Doki Doki Literature Club is rated M for Mature Audiences. It is developed by Team Salvato and is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
I found out about Doki Doki Literature Club (DDLC) through the anime community. At anime cons I would see fan art and merchandise of the four characters, and I heard people talk about how “mind blowing” it is. Though it came out in 2017 exclusively on PC, it released to console recently on June 30. Those of us on PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox can now get in on the fun!
DDLC is a visual novel with some twists in mechanics. You play as a faceless male high school protagonist who joins the Literature Club, a newly formed group of four women. Create poetry by choosing from a list of words, and exchange poetry with the other club members. Unlock special cutscenes by crafting your poetry to suit one of the three romanceable women, and make decisions that affect the outcome of the game.
Despite initial appearances, DDLC is a disturbing experience. I expected this after hearing the game compared to Madoka Magica, a psychological thriller anime that has a similar approach of mixing dark storytelling with cute aesthetic. The game opens with a thorough content warning, explaining “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.” I played the game in a state of heightened anxiousness, waiting for the drop to happen. Even after bracing myself, the twists creeped me out more than I anticipated.
Things I love about the game:
- The poetry! The game showcases very powerful writing.
- Deep subject matter wrapped in an unexpected package.
- Intentionality of the character designs and personalities. This may seem cryptic but will make sense once you play.
- Unique mechanics that go beyond typical visual novels.
- Optional hidden puzzles that hint at wider lore.
- It’s relatively short. I reached my first “real” ending in less than 5 hours, and I was able to try other choices in short time using the Skip function.
Select words to set the direction of your poetry. 
Interact with characters in classic visual novel format. 
Make choices that affect the outcome. 
Unlock special cutscenes by crafting your poem to suit one of the three romanceable women. 
The Plus edition of the game includes bonus content and wallpapers.
Overall I was completely blown away by DDLC. I had high hopes going in, and the game exceeded my expectations in terms of writing, gameplay, and impact. I would not recommend the game to people who are sensitive to dark subject matter, but if you’re interested in nontraditional storytelling then this is a great game for you. If you end up playing the game or if you’ve played before then I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Comment below or hit me up on Twitter!
Weekend Play is a Monday post sharing about what I played over the weekend. This post is a bit off-schedule as things have been hectic for me lately, but I’m getting back into weekly posts! Each post is a 5-minute read that covers one game spoiler free. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to this blog (Home page) to receive notifications of new posts!
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