Knack

 PlayStation 4
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Nov 15, 2013
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1369 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 666 out of 1369
  2. Mixed: 353 out of 1369
  3. Negative: 350 out of 1369
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  1. SuperkenGaming
    Jun 20, 2017
    7
    Knack
    Great Potential
    Poor Execution Knack is 9 and a half hr long a hack and slash game that can be played solo or coop where you play as a character made out of relics named knack setting out to take out a goblin threat taking over the land this game has undeservedly got tons of hate from the internet... It’s nowhere near as bad as everyone makes out it to be... but it definitely    Knack
    Great Potential
    Poor Execution
    Knack is 9 and a half hr long a hack and slash game that can be played solo or coop where you play as a character made out of relics named knack setting out to take out a goblin threat taking over the land
    this game has undeservedly got tons of hate from the internet...
    It’s nowhere near as bad as everyone makes out it to be... but it definitely does have it problems...
    Knack is a fairly simple game...
    You attack with square, and dodge with the right stick… these are the main fighting mechanics…
    There are also sunstones around the world for you to collect so you’re able to do one of 3 special attacks to take out enemies…
    However these sunstones hardly fill up your meter… so you’ll rarely get to use these moves, which can definitely have knack feeling like a drag at times…
    I had fun with Knack... its decently enjoyable and I never got bored...
    This game feels very much like a baby’s first god of war game...
    As you go through the game you’ll take different forms to spice up the gameplay just a little bit and it needs it...
    its very linear, where all you really do is go forward and defeat every enemy in your way… and occasionally fight a boss...
    Though commands to take getting used to as they feel a fraction of a second off…
    There are a few platforming sections thrown in here… but they’re all very simple... very rare… and I hardly even count them as platforming…
    Enemies here are pretty varied, and can definitely pose a bit of a threat at times.. Especially the ranged enemies...
    Thankfully for the most part, the checkpoint sections here are very forgiven, though there are a few moments where you’re set way too far back… forcing you to defeat waves of enemies all over again…
    But your health bar is essentially the relic pieces knack picks up... these pieces cause knack to become larger and losing them will cause him to become smaller…
    The larger you are the more damage you do...
    Though this mechanic is a bit of an illusion as the game basically forces you to be a certain size during certain spots of the game… so these relic pieces are your health and shouldn’t be thought of as anything more…
    the biggest disappointment from this game for me though besides the unimpactful delivery of a story that had potential to punch you in the gut all over the place.. Is the collectibles...?
    They’re a joke...
    As you play the game you’ll run into secrets rooms with chests... in these chests are pieces to an upgrade...
    you can choose to take what you found or take what a friend has found as these chests are random…
    Here’s the kicker though…
    After spending the whole game trying to unlock a knack upgrade… 20 yellow crystals to unlock a new form...
    it tells me I can’t even use this new form until I clear the game…
    So if you don’t plan on playing knack more than once... and why would you…
    The collectibles are completely useless…
    Knack overall had potential if it wasn’t so focused on holding you back and stopping the player from having fun..
    Knack upgrades are hidden behind walls, and building up sunstone attacks feel like a chore because of how slow the bar fills up…
    Knack is a good game…
    I just wish it focused more on fun than it did grind...
    I give Knack
    a 7/10    … Expand
  2. BuyukBurak
    Apr 14, 2015
    7
    Game is awesome. Story is not bad, Gameplay is awesome, Cutscenes is very very good. Knack is awesome. KNACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    My Score : 8/10
  3. josesueiro
    Apr 14, 2016
    7
    Knack is a platforming beat 'em up video game developed by SCE Japan Studio

    + Fun Game for Children and play in Family
    + Good Characters
    + Fun Story for Children
    + Look Like Animated Movie
    + Combat
    - It's Difficult at point to be Frustrating
    - Repetitive
    - Little Platform Sections
  4. XxJoseManuelxX
    Aug 16, 2016
    7
    Knack is a platforming beat 'em up video game developed by SCE Japan Studio

