Info about Knock on the Coffin Lid:

Official game description:
  
In Knock on the Coffin Lid you wake up in a cold crypt a thousand leagues from home, devoid of memories of what has happened, and in the company of an enigmatic stranger. To return lost memories you will have to examine the dark secrets of your own death, form unexpected alliances and carefully plan your route.
**RETURN HOME**
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Set off on a journey across three mysterious regions in order to return home and untangle a web of deadly intrigues. On your way you will meet many new friends – as well as those who only want to appear as such.  
**CHANGE THE WORLD**
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Decide what your world will look like after you ascend to the empty throne of the Northern Gate. Will the goblins remain slaves, or will they rule over the orcs in the Crimson Steppes? Will the elves be wiped from the face of the earth? Who will become the dominating force in the Northern Gate?  
**SMITE YOUR ENEMIES**
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Collect powerful artifacts, build unbeatable decks and fight the leaders of factions that try to dispute your authority.  
**UNRAVEL THE HEROES’ SECRETS**
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Learn the secrets of the three main heroes and their antagonists. Unlock 12 original subclasses in order to appreciate the depth of the game play and enliven your game experience.

Release date: Aug 8, 2024

Categories: Deckbuilding, Roguelike, Story-driven Gameplay, Multiple Endings, Character Progression, Meta-Progression

