Knock on the Coffin Lid | PC Review

Do you like Slay the Spire, but felt it could have used a bit more substance? If so, then you won’t want to pass up on Knock on the Coffin Lid from developer Redboon. It offers a rich experience both in gameplay and story that fans of the deckbuilding genre should be more than happy with. Its only real downfall is that it’s not available on more platforms so more people can enjoy this title. But what makes it so great?

Rise From Your Grave

Going into Knock on the Coffin Lid, I had no idea why the game donned this title. The game opens with an ominous hand doing just that, softly knocking on the lid of a coffin to wake your first character of three. Waking from what, you may ask? His own death. Yes, for reasons you will later find out, your character has been murdered and brought back by a mysterious character. He wants to hear your tale that lead to your death, and your character begins to regale his tale from the very beginning. Your goal is to remember the fine details leading towards your murder, which unlocks an overarching story that is both fascinating and engaging.

This story lends itself to the rogue formula present in games like this one. As you work your way through your story, carving your path towards solving your own murder mystery, you can perish along the way. If that happens, you’ll start a new time loop back in your own coffin again to start the story over and tell it “right” this time. It’s an intriguing plot device that this genre has long since deserved, and it’s a fantastic way to keep you moving forward.

What makes the story even more interesting are the various instances you come across. In Slay the Spire, you had some arbitrary “happenings” that were more or less lacking in detail. Knock on the Coffin Lid instead makes every encounter its own little story complete with detailed text to read, making this experience feel much more like an adventure than simply a game focused on mechanics. Your choices, both on which direction on the map you take as well as how to handle each encounter, make for seemingly limitless possibilities. It’s mind-boggling the sheer number of options you have at your disposal at every turn.

Choices, Choices, and More Choices

Battles will feel very familiar to the above-mentioned title that’s been popular for years. On your turn, you’ll select cards for attacking and blocking, which cost gems to use. Once your gems are depleted, your enemy takes a turn and does the same thing. This repeats until one of you is defeated. What sets this apart from other titles is the sheer number of options available to you. The game boasts 150 different cards throughout the game’s cycle. After defeating enemies, you’re able to choose new ones to add to your deck. Although the number is finite, the possibilities are endless. You’ll be discovering new ways to take down your foes for quite a while.

One mechanic that’s unique to Knock on the Coffin Lid is the inclusion of items. Along your path, you’ll also discover new weapons, armor, and other items. There are 200 items available, making each run completely unique from the last. You can even boost your stats further buy pairing one of six different types of item sets. It makes for an incredibly deep experience that offers vastly different runs. Not only will your story be different, but your gameplay experience will also be drastically changed based on your choices along the way.

There’s even a morality meter, which feels like the freshest take on this type of game. As you come across instances, you don’t always have to choose to fight. You’re offered a choice with every encounter. The decision you make will either positively or negatively influence how your story is perceived by the one listening to it. It’s a fascinating concept that provides an incredible amount of variety to a genre that make others seem lackluster by comparison.

Knock on the Coffin Lid Final Verdict

I’ve been playing the game on my Steam Deck, but I think that this one would be best played with a mouse. The Deck allows you to use the touch screen, but it’s awkward to hold the large device with one hand while playing with the other. You can use the track pad to hover over cards and the right trigger to make selections, but this isn’t ideal, either. Thankfully, this is one rare instance where the game is playable on Mac, so I can actually use a mouse. But it makes me wish that it were available on a mobile device where touch controls make more sense. I’d also like to see it on console with controls similar to those found in Slay the Spire. I’m certain it would work.

Knock on the Coffin Lid is one of the easiest games I’ve been lucky enough to recommend this year. It even offers a choice in difficulty, so anyone intimidated by the gameplay can still enjoy what the game has to offer with little frustration. This is a notion that I haven’t come across in deck builders, and it’s evident that the developers really want players to not miss out on the incredible experience.

If you’re new to deck builders, don’t be intimidated by this title. There are a ton of moving parts, but it’s shockingly accessible despite its dense nature. The story is fascinating, and its loop is super addicting. This one is well worth your time and money, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

To hear me talk more about Knock on the Coffin Lid, be sure to listen to the August 30th, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on a PC copy of Knock on the Coffin Lid provided my Keymailer for coverage purposes. As of this writing, the game is exclusive to that platform.