Please Knock on My Door
- September 7, 2017
- Levall Games AB
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Please Knock on My Door" is a narrative-driven game simulating the daily life of a person dealing with social anxiety and depression. Players must manage routines, complete tasks, and make choices that impact the character's mental health and relationships. The game offers a poignant, interactive exploration of mental health challenges, striving to foster understanding and empathy.
Reviews
- The game provides a deep and emotional exploration of mental health and depression, resonating with players who have experienced similar struggles.
- The narration and soundtrack enhance the immersive experience, making players feel connected to the protagonist's journey.
- It serves as a powerful tool for understanding depression, encouraging empathy and awareness among those who may not have experienced it firsthand.
- The gameplay can feel frustrating and limiting, with players often unable to make meaningful choices due to the mechanics of the game.
- Some players found the game to be emotionally overwhelming, making it difficult to replay or engage with again after the initial experience.
- The short length of the game may leave some feeling that it doesn't provide enough content for its price, despite its emotional impact.
- story45 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is deeply impactful, exploring themes of mental health and depression in a way that resonates with many players, often evoking strong emotional responses. While the narrative is praised for its depth and relatability, some players find the limited interaction and linearity detract from the overall experience. The game offers multiple modes, allowing for varied engagement with the story, but many recommend starting with the "experience" mode for a more immersive introduction.
“If you enjoy deep story-driven games, this is absolutely a game you should check out.”
“It's a perfect story of mental health and depression; it explains the state and the spiral downwards in a way I have not seen before in a game.”
“I love how well this game tells the story; it gives you the experience of someone who suffered from depression and anxiety.”
“Serves well as a game for impact, but the poor scenery, the very limited ways of interaction, and the paucity of branches in storytelling makes the experience disinteresting.”
“It took me about an hour to get through story mode, and 40 minutes of it was me occasionally saying 'man, I'm starting to hate this.'”
“It is not perfect but good enough to tell something--not really a story but something about our life, our little tiny trivial experience of life.”
- emotional22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its profound emotional impact, with many players describing it as a deeply relatable and touching experience that evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears. While some feel the pacing disrupts the emotional buildup, the overall consensus is that the game successfully resonates with players on a personal level, making it a memorable and worthwhile journey.
“Even if ten thousand other people find it useless, boring, or a waste of money... if it can make even just one more person feel as understood and hopeful as it made me feel, then it is serving its purpose, and is worth it.”
“It is one of the most emotional experiences I have had in gaming, and considering I play almost daily and I am attracted to story-rich games, that says a lot.”
“The most touching game I've ever played.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as simple and focused more on narrative and emotional experience than on traditional mechanics or flashy graphics. While some players find it frustrating due to limited choices and a quick resolution, others appreciate its nuanced approach to serious themes like depression, likening it to a more mundane version of life simulation games. Overall, it offers a unique experience that may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking extensive gameplay.
“The narration that follows throughout the gameplay is great.”
“Gameplay was nice, design was simple but pleasant, and the soundtrack was smooth.”
“It's a lot about figuring out what's the right way to go about a problem, and what gameplay strategy you have (long term good health for better late game or feel good now to have a good day at work, but probably feel bad at late game?)”
“This game is very frustrating because they tease options yet you can't pick them; it's like missing out on gameplay... and if I want to get low points to try and kill my character - let me.”
“While it is capable of delivering an atmosphere with its gameplay and narrative, its quick resolution is taking away from what it's actually trying to achieve.”
“There isn't a lot of 'gameplay'.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and haunting quality, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the seamless integration of the soundtrack with the narrative, noting its ability to evoke feelings and complement the game's setting. The voice work and sound effects also receive commendation, contributing to a rich auditory experience that resonates with players.
“The music is amazing, haunting, and really adds to the game.”
“Absolutely beautifully crafted and a soundtrack to match it and accent it.”
“The story's rather simple and straightforward, yet the setting profoundly creates a depressing atmosphere, and the soundtrack further renders such mood.”
“The music and sound effects were mostly in the form of narration, which was done incredibly well.”
“The music was more ominous in nature and designed to be part of the background.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Please Knock on My Door" are minimalist and pleasing, effectively conveying the game's mood despite not being flashy or technically impressive. While some users noted occasional pixelation, the overall visual style is considered well-executed and fitting for the game's experience.
“The graphics in 'Please Knock on My Door' are minimalist but nice and pleasing.”
“Overall, the graphics are actually very well done and very effective in conveying mood.”
“It's not a game with flashy graphics or fancy mechanics, but it doesn't need to be; it's an experience that is important to explore.”
“In addition, the game's graphics sometimes become pixellated and remove all choices but going to sleep.”
“Visuals aren't impressive but they don't need to be for this type of game.”
“It's not a game with flashy graphics or fancy mechanics but it doesn't need to be, it's an experience that is important to explore.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is effectively enhanced by its gameplay, narrative, and a haunting soundtrack, creating a profoundly depressing mood. However, the quick resolution detracts from the overall impact of the story, which, while simple, is supported by strong narration and music that enrich the experience.
“While it is capable of delivering an atmosphere with its gameplay and narrative, its quick resolution takes away from what it's actually trying to achieve.”
“The story is rather simple and straightforward, yet the setting profoundly creates a depressing atmosphere, and the soundtrack further enhances this mood.”
“I cannot fault the narrator at all, as well as the music, both of which contribute significantly to the feeling and atmosphere of the game.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its numerous choices and engaging narration, encouraging players to revisit the story after completion. While some may find the price steep relative to playtime, the overall experience is deemed worth it for multiple playthroughs.
“This game has a lot of choices that enhance its replayability, and the narration encourages you to try again after completing the story mode.”
“It seems like a high price for the amount of time it takes to complete the game, but it has high replayability, and I'm looking forward to playing it again.”
“Great replayability.”
“The game lacks significant changes in subsequent playthroughs, making it feel repetitive.”
“Once you finish the story, there's little incentive to replay, as the outcomes don't vary much.”
“While there are choices, they don't impact the game enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game resonates with players through relatable cultural references, such as the enjoyment of caviar on bread, which adds a personal touch and enhances the overall comedic experience.
“It's funny that I knew it was made by a Scandinavian; who else eats caviar on a slice of bread like us? How fitting, seeing as that has been my survival food for the past weeks.”
“The humor in this game is spot on, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with hilarious character interactions and absurd situations that always catch me off guard.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been noted for its high CPU performance requirements despite its relatively small size, leading to questions about its optimization efficiency.
“The game requires high CPU performance, and considering its size, I don't understand why it demands so much.”
