Rebecca McCarthy Recently, more and more often in the descriptions of the genres of games found the line – elements of the visual novel. Especially often, such a characteristic is attributed to some RPGs. If you describe the genre of the visual novel in technical terms, everything seems simple – sprites, dialogues, and thoughts of the main character. You click each line to read the next. You see changing background images, sometimes inserts of some other special art and music.
The whole point is that the visual novel genre has evolved as a simplification of the Adventure or RPG genre, but with an emphasis on story and dialogue. If we use all the technical aspects of the visual novel genre separately, all we get is a fairly simple but convenient dialogue system. The hallmark of the visual novel genre is not texted with pictures, but a game centered on a textual narrative with lots of dialogue. And so this narrative is already wrapped in a dialogue system, which comes in different forms.
We are sure that many people like RPG games. Millions of gamers around the world are going crazy waiting for new hits of the genre. RPG games are one of the most popular and recognizable genres in the computer industry.
You can agree that choosing between a visual novel and an RPG is very difficult. On this occasion, we found a cool game that blends these two elements. Through them, the story will be served, and the mechanics implemented in the project.
Knock on the Coffin Lid is a fresh roguelike. The game combines interesting and thoughtful dialogues with RPG elements. RedBoon Studios – independent indie developers have brought Knock on the Coffin Lid to life. K.O.T.C.L. can easily captivate you because of the random events and dialogues of the main characters. Interesting stories move from one character to the next. It will not leave anyone untouched.
The action takes place in the dark and extremely dangerous Middle Ages. The lands of Midian are inhabited by dwarves, orcs, elves, humans, and other peoples. These persons are too different to get along peacefully in a small world. There is a struggle for territory and power on these lands. As time passes, the wind from the Northern Gate brings news of Mortis’s arrival. The mysterious wanderer arrives at the crypt and so begins the story of the game.
Knock on the Coffin Lid offers three different storylines – three characters with their mechanics and features. We are given a choice: the human knight Percival, the elf-tracker Vanadis, and Bjerna, the character who gets the most charismatic coffin. From the look of the latter, Bjorn was shoved in there with spears and pitchforks. Who will you choose?
According to the story, all three wanderers traveled the world together but were killed by an unknown attacker.
Immediately after choosing, the hero finds himself in a coffin, hears a knock, and is resurrected. It is strange, isn’t it? Waking up, the hero seeks to return home and find out: what happened, why, and most importantly, who is to blame.
Mortis makes things a little clearer on the screen. The main character communicates with his savior, trying to remember what happened and who killed him. You are required to help the protagonist fulfill his destiny.
You try to figure out what happened by reading into the phrases of each character. The storyline of Knock on the Coffin Lid is confusing and offers two different paths to follow: blindly following the destination or trying to make sense of the story.
As you go along the process, you will get new equipment, dress up your hero and gather a collection of cards that help to do battle in the game’s world.
You will have to choose which side to help. For example, on one side there are dwarves eager to destroy everything related to elven history. Or go for a deal with the ogre, offering a generous reward.
As you have already understood, throughout the story the characters lead the narrative and help you make choices with their dialogues. Also, the characters are different in their battles: each has its role in the story, dialogues, and interactions with random events. Characters as elements of the same game allow us to look at it from different angles and go through the same moments in a completely different way.
If we lose a game, our character has misremembered and wandered into the wrong place. Time is reversed, and the hero returns to life at the original point in our journey. What is the role of the dead who are resurrected? This we will have to find out in many attempts and walkthroughs.
K.O.T.C.L. uses a fight card system. Strategic battles combine turn-based gameplay with elements of the movement system.
The game’s creators worked out every character phrase. But, then, they spent all their time making K.O.T.C.L. the most interesting game for you.
In the game Knock on the Coffin Lid, the role-playing elements reinforce, making it easier for you to get into the role of the character. RPG elements positively affect character development and the spirit of adventure.
The game blends fighting with cards and traveling across the map straight to the main boss while slashing orcs, fire cult worshippers, and other troublemakers from your peace. There can be several paths to the goal, and they differ in the events that happen to the main characters and different types of enemies.
K.O.T.C.L. has a storyline that is interesting and twisted. Moreover, all of your defeats and restarts of the game fit organically into this story.
The game looks promising and deserves your attention and support!
So, what is better Visual novel or an RPG? Or maybe there’s a fusion with other genres, as in Knock on the Coffin Lid? It’s up to you to decide!