    + Fun Game for Children and play in Family
    + Good Characters
    + Fun Story for Children
    + Look Like Animated Movie
    + Combat
    - It's Difficult at point to be Frustrating
    - Repetitive
    - Little Platform Sections
  5. Untitled94
    Jul 27, 2017
    7
    When I kept hearing about this game, I was hesitant to buy it, cause everyone was saying how mediocre it is. When I finally decided to get it when it was on sale, I started to think "Why didn't I get this sooner?" cause this game is good. Don't get me wrong, it's not great, I can understand people not liking this game as much, but I thought it was going to be a lot worse. This game looksWhen I kept hearing about this game, I was hesitant to buy it, cause everyone was saying how mediocre it is. When I finally decided to get it when it was on sale, I started to think "Why didn't I get this sooner?" cause this game is good. Don't get me wrong, it's not great, I can understand people not liking this game as much, but I thought it was going to be a lot worse. This game looks like it didn't have the biggest budget and the best writers. It sort of looks like one of those games that was meant to be put on multiple systems, or at least also on PS3. It did have moments where you think something big is about to happen, but just doesn't happen. It definitely feels like a PlayStation launch title (which aren't always the best), but the game overall is a good one. The game may get a little bit repetitive, but not too much. I had a fun time, and I wish I had known that early on. I'm now excited for Knack 2.… Expand
  6. NeoconTom
    Sep 29, 2019
    7
    An entertaining action-adventure, 3D platformer brawler that suffers from inconsistent health bar and occasional cheap difficulty.
  7. AKthaBeast
    Mar 23, 2018
    7
    Got this game as it was part of the free games for PSN. Always heard mixed things about this game and wanted to see for myself. It is a very simple game and a little bit challenging as one or two hits can kill you instantly. Story is lackluster and definitely for kids but there is replay value if you are a completionist.
  8. LucaCritics
    Mar 27, 2020
    7
    Knack Review: 6.5/10
    I got Knack as a free PS Plus game.
    Knack it's not great but it isn't bad. The art style is interesting, level design is fun and the story can be very forgettable but it's there and it's normal. Knack has pretty cool abilities but there aren't many choices where to use them. The game is very straight forward and, although it tries to be a platform game, it's more of    Knack Review: 6.5/10
    I got Knack as a free PS Plus game.
    Knack it's not great but it isn't bad. The art style is interesting, level design is fun and the story can be very forgettable but it's there and it's normal.
    Knack has pretty cool abilities but there aren't many choices where to use them. The game is very straight forward and, although it tries to be a platform game, it's more of an action game.    … Expand
  9. tariq_almandhar
    Aug 16, 2020
    7
    لعبة جيدة المستوى من القصة حتى الأسلوب لا يوجد بها شيء مبهر
  10. EwokSmuggler
    Nov 10, 2020
    7
    Good platforming game. Gameplay is simple and easy to allow children to get into gaming, upgrade knack's ability and sizes, graphics are pretty good.
  11. GrumpyReviewer
    Jan 28, 2014
    6
    It's not that Knack is a bad game; by all means it is not. It's just a... "meh" kind of game. And it is embarrassing that THIS is a launch title that - supposedly - shows the power of Sony's next gen console. Knack is fun, although boring and repetitive. The story is confusing, the graphics and sound are nothing to write home about, the characters are not convincing and, to be honest, itIt's not that Knack is a bad game; by all means it is not. It's just a... "meh" kind of game. And it is embarrassing that THIS is a launch title that - supposedly - shows the power of Sony's next gen console. Knack is fun, although boring and repetitive. The story is confusing, the graphics and sound are nothing to write home about, the characters are not convincing and, to be honest, it looks like a PS3 game. I have the feeling that Knack was a late project that they decided to convert into a PS4 title - knowing that there wouldn't be many available on day 1. Like a said, not a bad game. Just very frustrating as a launch title.… Expand
  12. hogjonny
    Dec 3, 2013
    6
    The rendering, lighting and shaders looks great. The art style is quirky but somehow feels like it doesn't quite meet the mark (this is no Pixar quality aesthetics). In a new age of games, while design goals of constraining the player less this game takes a step back and is a basic platformer with no camera control and invisible walls corralling the player down a path. Thing is, itThe rendering, lighting and shaders looks great. The art style is quirky but somehow feels like it doesn't quite meet the mark (this is no Pixar quality aesthetics). In a new age of games, while design goals of constraining the player less this game takes a step back and is a basic platformer with no camera control and invisible walls corralling the player down a path. Thing is, it doesn't even do a very good job of pulling off this rather simple game design. The coolest thing here is the character Knack, but even the glitz and panache in his design is just an illusion, there really is not any extraordinary game design going on here this could have been something much better and more unique.

