Doki Doki Literature Club is one of the most unique horror games on the market. While it disguises itself as a dating simulator, modeled after the popular anime genre of visual novels, Doki Doki Literature Club has some of the most startling twists and turns that psychological horror fans could look for. Even better: the original game is completely free to play.
The only downside of Doki Doki is that there's nothing else quite like it. What makes it special beyond its initial levels of gore and terror is its unsettling omniscience. Dan Salvato's game takes advantage of its internal files, and the true ending requires players to manipulate the data, which is exactly what Monika does until the player comes to this realization. Doki Doki Literature Club is an uncommon gem, and though Doki Doki Literature Club Plus expands on this experience by adding more to its dating sim side, players often look for follow-up title after finishing it. Here are a few that might satisfy that craving.
You and Me and Her
You and Me and Her, also often referred to by its Japanese name Kimi to Kanojo to Konojo no Koi, is possibly the most similar game that one could find to Doki Doki Literature Club, but be warned, players say that it messes with the mind much more. It's also centered around romance, much like most visual novels, and like Doki Doki and its poems, players will start to get a sense that something's not quite right. Assuming the role of student Shinichi, players can follow the romantic paths of either Aoi or Miyuki, but the love triangle will devolve into a sinister storyline regardless of either ending.
Yume Nikki
This one is another free-to-play game, which is excellent for players with a budget. Yume Nikki originally launched back in 2007, made with an old version of RPG Maker, and has since gained its own legacy in the horror genre. The protagonist of this cult indie game, Madotsuki, finds herself lost in a cycle of going to bed, dreaming, and waking up. Similar to Atlus's Catherine, each time she sleeps, Madotsuki wakes in a deranged version of her own room. There's no linear story in the traditional sense, but the goal is to find all 24 effects. Otherwise, the true meaning behind Yume Nikki and its traumatized protagonist is unknown, and the developer has not offered an official explanation.
Higurashi When They Cry
Many avid anime fans may know of Higurashi When They Cry because of its popular television series, but the visual novel video games series came first before shortly after being adapted. In the fictional town of Hinamizawa, the murder mysteries require little player interaction, much like Doki Doki Literature Club, and instead mostly involve reading lines of text. Higurashi is often referred to as a "sound novel," as many of its horror elements come from the atmospheric eerieness.
While many of the games were originally released for older consoles like the Nintendo DS and the PS2, the full series of Higurashi When They Cry Hou is available on Steam. It's also available on PS4 and will soon be available on Switch.