Gay Trait in Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy features a trait system in which players choose between their “heirs” (if the player character dies, one of their children takes over), who all have different attributes. These traits range from things like Dyslexia to Eidetic Memory to even Dwarfism. Unlike many of the other attributes, the “Gay” trait has no real gameplay effects, aside from changing what kind of statue (knight for male characters, lady for female characters) grants a chicken leg or mana potion in waypoint rooms based on the playable character’s gender selection. Additionally, at the end of the game, the cutscene with the playable character’s family will show a spouse of the same gender along with their children. The description text for the Gay trait reads: “You are a fan of the man” (if male), “You like the ladies” (if female), and “You’re fabulous” in the game’s demo.
The gay trait (as well as some of the traits in the game that embody various mental illnesses or learning disabilities) have garnered criticism from fans of the game, but it is unclear as to whether or not the relative non-impact of the gay trait adds a positive dimension to gameplay.

Citations

  1. Various. (n.d.) Rogue Legacy Traits. Rogue Legacy Wiki. Retrieved from http://rogue-legacy.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Traits
  2. Eric Lee Lewis. (2013, June 30). Rogue Legacy and Criticism of its “Gay Trait”. SpiderDuck (blog). Retrieved from http://spiderduck.net/indie-luchador/2013/6/29/rogue-legacy-and-the-gay-trait
  3. Various. (2013, June 29). Is it just me, or is Rogue Legacy really fucking grossly ableist and homophobic?. Reddit. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/SRSGaming/comments/1hapc2/is_it_just_me_or_is_rogue_legacy_really_fucking/
  4. Various. (2013, June 27). What does the “gay” character trait do?. Gamefaqs Forum. Retrieved from http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/711433-rogue-legacy/66585128