Yearning: A Gay Story (2021)

Genres: Casual, Free To Play, Simulation
Rating: 3.6 of 5, 85 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 2.5 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A gentle, character-driven visual novel about navigating college, friendships, and coming out, with a focus on realistic, heartfelt moments.

slice of lifecharacter drivenrealisticemotionalromanticchoice drivencoming out storylighthearted

What players say

Players are split on this free gay visual novel: some find the story relatable and grounded, others say it is padded with endless trivial conversations that lead nowhere and recommend skipping through most text. Fans call it solid for a free game, but detractors say it feels like reading a book with little interaction or payoff.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.