    This game is a PS4 rendering demo but even on that front, the art style and aesthetic misses the mark and holds even that aspect back from being anything great.    … Expand
  13. sityoazzdown
    Apr 19, 2016
    6
    This game doesn't excel at anything or is very original at all, however to me it does have semi-addictive gameplay because of a good challenge (you will die). Other than a good challenge and decent but I've seen this before platforming, the gameplay is literally the same since the first minute of the game, you advance into an insanely linear area and fight two-eight enemies at any time,This game doesn't excel at anything or is very original at all, however to me it does have semi-addictive gameplay because of a good challenge (you will die). Other than a good challenge and decent but I've seen this before platforming, the gameplay is literally the same since the first minute of the game, you advance into an insanely linear area and fight two-eight enemies at any time, defeat them, rinse and repeat. You literally learn no new moves and there is only like 5 move set the entire game. The worst part is you don't get any upgrades until the last few chapters of the game, also. Now the story for me kind of carries the game, but not really; there are parts that intrigued me, but the story is generic, especially when you finish the game. I want to point out that this game (or franchise) had or has potential, I feel like the devs of this game just got lazy and used the same formula the entire game with little or no variety in gameplay. It's supposed to be a platformer, where was the imagination and variety of obstacles? No puzzles? Can't even make it a little more open, with more collectibles/ upgrades? More variety of attacks, especially super powers? But to end, this game is a rent/ buy low, with the positives being ok platformer with an semi-addictive challenge.… Expand
  14. mose14
    Apr 14, 2014
    6
    Knack tries to bring the action-platformer back to PlayStation consoles. Knack is the story of a special relic that can control other relics around it to form the being know as Knack. Knack's story is simple like a Saturday morning cartoon. The game play is more action game than platformer, throwing a lot of enemies at you. The game is pretty difficult for a "kid's game" as Knack's healthKnack tries to bring the action-platformer back to PlayStation consoles. Knack is the story of a special relic that can control other relics around it to form the being know as Knack. Knack's story is simple like a Saturday morning cartoon. The game play is more action game than platformer, throwing a lot of enemies at you. The game is pretty difficult for a "kid's game" as Knack's health quickly goes down against a worthy opponent if you are not careful. As Knack grows in size, so does the game's fun, fighting bigger enemies and not having to worry about your health. There are a few puzzles but they are simple and do not take much effort to solve. Knack looks like a really sharp Saturday morning cartoon, colorful and full of charm. Knack might not bring the genre that inspired it back on new consoles, but it is still a fun game for all audiences.… Expand
  15. Joesatmoes
    May 10, 2014
    6
    Not as bad as people say. It's not really good a platformer as Mario, not as good combat as Dark Souls, and not as good a launch title as Killzone Shadowfall. But I still enjoyed this game. I think this game is part of an all new genre, a genre that the Lego games started- it is a lot like a Lego game, like a Lego game if it was made from Pixar-or-Dreamworks quality CGI rather than...LegoNot as bad as people say. It's not really good a platformer as Mario, not as good combat as Dark Souls, and not as good a launch title as Killzone Shadowfall. But I still enjoyed this game. I think this game is part of an all new genre, a genre that the Lego games started- it is a lot like a Lego game, like a Lego game if it was made from Pixar-or-Dreamworks quality CGI rather than...Lego (which, I guess is the whole POINT of Lego games, but whatever). But the story is nowhere near that quality.… Expand
  16. flax0174
    Feb 11, 2014
    6
    The combat is quite simple, bit to simple, the graphics resemble a pixar movie, they are simple but actually quite good. you get to control knack a creature that can grow in ability and size, the combat may be misled in this game due to the colourful graphics, but it can be quite challenging and even frustrating sometimes. It's one of the them pick me up for a hour games, then put down.The combat is quite simple, bit to simple, the graphics resemble a pixar movie, they are simple but actually quite good. you get to control knack a creature that can grow in ability and size, the combat may be misled in this game due to the colourful graphics, but it can be quite challenging and even frustrating sometimes. It's one of the them pick me up for a hour games, then put down. the level design can be diverse at times, but can get a tad stale. however this is in essense a last generation game, but a sometimes fun very simple game. it's not a game i have fallen in love with, just one of them games that fills a drought of titles.… Expand
  17. squall
    Apr 5, 2014
    6
    Knack simply isn't as bad as many "professional" reviewers make it out to be. It's not great by any means but it's not that great either. I'll start off with what it did well. It looks really nice with a wonderful art style and aesthetic. Switching from cut scene to gameplay is really smooth. I really liked Knack as a character he was pretty good unlike pretty much everyone else. ItKnack simply isn't as bad as many "professional" reviewers make it out to be. It's not great by any means but it's not that great either. I'll start off with what it did well. It looks really nice with a wonderful art style and aesthetic. Switching from cut scene to gameplay is really smooth. I really liked Knack as a character he was pretty good unlike pretty much everyone else. It didn't do anything terrible just not good enough. I'd say it's too simple for it's own good honestly. You don't have very many options when approaching situations since you only have 1 combo. I feel like if there was just more to it it would be fantastic and the game screams that there should be more but there just isn't. The story isn't all that great and the dialog is pretty crap honestly. I'd really like to see sequel honestly. There needs to be a lot of improvements though especially in the combat. They need to improve on what they have and add more to it and then i think it could be absolutely wonderful.… Expand
  18. Veggiepunch
    Nov 20, 2013
    6
    This is a game of unfulfilled potential. Almost every facet of the game is near the level of quality of modern gaming but lack the certain polish of the next generation. It seems that every good aspect of Knack is balanced with a flaw. Visually, the game can be quite impressive: the myriad of little pieces that come together to form Knack, the cartoony character design of the mainThis is a game of unfulfilled potential. Almost every facet of the game is near the level of quality of modern gaming but lack the certain polish of the next generation. It seems that every good aspect of Knack is balanced with a flaw. Visually, the game can be quite impressive: the myriad of little pieces that come together to form Knack, the cartoony character design of the main characters, the quite paced action of fighting and platforming; however, the game also lacks severely in several visual aspects: the terrible rending and detail of objects (made especially obvious when shown in cutscenes); the plain, uninspired, cookie-cutter enemies; the moments of lag and random cutscenes to show Knack jump down from a lenge which bring the game to halts. The story, too, is a bit of a mess. Cerny described the game of being of Pixar/Disney quality, but the story is cliche and quite boring in fact. Many possible conflicts are resolved in seconds; for example, Knack gets blown up and destroyed by several of the antagonists at many points in the game, causing tension and questions of what is to happen next, just to have him reform seconds later. The contrasting aspects of Knack become apparent also during gameplay. Knack's moves are very simple and intuitive his true power comes from his growth and size; however, the game makes you feel so powerful and so weak simultaneously by allowing you to grow to gargantuan sizes but having enemies still do a ton of damage per landed hit. Dodging is really your only defense which, lucky, is made quick and easily by the use of the right analog stick; there is more variety in the game place by the unlocking of equipment parts throughout the game, but unfortunately they will come to almost no use unless you place through a second time because most of the special equipment parts are only finish by the final few chapters in the game. Along with pieces of relics, Knack can grow larger with pieces of wood, ice, etc. These pieces add a bit of defense for Knack; however, they are underused and their uses for solving puzzles are obvious. Knack overall is a game lacking polish, and it is not Cerny Games they have made several great titles. It is obvious that the game was under extreme time constraints. The story is mediocre, the graphics are bad for last gen, and the combat is lacking. But it is the most unique retail game launching for the PS4; if you like difficulty and action platformers, pick this one up. If you can look over all of the flaws of Knack, it could be a good thing to waste you time on. Just skip the cut scenes.… Expand
  19. VirgilX
    Nov 22, 2013
    6
    Something in the back of my head was telling me that Knack wasn't the game it was hyped up to be. I kind of fell for the hype expecting a much more expanded game play adventure, but it's pretty much a straightforward, linear action game. The promotion of the game revolved around how big Knack can grow, and it is true that he can grow enormously huge. However, the problem with that is theSomething in the back of my head was telling me that Knack wasn't the game it was hyped up to be. I kind of fell for the hype expecting a much more expanded game play adventure, but it's pretty much a straightforward, linear action game. The promotion of the game revolved around how big Knack can grow, and it is true that he can grow enormously huge. However, the problem with that is the game decides when this happens and can take your size away from you almost as fast as achieving it. There was one part where Knack gave away all his relics, shrinking down to minimal size, to power a fan. A fan? Really?

