Knock on the Coffin Lid

About

"Knock on the Coffin Lid" is a narrative-driven game where you wake up in a crypt with no memories, and must uncover the secrets of your death and plan your route to return home. Explore three mysterious regions, form unexpected alliances, and make decisions that will change the world. Build unbeatable decks, collect artifacts, and fight enemy factions in tactical battles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,108 reviews

story197 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a unique time-loop mechanic that allows players to learn from previous runs and make different choices.
Beautiful art style and high production values, including excellent voice acting and animations.
Diverse characters and subclasses that offer different playstyles, enhancing replayability.

Unbalanced difficulty, particularly with certain bosses that can feel unfair and punishing, requiring specific builds to succeed.
Some cards and mechanics are poorly explained, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
Static map design can lead to repetitive experiences, as players are often forced to follow specific paths to progress.

story
531 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The game features a compelling and intricate story that unfolds through multiple playthroughs, with each character offering unique perspectives and narrative paths. While many players appreciate the depth and engaging storytelling, some find the lengthy runs and repetitive events can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it successfully combines roguelike mechanics with a rich narrative, making it a standout in the genre for those who value story-driven gameplay.
- “You might think it's a Slay the Spire clone, but in my opinion, this game is much better because it has an actual story.”
- “Each run gives you a chance to experiment with new paths, uncover hidden secrets, and piece together a story steeped in death and despair.”
- “The story is actually very well written for a card game.”
- “But runs take far too long for the amount of story/game that appears to be there.”
- “The story is disjointed, but the worst part I found was that there's only one save.”
- “Doing runs ad-nauseam to unlock specific encounter options or story elements becomes very tedious and sucked the joy out of the game for me.”
gameplay
342 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
5%
The gameplay of "Knock on the Coffin Lid" is a blend of familiar roguelike deck-building mechanics reminiscent of "Slay the Spire," enhanced by unique character abilities and a rich narrative. While many players appreciate the engaging story and diverse mechanics, some criticize the game for its linear progression, repetitive elements, and unclear mechanics that can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a solid experience with a captivating aesthetic and a rewarding gameplay loop, though it may require patience to fully grasp its complexities.
- “Very fun gameplay with plenty of meta progression (the challenge rewards are permanent character upgrades).”
- “The gameplay is fun and can be casual or more unforgiving if you so choose.”
- “The game brilliantly combines deckbuilding with RPG elements such as equipment, sets, and subclasses, which really adds a lot of diversity to the gameplay and gives a ton of replayability.”
- “Off the rip, the game is extremely fun (at first) as you're exploring different areas and learning the mechanics of the game, but the more you play, the more you realize it's less of a roguelike and more of a linear progression type game.”
- “It was an enjoyable first few hours, but ultimately there is very limited choice; the mechanics are actively strong-arming you into the same or similar strategies and routes every run.”
- “The gameplay is steady, though in my opinion, it can feel a bit too slow at times.”
graphics
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
31%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning artwork and engaging visual style, often described as beautiful, polished, and thematically rich. Many reviewers appreciate the unique character designs and atmospheric backgrounds that enhance the overall gameplay experience, with some even nominating it for awards based on its visual appeal. However, there are occasional criticisms regarding the lack of variety in certain graphical elements and the presence of bugs that can detract from the experience.
- “The dark, brooding art style is a perfect fit for the game’s morbid themes.”
- “The visuals are astonishing, the UI is excellent, and the voice acting is top-tier.”
- “The artwork is so captivating.”
- “The graphics are okay but not amazing; gameplay is subpar compared to others of the genre (maybe 2 or 3 real different builds), but the worst is the way they designed the final boss.”
- “No support for ultra-wide or 4K resolution; artwork is polished, but it's a shame you have to watch it with a monitor from 1994.”
- “After the first act and especially in the third, there are unfinished graphics and texts.”
replayability
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its rich content, diverse character builds, and engaging mechanics, with many players noting the unique interactions and evolving storylines that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some reviews mention a potential for repetitiveness and a static map reducing variety, the depth of gameplay and numerous unlockable elements keep players coming back for more. Many agree that the thoughtful design and immersive world contribute significantly to its replay value, making it a standout in the roguelike deck-building genre.
- “Deep and rich mechanics, interesting characters, fascinating lore and world building, almost infinite replayability.”
- “The game has infinite replay value and you continue to learn more and more with each run.”
- “This game is a gem in the roguelike deck-building genre, offering near-endless replayability through thoughtful design, and a level of polish that’s rare to find.”
- “Very entertaining and well done, a nice refreshing twist, albeit at the cost of limited replayability.”
- “The game is very solid but poor card descriptions and inconsistent wording really hampers the replay value for myself as struggling to remember if someone is actually going to do as it is worded every run is just not something I am willing to put up with.”
- “Replayability is mediocre or non-existent at all after you beat the game with each character.”
music
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
21%
7%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its immersive quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as beautiful, catchy, and diverse, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and replayability. While some minor criticisms exist regarding repetitiveness in certain tracks, the overall consensus is that the music, alongside the art and voice acting, elevates the game's appeal.
- “The entire adventure is filled with grim landscapes and terrifying enemies, accompanied by an exquisite soundtrack that together immerse the player into its world.”
- “Gorgeous animated art and extremely catchy soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack shakes things up between battle and journey and compliments the game very well without taking anything away from the game.”
- “This game looks like a flash game, the animations look like flash and everything is stiff and ugly; the music is generic and the story is too.”
- “Devs, please give us a toggle to disable the music ducking during combat.”
