A HEARTBROKEN mum has become the latest parent to claim a computer game caused the suicide of her child.

Doki Doki Literature Club, which in its trailer markets itself as a happy, colourful school dating game packed with childlike characters, is easy to download and doesn't require any parental checks.

16 Doki Doki Literature Club begins as a light-hearted game but takes a sinister turn. Within an hour Sayori, your character's childhood friend, talks about having depression and eventually takes her own life in a disturbing scene

But the game, which begins with you playing a school pupil who wants to write poetry to impress girls, descends into a psychological horror that features dark themes of self-harming and suicide and has already been blamed for the deaths of two children.

Earlier this week the father of Ben Walmsley, 15, from Radcliffe, Bury, told how the game - which functions as a role-playing visual novel in which player choices dictate elements of the storyline - "dragged" him in before his death which is still being investigated by a coroner.

And now another parent, Mihaela Potz, from Zargreb in Croatia, has spoken out about the game and how it may have played a role in the death of her 12-year-old son Rok.

Speaking to The Sun Online, she said: "He was playing the game in December, and a girl in his drama class also liked it.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans on 116123. Alternatively call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 if you are concerned about a child.

16 Rok Jakopović Potz, 12, took his own life in February this year - just two months after he began playing the game

"He wanted to get a present for her so he made a Doki Doki t-shirt.

"I did not realise the nature of the game because at the beginning everything is so cheerful and there's nothing strange or dark about it."

The game has been singled out as being particularly disturbing to children because of the way it blurs the lines between the game's fictitious story and real life - known as "breaking the fourth wall".

This means that the gamer is often addressed directly by the characters, who make it known that they are aware of how they exist within a video game.

Rok's mum said: "He began talking about how it breaks the 'fourth wall', and while I didn't understand it he liked things that had mystery and that were intellectual.

"He told me that the game starts to be weird and little bit scary, but it was not until his death that we found the real nature of it."

Two months later Rok had taken his own life.

16 The game makes minimal checks on the age or identity of gamers before it begins

The game's features have also hampered a police investigation into Rok's death.

In one instance, after a childhood friend is seen having taken her own life, the image of her hanging is overlaid with code which reads: "An exception has occurred. File 'game/script0ch5.rpy', line 307. See traceback.txt for details."

The game then closes abruptly on gamer's computers and deletes all their saved files, however when they begin the game again the story is different and packed with more graphic and dark scenes.

This leaves users questioning if the game's shift to more violent themes is due to a technical fault with their computer, or if it was planned all along.

16 The game features disturbing suicide scenes and 'fourth wall' breaks

Mrs Potz added: "The police cannot find to what extent he was playing the game because the game deletes your own saves, but we do know that he was also watching people on YouTube play it as well.

"In the last month of his life he changed a little bit, he became darker inside.

"He did not have any interest in school, where he was one of the best pupils in the class.

"He started having problems with sleeping, he stopped eating... but there were no clear signs of what would happen.

"There were many things happening with my son and Doki Doki is just one part of it, but I need the death of my son to have some meaning.

"It needs to help other kids. As parents we need to speak out about this."

16 Ben Walmsley, from Bury, Greater Manchester, died in February and the circumstances of his death are still being investigated by a coroner Credit: MEN Media

The mum spoke out after Darren Walmsley, 49, said he felt the game was also responsible for the death of his son.

He said: “Ben was growing up fast. It is hard for parents but this needs to be highlighted.

"There is no confirmation yet, but we believe that the game could be linked to Ben’s death.

“Characters suggest things and you decide what to do. It drags you in and they make it very real.

“Ben did not speak about it, but parents need to be aware of this game and other similar games.”

Doki Doki Literature Club gaming trailer offers no real hint of the horror lurking within

The Sun Online has been investigating the game following the death of Ben Walmsley, and we have taken the decision to show screenshots of the more graphic scenes from the game as a warning to parents.

We found that the game can be easily downloaded for free - requiring no email, address or identification details from users.

After installing it gamers are told that it is "not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed".

However a message then follows: "By playing Doki Doki Literature Club, you agree that you are at least 13 years of age, and you consent to your exposure of highly disturbing content".

Users then simply have to press "I agree" in the centre of the screen before it begins. At no point is the age of a gamer verified.

The story sees gamers play an anxious school pupil who is encouraged to write poetry after joining a literature club to impress girls.

However as the game continues, your character's childhood friend Sayori tells you she has been battling depression.

16 Early on in the game, your character discovers his childhood friend hanging

16 A character who earlier in the game shows off her knife to you eventually takes her own life using it

In a disturbing sequence, you eventually discover the young girl hanging in her bedroom having taken her own life.

Another scene sees a schoolgirl - hinted to have a troubled home life - showing you her knife.

After you accidentally cut yourself with it, she licks the blood from your character's fingers.

The same character later self-harms with blade before killing herself with it in front of you.

TEEN OBSESSION: Teenager's dress up as troubled characters who brutally take their own lives within video game Teenagers and fans obsessed with Doki Doki Literature Club often share snaps on social media of their 'Cosplay' attempts at recreating the controversial game's characters. Young women, whose faces we have blurred, can be seen sharing snaps of themselves in fancy dress as Yuri. While it is common for video game fans to dress up as their favourite characters, the dark themes which Doki Doki Literature Club contains can make it a worrying spectacle. In the game Yuri has a fascination with knives, and it is hinted that her parents are abusive towards her. One fan, pictured, poses in Yuri's outfit from the game, complete with a purple wig and even posing with a knife. Fans have also shared explicit pronographic images of the characters, and images that revel in the wounds Yuri inflicts on herself.