    My major complaint with the game is that Knack relies too much on a trial-and-error gameplay. What do I mean by trial-and-error, I mean if you play on Normal or Hard difficulty, the majority of the time you will die in 1 or 2 hits. After each time, you will restart at the checkpoint. This doesn't seem too bad, but the sunstones you used to not revert back when you start again at the checkpoint. This becomes annoying because the sunstone gauge fills up very slowly. You only have three gauges and one special move uses one of those. Sometimes you might find yourself stuck in a situation that will require about 4-10 replays because you die very easily. This wouldn't be much of a problem if the enemies throw cheap shots at you.

    Last complaint, the storyline is close to non-existent. Knack is created, or discovered, to fight off Goblins, and an evil corporate millionaire wants Knack for himself. That is pretty much the storyline. You would expect a character like Knack to have some personality like Sly Cooper, Ratchet or Jak, but he is about as interesting as a basketball player pursuing an acting career. All of the other characters are stereotypical and stock. As you watch the cut-scenes, you may have trouble relating to any of the characters because each one is bland.

    The game isn't terrible, it is okay in my opinion. Is it worth $60? No, definitely not. Is it worth $30? That is probably a more reasonable price, so I would wait until it drops in price. The graphics are incredibly good and the game play can be draw you in. You may even find yourself seeking a higher difficulty, such as myself, regardless of the cheap shots.    … Expand
  20. SixThreeBC
    Mar 13, 2014
    6
    Knack came bundled with my PS4, and it took about 2 months before I finally got bored enough with my other games to dust this one off and finally give it a go. In short, this game is at the very least playable. Not terrible, but not in the Pantheon of all time greats either. Just a middle of the road, quite conservative game. It's simplistic in its concept; you begin each stage as Knack inKnack came bundled with my PS4, and it took about 2 months before I finally got bored enough with my other games to dust this one off and finally give it a go. In short, this game is at the very least playable. Not terrible, but not in the Pantheon of all time greats either. Just a middle of the road, quite conservative game. It's simplistic in its concept; you begin each stage as Knack in his base form (small and quite fragile) and as you progress you assimilate artifacts that allow Knack to grow and become more powerful. You can also harness the power of "Sun Stones" collected throughout the game to unleash special attacks every so often. Naturally, this makes stages easier as you go along instead of becoming progressively more difficult. Traditionally games go from Easy >> Hard, but in Knack you end each stage as a towering behemoth capable of crushing any enemy with absurd ease. Ironic, because in the earlier portions of each level Knack is small and easily defeated. My biggest gripe is that it's impossible to tell how powerful an enemy is until it's too late. You can get body slammed by a giant ogre and take minimal damage, but get speared by a flaming arrow and be instantly destroyed. Controls are also inconsistent, with attacks constantly missing due to Knack having the punching range of a T-Rex.

    Knack does do some things right, though. Whenever you gather artifacts or extra powers, the audio sound effect transmits through your Dualshock 4 controller which is pretty cool. There are also hidden relics scattered throughout Knack's realm that when gathered make the game more enjoyable. Aesthetically the graphics are sharp, albeit not what you would expect from a PS4 title. Knack could definitely pass as a PS2 game, with games like Jak and Ratchet producing a similar look over 10 years ago.

    Finally, the story is generic and quite unengaging. I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters, which in turn diminished my ability to fully enjoy the game (being that gameplay and story are 2 core elements to any successful video game). Knack would have been better off as a mute; it seemed awkward every time he opened his mouth and engaged the antagonists in conversation with his deep, booming voice.

    So yeah, Knack definitely has it's ups and downs, but is absolutely a respectable title. Not worth $60 by any means, but for those seeking more of a classic game with that nostalgic feel to it, Knack might supply you with that for 10 or so hours. I would consider investing in a potential sequel, provided that it shows more innovation and plot consideration. Overall, Knack gets a 6/10 here.    … Expand
  21. Harbinger1
    Jan 21, 2014
    6
    Knack is an okay game not the worst Ive played but no where near the best Ive played. looks great but the the story is boring and repetitive. But as a launch title it was a disappointment.
  22. HaloFever
    Aug 16, 2020
    6
    A frustrating game that has positive movements. Overall, Knack is on the good side of bad, but just barely. You can tell there was an effort to make a great game. You can also tell that the effort was misguided.

    First, the bad. The gameplay is generally not fun. This is the greatest sin of any game. You should definitely play on easy mode to get through this experience. The problem is    A frustrating game that has positive movements. Overall, Knack is on the good side of bad, but just barely. You can tell there was an effort to make a great game. You can also tell that the effort was misguided.

    First, the bad. The gameplay is generally not fun. This is the greatest sin of any game. You should definitely play on easy mode to get through this experience. The problem is in the mechanics. Knack attacks by punching or jumping up and body slamming opponents. You might think the body slam would be most damaging and that you could enjoy jumping and body slamming the entire game. You’d be wrong. In opposition to physics, the body slam does does less damage than punching, and your body slamming play through will be long and tedious. You will also hit enemies during their animations and expect the hit to break the animation as in almost all other beat-em-up games. Wrong again. Unless you wait for a window in animations, the enemy will knock away half your health or even one-hit kill you. Then there are the ranged enemies. Knack has a dodge to avoid projectiles, but it is the slowest and least consistent dodge mechanic in gaming history.

    The story in the game is nice enough. If you enjoy having your story entirely in cutscenes, you’ll love Knack. At least the cutscenes are skippable.

