THE REVIEWS EPISODE 5: DOKI DOKI LITERATURE CLUB PART 1
MAJOR SPOILER HERE! IF YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED THE GAME, PLEASE DON’T READ THIS. IT’LL SPOIL THE EXPERIENCE.
Hey there.
How are you guys doing out there? I guess I’m fine.
I know I’ve been kinda inactive. You can see from my previous review that it’s shorter than the rest. School work tire me up so quick I didn’t have time to write a proper review. I wish for the holidays to come earlier. However, when it came, I didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know what to write. Didn’t know what review to do.
Holiday homework and board games. Planning and writing stories. Watching movies. Eating lots of tidbits. Shitting in the toilet. And sleeping like a log. These are the things I usually do everyday, and it’s getting real monotonous. I told myself: this holiday’s going to be boring if I don’t do something interesting.
In 2015, I wrote my very first story book and published it in Wattpad (old account, don’t bother looking).
In 2016, I played Five Nights At Freddy’s, the very first horror game I’ve played in my lifetime.
What about 2017? How am I supposed to end the year? Especially when Christmas is coming. Gotta find something.
I searched some game websites and went to find some free games because I’m broke. And I believe I found something I am interested in.
A game by the name “Doki Doki Literature Club”.
It’s free, has overwhelming positive reviews and I’m able to play it on my computer. So why not?
The files, surprisingly, is less than a gigabyte. This must be a simple game, isn’t it?
“Hi, Monika here!
Welcome to the Literature Club! It’s always been a dream of mine to make something special out of the things I love. Now that you’re a club member, you can help me make that dream come true in this cute game!
“Every day is full of chit-chat and fun activities with all of my adorable and unique club members: Sayori, the youthful bundle of sunshine who values happiness the most;
Natsuki, the deceivingly cute girl who packs an assertive punch;
Yuri, the timid and mysterious one who finds comfort in the world of books;
…And, of course, Monika, the leader of the club! That’s me!
“I’m super excited for you to make friends with everyone and help the Literature Club become a more intimate place for all my members. But I can tell already that you’re a sweetheart — will you promise to spend the most time with me? ♥?”
That’s the description of the game, by the way. I really think it’s a dating simulator from this. I look at the pictures given. All the girls look cute and the trailer looks like a promising dating simulator game.
This should be fun. This should be able to make up my boring ass holiday. Maybe I’ll think of which girl to date and I’ll think of marrying the girl, make a family and…”
I saw a line that caught my attention.
“This game is not suitable for children
or those who are easily disturbed.”
Wait, why the fucking hell is there such warning in a dating simulator? Maybe it’s just to perk you up.
Okay, I installed it and decided to play it. As if the warning on the website isn’t enough, it came up again before I start the game. It’s either I press I agree or I close the game. Damn it, just get me to the damn game already.
I’m greeted by the main menu, and the four girls are smiling at me. This game’s going to be sure hella great. I can feel it in my bones. I excitedly press “New Game”. They then asked me to name my own character. Note that I’m playing as my character here, so I’ll say “I”, “me” and “my”, which means my character.
“I” talk to the first girl named Sayori, my childhood friend and my most favorite girl because she looks the prettiest among the four.
She convinces me to join a club, and “I” say yes after a few talkings. “I” was also introduced to the other three girls. Yuri, a purple-haired girl who is shy, Natsuki, the pink-haired girl who acts very rowdy and Monika, a long brown-haired girl who is the leader of the club. Then here comes the first and only type of mini game. The poem. “I” have to choose words to make a poem. I just clicked randomly and the storyline just continues. As I go along with the storyline and the girls, “I” get to show “my” poems to them and they show “me” theirs. “I” also get to walk home with Sayori and have some interactive choices. I’m surprised a game like this could actually attract me to play more. It feels like reality.
I’m still piped up as the poem mini game comes up again. I clicked randomly again and the same thing happens again. However, this time, they talk about a literature festival and how to present it. Natsuki will do her cupcakes, Yuri will do decorations and Sayori will read the poems. Monika will help her with the poems.
I was then presented the mini game again. For the third time. For fuck’s sake, please stop it. Two times are enough.
So at this point, I gotta give a little summary over here. This game is really good at making people continuously play the game without leaving their seat. These type of games are rare. And I just found one.
