Don’t Knock Twice Review – Safely Scary

Don’t Knock Twice Review

Don’t Knock Twice is a first-person horror game from Wales Interactive that won’t hurt your wallet but will leave you wanting. Playable with or without VR, this scary experience offers a solid story portrayed through mediocre gameplay. The genre is easily one of the best uses of VR, but has Wales Interactive managed to capture the same level of fear that other studios have?

You are a sober drug addict, reunited with your daughter in an enormous house. The events of Don’t Knock Twice will take you throughout the mansion and over some of the exterior grounds, triggering jump scares along the way. The atmosphere is decent, and while you’ll get a few cheap scares thrown at you, the experience can actually be frightening at times. VR makes this much easier, putting you into the midst of your surroundings, but if you don’t have the proper gear, playing through normally is always an option, though some quality headphones are recommended.

Despite being rated M, things felt rather tame. The occult sort of theme has been done many times and nothing felt overtly graphic or shocking. Even with some good sound and turning all the lights out, I didn’t ever feel truly terrified of moving through doors or turning my back. Yes, there are a few tense moments but if you’re familiar with anything like Amnesia or Outlast, it feels like rising action at best. That being said, not every single horror title needs to be a complete and utter mind-melter. Don’t Knock Twice fills a nice introductory space, where those who want a bit of a fright can jump in and test the waters.

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“The lights going out and doors slamming behind you are unnerving, but the safety net of not feeling immersed ruins it.”

Visually, it’s dark and gritty with minimal lighting and glimpses of madness. It looks and feels like you’re in a studio filming a horror movie, and you’re scared but you know it’s not real. Most of the rooms or key areas feel a touch cliche, but the quality is good. The lights going out and doors slamming behind you are unnerving, but the safety net of not feeling immersed ruins it.

Outside of VR, the controls don’t feel nearly as intuitive. Performing actions like chopping through a door or throwing objects feel and look lame, while simple tasks like opening doors become a chore. Doing anything aside from walking around feels unintuitive and clumsy. Keyboard and mouse are slightly better than using a controller but not by much. Nothing is frustratingly bad, but it’s not impressive.

The story is where Don’t Knock Twice shines. It’s told well, through visual signs, text messages, or notes and letters found in the environments. Your daughter will occasionally reach out in fear or anger through your phone which you’re prompted to check. I felt like everything does a great job of leading you through the correct path without making it seem forced. There’s enough house to make it seem enormous, but the way you’re led through the ride is structured and planned. I didn’t feel lost or stuck, which is a nice change of pace. You do have to collect objects along your journey, but you don’t get locked behind puzzle gates really.

If you have a VR setup and want that sort of introductory horror game to show your friends or family, Don’t Knock Twice is a great buy. It’s not overly expensive and a playthrough should take over an hour. If you consider yourself a horror buff and want the ultimate thrill, you have not found it here and I suggest you keep looking.

*** PC code provided by the publisher ***