It's not often that new, exciting medieval games come to the fore Steamand see how popular and well received Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was just last year, the bar is even higher now. However, Steam has a new gem you can wishlist right now, coming out in March 2026, which goes by the name 1348 Ex Voto. If you're not familiar with its viral status on social media, Ex Voto was announced just this week and managed to take the internet by storm thanks to its historically accurate characters and settings, while featuring a female knight as the main character and a multi-award-winning cast of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
1348 Ex Voto is an action-adventure game with an emphasis on swordplay, a deep story set in 14th century Italy, and a noble knight trying to find and rescue his “closest”, a nun named Bianca. The main character, Aeta, is not explicitly confirmed to be a lesbian, but heavily implied to be romantically attracted to or involved with Bianca, which is a bold choice that reads very much as a statement, given the socio-political climate of the time and the fact that religion condemned such relationships extremely harshly. The game is very close Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in terms of style and setting, but it is heavily imbued with LGBTQIA+ themes, particularly evident in Aeta's non-binary cast (Alby Baldwin) and Jennifer English as Bianca.
Games with inclusive LGBTQ+ romance options
Games have become more inclusive with romance options over the years. These titles are some of the best for LGBTQ+ romance.
How 1348 Ex Voto compares to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
1348 Ex Voto transports players to the tumultuous world of medieval Europe during the Black Death, a time of immense suffering, fear and superstition. The game's world is imbued with the atmosphere of plague-ravaged villages authentic to the hinterlands of medieval Italy, where survival and faith intertwine in a desperate struggle against an unseen, deadly force. Speaking of which, Aeta can use two different stances that change how swordplay progresses, with one-handed and two-handed play, while also giving you the ability to change things up with sword parts you can find, along with books that teach you new combos. The game doesn't seem to have a big focus on RPG features like KCD2but it embraces its setting and story as key parts of the experience.
On the back, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 set in the 15th century in medieval Bohemia, following the events of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The game leans heavily on political intrigue, war and the struggle for power as it depicts a more expansive world focusing on kingdoms, knights and the aftermath of conflict. The brutality of the previous game is enhanced with new areas to explore and new threats to face, but this time the emphasis is on battles, territorial control and the aftermath of war. It's a game where choices matter, and you can really do whatever you want, whether it's piling bodies outside a village or becoming an honorable knight.
1348 Ex Voto Is Already Labeled 'The Lesbian Knight Game,' And That Means More Than You Think
One of the most striking and progressive aspects of 1348 Ex Voto is its female knight in a medieval setting, particularly one steeped in fourteenth-century societal norms and gender roles. As a player, you step into the shoes of a woman who seemingly has a romantic and emotional connection with a nun – a relationship that directly challenges both the rigid religious doctrines of the time and its view of women's roles. At a time when women were expected to conform to certain roles (either as dutiful wives, nuns or mothers), the game takes a brave step by instead depicting an intimate story between them. Knight video games don't always do something so bold, but it's a refreshing value in the case of Ex Voto.
Aeta's love for Bianca, whether platonic or romantic, serves as a powerful counterpoint to the overarching themes of faith, survival, and personal identity in both fourteenth-century Italy and 1348 Ex Voto one. Their relationship is not just a side element, but rather a central part of the emotional core of the game, as Aeta tries to find her beloved. As the protagonist faces the horrors of the plague and the moral dilemmas of survival, her love for Bianca can become a way for the game to explore themes of forbidden love, religious conflict, and the personal sacrifices made for those we care about in such dire times. The emotional stakes are high here, as the protagonist may have to reconcile his love for a woman in a society that condemns such relationships, while grappling with the overall devastation of the Black Death. Some of the best LGBTQIA+ games managed to achieve something similar, and hopefully, Ex Voto enjoy its story and characters.
Why Expedition 33's Jennifer English is perfect for 1348 Ex Voto
Although the game does not confirm whether the relationship between Aeta and Bianca is purely platonic, 1348 Ex Voto has already amassed a large fan base on social media and praised it for lesbian representation. Clair Obscurs Jennifer English is the perfect choice for this game, even if she doesn't voice the main character, and her speech to accept the award for Best Performance at The Game Awards 2025 proves it. Her presence alone gives the game's story and characters more relevance than ever, and with an incredible performance as Maelle i Expedition 33 or Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3, Ex Voto is already well equipped to be a hit.
- Released
-
February 4, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+/Use of alcohol, blood and grime, sexual content, strong language, intense violence, partial nudity
- Developer
-
Warhorse Studios
