Indie/obscure games with good character creation?

[tarraxahum]

Okay here's the deal, I've read a metric ton of those "10 games with best character creation!" articles that Google gives you, and all of those games on the list I've either played already (read: AAA and AA RPG games from Mass Effect to Greedfall to Baldur's Gate to Dragon's Dogma) or are online games which are just not my cup of tea (see: Monster Hunter). I've also been around the "character customization" tag on Steam, but there are a bunch of games on Steam and I'm running out of patience to scroll them all (and the top of that list is the same names and online titles anyway). Kinda same with itchio.

So I'm turning to peer recommendations, all hopeful and such.

I'm very big on character customization. I'll build a character and I'll play the game and I'll make a bunch of screenshots of every cutscene (if there are cutscenes) and then I'll build a bunch of backstory and headcanons for them on top of the game material and then at some point I will want to create again but whoops I'm out of games till next installment comes out.

So does anyone maybe know some indie or overlooked games, RPGs or fighting, etc etc (I'm not big on stuff like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley tragically, even if they're very cute)?

I play on PC, but a good game would be worth considering an emulator. It also doesn't have to be fantasy - in fact I'd love me something urban or sci-fi or cyberpunk-ish. I'm an urban kid through and through.

(Oh, also, an important criteria that's just my personal peeve: the ability make gender non-conforming characters. Think Saints Row or Dragon's Dogma. Because my soul cracks every time I encounter some beautiful stuff like Black Desert (yes online but I was desperate) and then the only type of a girl character I can create is the girliest girly ever with revealing armor and zero short hair options...SIGH)

I mean, I don't have many hopes riding on this, but I just have this feeling that there's gotta be something I'm missing because I'm not looking the right way

[RodFireProductions]

Character customization is something I really enjoy in games. The game that immediately comes to mind for me when I think of customization is the visual novel Our Life (itch | steam). It allows you to customize your character's appearance and personality as you grow up in-game.

(Oh, also, an important criteria that's just my personal peeve: the ability make gender non-conforming characters. Think Saints Row or Dragon's Dogma. Because my soul cracks every time I encounter some beautiful stuff like Black Desert (yes online but I was desperate) and then the only type of a girl character I can create is the girliest girly ever with revealing armor and zero short hair options...SIGH)

Our Life allows for gender non-comformity as well as allowing your character to be transgender and/or non-binary.

I know not everyone enjoys visual novels and text-based games, so I'm unsure if it'd be your cup of tea.

[tarraxahum]

Oh I adore visual novels and this one looks amazing!! It's just been a while since I've seen one that's customizable, so I somehow didn't even consider the gennre. Thank you, I'll definitely check it out

[RodFireProductions]

I don't blame you. Most visual novels are pretty limited in their customization. It kinda surprised me to find one with as many options as this one. They're even making a second one currently, which seems to have a bit more than the first. The demo is currently out. I recommend that too.

[Corrupted Unicorn]

I think you'd enjoy Starbound a lot! I spent an awful time looking at all the customization options. They also have a lot of fun races beyond your typical human/elf/dwarf/beast. My bf and I got into it a long ago, and I wish I could revisit it again.