Here comes the sharing of poems again. Sayori, however, says she’s not feeling well and reports home. So “I” only could share it with Monika, Yuri and Natsuki. After the sharing, they ask me to choose who “I” should help for the festival. They gave four options: Yuri, Natsuki, Monika and “Sayori…”.
Of course I like Sayori, so I pressed the last option. Monika then told me that she’s already helping her. Wow. Then I’m left with Yuri and Natsuki. I chose Natsuki because I want to see how much more bitchy she could be after quarreling with Yuri twice.
Okay, “I” invited her to my house. But before Natsuki came, “I” go to Sayori’s house to comfort and talk to her. And Natsuki came after that. She and “I” baked cookies and had quite a fun time.
As we walked outside, and Natsuki was about to kiss “me”, Sayori jumped in and asked what happened. Natsuki ran away, leaving “me” and Sayori.
Sayori and “I” talked for a while, and when she confessed to me that she liked me, I was given two options. It’s either “I love you too” or “You’ll always be my dearest friend.”
I was like “Hell yeah. She likes me and I like her. Of course I’ll go with the first option.”
We hugged each other and we both went home.
The festival day came. “I” came out of the house and did not see Sayori anywhere. Thinking that she overslept, “I” went to school and Monika gave me the poem that Sayori had been preparing.
“I” read it, and guess what? It was like a fucking suicide note, repeatedly telling someone to get out of her head. “I” rushed to her home and room.
And I saw a fucking horror scene.
Sayori, the usually bittersweet and cute girl, fucking hanged herself with her fucking eyes open. And here’s the worst part. The game glitches and lets you look at her lifeless face for like a full minute.
What the fucking hell? I thought this was a dating simulator, not a fucking horror game. I was seriously heartbroken and creeped out. The game then abruptly stops and restart. This time, I was just thinking. How could Sayori die? Why did she die? Who wanted her to die? How can I save her? I felt really depressed at that moment.
I seriously thought they are going to let me play the whole thing again. I opened my big ass eyes wide as I see the same four girls on the main menu, but Sayori looks glitched. Oh my fuck.
The rest of the game is glitched. Choices get bigger in size, random figures appear and scare you out of nowhere and going through another storyline without Sayori. People started talking in weird languages that are unreadable, giving creepy faces and there are even times where the characters have no eyes. These are just a few examples. There are more than you ever thought.
There’s this one part where Yuri cuts herself and the game rewinds. Since when will Yuri cut herself? I thought only she’s shy and that’s all.
The poem mini game appears as usual, but in one of the mini games, there is a long and weird word. If you ever press on it, everything turns white (except the book) and the music instantly stops. It’s creepy.
As usual, the girls and “I” share our poems with each other. And when there’s a choice between Monika, Yuri and Natsuki, I’m only allowed to press Monika. I tried to move the cursor, but it drags back to the Monika choice. What the fuck is this? Magic?
After sharing the third poem, Yuri asks me if “I” like her. I pressed the “Yes” version, just for curiosity.
That’s when the game gets more fucked up. Yuri takes a knife and stabs herself continuously for a period of seconds. I then stare at her pitiful face and bloodied body as she started speaking in the weird language and slowly dies over the weekend. And “I” stayed with her.
On the next school day, Natsuki came in and saw the dead body. She ran away and Monika saw it too, but was not one bit surprised.
I was surprised. Why is she not even surprised? She even looked so fucking calm.
She then did the unthinkable. The thing nobody expects her to do. She deleted Yuri and Natsuki from the game. HOW THE FUCK ON EARTH DID SHE DO IT?
The game restarts and this time, you’re stuck to facing Monika in a room. She gives you that look. You know, the look.
Now, she tells you all the evil things she done, like making Sayori commit suicide and changed the files of the games. She even knows your name through your computer. It sounds creepy, but this is called breaking the fourth wall. After talking for some time, you will stare at her face forever. Even quitting the game and coming back later will lead you back to seeing her.
The only way to continue this is to delete her. Go to the local files of the game in your computer and delete her fucking file. She says some shit before realizing what she did. She apologizes and restarts the game again without her.
I thought that would be the end. Hell no it wasn’t. Sayori knows what you did for her. She knew Monika made “me” suffer. She decides to corrupt my game too, but luckily Monika steps in and deletes her. And the game abruptly ends again.
Finally, the credits come in. Monika finally speaks to me and it’s the only spoken voice in the whole game. She then sings a song named “Your Reality” and the credits show all the scenes. Some of them are in black and white as I did not go through the scenes. Oh, so now there are more scenes for me?
