SweetieGames

Not too long ago, I wrote about the increasing popularity of the dating sim genre. Many people are picking up dating sim games; people who haven’t considered playing a game within this genre before. This had me thinking about an up and coming genre of dating sims that I haven’t seen many people talk about; the Amare game.

Not many people know about this genre; according to amaregames.com, Amare is an inclusive umbrella term for dating sims that focus on the feminine or neutral gaze rather than the traditional male gaze. Otome games, BL, WLW and mixtures of these games could be considered Amare.

As the interest in dating sims has increased over the years, the calls for more inclusivity in the genre has led to the birth of the Amare game. Like many other dating sim games, the amare game focuses on character-led narratives and are focussed on the relationship between the player character and the cast around them. What separates amare from other genres is that the game also has a focus on inclusivity and diversity; something we all need to see more of in other game genres. Amare games often feature not only diverse love interest characters but also diverse MCs, allowing players to choose their pronouns, appearance or even backstory in order to see themselves represented within the game. Often, the dev team on amare games are as diverse as the game itself, reflecting a wide range of cultures, identities and experiences.

I love character-led narratives, which is why I enjoy dating sims in the first place. Amare games have allowed me and many others to not only enjoy a wide range of characters, but also learn about a wide range of cultures, experiences and identities. I’ve also found that even the settings for amare games is diverse; from slice of life romances like Our Life to falling in love with the grim reaper himself in A Date With Death. Just through a brief search on Itch.Io, I’ve found so many that I want to try out! Many of them are free as well, making them very budget friendly if you want a quick fix of dating sims.

As this genre continues to gain popularity, I hope we can see more games that fit into the amare genre. Gaming culture continues to be dominated by cis white men, and games like these allow us to learn more about and delve into a wide range of experiences.