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair; summary: The game features traditional DLC that extends the story. A few reviews highlight that the base game ends without a conclusion, which some perceive as pushing the DLC purchase. However, there is no evidence of microtransactions, pay-to-win mechanics, or predatory monetization. The overall monetization model is standard for a single-player game with paid downloadable content.
- Proton/Linux: score 25; verdict: Minor Tweaks; summary: The game generally runs on Steam Deck (Linux/Proton) with minor issues. Most users report smooth performance after occasional fixes like verifying files. However, one user strongly claims the game is a glitchy mess despite its Verified status, indicating inconsistent experiences. Overall, the game works but may require light troubleshooting.
- Steam Deck: score 70; verdict: Broken due to unreadable text and glitches; summary: The game suffers from unreadably small text on the Steam Deck, causing eye strain and making it unplayable for some. Additionally, despite being listed as Verified, it exhibits glitches, leading to a frustrating experience. Stability is inconsistent, with occasional crashes.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $12.50 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: Some reviews state the game is worth full price ($24.99), while others explicitly say it is overpriced at full price and only worth buying at a discount. This split suggests the community considers a fair base-game price to be below the current $24.99, likely in a range where a typical discount (e.g., 30-50%) would bring it to a broadly acceptable price. The evidence points to a fair range of $12.50 to $20.00.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 1.3h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Session length is supported by multiple reviews stating runs take 1-1.5 hours (average about 1 hour). Game completion lacks a definitive total time; one player reports 40 hours to beat one character, but full completion (multiple characters) is not quantified. Story completion is ambiguous without a clear time for completing the main storyline. Endgame content (challenges, max level) is mentioned but no playtime is given.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game requires significant time investment to overcome its steep learning curve and slow progression, but eventually rewards players with a compelling narrative and deep meta-progression, leading to enjoyment after many hours of play. Some players never find it clicking.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After the player overcomes the steep learning curve and begins to understand the deeper mechanics and progression system
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: steep learning curve even at easy difficulty; slow progression with tedious unlock requirements; repetitive runs that become boring quickly; unclear tutorial and tooltip explanations; unbalanced combat with overpowered bosses
  - Unlock drivers: rewarding progression system; compelling story that provides motivation; variety and discovery-driven design; cool upgrade options for basic attacks and defense; narrative decisions connected to mechanics
  - Conditions: solo play; patience for grinding and repetition; interest in narrative and world-building; willingness to experiment with builds despite imbalance; tolerance for initial frustrating difficulty
- Player Archetypes:
  - Story and Worldbuilding Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Immersive narrative and world discovery across multiple runs
    - Playstyle: Explores dialogue, reads all events, takes multiple characters to see full story, values atmosphere over pure efficiency
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: story-first player; fantasy world fan; Hades fan; narrative-driven gamer
    - Reference games: Hades; Slay the Spire; Darkest Dungeon
  - Deckbuilding Strategist (sale)
    - Motivation: Strategic depth and build optimization
    - Playstyle: Experiments with different classes, item sets, and talent combinations; seeks optimal builds and efficient routes; theorycrafts
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Slay the Spire veteran; deckbuilder enthusiast; theorycrafter; roguelike strategist
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; Monster Train; Griftlands; Across the Obelisk
  - Completionist Grinder (no buy)
    - Motivation: Completing all endings, achievements, and unlocks
    - Playstyle: Systematically re-runs with all characters following efficient routes; focuses on objectives rather than emergent fun; experiences burnout
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: completionist; achievement hunter; grind-weary veteran
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Engaging narrative with choices (weight 0.39): Players love the story, noting it is engaging, has branching decisions with consequences, and offers multiple paths and endings. The narrative depth adds significant replay value.
- Excellent deckbuilder game (weight 0.27): The game is considered one of the best in its genre, with strong deckbuilding mechanics, good value, and a solid rogue-lite structure. It stands out as a high-quality deckbuilder.
- Superior to Slay the Spire (weight 0.24): Players frequently state that the gameplay is more interesting, more engaging, or better than Slay the Spire. They appreciate the enhanced mechanics, story elements, and unique twists on the classic formula.
- Beautiful graphics and animations (weight 0.24): The game's visuals, including graphics, animations, and art style, are repeatedly praised as pleasant, magnificent, expressive, and beautiful. The presentation is a standout feature for many players.
- Overall high quality game (weight 0.17): Many reviews simply state the game is fun, good, a banger, or high quality. This general but strong positive sentiment is widespread across the feedback.
- Subclasses per character (weight 0.16): Not only are there three distinct characters, but each also has multiple subclasses (often 4 or 5) that play differently, greatly expanding tactical options.
- Three unique characters (weight 0.15): Players appreciate that the game offers three unique characters, each with distinct playstyles and decks. This provides variety and enhances replayability.
- High replayability (weight 0.15): Multiple heroes, branching paths, choices, and achievements create high replayability. Players feel incentivized to play again and again.
- Ample content quantity (weight 0.13): The game offers a lot of content, including story, events, and overall playtime, often exceeding player expectations for a deckbuilder.
- Great dialogue and lore (weight 0.09): The writing in terms of dialogue, lore, and character stories is praised as great, nice, and well-voiced. The narrative elements are a key part of the experience.
- Lovely music and presentation (weight 0.09): The soundtrack, music, and overall presentation are excellent and contribute significantly to the game's polished feel.
- Developer support and passion (weight 0.08): Players feel the developers care about the game and community, evidenced by active development and visible love for the project.
- Varied playstyles per character (weight 0.08): Multiple classes and builds ensure that even the same character can be played very differently, providing depth and variety.

