10 best games that truly understand what women want

The gaming world is like a dude’s Discord server — far too many men and far too few women games and gamers.

You’ll hear those guys in gaming communities go: “Go back to Animal Crossing” or “we’re playing with a girl? No wonder we lost.”

But in 2025, they can’t be more wrong. Today, there’s a whole genre of great women’s games dropping like fire, and they’re only getting better with each new launch.

Finally, it seems, the industry is starting to understand what women truly want from games.

What do women want out of games?

Gamers game for a reason. Whether it’s the adrenaline rush, a sense of accomplishment or belonging, a way to pass the time, or even an escape from reality, every player seeks something from the experience.

But what do women want out of games?

Less toxic AF communities, more inclusivity

We don’t need men telling us we can’t play shooter games or MMOGs (massively multiplayer online games) because we’re “a girl”.

Even watching Spawntaneous, a female gaming YouTuber, constantly getting kicked out of games or eliminated by her male teammates at the start of every game is infuriating.

Again, it’s 2025. We’d like to play a game in peace and enjoy our time — without getting gendered or discriminated.

Aesthetics

Playing games in peace is one thing; when it comes to how a game looks, please let it be respectful too.

There’s no need to make anything cartoony, pink, or pretty looking.

Women do, in fact, prefer photorealistic games rather than cartoonish-looking ones, such as “Resident Evil,” “Last of Us,” “Mass Effect,” or “Until Dawn.”

More women represented

Let’s be honest: having a female character in games is rare, and even if they’re included, they’re often heavily sexualised. 

All of this is off-putting. Instead, we want women games with real characters, with flaws and depth, or characters that we can identify with, both in terms of personality and background.

Storytelling

The damsel-in-distress trope is over with us. There are only so many times we can watch someone risk it all to save the girl.

Gripping angst, running through dimensions, turning back timelines and hiding from terrifying beasts — we enjoy those too.

Women games: What genres are they interested in?

Now, we’re gamers ourselves, and we like a lot of genres. At this point, as long as it’s not a toxic wasteland, we’re down to vibe with it.

But some genres hit all the right spots for us women. They’re easy to get into, give you a sense of control, and can be revisited anytime compared to sweaty online MMOGs or high-intensity FPS (first-person shooter) games.

Let’s take a look at some of the popular genres.

Otome games

“Otome” games (乙女ゲーム, “maiden games”) are a genre of story-driven romance games targeted primarily at a female audience.

These games usually feature a female protagonist (you!) and multiple romanceable male – sometimes female – characters. You then have to build relationships with these characters through dialogue choices, interactions, and sometimes even mini-games.

Often, story and choices matter in these games. You’ll make decisions that affect the story’s outcome and which character you end up with – the choices you pick usually determine whether you get a good, bad, or hidden ending, so choose wisely!

Life simulation

A cosy genre of games, as they allow players to simulate real-life activities and experiences at their own pace. Imagine running your own village, tending to animals on a farm, or even planning and raising a family and their children. 

One thing about life simulation games is that there is no “winning” element to it. Players live their virtual lives as time progresses naturally; you could be gardening one day, rearranging your room tomorrow, or diving into the ocean the next. Some games even focus on managing an entire town, farm, or community – the possibilities are endless.

Open-world

Open-world games are usually set in vast, explorable environments that allow players to freely roam, explore, complete quests and interact with characters or other players. 

Some open-world games have a strong, player-driven story, while others let you create your own experiences through self-paced exploration. You could either follow the titular character through a thrilling tale or run off on your own to take on side quests.

Puzzle and strategy

This is for those who enjoy intellectual stimulation and relish the fulfilment of solving a puzzle or developing a working strategy. But they’re also appealing because they can usually be played on the go – perfect for busy students or working professionals.

These games often focus on problem-solving mechanics like pattern matching, logic puzzles, and physics-based challenges. 

 

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10 women games that we know you’ll like

You know a list is for women when it’s curated by women. Below are some of our personal favourites and the top choice for women gamers based on how big a following they have.

They can be downloaded through Steam, the go-to platform for games on PC, mobile, or on the Nintendo Switch.

Love and Deepspace

An interactive otome game for mobile phones, “Love and Deepspace” has over 50 million users globally. Created by Papergames, it allows you to take on the role of a protagonist in a futuristic sci-fi world with mysteries involving extraterrestrial threats, advanced technology, and hidden truths. 

Central to the game are male love interests you can romance alongside an in-game combat system. Through the screen, you can experience holding hands, looking into each other’s eyes, or going on dates in beautifully designed settings with high-quality, 3D-rendered men.

While it’s a free-to-play game, it offers premium elements like outfits and accessories, and its in-game currency can be bought with real money. The game’s popularity skyrocketed its position to the top of China’s App Store, surpassing Douyin (TikTok) and earning a profit of US$446.6 million in just its first year of release. 

Papergames was founded by Yao Runhao, who graduated from Japan’s Waseda University.

