Games That Play You: How Titles Like 'Doki Doki Literature Club' Subvert Expectations

A simple premise is followed by the majority of video games – that is, you will play them. Still, some games are totally unique, they manage to make you doubt the reality, the mechanics, and the choices that the game presents. In these games, stories break the boundary between telling and manipulating the player, in addition, they do not just go the direction of the majority, but rather, they are very creative and make the player think outside the box which leaves the players amazed. One of the known well manifestations of this peculiar technique is Doki Doki Literature Club, the game that seems nice but actually is a psychological horror.
The Art of Deception in Gaming
One of the main principles of subversive games is deception. They attract players into thinking they are in a protected place, and right when they are most relieved, they set them up for a great fall. Doki Doki Literature Club is a shrewd developer who uses this mode when the game is started by lighthearted visual novel, with the addition of charming anime-style characters. In the meantime, the plot thickens and the game becomes nothing but ordinary. The illusion of choice is no more as the characters start to break down the game itself, talking to the player and distorting the reality within the story.
The Role of Psychological Manipulation
Parallel to the Joker, who thrives on disorder and tricks, games like these exploit players' mind game abilities. They manipulate the player's expectations, ask if the player is the one who makes the decisions and even make the player feel guilty for their decisions. Another example of this is Bitsky, a game that introduces feelings of anxiety by using mechanics in a way that there are no clear lines between the actions of the character and the real-life consequences. Much as Doki Doki Literature Club, Bitsky confounds the player, making them wonder if they are really in control or whether they are just following a script written beforehand.
Other Games That Subvert Expectations
Undertale – which is grounded on a simple but novel idea: it allows you to resolve conflicts peacefully as a pacifist and the AI remembers even small changes made to the game from previous playthroughs, like a short term memory for game choices.
Pony Island – This is a game that plays a twisted game of deception, boasting as a simple arcade experience only to metamorphose into a horror odyssey in a later stage where the game itself is the antagonist.
The Stanley Parable – It is a really interactive story that deviates from the common notions of freedom that players can experience, and gives them decision splits where they can follow different paths, most of which are quite unexpected and humorous.
Inscryption – I suspect that Inscryption is an incredible experience that goes way beyond the initial impression of a standard deck-building roguelike, becoming something more sinister and strange.

The Future of Games That Play You
Every day new technologies emerge, at the same time developers find more and more ways to challenge and especially affect the players in video gaming. Bitsky and Doki Doki Literature Club have proven that interactive storytelling doesn't need to be bound by typical storylines. They point out that the most exciting and memorable ones are those that break the usual course of events, thereby getting the players to think deeply about their roles in the game.