    The graphics are an odd choice for a console launch title. Most of the world is overly bright and lacking texture. This looks great for a cartoonish platformer. The game does render shadows. If you pay enough attention you may see one. The graphical star is the player character, Knack. Rather than one character model, Knack is made of dozens of little pieces called relics. Knack grows and shrinks as he gains and loses relics. Knack explodes into a pile when he dies. The developer honestly believed that this would matter to players, as if players haven’t grown found of Mario, Ray-man, and a cube named Thomas. What this game needed for graphics was a world as detailed as Knack. If you want to see what I mean, play Unravel.

    The most wasted potential in the game is also Knack himself. Being made of dozens or hundreds of particles, Knack could take on different shapes for different gameplay. A rolling ball Knack could slip around enemies. A slingshot Knack could have a ranged attack. The possibilities are exciting and all the developers could do with it is little Knack and big Knack. Even with this, they make big Knack as weak as a little Knack. I would love a Knack that is constantly losing and gaining pieces as the mechanic instead of the one-hit kill respawn mechanic.

    Full disclosure: this was a PS+ “free” game. I have no intention of defending Knack as a purchase or a launch title. The game has to stand on its own and the developer gave it one leg and a wobbly crutch.    … Expand
  23. bbstar54
    Mar 8, 2014
    6
    This game does relate to games such as jak, daxter and Rachet and clank however it gets extremely repetitive and I found it too repetitive to complete the game. There isn't much of a change in gameplay and the difficulty just fluctuates randomly rather then actually getting harder. When you are small you have less health but the enemies are weaker as well but when you are big there areThis game does relate to games such as jak, daxter and Rachet and clank however it gets extremely repetitive and I found it too repetitive to complete the game. There isn't much of a change in gameplay and the difficulty just fluctuates randomly rather then actually getting harder. When you are small you have less health but the enemies are weaker as well but when you are big there are enemies that are just as big as you which makes sense but it seems like the just change the size of everyone with your size. I have to say that if you are getting this for a kid they might like it more but from my perspective it is better to get a game like ratchet and clank on a ps2 then get this "new and improved" game with particle effects everywhere.… Expand
  24. nerdman67
    Mar 11, 2014
    6
    Knack is definitely a game that doesnt know what it wants to be. It is beautiful, with cartoonish characters and graphics and pleasing score, making it steathily hidden as a childs game, yet the frustratingly difficult gameplay makes it something to keep out of the children's hands. On the normal difficulty, most enemies can one shot you, and on easy it is only a little better. I had noKnack is definitely a game that doesnt know what it wants to be. It is beautiful, with cartoonish characters and graphics and pleasing score, making it steathily hidden as a childs game, yet the frustratingly difficult gameplay makes it something to keep out of the children's hands. On the normal difficulty, most enemies can one shot you, and on easy it is only a little better. I had no trouble getting used to the timing based combat, but my girlfriend was not so lucky.
    Paired with constant interruptions in gameplay to show ten second scenes of knack jumping to a platform or killing a big boss lead to a good amount of down time and pulls away from the action.
    Fans of games such as crash bandicoot will find a good time here, as well as others looking for a cute challenge, but for the rest of us... There's not much else    … Expand
  25. ronald_koeman
    Mar 23, 2014
    6
    Always enjoyed platform games and this one is no different. I dont understand all the negative critic responses, what where they expecting? The best from a bunch of poor release games
  26. DaTechnoD00d
    Aug 3, 2014
    6
    Well, I have beat this game on Hard 3 times and I'm currently playing it on Very Hard and uploading these videos to my YouTube channel, which is called DaTechnoDood LevelX. Anyway, this game is pretty good.

    It has fluent controls and an interesting concept, not to mention it gives you a very good challenge; hard so that it makes you push your skills to the limit, but not too hard that    Well, I have beat this game on Hard 3 times and I'm currently playing it on Very Hard and uploading these videos to my YouTube channel, which is called DaTechnoDood LevelX. Anyway, this game is pretty good.

    It has fluent controls and an interesting concept, not to mention it gives you a very good challenge; hard so that it makes you push your skills to the limit, but not too hard that it makes you want to quit. (This is if you choose Hard or Very Hard mode. You can only unlock Very Hard once you beat the full story on Hard. You'll breeze by in Easy.) The graphics are actually very well-evolved, solid 1080p cartoon-style graphics. The animation is very fluid and amazing as well.

    However, this game does have many flaws. The story is quite bland, and it actually kind of depicts yourself as the bad guy, which in a kids game is unacceptable (except for Mario). The script writing is so cheesy and terrible. Also, after a while, you really start to get bored and just want to play something else.

    I give this game a 6/10 because it is a little mediocre, but definitely not as bad as IGN makes it out to be.    … Expand
  27. Kenophobia
    Nov 5, 2014
    6
    Knack is an exclusive launch title for the PS4 from SCE Japan Studio, the studio who developed such series as Ape Escape, LocoRoco, and Patapon. Does this launch title warrant purchase, or should you just forget about it and wait until something else comes along?

    While not one of my most played games, Knack has been one of my more played platform games in recent memory. Knack enlists a    Knack is an exclusive launch title for the PS4 from SCE Japan Studio, the studio who developed such series as Ape Escape, LocoRoco, and Patapon. Does this launch title warrant purchase, or should you just forget about it and wait until something else comes along?

