Yandere Simulator is a highly replayable game with many unique features. In the early builds, players can ask any student other than Senpai to follow them, although some students may refuse unless they are befriended or certain conditions are met. If a student witnesses Ayano committing murder, they will refuse to talk to her the next day. If no interaction is chosen during a conversation, the student will wait a few seconds before leaving. Certain activities of the students, such as club activities or specific character interactions, may not be available under certain circumstances. For example, if a student with a particular personality has their phone stolen and witnesses Ayano committing murder, they will run away and call the police. The difficulty level of the game also affects the school environment, making it harder for Ayano to go unnoticed. When the school ambiance is low, students may refuse to fulfill Ayano's requests. However, Ayano can still talk to certain students during lunchtime or after class.
If the school environment is above 80%, students who witness the protagonist committing murder will run to a crowded place and call the police. However, if a student with a specific personality witnesses a murder, they may beg for their life and not report the incident. Rivals, on the other hand, will run to Senpai and inform him about the crime. If the murderer kills someone the witness likes, they will flee from the school and contact the police. The difficulty level of the game also impacts the school environment, with higher difficulty levels resulting in a lower school ambiance, making it more challenging for Ayano to go unnoticed. Some students, like Budo Masuta, may refuse to offer Ayano a job initially unless she befriends all the club members to gain their trust. However, Ayano can talk to them again during lunchtime after class ends. Additionally, if Ayano murders one of the bullies, they will react with spitefulness.
In the game, there is a character who lectures the protagonist about leading a carefree life and encourages them to pursue a career linked to their interests. This may cause other students to see the protagonist covered in blood with a weapon, resulting in a negative impact on their reputation. However, if they witness another murder, they will become scared and curl up into a ball. The Martial Arts Club offers advantages to the player, allowing them to win fights without any input. However, if Ayano gets into a fight with the delinquents and they catch her with a short stabbing weapon, a “Fight” minigame will occur where the player must press buttons quickly to fight back and potentially kill them. The delinquents will continue to fight Ayano until she is knocked out or they are killed.
If a student with the Heroic personality witnesses a murder that is not a murder-suicide, they will try to apprehend the protagonist by chasing after her. If a student without the Heroic personality witnesses a murder while holding their phone, they will take on this personality and take more time to contact the police. Only the Student Council Members have this Heroic Persona. In one of the earlier builds of the game, players could only ask a student to leave if they had reached a destination they intended to occupy for some time. In the latest build, Ayano can kill students using her bare hands when she enters Snap Mode. Social Butterflies will call the police and scream if they see the protagonist, while protective students will run and inform their teacher if they witness a corpse but not the murder itself.
