GARY — Lake Ridge New Tech Middle School administrators are warning parents about an online interactive game gaining popularity with students that encourages self-harm and suicide.

Lake Ridge counselor Selena Bradley sent a letter home to Lake Ridge parents on Wednesday addressing the game called "Doki Doki Literature Club!"

The game, characterized by bright pink and purple colors, follows four anime-style characters through their creation of a "literature club" that teaches poetry and vocabulary skills. But, upon navigating through several scenarios, the player is asked a series of questions that ultimately leads to suicide within the game.

"We wanted to be proactive with it and be able to notify and spread awareness to our parents, because it looks like an educational game," Bradley said.

The game — marketed on developer Team Salvato's website as "cute," "adorable," and a place to "make friends with everyone" — is also marked with a disclaimer: "This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed."

"Doki Doki Literature Club!" is advertised as "100 percent free to play, but you are welcome to contribute any amount you'd like." Payments of $10 or more unlock bonus songs, wallpapers and art booklets, as a means to help Team Salvato create more games.

Team Salvato's lead developer did not return The Times' request for comment.

The "Doki Doki" game was first brought to the attention of school administrators after a Tuesday meeting between a student who had played the game and a counselor from Crown Counseling, which partners to provide guidance services in Lake Ridge Schools.

Administrators then researched the game, and decided to notify parents, as well as reach out to elementary schools in the district. A Lake Ridge Facebook post alerting parents about the game had been shared more than 450 times by midday Friday.

Bradley said she doesn't have a sense of how many students have played the game, but that many she has heard from were already seeking regular counseling at the school. One student she saw this week played the game out of curiosity and found it its themes to be grotesque and gory, she said.

Lake Ridge New Tech Principal Greg Mikulich said the district is working to block the internet-based game in all Lake Ridge schools.

"We do our best job to try to eliminate those things," Mikulich said. "Our biggest advice to parents is just to notify of the game, that it's not appropriate for our youth to be playing."

The middle school annually invites a state police officer to speak to students about internet safety, privacy and cyberbullying, Bradley said. Counseling resources are available at the school for students who have played the game.

"One of our biggest philosophies at Lake Ridge New Tech Middle School is building relationships," Mikulich said. "They can bring anything they want to us, so we can be proactive and help them through it."