Common complaints:
- Final boss is unfair (weight 0.33): The final boss has mechanics that are considered excessively difficult, often requiring specific builds or hidden progression, which leads to a frustrating experience even on the easiest mode. Many players report it as nearly impossible and ruining viable builds.
- Poor balance issues (weight 0.26): Cards, enemies, and classes are poorly balanced, with some cards being useless while others are overpowered. This extends to class balance, where some classes feel unplayable, and difficulty scaling is inconsistent.
- Unclear mechanics and progression (weight 0.2): Game mechanics are poorly explained, with confusing card wording and hidden meta-progression that is locked behind a challenge mode. This makes it hard for players to understand systems or feel rewarding progress.
- Poor localization and translation (weight 0.19): The game suffers from incomplete or inaccurate translations in Chinese and Portuguese, as well as missing Russian voice acting despite developer promises, harming accessibility and the experience.
- Grindy and unsatisfying progression (weight 0.17): Character and class progression is slow, with runs feeling like wasted time because all progress is lost on death, and the ending is vague, even with DLC, leading to dissatisfaction.
- Game becomes repetitive (weight 0.16): The gameplay loop quickly becomes boring and grindy, with repetitive music and map sequences, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Inconsistent card behavior (weight 0.1): Card wording is inconsistent and often confusing, with cards not functioning as described, and some cards actively making decks worse.
- Equipment overshadows cards (weight 0.08): Equipment is far more impactful than cards, making the card system feel meaningless and contributing only about 10% to overall strength, which reduces strategic depth.
- Too much unskippable dialogue (weight 0.06): The game contains excessive dialogue that cannot be skipped, which disrupts pacing and contributes to repetitive play.
- Enemy actions change unpredictably (weight 0.06): Enemy intents change during the player's turn without warning, leading to frustrating situations and feeling unfair.
- Game lacks polish (weight 0.06): The game feels unfinished and overpriced, with numerous balance and design issues suggesting it was released too early.
- Uninspired setting and story (weight 0.06): The game's setting and story are considered boring and generic, failing to engage players or differentiate from other titles.
- Static map loses charm (weight 0.06): The story mode with a static, non-random map becomes boring over time, lacking the variety of other similar games.
- Illusion of choice in paths (weight 0.06): The game presents multiple choices but often has one optimal path, with choices being ignored or ineffective, limiting strategic freedom.
- Too many filler cards (weight 0.06): There are many trash items and filler cards that clutter decks, making it harder to build synergistic strategies.
- High randomness in store items (weight 0.05): Store items are too random, making it rare to complete a set, which can hinder effective builds.
- Combat system is tiring (weight 0.05): The combat system is described as tiring and having fundamental issues, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- Terrible game design overall (weight 0.05): A small number of players find the gameplay and design to be fundamentally terrible, with poor balance and lack of innovation.

Gameplay feedback:
- Turn-based card roguelike game (weight 0.99): The game is primarily described as a turn-based card roguelike, often compared to Slay the Spire. It combines deck-building mechanics with roguelike progression and RPG elements.
- Story-driven with branching choices (weight 0.8): Players emphasize the strong narrative focus, with branching events and choices that affect the story and outcomes across multiple runs. This is a key differentiator from other deckbuilders.
- Deck-building mechanics core (weight 0.72): Deck-building is a fundamental mechanic, with players describing the game as a deckbuilder or card-based roguelike. Some mention it improves upon or is similar to Slay the Spire.
- Roguelike progression with runs (weight 0.62): The game follows roguelike conventions: permadeath, progression through repeated runs, and restarting. Story elements and unlocks persist across runs, enhancing the loop.
- Comparisons to Slay the Spire (weight 0.53): Frequent comparisons to Slay the Spire are made, often labeling the game a 'spiritual successor' or 'clone'. The core gameplay loop is seen as similar but with added story and content.
- Time loop mechanics (weight 0.5): Some feedback references a time loop narrative or mechanics, where players remember past choices and the story unfolds over multiple cycles. This blends roguelike replay with storytelling.
- Multiple characters with subclasses (weight 0.41): The game features multiple heroes (often three), each with distinct playstyles and unlockable subclasses (typically 4-5 per character). This provides variety and replayability.
- Equipment and set bonuses (weight 0.35): Players note an equipment system with gear, set bonuses, and meta-progression. This adds an RPG layer to the standard deck-building formula, influencing build strategies.
- Class and character variety (weight 0.3): Players appreciate the multiple classes and characters, with each offering different gameplay approaches. This leads to varied strategies and meta-playstyles.
- Narrative progression in runs (weight 0.28): Story is integrated into each run, with events and choices driving narrative progression. Players mention story unlocks and memory of past choices affecting subsequent runs.
- Meta-progression system (weight 0.27): Permanent meta-progression through equipment, class unlocks, and story progression is a key feature. This gives players a sense of growth across runs and encourages replay.
- Detailed equipment inventory system (weight 0.23): The game includes an inventory for equipment, set bonuses, and trophies that provide powerful effects. This adds depth to build customization beyond cards.
- RPG elements in combat (weight 0.23): Combat is described as card-based with RPG elements, including equipment, potions, and gold. This fusion makes the game feel like a traditional RPG with a card battler wrapper.
- Map-based exploration paths (weight 0.17): Progression uses a map with multiple branching paths, similar to Slay the Spire. Some mention static nodes revealed after the first playthrough, adding exploration and choice.
- Multiple difficulty modes (weight 0.11): The game offers difficulty modes and a challenge mode, allowing players to adjust the experience. This caters to both casual and hardcore deckbuilder fans.
- Story determines win condition (weight 0.11): In some runs, event choices directly influence the win condition, making narrative decisions mechanically significant. This deepens the connection between story and gameplay.
- Limited hotkey functionality (weight 0.1): One player mentions hotkey limitations, suggesting that the game could benefit from improved controls or shortcuts. This is a minor but noted QoL issue.
- Voice acting and cutscenes (weight 0.09): Players note that the game includes cutscenes and voice acting, setting it apart from typical deckbuilders. This enhances the narrative experience and immersion.

