Before I say anything about this mod, I want to make it clear that even though I'm giving it five stars and speaking highly of it in this review, I DO NOT recommend anyone to play this mod. I wouldn't recommend it to absolutely anyone, mainly because I believe the mod creator did not intend to please anyone who played it. This mod is one of the most cynical and nihilistic things I've ever seen in a game; it's literally a tragedy, and you won't derive anything enjoyable from this experience. That said, if you do decide to play, know that you've been warned—what you will see in this mod will leave a personal mark on you for weeks.
Man... I don't even know where to start with this review, as much of what I could say might potentially spoil the experience for those reading who intend to play. But let's start from the beginning, I suppose. After completing Doki Doki Literature Club for the first time in seven years, I was left with a feeling of wanting more, especially since the extra stories that came with Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! were quite weak in my opinion, more resembling “fanfic” than actual extra content. So, looking into some additional aspects of the game, like the “Project Libitina” theory, I found some mods that expand on the story, and this specific one, Doki Doki Exit Music, caught my attention because everyone was talking about how sad and depressing it was. Due to my morbid curiosity about why such claims were made, I discovered one of the darkest games I've come across.
I have no idea what the creator of this game went through in their personal life to write such a hopeless and deeply personal story, but it's clear that this story reflects some part of the creator's life. I won't lie—during the first chapter, I wasn't enjoying playing it; things were quite slow, and the heavy themes presented didn't seem to be handled with the seriousness they deserved. However, it was in the following chapters that I noticed this story had something special; it was better than the original game's story, and I feel readers of Oyasumi Punpun or Aku no Hana wouldn't be disappointed by this work because yes! It's that kind of story...
Regarding the game's features, the art style is quite cute for a mod, but it changes drastically in quality from one moment to the next, indicating that different people contributed art to this game. When transitioning between different art styles, you feel a certain change in tone because the mod doesn't adhere to a fixed style. The soundtrack is incredibly good, with remixes of Radiohead songs that are amazing and provide a unique soundtrack for this game. But now, speaking of the story... If I could summarize this entire game in one sentence, it would be 'unsettling.' The story is torturous and psychologically much heavier than the original; I simply felt exhausted playing because I couldn't stay calm, constantly expecting the worst to happen at any minute. The insecurity about what could happen, the feeling that things were out of control and could collapse from one second to the next—this anguish followed me from the beginning to the end of the game. This was one of the few games that genuinely made me cry due to its tragic ending, which... I'd rather not remember.
The protagonist's relationship with Natsuki is very well done and explored. You truly feel like you're in the protagonist's shoes, experiencing their despair as everything falls apart before their eyes without knowing what to do, and how they are corroded as the story progresses until they reach their limit. The dialogues are well crafted, and you feel the characters changing over time. The game's duration is quite short (for a visual novel), though I honestly wished to learn more about Yuri and Monika because unfortunately, they felt sidelined without a satisfying conclusion to their stories. I finished it in a single day and felt completely exhausted when I was done. Even though I wanted to sleep, I could hardly do so because I kept thinking about what I had just read, and whether I liked it or not, I will carry this story with me, much like its creator.
This game is divine and even better than the original; it's the best and most cruel fan game of Doki Doki Literature Club!
Man... I don't even know where to start with this review, as much of what I could say might potentially spoil the experience for those reading who intend to play. But let's start from the beginning, I suppose. After completing Doki Doki Literature Club for the first time in seven years, I was left with a feeling of wanting more, especially since the extra stories that came with Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! were quite weak in my opinion, more resembling “fanfic” than actual extra content. So, looking into some additional aspects of the game, like the “Project Libitina” theory, I found some mods that expand on the story, and this specific one, Doki Doki Exit Music, caught my attention because everyone was talking about how sad and depressing it was. Due to my morbid curiosity about why such claims were made, I discovered one of the darkest games I've come across.
I have no idea what the creator of this game went through in their personal life to write such a hopeless and deeply personal story, but it's clear that this story reflects some part of the creator's life. I won't lie—during the first chapter, I wasn't enjoying playing it; things were quite slow, and the heavy themes presented didn't seem to be handled with the seriousness they deserved. However, it was in the following chapters that I noticed this story had something special; it was better than the original game's story, and I feel readers of Oyasumi Punpun or Aku no Hana wouldn't be disappointed by this work because yes! It's that kind of story...
Regarding the game's features, the art style is quite cute for a mod, but it changes drastically in quality from one moment to the next, indicating that different people contributed art to this game. When transitioning between different art styles, you feel a certain change in tone because the mod doesn't adhere to a fixed style. The soundtrack is incredibly good, with remixes of Radiohead songs that are amazing and provide a unique soundtrack for this game. But now, speaking of the story... If I could summarize this entire game in one sentence, it would be 'unsettling.' The story is torturous and psychologically much heavier than the original; I simply felt exhausted playing because I couldn't stay calm, constantly expecting the worst to happen at any minute. The insecurity about what could happen, the feeling that things were out of control and could collapse from one second to the next—this anguish followed me from the beginning to the end of the game. This was one of the few games that genuinely made me cry due to its tragic ending, which... I'd rather not remember.
The protagonist's relationship with Natsuki is very well done and explored. You truly feel like you're in the protagonist's shoes, experiencing their despair as everything falls apart before their eyes without knowing what to do, and how they are corroded as the story progresses until they reach their limit. The dialogues are well crafted, and you feel the characters changing over time. The game's duration is quite short (for a visual novel), though I honestly wished to learn more about Yuri and Monika because unfortunately, they felt sidelined without a satisfying conclusion to their stories. I finished it in a single day and felt completely exhausted when I was done. Even though I wanted to sleep, I could hardly do so because I kept thinking about what I had just read, and whether I liked it or not, I will carry this story with me, much like its creator.
This game is divine and even better than the original; it's the best and most cruel fan game of Doki Doki Literature Club!