    While not one of my most played games, Knack has been one of my more played platform games in recent memory. Knack enlists a charming cast of cartoony characters, of which the most notable is Knack, who is developed to save humanity from impending doom. Players will battle through a linear, easy to follow campaign and collect a variety of collectibles while solving puzzles and smashing enemies into bits. While comedic in appearance, Knack will provide a challenging experience for all skill levels and ages, and has quite the learning curve as players will quickly find themselves repeating areas over and over to master their strategy. While Knack surely will not be crowned this year for any breakthroughs in gaming, it does provide a refreshing experience filled with outstanding visuals and a high level of replayability for a platformer, easily warranting the purchase price for this unique title. Knack is the perfect addition to any collection and will provide a fun experience for any level of skill or age.    … Expand
  28. ZackTheGamer
    Nov 16, 2014
    6
    Knack is a 3D platformer developed by Japan Studio. Many people consider this game to be trash and well it isn't the best game ever made it isn't awful. You need to go into this game knowing that you aren't going to get, incredibly graphics, a wonderful story, or anything like that. But it is a fun light-hearted game that is appropriate for the whole family. The music is great and whenKnack is a 3D platformer developed by Japan Studio. Many people consider this game to be trash and well it isn't the best game ever made it isn't awful. You need to go into this game knowing that you aren't going to get, incredibly graphics, a wonderful story, or anything like that. But it is a fun light-hearted game that is appropriate for the whole family. The music is great and when Knack turns big you truly feel powerful. All in all, well not the best game on the PS4 it is a good game to buy on sale or if you have children.… Expand
  29. EKDiamond
    Jul 26, 2015
    6
    Knack is a cartoon game exclusive for ps4 where you play knack, a being made from old relics created by a doctor in the attempt to thwart the attacks of goblins. Firstly, anyone who thinks Knack is a kids game is very much mistaken because, even though it's cartoon style and initial visual appearance may not attract everyone, it is certainly a game that can be played and thoroughly enjoyedKnack is a cartoon game exclusive for ps4 where you play knack, a being made from old relics created by a doctor in the attempt to thwart the attacks of goblins. Firstly, anyone who thinks Knack is a kids game is very much mistaken because, even though it's cartoon style and initial visual appearance may not attract everyone, it is certainly a game that can be played and thoroughly enjoyed by many. I took a risk when I bought Knack and had heard some bad reviews yet I was pleasantly surprised by the simple, yet enjoyable storyline and the initial first chapters where you fight through hordes of goblins. But that's probably the limit of its good qualities. The fighting in the game is way too simple: one move. Or three if you count the dash and jump attacks but they are all very similar where you punch each enemy countless times just to move on to the next part of the chapter where you, once again, punch your enemies to move on. It's just way too repetitive, and the boss battles are a complete let down, essentially they're just bigger versions of normal enemies with more health and have the ability to run away to a different part of the map once you punch them a few times. It was fun in parts but also incredibly frustrating in others, the checkpoints in Knack are horrendous and if you die, you will have to grind through the same parts as you did a few minutes ago just to get back to where you were, also the camera angles in some parts of the game are awful, causing you to misjudge an enemies attack or fall off a ledge. Despite all of this though, there was still something that drew me back to the game, it was incredibly enjoyable oddly enough and the storyline was something that surprised me the most. The developers entwined three groups of enemies, Viktor's robots, the goblins and, towards the end of the game, some kind of ancient creatures. The cut scenes were short and not very plentiful but they managed to tell the story and the backgrounds of the characters very well. Furthermore, they explained why you were doing what you were doing and the purpose of your mission. The end boss battle was, unusual. I won't spoil it but it wasn't what I expected to be doing at the end of this game. After the final boss battle the cut scenes that followed wrapped up the game nicely and left me feeling satisfied without any unanswered questions. As far as re-playability goes, I have yet to decide. The only thing that kept me continuing through the endless waves of enemies and repetitive fighting was the storyline and now that I know it, I doubt I'll enjoy it enough to finish a second play through. The only extras in the game are collectibles, which are parts to build gadgets to help you or even unlock new Knacks such as diamond Knack or dark Knack, these add an interesting twist to the game but still don't really contribute much to the main game. In conclusion, this game was very fun and good to play as a casual game or 'cool down' game however it might not be for everyone so I would recommend either getting it cheap on a sale or borrowing it from a friend first to see if it's for you. I have given Knack a rating of 60 because of the following reasons:

    Strengths:
    - Simple, yet interesting storyline
    - Explains the purpose of each mission
    - Gives just enough background to the characters

    Weaknesses:
    - Repetitive, boring combat
    - Awful boss battles
    - Annoying camera angles
    - Bad checkpoints    … Expand
  30. AMMANN7
    Sep 7, 2015
    6
    6/10

    Knack had to much potential and it went all down the toilet

    + Story
    + Knack
    + Great graphics and design

    - Bad controls
    - Awful camera
    - Too repetitive
  31. ProGamer7
    Nov 6, 2015
    6
    This is a fun game to play with friends, but that's about it. You get it because there's no other games out and beat it in the amount of time it takes to turn on your system. Understatement, yes, but the point is the game had no replay value and the game is fairly easy. Also, doesn't fully reach the capabilities that the Playstation 4 has to offer.
  32. Borgees
    Sep 25, 2016
    6
    Um jogo bom, injustiçado, mas sim, poderia ter sido muito melhor se tivesse mais mecânicas. Uma sequência pode corrigir esses erros. Esperando uma sequência de Knack.
  33. jordancotton
    Mar 30, 2016
    6
    A okay game but nothing more. It's a fun game, I recommend a play to past time but nothing more. It has a very strict amount of abilities and is the most repetitive game ever, it fails to have a change in combat or even scenery. it's no ratchet and clank or any successful plat former. However, the price is acceptable so its worth a buy.

