. He also misgenders a non-binary character at one point. Yes, there is a character in the game who stalks the player and offers unwanted advances. It’s not long after the game’s release and already there is much discourse around the theme of stalking in the game. There are good times of fun and flirting and emotional connection. Beyond the stalking controversy, Boyfriend Dungeon is all about the rush of young queer love.ĭating in Boyfriend Dungeon is much like real life.
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