Overview: On the one hand, I don't want to give away the game's plot. On the other hand, I want readers to know what they're getting into. The game is a visual novel, and it is not a dating simulator. In fact, the game's description includes the following warning: "This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed." In different words, if you enjoy horror games or horror films,* then the warning probably doesn't apply to you.
*To put things into perspective, I can tolerate lighter horror games and horror films. For example, I'm fine with Five Nights at Freddy's, Alien, Alan Wake, and The Shining. However, if a game or film seems to be overly scary, then I won't touch it. For example, Slender: The Arrival and The Ring. Relatively speaking, Doki Doki Literature Club! - at least with respect to Act 1 - is less frightening and more disturbing.
20181220:
Ada and I began playing this game and there was some foreshadowing going on, but thus far it seems innocent. In particular, I have yet to understand the game's warning ("This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed").
Setup: Steam Link with Wired Xbox Controller and Wired Keyboard.
Gameplay Log:
10 minutes to setup game, controls, OBS
There seems to be some foreshadowing.
[Ada is tired of all the text, so I take the controller and start reading the text]
Ada chooses to read the poem to Sayori first. Ada figures cause she knows her already.
IRL, Ada falls asleep.
Ada chooses to read the poem to Yuri.
End session.
Steam Game Time: 73 minutes (total game time)*
*As mentioned in the log, 10 of these minutes were spent setting up.
[20181220][20220413 Edit]
20181221:
Wow. Today Ada and I played all the way to a point in the game that completely shocked us. I originally thought the "easily disturbed" warning might have been exaggerated, but it's spot on. To some extent, it is easy to dismiss the warning, because the ending of Act 1 is a twist to the story which may or may not be expected.
In any case, what I'm worried about now is whether or not we and/or I should continue playing. Is the story going to be even more disturbing than the disturbing level it has reached?
Setup: Steam Link with Wired Xbox Controller and Wired Keyboard.
Gameplay Log:
Since Ada was asleep yesterday and didn't remember the poems, I went back to the appropriate save file and we quickly went through Sayori and Yuri. I read.
Eventually, Ada took over the reading.
Wow. That ending was expected, yet shocking. I knew it would be bad, but I didn't know it would be like that...
Perhaps, what was more shocking, was the idea that we could just go back to a save point. And... we couldn't!
Trying to go into the save point ended up putting us straight into a new run. Almost an alternate timeline. It was surreal.
But it was getting late and we weren't going to play more. Ada got ready for bed, while I had to unwind.
Of course, I hypothesized that there wasn't any happy ending to be found in the story...
Steam Game Time: 5.7 hours (total game time)*
*There was some down time, so perhaps there was actually 4 hours of gameplay.
Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Free
+ Cute music (most of the time...); Great soundtrack
+ Mind blown for plot twist
+ Brings something new to the visual novel genre
+ Replayability
Neutral:
~ Lots of pure reading (as opposed to making choices)
Minor Con:
- I'll never be able to undo my decision to play the game and take back what I experienced.
Summary:
After reaching an "ending," I'm lost for words on the game. In a complex, complicated fashion, I both enjoyed the game and was terrified of it. I would consider recommending the game, but it's thematically dark and I don't know what group of players would enjoy it; I haven't played enough psychological horror games to know.
Doki Doki Literature Club! (PC) (2017)
Relevant Links:
Doki Doki Literature Club! (Wikipedia.org)
Doki Doki Literature Club! (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Doki Doki Literature Club! (Steam Store Page)
 |
| Sayori, Yuri, Natsuki, and Monika |
*To put things into perspective, I can tolerate lighter horror games and horror films. For example, I'm fine with Five Nights at Freddy's, Alien, Alan Wake, and The Shining. However, if a game or film seems to be overly scary, then I won't touch it. For example, Slender: The Arrival and The Ring. Relatively speaking, Doki Doki Literature Club! - at least with respect to Act 1 - is less frightening and more disturbing.
20181220:
Ada and I began playing this game and there was some foreshadowing going on, but thus far it seems innocent. In particular, I have yet to understand the game's warning ("This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed").
Setup: Steam Link with Wired Xbox Controller and Wired Keyboard.
 |
| Monika |
Gameplay Log:
10 minutes to setup game, controls, OBS
There seems to be some foreshadowing.
[Ada is tired of all the text, so I take the controller and start reading the text]
Ada chooses to read the poem to Sayori first. Ada figures cause she knows her already.
IRL, Ada falls asleep.
Ada chooses to read the poem to Yuri.
End session.
Steam Game Time: 73 minutes (total game time)*
*As mentioned in the log, 10 of these minutes were spent setting up.
[20181220][20220413 Edit]
 |
| "Who should I show my poem to next?" |
20181221:
Wow. Today Ada and I played all the way to a point in the game that completely shocked us. I originally thought the "easily disturbed" warning might have been exaggerated, but it's spot on. To some extent, it is easy to dismiss the warning, because the ending of Act 1 is a twist to the story which may or may not be expected.
In any case, what I'm worried about now is whether or not we and/or I should continue playing. Is the story going to be even more disturbing than the disturbing level it has reached?
Setup: Steam Link with Wired Xbox Controller and Wired Keyboard.
 |
| Yuri, Monika, Sayori, and Natsuki |
Gameplay Log:
Since Ada was asleep yesterday and didn't remember the poems, I went back to the appropriate save file and we quickly went through Sayori and Yuri. I read.
Eventually, Ada took over the reading.
Wow. That ending was expected, yet shocking. I knew it would be bad, but I didn't know it would be like that...
Perhaps, what was more shocking, was the idea that we could just go back to a save point. And... we couldn't!
Trying to go into the save point ended up putting us straight into a new run. Almost an alternate timeline. It was surreal.
But it was getting late and we weren't going to play more. Ada got ready for bed, while I had to unwind.
Of course, I hypothesized that there wasn't any happy ending to be found in the story...
 |
| Spending the weekend with Natsuki. |
Steam Game Time: 5.7 hours (total game time)*
*There was some down time, so perhaps there was actually 4 hours of gameplay.
Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Free
+ Cute music (most of the time...); Great soundtrack
+ Mind blown for plot twist
+ Brings something new to the visual novel genre
+ Replayability
 |
| Reading on the floor with Yuri. |
Neutral:
~ Lots of pure reading (as opposed to making choices)
Minor Con:
- I'll never be able to undo my decision to play the game and take back what I experienced.
Summary:
After reaching an "ending," I'm lost for words on the game. In a complex, complicated fashion, I both enjoyed the game and was terrified of it. I would consider recommending the game, but it's thematically dark and I don't know what group of players would enjoy it; I haven't played enough psychological horror games to know.
Doki Doki Literature Club! (PC) (2017)
 |
| Sayori's Poem |
Relevant Links:
Doki Doki Literature Club! (Wikipedia.org)
Doki Doki Literature Club! (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Doki Doki Literature Club! (Steam Store Page)
Date/Time
Thursday, December 20, 2018
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22:48
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