Secret Little Haven
itch.io link

TW: discussions of parental abuse and transphobia (societal and internalized)

In Secret Little Haven, you play as a young trans girl named Alex as she navigates through an identity crisis in 1999's web. The Internet becomes, as the title suggests, a safe haven for Alex, where she can express herself however she wants to.

First, let's discuss the gameplay. It's a little slow if you're not into visual novels, and most of it consists of reading chats. There are several sections with other mechanics, though: some mini-games, web exploration and even a little hacking! They're alright: not too fun, but not a drag either.

A few words about the style. It's exactly what it needs to be: cozy, warm, old-school. Alex' desktop is so cute: I promise, you'll love it!

The representation of the trans experience in Secret Little Haven is more nuanced than you might expect. The game, beside the obvious doubts and societal stigma, tackles internalized transphobia, as well as the feeling of "the boy/girl we lost", the memories of a time when you were "a normal child".

For me, the most impactful scenes were the ones with Alex' father, who has an immensely authoritative presence. His words, the feeling of fear and guilt he invokes, Alex' obedience are all too familiar. The narration in his segments is my personal highlight of this game.

it's not all about suffering, though. The game is full of queer joy, and the ending of leaves a hopeful feeling. Alex struggles, but she also makes friends, plays video games, expresses her love for a cute show and, of course, finds herself.

Now, for the few cons. The plot is linear, so there isn't much replayability. It's not really an issue, but if you want meaningful choices and more virtual exploration, this game might not be for you. The characters, while nicely written, did not evoke much sympathy from me. Starting the second playthrough, I didn't want to come back to them, and some of the dialogue felt like a chore. This, however, is very subjective, and if you connected to them, good for you!

Secret Little Haven is one of the best explicitly trans games out there, and I'd definitely recommend it, while acknowledging its small flaws.

She'll figure it out, and so will we.