Performance notes:
- General crash and optimization (weight 0.14): The game suffers from crashes, lag, and poor optimization across platforms, including high-end PCs like RTX 4090 and AMD 6700. Late-game lag and interface bugs are also reported.
- Steam Deck launch issues (weight 0.13): Multiple users report the game failing to start, crashing on launch, or experiencing lock-ups on Steam Deck, despite it being marked as verified. Some users fixed it by verifying files or reinstalling.
- Steam Deck performance drop (weight 0.12): Some players experience performance drops, frame drops, or minor loading issues on Steam Deck, though one user reported it runs extremely well. Display issues like small fonts and poor contrast also noted.
- DLC loading and lag (weight 0.06): DLC mini-dungeon screens fail to load 15% of the time. There is also 5-10 second lag when opening event history and returning to the map.
- Cannot skip cutscenes (weight 0.05): Players report that cutscenes cannot be skipped and take several seconds to load, which may frustrate those replaying or in a hurry.

Recommendations:
- Excellent for STS fans (weight 0.15): Strongly recommended for fans of Slay the Spire who want a deeper narrative and non-linear story. Players who enjoy Hades, Monster Train, or similar deckbuilders will also find this game engaging.
- Great for roguelike fans (weight 0.13): Highly recommended for fans of roguelikes, roguelike deckbuilders, CCGs, and strategy games. This game appeals to a broad audience within the genre.
- Recommends the game broadly (weight 0.08): Players generally recommend the game to everyone without any conditions. The sentiment is positive and straightforward.
- Worth full price (weight 0.08): The game is considered well worth its full price and a great value. Buyers feel it justifies the cost completely.
- Genre expansion praised (weight 0.08): Recommended for anyone interested in how roguelike deckbuilding can branch out and grow, especially with narrative depth. This game offers a fresh take on the genre.
- Good for deckbuilder veterans (weight 0.08): Recommended for experienced deckbuilder players looking for something new and different. It appeals to those who love deck building games.
- Not at full price (weight 0.08): Not recommended at full price but worth trying at a discount. The game's value improves significantly when on sale.
- Better to play STS instead (weight 0.08): Some players recommend skipping this game and playing Slay the Spire 2 or the original instead. They believe STS offers a better experience.
- Better deckbuilders exist (weight 0.08): Not recommended as there are much better deckbuilder games available. This game is not considered a top choice in the genre.
- Great for RPG and card fans (weight 0.06): Recommended for players who like RPG elements in their card games and those who enjoy card games with a strong story. The combination is well received.
- A must-play for STS lovers (weight 0.06): If you like Slay the Spire, you must play this game. Fans of Slay the Spire type games will love this one.
- Good for new players (weight 0.06): Recommended for new players who haven't played it yet and for those new to the genre. It serves as a good entry point.
- Not for casual players (weight 0.06): Not suitable for casual players or those with limited free time. The game may require a significant time investment.
- Do not buy (weight 0.06): Some players strongly advise against purchasing the game, stating it is not worth the money. The sentiment is negative without specific details.
- Balance issues (weight 0.06): Absolutely not recommended due to balance issues. Players warn that the game has significant balance problems affecting enjoyment.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.24): Players are frustrated by severe balance issues, particularly with the final boss dealing massive damage and having unfair mechanics that invalidate most builds. Randomness and RNG heavily restrict consistent strategy building, while unclear translations, poor UI, and forced pathing create a repetitive and punishing experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.11): The game fails to live up to comparisons with Slay the Spire, suffering from poor balance, repetitive gameplay, and a generic story that doesn't affect gameplay. Many players feel the cool concepts are undermined by flawed execution, with the final boss ruining an otherwise promising experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Players who enjoy the game appreciate its deep mechanics, variety of content, and rewarding progression from difficult to powerful. The game is seen as a solid clone in the genre with high replayability, good atmosphere, and fair pricing, despite some issues.