10 Most Influential LGBT Characters In Video Games

A Normal Lost Phone is a puzzle game based around the idea of finding someone’s phone and attempting to unlock it to access their personal files. While that sounds creepy, it really isn’t what the game is aiming for, instead being framed around character Sam going missing. By actually having their phone in your hand, it’s supposed to inspire a sense of empathy as you see the problems Sam went through.

The central problem in Sam’s life is her struggle with her gender identity. Born male, Sam has two dating profiles on her phone; one male, and one female. This deep dive into the life of a trans person is certainly groundbreaking, but it’s not without its flaws.

The premise is invasive, there’s no getting away from that. There’s also one task where someone is chatting to ‘Sam’ (but actually to you), and they send a picture, asking you to send one back. Pretending to be someone else online is a little icky, sending them a picture even more so. But when you have a choice between a male mode picture and a female picture? It feels like it’s crossing a line.

The idea though, certainly deserves praise. Rarely do games feature trans people at all; putting their journey front and centre is huge step forward.