DDLC vs DDLC Plus: which version should you play?

Side-by-side

What Plus actually adds

Plus contains the full original game, so you don't need to play the original first. On top of it, the Steam page lists six side stories about the club members, 13 new songs (26 in total), a music player with playlists, more than 100 unlockable images and 1080p versions of the art.

The official site describes the side stories as exploring the origins of the Literature Club; the Steam page calls them stories about friendship and literature.

Engine and mods

Team Salvato says the original was made in Ren'Py and that Plus was "faithfully and painstakingly recreated in the Unity engine" to bring the game to consoles. It also says it expects mods for Plus to be harder to make, that it can't support Plus mods as strongly, and that it encourages modders to keep making mods for the original.

In practice, nearly every popular DDLC mod is a Ren'Py mod for the original PC game. Team Salvato's IP guidelines say fan games must not include the official game files: they have to use the player's own copy. So mods need the free original installed. A mod that uses Plus content must tell you that you also need to own Plus.

Which one to choose

The game is psychological horror. It deals with suicide and self-harm and is not for players who are easily disturbed, whichever version you pick.

• ·Playing for the first time on PC: either works. The free original gives you the full main story; Plus adds the side stories and extras.
• ·Console or iPhone: Plus is the only option.
• ·Want to try mods: download the free original from Steam, itch.io or ddlc.moe, even if you already own Plus.
• ·Want the most content or to pay the developers: Plus.