Currently Xmess has several USE flags that require virtual/X11. These should ideally just depend on the individual x libraries that it requires. Thanks...
Got a patch?
I'm afraid not. I've never used it myself, but a friend of mine told me the three packages he'd needed fixing so as not to need a virtual/x11-7 ebuild, and mentioned xmess as one of them. I added bugs for all three, but I don't use them myself. I've provided patches for all the ebuilds I'm waiting for (nero-2.0.0.4 is the one I'm really waiting for), but I haven't a patch for this one. Sorry...
Fixed. Same stuff may also apply closely to xmame, if the games team is interested. I don't know enough about them to be sure.