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What is Knock on the Coffin Lid?
RedBoon developed and published Knock on the Coffin Lid, which left Early Access for full release on August 8, 2024. Steam lists April 8, 2020 as its Early Access start date. The official stores categorize it as a single-player card and roguelike game; Steam also lists adventure, indie, RPG and strategy tags. Steam’s store page and Epic’s listing describe a digital videogame, not a physical card game.
The official Steam description sets the scene: “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.” From there, the protagonist investigates the circumstances of their death and seeks to escape a time loop. The journey crosses three regions, brings faction leaders into the story and combat, and places the political future of the Northern Gate among the choices at stake. Epic’s description says players can unlock 12 original subclasses.
How do the story and deckbuilding fit together?
A mystery with consequences
The premise connects the personal question—what happened to you?—to a larger fantasy conflict. Journeys, alliances and decisions shape the world around the protagonist, including the Northern Gate’s future. That makes the narrative more than a framing device for card fights, though the official descriptions do not establish how much branching or how many distinct endings the choices produce.
#1 Best Overall
- A game of dark fun where players who are dead right win!
- Can be played as a standalone game or used as extra questions for the large format board game version
- A funny, highly entertaining family trivia game with easy to play rules
- Work out whether the implausible, and sometimes rather amusing, demise is true or false
- For 2-6 players or teams aged 12 years and over
Repeatable combat and character progression
Deck construction and roguelike combat provide the repeatable play loop, while subclasses offer another way to shape a character’s approach. The game therefore sits between a narrative fantasy RPG and a replayable deckbuilder: story and setting matter, but players should also expect to spend time learning and refining combat strategies. Store descriptions establish these broad systems, not a specific balance of story scenes versus combat or the exact length of a run.
What do reviews say?
Reception snapshots point to different things and should not be treated as interchangeable scores. Steam’s captured user-review snapshot showed 80% positive from 1,318 English reviews; the US PlayStation Store snapshot showed 4.03 out of 5 from 143 ratings. These are changing platform-user ratings, not critic scores. Epic’s listing displayed a separate critic summary: 70% Critics Recommend, a 77 Top Critic Average and an OpenCritic label of “Strong.” Check the storefronts for current figures before buying.
Rank #2
- ADULT CARD GAME FOR GAME NIGHT - Don’t Get Stabbed! is an adult party game where you get to kill your family and friends! ... for pretend of course. It’s inspired by horror movies of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, but is light-hearted enough for everyone to enjoy. The ultimate Halloween game!
- COMPETITIVE & EASY TO LEARN - This entertaining game is playable for 3 to 5 players. One person is elected as the killer (whoever is the most evil in your group) and the rest are victims. The killer wins by killing all the victims. The victims win by escaping.
- HILARIOUS & REPLAYABLE- The average player will love this game for its gameplay! The horror fan will love the art on many of these cards which features classic horror movie tropes. There is tons of fun in playing this game and in its artwork.
- ADULT PARTY GAME – It may look cute, but like most horror movies it has topics you probably don’t want your children knowing about. For ages 18+.
- WHAT’S IN THE BOX?! – Included in the box are 64 Main Deck Cards and 13 Car Deck Cards printed on premium glossy playing cards (2.5 x 3.5 inches), for a grand total of 77 cards. Also included is one instruction booklet.
In a GameCritics review reproduced on Metacritic and dated September 19, 2024, the reviewer praised the combination of deckbuilding combat and a carefully made world, while cautioning that the game is a long haul and fatigue may arrive before major milestones. That is an important qualification if you prefer compact, quickly completed runs. Metacritic’s critic-review page provides the review context.
Epic also features an excerpt from Ahnaf Tajwar’s NoobFeed review, scored 78/100. Tajwar describes depth and replayability for roguelike deckbuilder fans, but notes rough edges and frustrations, and suggests the game may not suit players who value narrative depth as much as gameplay. That is one reviewer’s assessment rather than a consensus fact. Epic’s listing displays the excerpt.
Rank #3
- WHODUNNIT PARTY GAME: Who killed the reality show bride? Round up your fellow amateur sleuths and compete to solve this thrilling whodunit social mystery party game
- PERFORM WACKY DARES: Each amateur sleuth must collect Clue Cards to solve the case. But there’s one catch: to get a clue card, you must perform a crazy stunt What will you do to get a clue?
- RACE TO SOLVE THE CASE: At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins In the event of a tie, simply move onto the next mystery: Killer Party’s Fangs for the Memories
- Killer Party Kiss of Death is a social mystery party game for teens and adults aged 16+. For 6-12 players. Games run between 30-60 minutes
- Spin Master Games & Toys: Looking for kids games, yard games & card games for adults, kids or teens? Find family favorite puzzles & games for family game night, travel games, kids puzzles & more
Who is likely to enjoy it—and who may not?
- Consider it if you like dark fantasy settings, building and adapting decks, unlocking character options, and making choices in a story that extends beyond individual fights.
- Think carefully if you want a short, brisk roguelike session or expect narrative to consistently take priority over combat. The cited reviews raise concerns about a lengthy commitment, fatigue and rough edges.
- Compare it with other deckbuilders by how much combat depth, story emphasis, replayability and tolerance for friction you want. The reviews offer useful perspectives on those qualities, but they are not a controlled head-to-head comparison.
Where can you play it?
The official Steam and Epic listings offer Windows and Mac OS versions. The US PlayStation Store lists a PS5 version as a one-player game, with DualSense vibration support and basic subtitles. No Xbox listing is established by the storefronts cited here.
Epic displays these Windows minimum requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10, a 2.6 GHz dual-core processor, 4 GB memory, DirectX 10 graphics and 13 GB storage. These are the values shown on that store page; check the live listing before purchase in case requirements have changed. Epic Games Store
Rank #4
For a platform decision, first confirm the game is available in your region, then compare the current price and whether a listing includes the base game, expansion or a bundle. Also check platform-specific features and the live store page: price, ratings and included content can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is there an expansion?
Nightmares of Millenis is listed as a named digital expansion on Steam and Epic. Check the store listing for your platform to confirm its current availability and whether it is sold separately or included in a bundle. The official listings reviewed establish digital products; they do not establish a physical edition, tabletop adaptation, printed guide or game-specific physical accessory.
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Best Value
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