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): The game provides varied gameplay with interesting story choices, diverse loot, and engaging combat systems that encourage fresh runs. Players enjoy the art style, music, and the way the game encourages building different decks for story beats, making it an immersive experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement stems from the game's excellent mechanics, cool art style, and the feeling of discovering new aspects with each playthrough. Players are thrilled by build experimentation, unlocking biomes and combinations, and the possibility of multiplayer being added.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Players admire the game's beautiful artwork, atmospheric soundtrack, and unique mechanics that add strategic depth. The game is praised as a work of art with deep world-building and well-written characters, often considered one of the best in the roguelike deck builder genre.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the high quality of graphics, animation, voice acting, and the developers' effort in creating an immersive game with interesting mechanics. The game's atmosphere, humor, and style are valued, along with the fair treatment of players and value for price.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger arises from unfair game mechanics such as the final boss's insta-kill curse, save file corruption, and the requirement to replay disliked classes. Players feel the game cheats or works against them, compounded by unresolved issues like poor translation and disrespect to translators.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance is caused by unnecessary confirmation prompts, boss mechanics that force fixed strategies, and repetitive achievement design. Updates that reset progress and carbon copy cards from Slay the Spire also contribute to the irritation.
- Anticipation (weight 0.03): Players look forward to future patches, balance tweaks, expansions, and pending translations that could improve the game. The detailed world-building and developers' ongoing work inspire hope for more content and fixes.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom results from repetitive gameplay, tiring combat, and predictable map designs that make runs feel samey. Slow pacing and stale mechanics across character replays contribute to a monotonous experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from the game exceeding expectations with a genuinely interesting story, free DLC, and unexpected gameplay moments like unique boss mechanics. The rarity of achievements and original narration also catch players off guard positively.
- Irritation (weight 0.01): Irritation is triggered by unclear mechanics that require repeatedly reopening info, game-breaking bugs near the final boss, and incomplete translations that force reliance on equipment-based runs.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm arises from the game being described as a hidden gem with deep mechanics and story, leading to direct recommendations for fans of similar titles. The engaging challenge and choice-based difficulty keep players passionate.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Players are amazed by the incredible replayability and depth of content packed into the game, calling it a revelation in the genre. The rare combination of strategy and drama, along with the beautiful art style, leaves a strong impression.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love is expressed for the detailed world, balanced systems, and persistent story-based choices. The game's map layout, premise, and brilliant story make it a favorite CCG for many players.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is derived from gameplay variety, the mystery of exploration, and overpowered builds that create memorable moments. Despite some frustration, the overall experience remains enjoyable.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Players desire more content such as additional characters, paths, and harder difficulties to extend the game's longevity. They hope for updates that add random variants and end-game challenges.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from the disparity between low user ratings and the perceived quality of the game, as well as unclear deaths due to RNG or decision-making. The uncertainty about how to beat the final boss also contributes.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope comes from the belief that upcoming patches will polish the game and add content, as the developer team is putting in effort. Players believe that with feedback and a polishing pass, the game could become excellent.}