Best bisexual video game characters
Queer representation in video games has only become as prevalent and consistent as it is now in recent years. Having queer characters was so incredibly rare that even the first installment of The Sims franchise didn’t allow for same-sex relationships – a franchise that is now famous for having bisexual characters as a standard.
Bisexuality in media was hard to come by, even as gay characters began to be introduced in various franchises. Bisexual characters are now a mainstay of most dating simulators and RPGs that provide players with a plethora of dating options, like Monster Prom or Stardew Valley. As much as these depictions of queer relationships are fun and appreciated, this list celebrates characters who are canonically bisexual in some of gamers’ favorite franchises of all time.
1 Leliana & Zevran (Dragon Age: Origins)
The first installment of this iconic franchise was truly ahead of its time. Having been released in 2009, Dragon Age: Origins had bisexual romance options as part of its world from the beginning: Leliana, the human bard who works as a spymaster for the Inquisition and has a dark past waiting to be discovered, as well as Zevran , the assassin elf who was brought into the Antivan Crows and House Arainai as a youth.
Leliana and Zevran helped pave the way for other games in this genre to include bisexual romance options and every Dragon Age game since then has included bisexual romances for players to pursue.
2 Liara T’soni (Mass Effect)
This iconic Asari captured the hearts and minds of gamers everywhere when the first Mass Effect game graced gamers’ lives in 2007. The Asari race is a fascinating one, being monogender and capable of reproducing regardless of the race or gender of its partner, its attitude towards sexuality and gender was much more liberal and free than the non-game world at the time. Asari can be any sexuality and have very different views on gender and sex than the other races in Mass Effect.
Liara is romantic in all three games for male or female Shepard. This nerdy scientist is a lovely romance option and players will definitely enjoy the emotional journey they will experience with the ambitious Dr. T’soni, in case they decide to pursue her.
3 Zagreus (Hades)
This beloved main character should come as no surprise to those familiar with the franchise. Being based on ancient Greek mythology, Hades was bound to include at least a few bisexual characters. Most important, though, is Zagreus, the character players take on as they kill enemies and try to escape the underworld.
In-game, it is hinted that he has some history with Megaera, but their relationship ended thanks to Zagreus messing it up somehow. Players can rekindle this romance later in the game, or they can opt for Zag’s other romance option: Thanatos. Having been raised side by side, these two have a strong bond that causes Than to be extremely injured when Zagreus tries to escape without warning him. Both relationships show a different side to these characters and players will experience a beautiful story no matter which option they choose.
The latest installment in the Life Is Strange franchise, Life Is Strange: True Colors features Alex Chen as the protagonist. While not the first Life Is Strange game to feature romantic options, it is the first to offer the option of actually pursuing a romantic relationship with one of two options. Players can choose to date Steph or Ryan, but their choice does not change the fact that Alex is canonically a bisexual character.
Players chasing one of the romances will be pleasantly surprised by the game’s conclusion, as it takes players through Alex’s life with her new lover, with players even making choices as to how it shapes up for them.
5 Clementine (The Walking Dead)
When players first meet Clementine on The Walking Dead, she’s a sweet child that our protagonist, Lee, takes under their wing as they navigate the zombie apocalypse and try to find her parents. As the franchise continues, we see Clementine grow into a capable young woman.
By the time players arrive at the events in The Walking Dead 4, AJ is a child and Clementine is her guardian, mirroring the relationship she had with Lee in the first game. It is in this game that players can have a romantic relationship with one of two characters: Violet or Louis. She meets them by chance at the beginning of the game and discovers that they run a safe haven for children in an old schoolhouse. Both romance options are great choices for Clementine – although, as is the case with this series, nothing good can last.
6 Unnamed Protagonist (Unzipping)
While it might seem like the weirdest entry on this list, it’s actually one of the coolest. This lovely indie game about unraveling the life of the unnamed protagonist tells a rich story as they move from place to place.
As players embark on this journey, they can see them move in with a few partners throughout their lives. The first partner we see our protagonist move in with is a boyfriend – they’re moving into his apartment and need to find a place for their stuff among his. This is followed by them returning to their parents, hinting that the relationship is over, though this is further implied by a photo that has had someone removed of it since we last saw it.
The protagonist then finds a new partner in a few chapters, until the final chapter ends with them moving into his house and even setting up a nursery for a baby. It’s pretty obvious that this new partner is female, just like our protagonist, which means that while players will never know this protagonist’s name, it can be deduced that they are bisexual, and that’s pretty cool!