And at the end, Monika gives me a note and the script file is gone. The note is about Monika thanking me for joining the club, but disbands it because it corrupts innocent minds. She then thank me for playing the game. Yeah, it fucking corrupted me.
I checked up on the Internet to get the other scenes, and realized I have to do a lot of stuff to get a good real ending. I sighed. I got nightmares over that game and really didn’t get any sleep that night.
I spent three hours the next day trying to get all the other scenes I didn’t unlock. After three hours and forty six minutes of hard work, I got back to the scene after Monika added the other three back. This time, Sayori finally thanks me for spending time with all the girls and tells me to visit them again. I WAS LIKE FUCK YEAH, I FINISHED THE GAME. I’M NEVER GOING TO VISIT YOU AGAIN, YOU FUCKING CREEP.
The credits came rolling in again, and all the scenes are in color now. Monika also sings her song, and finally, Dan Salvato, the creator of the game, gives me a note, thanking me for playing his game and taking time to achieve the special ending. I feel accomplished. I FELT FUCKING ACCOMPLISHED. It felt like I’ve completed the most difficult and tedious game in the world.
This game is actually excellent. Although I can’t take horror and I’m easily disturbed by it, I still played it. And it didn’t disappoint me in any way at all. Its graphics are good, the storyline is interesting, and it actually makes you think a lot.
Now, I thought a lot about Monika and her actions, and I found out why she made Sayori commit suicide and deleted the two other characters. The game didn’t even give me a scene with her at all. “I” only spent time with Sayori, Yuri and Natsuki. However Monika is forgotten. It’s like nobody cares for her or even gave a fuck about her. Monika likes “me” and she feels very disappointed, sad and pissed. So she made sure to delete and wipe out everyone in the game for me to spend time with her, but everyone thinks she’s bad. She’s a villain. Everyone wants to delete her off the game to get back the other three girls, but we didn’t even consider her feelings, did we?
I understand what Monika did and why she did it. I do not blame her.
This game really is an eye-opener. First, let’s talk about the storyline. I can feel that it’s well planned. It must have taken the developers a long time to plan out such a beautiful storyline that keeps me playing, not even taking a break to eat, drink or even shit.
The characters. Yuri is quiet, but kind and also…a little self-depressed, but not as much as Sayori. Natsuki was one character that I dislike, not hate, for her attitude towards people. Be kinder. Sayori is a happy-go-lucky person who is really depressed. And Monika. She’s the one who will protect you through heaven and hell, fire and water, high and low because she loves you.
The gameplay. Seeing the characters’s expressions is something I had not seen in a while. I really love games like that. The glitches in the game also made it interesting, for it’s the first time I played any game that had this type of glitch. The poem mini game is also interesting, surprisingly. Different words will lead you to a different scene. And this mini game lets me learn new words. Damn, it’s English lesson.
And the soundtrack. Oh my. 15 songs that bless your ears and sometimes give creeps. Especially “Your Reality”. That song had me pressing “Replay” many times a day.
This is an extraordinary, fun, exciting and fascinating game to play. I had an extremely fun time playing it. I really, really loved it. I’m saying this from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, Team Salvato and Dan Salvato for creating such a wonderful game to let lots of people enjoy. I personally can’t wait to see what other games you are making in the future.
Oh no, I’m feeling something wrong. Something’s glitching. My…my life…I feel weird.
I feel weird. Real weird. Re…
Time then rewinded back all the way to the beginning of the review.
I was searching for a game to play. I went to Steam and saw a game called “Doki Doki Literature Club.”
“Seems interesting.” I said to myself as I clicked the “Download” button. I saw the warning on the page itself. “This game is not suited for children or those who are easily disturbed.” I smiled and ignored it. It’s a dating simulator, what could go wrong?
I opened the app and it told me the same warning. As usual, I ignored it and it leads me to the main menu. I pressed “New Game”, feeling excited to play it.
“Just Monika”
Author’s Note:
As I said in the review, thank you Dan Salvato and Team Salvato for creating such a great game for everyone to enjoy.
Congrats on reaching a million downloads. You guys deserved it. The game is also nominated for some awards, especially the “Haunts My Dreams” award. Hopefully this game would win this award. I’ll be really happy if it does.
My gameplay post is up, so go ahead and check!
Meanwhile, for people who hadn’t play the game or get to hear the soundtrack, here are the links.
Soundtrack:
Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!
