You might be right about making games that are more “difficult to relate to”. I remember the feeling I had when I made my first game, Hanna: I just wanted to put something out that is hyper-specific and I don’t really care if people found it “relatable” or whatever because it exists.
I’ve always been interested in reading stories where empathy is a challenge. If one is able to embrace the most unlikable characters and see what connects with them, then it becomes more than Just A Work. Most of my favorite works, especially ones on Itch, are the stuff I’ve never experienced, but I realize that’s a real and visceral event. Finding myself in different shoes is discomforting, yet it’s so familiar at the same time. That’s what I find most exciting in writing a story.
This comment is honestly enlightening. I also share the “if the story is niche and people still connect to it, it’s awesome” feeling. Thanks for writing this as well as explaining what makes the story click for you :-)