Answer Knot, a game that’ll make you answer the door, whether you like it or knot.
So, even after playing the game, I’m still left with wondering why they decided to spell “not” that way. I was thinking perhaps it was some kind of semblance to a marriage knot of some sort, but…the answer eludes me. I guess I don’t grasp clever little word plays all that well.
But if it’s kind of a sci-fi ordeal, which is what this game bases itself on, that’s probably why it’s flying over my head.
Gameplay
Looking at the game as a start-to-finish gameplay, there’s really not much to it. You listen to your wife on voicemail and do the things she requests or mentions in order to bring up an ongoing sequence of voicemails until you reach the end result of the game.
But looking at it as a whole, it’s so much more than a simplistic path.
I think the real focus that I love with Answer Knot is the fact that there are a lot of easter eggs to be found. And when you know they’ve hidden a lot, you look for them, and even find some that the devs didn’t even plan on putting in there. They’re just your own memories on certain words or phrases.
Of course there were a lot of objects in the game that I knew were related to something else, but I couldn’t place them.
Are there achievements?
6 of them.
Navigation
Think of Answer Knot as more or less of a walking simulator with some not-so-intricate puzzles to get through in order to progress. Like shutting the windows or reading the newspaper and stuff.
All you’re doing is walking around the first floor of the house, checking things out and moving the story along if you don’t want to dawdle with things around you.
Soundtrack
There’s not a lot to the soundtrack, really. No relaxing music in the background the whole time you’re rummaging through the house.
It’s, dare I say, eerily quiet. But that’s not a bad thing, considering.
You do get the occasional sound effects of creaks and other noises when things become a bit more…disturbing with the voicemails. But nothing outright frightening or harmonious.
Narrative
The only narrative voice you’re going to hear is your wife over voicemail. Apparently you never pick up the phone, but I can’t say anything on that, because I hardly like answering the phone myself. Shoot me a text.
She does a damn fine job with her lines though.
From bored to exasperated that you won’t answer your phone, to a little hysterical when things go bad on her end.
Graphics
Can’t say much with the graphics.
It’s all nice looking–a normal house, honestly. If you want to read certain paperwork, everything is clear for you to read, even when the text won’t enlarge itself on the screen for you. A definite plus for people like me who like to read the writing within a video game.
Final Thoughts
Answer Knot is a free to play game.
It’s a walking simulator.
It doesn’t have much to it if you’re looking for a cut-and-dry way to finish the game. Also, the ending is a little strange, but it certainly makes you think about how it all ended up as such.
If you’re fine with all that–because you can certainly look at everything within the game and try to search for all of those easter eggs they’ve planted for the hide-and-seek lovers–then there’s no reason to not give it a go. It’s very similar to Marie’s Room or What Never Was, if you like them.
Alternate Links
- The developer (Naraven Games) is on Twitter.
- Check out more Walking Simulators.
- Check out other Indie games.
Deals
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