Ivanna Hitchu III: Where the Sun Don’t Shine

(I'm not sure why this is tagged "game doesn't exist", I was able to play it in full with the link on this page.)

This game is different from what you might expect. The story is a conversation between a programmer and a video game protagonist, and your options choose what the character does. You don't experience much in first-person, most of it is scene pitches and descriptions of what the programmer wants Ivanna to do.

Ivanna comes from a franchise that has been milked to death, and she's sick of it. Her character isn't being represented properly anymore. She doesn't want to deal with the sleazy side character who's only in the game so his voice actor could get more money. And the introduction of a one-note love interest for a gratuitous sex scene doesn't do much for her either.

The satire about the triple-A games industry was interesting to read. They mock things like the cliche choices, lack of multiple endings, and no exploration despite the open world. The key focus, though, is Ivanna's character and how she's objectified by the story while also made to look "badass" and not do anything more than that. At one point, the idea of a character having they/them pronouns sends one of the programmers into shock. These are all good points, the industry is very resistant to change and fears making products that don't appeal to only the manliest of men, even if the structure of the game can get a little repetitive.

This is a short game, but it does make you think about the misogyny and awful female representation in the games industry. It's worth reading.