Don't Knock Twice Reviews
One playthrough is quite enough for the brief and uninspired Don't Knock Twice.
On a platform that is destined to become almost overcrowded with colourful, vibrant, ‘happy' games, having a burst of horror as an option is very welcome indeed. Unfortunately, this isn't the game to showcase the genre, nor is it one to showcase games in general. Some promising early moments left us with high hopes for this title – there were times where we felt genuine, edge-of-your-seat fear – but it soon becomes clear that it cannot live up to the standards it is trying to achieve. If you're looking for a horror fix, maybe wait until something else comes along.
Editor's Note: If you intend to play Don't Knock Twice without PSVR, take a point or two off of the final score. The flat-screen version is inferior to the virtual reality version.
The singular lasting impression of Don't Knock Twice is one of bewilderment that it somehow exists at all.
The lights going out and doors slamming behind you are unnerving, but the safety net of not feeling immersed ruins it.
The atmosphere is what makes this game. The emotion of the plot succeeds in some places and stumbles in others. The puzzles can be frustrating at times, but not because they're impossible to complete, more so because they seem like filler to extend gameplay time. Overall, the experiences are memorable for the feeling they create in the player, but not much else.
If the frame-rate was smooth and the game was more technically sound, I could see potential for a fun horror game. The atmosphere is nice, the audio is extremely well done, and the story seems pretty interesting as well. It's just a shame that the frame-rate is so bad that you probably won't make it til the end to see the conclusion.
Overall Don't Knock Twice is quite a hard one to judge. It does what it sets out to do - scare you silly - rather well, and without resorting to cheap jump scares to boot. But with its short length and limited replay value, I'm not sure if it provides value for money.
If you’re a fan of the horror genre, like a bit of story, don’t mind a scare and enjoy a lot of exploration, then stop what you’re doing and give Don’t Knock Twice a go.
The scariest thing about Don't Knock Twice is how poorly it plays on the Nintendo Switch.
I don't actively dislike Don't Knock Twice. I just find it painfully bland and generic... and really, it's harder to forgive that in the horror genre than almost any other.
Don't Knock Twice is a decent horror game that tries to find its place among elite games of the genre. But tons of problems elsewhere prevent it from becoming and elite title despite its great potential. In the end, it might be a good experience for an hour or two, but nothing more.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Apart from the odd mishap the game / horror experience is OK. I do believe that the team should have concentrated more on the VR side of the things rather than having this be a PS4 and PS VR game in one. Having said that, it's a nice effort by the developers at playing with your senses, but overall I think there are too many horror experiences on PS VR.
Urban legends serve as a rich source material for horror stories. Don't Knock Twice is based on one, mixed with Slavic folklore to create a supernatural horror plot. It begins with clich' elements, but the story becomes interesting enough, with an unexpected twist towards the end. The game is compatible with VR and non-VR devices, but is definitively recommended to play it with the PSVR, as jump scares and moments of tension get a realistic feel, as well as interacting with the environment is much more intuitive.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
As far as Gone Home style first-person narrative-driven games go, Don't Knock Twice is decent. It has two endings, which is welcomed, and a couple of interesting puzzles to mix things up a bit, even if the solution is way too obviously spelled out. The story is told in a hazy way to keep a semblance of mystery about it, and the restraint with how the Baba Yaga is depicted keeps her scary. What is not scary is how the Baba Yaga is never a threat, and if it weren't for a few jump scares, she may as well not have existed at all. The deterioration of the house as it descends into a semi-nightmarish version of itself is quite effective, and the brevity of the overall experience (about two to three hours) ensures that Don't Knock Twice does not overstay its welcome.
There are flecks of intrigue and entertainment throughout Don’t Knock Twice, and a patch would certainly elevate the game from bad to passable, but at launch the ludicrous technical problems mar an already pretty iffy, bare-bones horror “experience”.
Ultimately, Don’t Knock Twice is the type of game that the Switch does not currently have a lot of, and for that alone, some might be inclined to try it out. It’s cheap to buy and it takes less than two hours to complete, so for those that enjoyed the movie then this can be a decent companion. For everybody else, I feel there is far too little to fully enjoy the experience. There is little to no replay value, once you’ve finished the game, there is no reason to go back. If you need a horror game to play in time for Halloween, unfortunately for Switch owners, this is currently one of only a few options.
Don’t Knock Twice is a worthless game from Wales Interactive studio which is full of colossal flaws – just like most movie-based games. When a horror game is not capable of delivering its vital responsibility which is scaring its players, we can’t expect it to be good at other aspects.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Don't Knock Twice happened what happened, it is possible that someone will say that the game unworthy of purchase, but not if You are a fan of this genre and You have platform Nintendo Switch, and an extra 700 rubles, then you are welcome. Despite common implementation, this game is more suitable for VR, actually, and dive better. At the moment, Don't Knock Twice simply has no parallel on this platform, which is an advantage both for the developer and for the game itself.
Review in Russian | Read full review