Some of the first PC games I ever played were dress-up Flash games. I lived on Doll Divine, spending hours on dressing up digital dolls in pretty clothes I could design myself. I used to burn with envy for the girls that got paper doll dress-up toys for Christmas and coveted the only one I had as a child, which I barely played with because I didn’t want to run out. Dressmaker, out now on Steam, looks to be all of that and more.
Looking at videos of the game (I, woefully, have not yet had time to dive in myself), I’m startled by its dedication to capturing the detail work that dressmaking involves. I enjoy how you can twist up your chosen fabric to get an idea of how it behaves under certain lighting and what its texture is like. That’s the real shit! And now it’s seam-ripping up the Steam charts, appealing to the the sartorially inclined gamer, the relapsed cosplayer, and boyfriends who bought the game for a partner and ended up hooked themselves.
“10/10 for realism.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“This game absolutely brought back the nostalgia of childhood fashion games with modern mechanics.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“She is doing all her homework and chores without argument.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“Yes, I bought this for my gf. Yes, I did test it out for her.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“Suddenly I’m 12 again.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“I am a straight, white man and this is my game of the year so far.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“I HAVE WORK TOMORROW AND I STILL WANT TO KEEP GOING!”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“10/10 realistic to my real sewing experience.”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“Do you know how irritating it is to admit to your own child that she was right?”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku
“LET ME MAKE AN OUTFIT FOR THE PIGEON PLEASE”
©Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku