Dream Daddy Is The Future Of Video Games

A charming story, personable characters, and unobtrusive inclusion elements make Dream Daddy a standard for other indie game developers to follow.


It's hard to go on social media lately without hearing about Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator. Suffice to say, it's become something of a hit phenomenon amongst hardcore and casual gamers alike. We ourselves really like it, having scored it pretty well in our review.

But what's it's secret? Why is this first indie title developed and published by Game Grumps so popular, and why is it catching on so well in the gaming community? Dream Daddy's greatest charm, it seems, lies in its details.

From the very beginning, the game focuses on inclusion. It's dad creation customization option (where players can create their "Dad-sonas") allows for users to choose from a variety of different ethnicities, skin colors, and body types. Though not as completely exhaustive as a AAA RPG, Dream Daddy does well for its budget limitations, going so far as to even include a binder for those that identify as transgender, which is something I personally have never seen in a video game before.


Aside from physical attributes, the diverse cast of personalities in the game makes the title feel human and grounded, allowing for players to develop better affinities for the Dads they seek to champion onscreen. It also makes for quite a few hilarious scenarios (Knife/Bad Daddy comes to mind), all of which are relatable in a sitcom sense. It's like playing a dramatic comedy, with more emphasis placed on the comedy.

In fact, the whole game focuses more on fun than anything else. Though there's potential to delve deeper into the backstories of the divorced/widowed dads, the title opts to maintain a lighthearted tone throughout. Some could see this as a huge drawback, but in doing away with tragedy Dream Daddy strives to be a perfect escape – which is just what some people want when playing video games. More dramatic narratives and storylines could either be reserved for the sequel or for those games with a more serious premise. In other words, Dream Daddy is not meant to be taken to heart at all, which is exactly what makes it so appealing.

The fact that so many people seem to be talking about it gives credence to how well the game ignites conversation, which is excellent in building a community who consistently talks about your game. The title encourages interaction not only with itself, but with other people by design, all while not being too in-your-face about it. Existing in a humoristic, colorful, but socially identifiable context, Dream Daddy is what other indie developers focused on creating social experiences for gamers should follow to make their games, too, a cultural success.

Here's hoping the game continues it's success in the future and that all single dads out there have their chance at love.

The opinion expressed in this article is purely that of the author and is not representative of KeenGamer as a whole. Follow David on Twitter: @ZenoCreator125    

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