    Pros - enjoyable for a quick play through Cons    A okay game but nothing more. It's a fun game, I recommend a play to past time but nothing more. It has a very strict amount of abilities and is the most repetitive game ever, it fails to have a change in combat or even scenery. it's no ratchet and clank or any successful plat former. However, the price is acceptable so its worth a buy.

    Pros
    - enjoyable for a quick play through

    Cons
    - lacks a story
    - missed a great opportunity to make something special
    - miles too repetitive
    - enemies don't vary
    - pointless if your a hardcore gamer    … Expand
  34. Instable
    Feb 16, 2019
    6
    The gameplay is Ok, but the plot is ruining everything. The game takes itself too serious!
  35. Coramcrash
    Oct 27, 2018
    6
    Voto 62/100.
    A tratti frustrante e a tratti scontato, resta un gioco accettabile sotto alcuni punti di vista.
    in Primis il protagonista è veramente ben riuscito e potrebbe essere un icona playstation... se non gli fosse stato costruito intorno un gioco del calibro di Knack, che poco offre all'industria videoludica attuale e che, anzi, mostra un mondo brutto da scoprire ed esplorare,    Voto 62/100.
    A tratti frustrante e a tratti scontato, resta un gioco accettabile sotto alcuni punti di vista.
    in Primis il protagonista è veramente ben riuscito e potrebbe essere un icona playstation... se non gli fosse stato costruito intorno un gioco del calibro di Knack, che poco offre all'industria videoludica attuale e che, anzi, mostra un mondo brutto da scoprire ed esplorare, con personaggi poco sensati.
    Le animazioni dei collezionabili spero di dimenticarle presto.
    Resta comunque tutto sommato un buon platform per passare il tempo.    … Expand
  36. XJoseManuel10X
    Mar 8, 2019
    6
    Knack is a 2013 action platform video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Japan Studio.

    + Is a Fun Game
    + Looks Like Animated Movie
    + Fun Story for a Family Game
    - At Sometimes it's Difficult at Point to be Frustrating
    - Little Platforming Sections
    - Repetitive Gameplay (Little Variety to Distract From the Nonstop Fighting)

    MY SCORE: 6.8/10
  37. feather7
    Nov 24, 2019
    6
    It can be good game.but it is very hard. One hit you die. Then you have to do over and over same chapters. It is something like easy souls. Sometimes same like souls.
  38. The-Pad
    Jun 2, 2020
    6
    Don't get the hate. Pretty fun beat em up. The platforming is meh, but the graphics are really good.
  39. Bruterake
    May 26, 2020
    6
    É um jogo de criança ok, não sei se foi a melhor abertura pro ps4 mas da pra se divertir um pouco jogando não é horrível que nem falavam só é muito simples e não representa o potencial do ps4.
  40. DarthJ
    Aug 28, 2022
    6
    The gameplay is Ok, but the plot is ruining everything. The game takes itself too serious!
  41. Captiosus
    Dec 30, 2014
    5
    This is an example of a game where everything SHOULD be right and yet, it isn't. The platforming mechanics are tried-and-true, the level design is well done, and the concept ranks up there with any successful platformer. Yet it falls flat thanks to input lag and sluggish movement.

    On Normal and Hard, the timing to avoid attacks and avoid being one-hit or two-hit KO'd are unforgiving but    This is an example of a game where everything SHOULD be right and yet, it isn't. The platforming mechanics are tried-and-true, the level design is well done, and the concept ranks up there with any successful platformer. Yet it falls flat thanks to input lag and sluggish movement.

    On Normal and Hard, the timing to avoid attacks and avoid being one-hit or two-hit KO'd are unforgiving but the character's slow movement and the easily countable 1-2 second input lag often makes such timing impossible to achieve. The amount of times this leads to player death is the single most frustrating part of the game. There's nothing like fighting to get through a section only to die because Knack doesn't punch when you tell him to punch, or strafe when you tell him to strafe. Couple that with the fact that checkpoints may be anywhere from 10 seconds to several minutes further back and it's just a recipe for frustration.

    Knack is a great example of snatching defeat from the jaws of success. By all accounts it should be a solid platformer but the sluggishness and imprecise controls ruin the experience and immersion.    … Expand
  42. Makaveli
    May 9, 2014
    5
    Very average game, but I guess that is to be expected with a launch title.. I can't see why anyone could give this game a 10.. I mean if you gave this game a 10 then chances are you have not played many games or any for that matter... This is a mediocre title and I got bored with it fast. I know that we PS4 owners have not had many games to play on the system but pretty much any otherVery average game, but I guess that is to be expected with a launch title.. I can't see why anyone could give this game a 10.. I mean if you gave this game a 10 then chances are you have not played many games or any for that matter... This is a mediocre title and I got bored with it fast. I know that we PS4 owners have not had many games to play on the system but pretty much any other platformer is better than this game... I doubt people will ever return to this game in the future and therefore the game is forgettable and I doubt anyone will remember this game in 5 years.... All I can say is that it is boring, repetitive and not a very good game to show off the PS4.. I mean the graphics and frame rate are decent for what it is, but it's not a very fun game.. If you have a knack to play this game then I suggest that you wait until this game is in the bargain bin because dropping 60 dollars on this game will be full of regret unless you got money to throw away..… Expand
  43. khornol
    May 4, 2015
    5
    I started this game with a friend, cause I read that there is 2-player-coop possible.
    To my mind this coop is very bad or at least started very bad.
    If player 2 dies he can just press a button to come back, but if player 1 dies you start at the last checkpoint. Cutscenes are only with player 1! Graphics are not so overwhelming too. Everything felt a bit wrong, meanwhile I like this kind    I started this game with a friend, cause I read that there is 2-player-coop possible.
    To my mind this coop is very bad or at least started very bad.
    If player 2 dies he can just press a button to come back, but if player 1 dies you start at the last checkpoint.
    Cutscenes are only with player 1! Graphics are not so overwhelming too. Everything felt a bit wrong, meanwhile I like this kind of game (Rayman is great!).
    We stopped playing this after 30-45min, because we thought that this is not meant to be played with 2 players.
    The coop is disappointing. Maybe I will play it alone sometime later.    … Expand
  44. EzzOmen
    Feb 21, 2014
    5
    the game itself is alright, but the time too release was wrong and the demand wasn't met, at all.