Infinity Nikki

From the same studio as “Love and Deepspace,” “Infinity Nikki“ is an open-world, dress-up adventure game catered to girls and women. This instalment is the latest addition to Papergames’s line of Nikki games, which are known for their focus on fashion, storytelling, and character-driven narratives.

The game is set in a fantasy world, allowing the player – Nikki – to explore, interact with people, solve puzzles, and unlock stories. Its unique twist is its focus on fashion, allowing the player character to dress up in multiple outfits that grant different abilities or unlock exclusive puzzles.

Similar to most women games, “Infinity Nikki” has a gorgeous art style with intricate costumes and dreamy world designs. It’s free-to-play, available to play on PC, mobile, and even PS5. 

Stardew Valley

A fan favourite – and one of ours, too! “Stardew Valley“ is a farm life simulation game developed by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. The player character gives up their stressful corporate job for a life away in the countryside, tending to their deceased grandfather’s dilapidated farm.

Raise animals, grow crops, tend to an orchard and harvest honey. Build your own tools and crafting machines, upgrading your wares and selling them for higher profit. Fish in the summer, explore the mines in winter, and become part of the local community, even courting and marrying a partner of your choice.

You can purchase the game on Steam for only US$14.99, and regular Steam sales will see it go as low as US$7.49. Bonus mention – the soundtrack is wonderful to listen to as you study or work. 

Unpacking

A casual, zen puzzle game developed by Humble Games. “Unpacking“ is a game about, well, unpacking a life – there’s nothing more exciting than exploring domestic environments with all their nooks and crannies as you stack plates, hang posters, and arrange bookshelves. Figure out what goes where, or simply put them anywhere – just like you do at home. 

As you play, you’ll unlock levels that will see you progress through key life moments. Start as a child decorating your childhood bedroom, decorate your first rented apartment, and settle into a house with multiple rooms at the end. 

You can purchase “Unpacking” on Steam for US$19.99. Remember to check it out when sales drop!

Animal Crossing

This is a series of social simulation games from Nintendo, with the most well-known one being the award-winning “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” Like most farm simulation games, you move away from the hustle and bustle of the city to a quiet, deserted island. 

There, you’ll learn to collect resources, craft items, and set up a homestead to invite villagers to visit, stay, and exchange items and services. You can earn in-game money by selling consumable products that you can collect on your island, such as fish, insects, fruits, wood, and minerals – with the only catch being you’ll have to keep an eye on the local economy and the fluctuating prices.

The game is available on Switch for US$59.99.

Slime Rancher

Another cute, farm life simulation game, developed by American indie studio Monomi Park. “Slime Rancher“ – now with “Slime Rancher 2” as a sequel! – is a first-person farm life simulation with a twist.

That is, you’re living on a ranch surrounded by colourful, adorable slimes.

Grow crops, harvest resources, unlock puzzles, find treasure, and most importantly, get to know each type of slime and sell the “plort” they produce.

Build and upgrade corrals to raise slimes of your own, or spend each day traipsing through the wilds to discover more types of slimes.

Through it all, receive letters that tell more about the world around you and discover who you, the player character, really are. 

We know we said it already, but these slimes really are cute. Check the game out on Steam, priced at US$19.99. 

Genshin Impact

Hoyoverse’s award-winning fantasy gacha game. “Genshin Impact” features an anime-style open-world environment, complete with an action-based battle system and a large cast of well-designed characters.

Released in 2020, many people sought out the game during the pandemic as it was free-to-play, only to get hooked on hundreds of hours of content, worldbuilding, and character stories. It has a gacha system, where you can spend in-game currency — or use real money to purchase the currency, as many do — to obtain limited-time characters.

Download it for free on PC, mobile, PS4, and PS5. It also has a fantastic soundtrack with multiple albums.

The Sims

“The Sims“ is a life-stimulation video game in which you create and control virtual characters, known as Sims, and guide them through various aspects of life, including relationships and careers. You can also build homes and customise the Sims’s appearance, personality, and lifestyle.

The game is open-ended, and you’ll have the freedom to create your own stories — making it one of the best women games for you to play.

You can download the game for free on Steam.

Legend of Zelda

Developed by Nintendo, the “Legend of Zelda“ is a legendary action-adventure game. You’ll be playing as Link, the protagonist, who goes on a quest to rescue Princess Zelda while protecting the land of Hyrule.

In the game, you’ll be solving puzzles and fighting bad guys while exploring its open world. There are a couple of game versions, such as “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” and “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.”

The game ranges from US$59.99 to US$69.99 and is only available on the Nintendo Switch.

Candy Crush

“Candy Crush“ is an iconic mobile game for both boomers and millennials. It’s a puzzle game where you must match three or more candies of the same colour to clear them from the board.

There are hundreds of levels, and the difficulty increases over time.

If you’re a Gen-Z looking for games, trust us; “Candy Crush” is the game for you. The plus point of playing this game is that it’s free to play, and it’s also one of the best women games to play if you’re waiting in line for a doctor’s appointment.

The game is free on both the Apple and Google stores.