When it was released last September, PC game Doki Doki Literature Club immediately grabbed attention for being a rare example of a Western-developed visual novel, a genre popularized by Japanese publishers that’s sort of a choose-your-own-adventure book in game form.
With all that taken into account, it’s hard to accuse Doki Doki Literature Club of hiding its darker elements, even if what exactly they are might not be immediately apparent.
However, fans of the game will be quick to point out Doki Doki Literature Club itself warns players before the game even begins, with a pre-start screen saying “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.”
That said, the warning doesn’t go so far as to imply that the deceased boy was a happy, well-adjusted young lad who got tricked into playing Doki Doki Literature Club only to be sent into a suicidal depression by the game alone.