Perp Games and developers Quasar Dynamics and Nox Noctis have released their new puzzle game. Do not open Released for PS5 and PS4, players can look forward to elaborate puzzle mechanics reminiscent of an escape room, while experiencing a dramatic family story.
What is it about? Do not openThe protagonist, Michael J. Goreng, a notorious zoologist and epidemiologist, receives a disturbing phone call about his family. He is now under immense pressure, trapped in a terrifying and oppressive environment, in a distorted version of his own house. His wife and daughter appear to be in grave danger, but how can they be helped?
Michael must escape the house and the vision, where he encounters a mysterious paranormal figure that relentlessly pursues him. The pressure is immense and steadily increasing, while a clock ticks towards zero.
First gameplay impressions
Do not open It sounds like a classic concept at first, but it actually combines several genres – horror, puzzle and escape room mechanics, as well as hide-and-seek elements. You wake up in your house and your first task is to find a way out of a kind of atrium, from which you can access the various rooms. The whole thing has a style somewhat reminiscent of the castle from... Resident evil village.
You receive no clues, but you'll quickly discover that they're hidden in the form of notes or strange objects scattered around the room. What do the numbers on the mirrors mean, for example? Or what's the significance of the pictures that seem to be associated with the mirrors? While everything initially seems a bit confusing, if you pay close enough attention, you'll eventually understand the connections – just like in an escape room.
The key is usually objects that conceal more than meets the eye. In the case of the mirrors, for example, it's the small notes with their folded corners. Viewed from the right angle, these reveal a number that can then be identified. Puzzles are therefore never truly obvious, but they trigger a small "aha!" moment once you've figured it out. Anyone who enjoys this type of puzzle will enjoy... Do not open Exactly right, because you really have to think about it here.
Adding to the difficulty is the time pressure and the mysterious figure that seems to be stalking you. As soon as there's a terrible pounding on the walls or doors, you have to find a hiding place in a closet, under tables, or beds to avoid being eaten by the monster. This can be a bit disruptive at times when solving puzzles, but it keeps the tension at a certain level.
Do not open It is currently available for PS5, PS4 and PC, but doesn't quite live up to the game's graphical capabilities. Especially after the previously released and beautiful... Madison (our review), also from Perp Games, could Do not open In that respect, it's somewhat disappointing. The title is also slated for release on PlayStation VR2, where it will presumably realize its potential even better, and where graphical aspects become less important. For now, it's okay, but you shouldn't expect too much.
More impressions of Do not open This provides you with an official gameplay overview that Perp Games released at launch.
