Doki Doki Literature Club is not the game you think it is
By Devin Shea
Doki Doki Literature Club is a new game sweeping Youtube but it has a secret, hidden darker side that is only revealed when you beat the game.
This is a good season for free horror on Steam. First was the surprise release for Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator and then the availability of a new visual novel game called Doki Doki Literature Club, created and developed by Team Salvato. Dating visual novels are all over the place and who doesn’t like having long, tedious conversations with cute, buxom ladies with unnaturally colored hair.
But one thing stands out on this game’s Steam page. The actual second line in the description is “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.” For the Japanese style and cutesy animation, that isn’t the first words I would use to describe it. Even with gratuitous panty shots you see in anime, easily disturbed doesn’t make sense.
Then you see the top genre tag is psychological thriller. What the hell is this game?!?!?! Warning…Spoilers ahead.
Image via Steam
The gist is thus… Sayori, your childhood friend, talks you into joining her after school literature club. It’s headed by Monika and its members include Sayori, Yuri (the quiet one obsessed with dark themes) and Natsuki (the young one who likes anime and writes TERRIBLE poetry).
You write poetry and try to make your favorite girl sweet on you. It’s a standard virtual dating game, right? But the darkness doesn’t creep in until you beat the game. Trigger warning, we’re about to discuss suicide. Your friend Sayori deals with mild depression, but if you beat the game, all of a sudden Sayori hangs herself and you think it’s your fault. Back at the title screen she has been erased from the game. After you start the game again, things get really weird. Monika talks you into going to the club, behaviors change, the text is weird and things gradually get worse until only one girl is left.
This game is a roller coaster. Slow and boring then WHAM! You’re blindsided by a twist and not the sexy kind. The artwork is gorgeous in this game and the dialogue is….well it’s dialogue and that’s all there is until shit hits the fan. Then it’s more dialogue with extra creepiness and some fun computer manipulation.
Image via Steam
Doki Doki Literature Club is in the same vein as games like Welcome to the Game which mimics your computer as you search for The Red Room in the dark web. Games that mimic your computer or simulate access to certain places in your computer make it seem so real and therefore amp up the thrill aspect of games like these.
The idea for this game is genius and it’s swarming Youtube right now. If you don’t want to play but enjoy Let’s Plays, I would highly recommend the Game Grumps ongoing play through with this one. Dan Avidan hates horror games and Arin Hanson springs it on him without telling him what it’s about. Plus they give each girl their own ridiculous voice, so it’s extra entertaining.
via Steam
Also, MatPat from Game Theory put out a couple videos on the Doki Doki Literature Club as well which makes a pretty compelling argument that it’s a game within a game within a game. I know, but his evidence is usually really solid and worth the watch.
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I love games that change on you with no warning. It keeps it fresh and interesting. I recommend Doki Doki Literature Club if you value intricate story lines, psychological horror and animated Japanese school girls.