- “There's a few rough edges, such as the map menu music being repetitive, some poor translations (that are in the process of being fixed) and some buffs/debuffs not being very descriptive as to what they do.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring extensive playtime to unlock essential mechanics or progress through the story. While some initial grinding can be enjoyable, it quickly becomes repetitive and demoralizing, especially when runs end in failure or when players are forced to repeat the same paths without meaningful rewards. Overall, the grinding detracts from the enjoyment of the gameplay, making it feel unnecessarily drawn out and punishing.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Doing runs ad-nauseam to unlock specific encounter options or story elements becomes very tedious and sucked the joy out of the game for me.”
- “This game is needlessly grindy, cruel, unforgiving and will make you hate it every turn until once where you can finally make it to the (real) final fight.”
- “I want to continue playing, but seriously, having to play 9 hours of content again farming the events multiple times to get the specifics done throwing awesome builds away, is just demoralizing.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive world-building, captivating storytelling, and charming visuals, which create a dark, fairy tale-like experience. Players appreciate the combination of quality audio design and hand-drawn art that enhances the overall mood, despite some technical issues. The emphasis on atmosphere and narrative sets it apart from similar titles, making it a memorable addition to the RPG and card-based roguelike genres.
- “The atmosphere and story are a very captivating addition to a well-rounded and engaging core gameplay loop.”
- “- charming art style: the hand-drawn visuals and gothic vibe create a distinct, memorable atmosphere.”
- “Each setting oozes with atmosphere, from haunted forests to eerie dungeons, making every step feel like part of a grim fairy tale.”
- “The biggest difference is the focus on atmosphere and story.”
- “This game is an awesome mix of RPG and card-based roguelike with a dark atmosphere.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting bugs, freezes, and unoptimized performance that detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the game's potential and improvements over time, many express frustration with persistent issues that disrupt gameplay. Overall, the game is considered buggy, especially in its early access phase, but there is hope for future enhancements.
- “Knock is an excellent early access game. In my opinion, this is what early access is all about. It features an enjoyable campaign that, while short, is highly polished, replayable (incentivized by perk unlocks), and is for the most part remarkably bug-free.”
- “The game is very buggy, unoptimized, and unbalanced.”
- “As much as I want to like this game, it keeps freezing every time I press 'end turn' - getting a new hand I can't play with. Its performance is so bad that it distracts me, so I'm going to leave my review as thumbs down until they fix those freezes.”
- “The gameplay is good, but the game is buggy, and it feels like there are new bugs every time a patch comes out.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
42%
33%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs, freezing issues, and performance problems, particularly during critical gameplay moments. While a few users report minimal issues and enjoy the gameplay mechanics, many express frustration over the overall lack of polish and optimization, indicating that improvements are needed for a smoother experience.
- “This, along with the difficulty options and five different unique classes, makes for endless options for gameplay and optimization.”
- “Players collect resources and unlock new cards that can improve the performance of future runs.”
- “However, outside of some light issues on the margins, I've run into no performance problems or crashes.”
- “The game is very buggy, unoptimized, and unbalanced.”
- “As much as I want to like this game, it keeps freezing every time I press 'end turn' to get a new hand. I can't play with its performance; it distracts me, so I'm going to leave my review as thumbs down until they fix those freezes.”
- “The game itself feels badly optimized.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
27%
The humor in "Griftlands" is characterized by its dark, sardonic wit and engaging dialogue, featuring quirky characters and clever banter that enhances the storytelling experience. Players appreciate the blend of strategic gameplay with a humorous narrative, although some find the balance of humor and gameplay to be uneven at times. Overall, the game's writing is praised for its atmospheric quality and cleverness, making it a standout for fans of RPGs who enjoy a mix of humor and strategy.
- “The dark, humorous narrative keeps you hooked with quirky characters and intriguing lore.”
- “"Knock on the coffin lid" is a gem for fans of RPGs who enjoy a mix of strategic card play and dark humor.”
- “The dialogues were snappy, the various encounters mostly had a fun build-up, and the banter between the spectre and the protagonist is quite funny for what is basically an exposition dump.”
- “It's so unbalanced, it's not funny at all.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected humor, but it just missed the mark completely.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
The character development in the game is praised for its depth and backstory, contributing to a rich RPG experience set in a medieval fantasy world. Reviewers highlight the unique and well-illustrated character designs, particularly noting the strong worldbuilding that evokes comparisons to titles like The Witcher. However, some criticism is directed at certain aspects of character design and animation, suggesting inconsistency in quality across the game.
- “It's RPG themed with lots of backstory and character development.”
- “The worldbuilding and character design are amazing, giving off strong Witcher vibes.”
- “I find it fresh, and I believe the direction in which it is headed is a step toward the ultimate logical conclusion of all these deckbuilders: a properly integrated story-driven RPG with card mechanics as the combat system, along with the character development and full immersion of classics like Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale.”
- “I feel like the developers were lazy in character designing and animating it.”
- “Character design, backgrounds, small dialogues, and sounds are lovely; apart from that, the UI is really intuitive.”
- “I find it fresh, but I believe the direction in which it is headed is a step toward the ultimate logical conclusion of all these deckbuilders: a properly integrated story-driven RPG with card mechanics as the combat system, along with the character development.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers indicate that the game's monetization strategy is not overly aggressive, allowing for a focus on gameplay rather than profit. While the story may be lacking, the overall design reflects a commitment to enhancing the gaming experience without heavy reliance on monetization tactics.
- “It screams love for building a good game over heavy monetization.”
- “The monetization model feels fair and doesn't hinder gameplay.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content without pushing for purchases.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “It's frustrating how much the game pushes you to buy in-game currency to progress.”
- “The constant ads and paywalls ruin the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a game.”