16 Fans of the game often share images of themselves dressing up as the troubled character Yuri, who carries a knife around with her

16 Another fan poses as Yuri with a blade

Mr Walmsley claimed his son had also been receiving "texts" and "messages" from the game's characters.

This is not a feature of Doki Doki Literature Club, however he may have been playing a modified version of the game which its developers have previously raised concerns about.

Gamers have also said he could have been playing a game which does have a "texting" feature named Mystic Messenger.

16 In Mystic Messenger an unknown man tells your character, a young girl: 'You get a treat if you listen to older men' in the game before you go on to break into an apartment for him

16 After downloading the game on Wednesday evening, we had been bombarded with late-night texts from the fictional characters by 4am in the morning

Like Doki Doki Literature Club, the game also features a visual novel format, with much of it taking place inside a WhatsApp-style app where you chat with fictional characters.

The Sun Online downloaded Mystic Messenger - which is free and with no checks on age taking place - at 9pm last night.

Before you begin the game, users are asked what time zone they live in as it is crucial to the game's features.

By 4.05am, we had been bombarded by texts from characters in the early hours asking if we were sleeping.

Your character - who is a girl - begins receiving texts on the app from an "unknown" man who asks you to break into an apartment for him.

16 The character sends you an image of himself in a bid to win your trust

After choosing to refuse, we are told: "Haven't you heard the saying 'you get a treat if you listen to older men?'"

The man then sends you a picture of himself in a bid to win your trust. However as the game progresses, you can recieve more threatening texts and even phone calls late at night or in the early hours of the morning.

One message shared by a gamer on social media read: "I might find your room any moment."

The user added: "I'm creeped out and probably won't sleep at all. He literally hacked my ingame phone."

PARENTS BEWARE: Tony Neate, CEO of Get Safe Online, gives advice on how to ensure your children are using the internet responsibly The internet is a fantastic resource, home to a range of apps and games that can be positive experiences for our children. As with anything, it has its downsides, and navigating the line between what is appropriate and what isn’t can often be difficult. Whilst you may feel your children are very technology savvy, as parents and grandparents we have life skills that allow us to recognise risks and threats. Share your skill with your children. For parents, we should ensure we’re talking to our children from the beginning and taking an active interest in what they are doing, following and downloading. Having an open-dialogue with flowing, non-judgemental conversation is key, following which we can take appropriate action when needed. This can work two ways, and encouraging your children to discuss anything concerning they have experienced online can be a good way to highlight any red flags. Regularly check your child’s privacy settings as well as activity on their social media accounts, this can help give a further insight into what they’re talking about and getting up to. For further information, visit getsafeonline.org

Mr Walmsley added: “It is free to download but once you get into it, it will not leave you alone.

“The characters befriend and love you and give you tasks to do but if you do not do them, they turn nasty.”

The full circumstances of Ben's death are yet to be established.

A pre-inquest review is set to take place in the coming days.

16 One user in Mystic Messenger shared these texts she had received, saying that they had left her terrified

The Sun Online has passed on its findings of Doki Doki Literature Club to Andy Burrows, the NSPCC Associate Head of Child Safety Online.

He said: “The Doki Doki game creators warn that the game is unsuitable for children and for those who are easily disturbed. Parents should be aware that the game contains highly sensitive and adult themes, such as suicide.

“It’s important for parents to have regular conversations with children about their online lives, that are as normal as asking about their day at school.

“Parents should talk to children about what they do online, explore sites and apps together, agree boundaries, and manage safety and privacy settings.

“Adults seeking advice about online safety can call our NSPCC and O2 Online Safety Helpline, or young people can always contact Childline with any worries or concerns.”

16 During Doki Doki Literature Club, the gamer is encouraged to write poetry which often includes words about pain, loneliness and suicide

16 The poems the in-game characters share with you throughout become increasingly disturbing, with this one repeatedly saying: 'Get out of my head'

The game has proved controversial among the gaming community.

While being praised by many for its challenging themes, others have said it handles serious issues poorly and can trigger those with mental health issues.

Addressing a video game store, one user said: "Why do you still have Doki Doki Literature Club on your app? I don't understand why you would support such a messed up game.

"You are aware that people have committed suicide because of this game right? Or are you not bothered?"

16 Users have called for the game to be removed from app stores

Another user said the moment that your childhood friend took their life in the game "shook me to my core".

He added: "The setup for that was too realistic for me to handle and I had to pause the game and go for a smoke because my hands were literally shaking."

However another user said: "Can't wait for parents to start blaming Doki Doki Literature Club and other games for the suicide of the teen and they won't even question their own parenting."

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Ben’s school, Philips High in Whitefield, said in a statement: “A concern has recently been brought to our attention by HM Senior Coroner regarding the use by young people of the online game Doki Doki, also known as Doki Doki Literature Club.

“This is a psychological horror game with suicide as a main feature. A concern has been expressed that the game may trigger suicidal thoughts in young people who may be emotionally vulnerable.

“Please monitor and check your child’s internet use regularly and be mindful of the time spent.”

We have approached the game's developer for comment but have had no response.