It all depends. A male or female lead doesn't change my Views on a game.
So how it is for me
If a get to make a custom character, almost always a female. Multiple reasons, 1. Simply I like girls, I care more for my character as a girl. Example, I want my female characters to look badass as possible, while looking as visually pleasing as possible (I hate when female characters are just sitting in a swimsuit lol). Not like I think perverted, but what's cool for her etc.
the issue with male characters in that case for me, I tend to really have no care how they dress, because I don't usually get to dress in what I'd wear in every day life, and that's exactly what I'll end up doing if possible. Or just ripped up default clothes etc. I can't pick anything out the norm for me in real life because I just reflect on myself whenever I do and I have these generic characters because of it.
Now here's a thing though, I'll pick a male character in any game that I'm aware things like choices in relationships exist for your character. Example, Persona 3P I started female first time I tried and immediately deleted my file and went male the moment I realized relationships were apart of persona. A game like Mass effect, I'd pick a male, and so on.
Last I pick what's usually right story wise. So say a game lets you choose but a comic or something with the official story exists. I'll usually pick which ever gender that official thing uses.
guess last note games like pokemon and digimon I simply pick females because literally only one friend I play with uses female characters too, and everyone else strictly picks male when possible lol