    Knack is a fairly decent platform-er with a few interesting Concepts (Growth being a major one), and the story is alright, even if it suffers from a constantly changing tone and direction, but the game is let down by its average performance, horribly ugly protagonist and lets be honest, the    the game itself is alright, but the time too release was wrong and the demand wasn't met, at all.

    Knack is a fairly decent platform-er with a few interesting Concepts (Growth being a major one), and the story is alright, even if it suffers from a constantly changing tone and direction, but the game is let down by its average performance, horribly ugly protagonist and lets be honest, the game is stretched out, far, far, far, far to much. 11 Hours for Knack is just too much. a casual game that a family can enjoy together, great if you're interested in it, but for gamers who wish to take full advantage of the PS4's capabilities, try Battlefield 4 or Call of Duty Ghosts.    … Expand
  45. Roshi
    Nov 25, 2013
    5
    Knack is a decent enough game but it is not on the nintendo or past level of sony mascot platformer quality. The knack character him self is interesting in that he is not just another muscled dude holding a gun like most games these days. But is he on the level of ps1 era crash spyro, or ratchet and clank/jak and daxter. Mario yoshi/sonic No.

    You will not find any revolutionary gameplay    Knack is a decent enough game but it is not on the nintendo or past level of sony mascot platformer quality. The knack character him self is interesting in that he is not just another muscled dude holding a gun like most games these days. But is he on the level of ps1 era crash spyro, or ratchet and clank/jak and daxter. Mario yoshi/sonic No.

    You will not find any revolutionary gameplay here either. there is nothing mind blowing like mario 64, mario Galaxy or Jak and daxter/ ratchet and clank. you could also say last gens launch title Kameo was a way better crafted more interesting game to play and had a more impressive leap in graphics or the dreamcast with sonic adventure. Knack is only decent enough for a launch title it has no staying power. if you want a game like this pick up mario 3d world wii U or ratchet and clank into the nexus on ps3.    … Expand
  46. theM33RKAT
    Nov 26, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First thing's first: disregard ALL the people comparing this game to the likes of Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, and the like. This is NOT like those in ANY way, besides the cartoony visuals, which, admittedly, look good. I'll start by saying this: this game is best for kids and video game newcomers. Whereas the aforementioned games allowed for several fun styles of gameplay, Knack relies on but one, which it hammers into the ground. Not only is it painfully linear, but the combat is rediculously repetitive, never deviating from the same triple strike combo, Sonic the Hedgehog-like homing attack knock back move, and iffy dodge maneuver, and if you're only interested in looking at pretty scenery while smashing stuff, I've not said anything to turn you off. The issue is that this overly simplistic style of gameplay doesn't jibe with the game's intentions concerning the story. Put simply, the story tries. If that sounds too broad and unspecific, I'll elaborate. What does Knack try to do or be? The answer is, a lot. One minute, the plot is centered around the ongoing feud between the humans and goblins, with titular character Knack flung in the middle as a weapon of the former against the latter. Deeper investigation shows the power struggle dates back to a war that socially and technologically sent the goblins back to the proverbial stone age. Done right, this story could have delved deeper into these developments to tell a compelling tale that blurred the lines between right and wrong. But as soon as that begins to flesh out, the plot switches up, focusing instead on the wealthy and politically powerful main antagonist bent on using Knack as a key to a mysterious door, then using the main characters to unknowingly lead him to it when that proves as fruitless, for the purpose of revolutionizing the world with the technology he will find behind said door. Until about 75% into the story, the protagonists and the antagonists are generally hostile and work against each other for no apparent reason, because again, the story isn't written very well. Through all this, there are mini conflicts, such as Knack being little more than a tool, making few decisions on his own (yet trying to have some personality as a character), the Doctor(who apparently has no name)'s assistant struggling to be listened to, and the Doctor's thought a to a be a late beloved working for the enemy. None of the plot elements, large or small, are ever explored well, and very few go well with a gameplay style that is purely centered around running forward, gradually getting bigger, and smashing things. On top of that, the dialogue is quite bland. In short, this game tries to be simple and deep at the same time, overdoing one, and failing miserably at the other. Still, there's nothing mechanically wrong with the game, and Knack's gradual increase in size from a runt to a titan is satisfying. So if you can look past the tons of wasted potential this game had, by all means, pick it up.… Expand
  47. epoc
    Dec 23, 2013
    5
    Knack is a huge disappointment for me. I was expecting PS4's first great puzzler, along the lines of Portal 2 and Escape Plan, but it just isn't here, which is a shame because Knack's concept is so original and creative. As you go along, you pick up runes that make your body bigger. I thought you were going to be able to control how this effected Knack, but instead it'll be the same thingKnack is a huge disappointment for me. I was expecting PS4's first great puzzler, along the lines of Portal 2 and Escape Plan, but it just isn't here, which is a shame because Knack's concept is so original and creative. As you go along, you pick up runes that make your body bigger. I thought you were going to be able to control how this effected Knack, but instead it'll be the same thing every time. Knack is an incredible character, with a really detailed character model and backstory. The ethos of the world is also memorable and interesting, but the story told within this world is so lacklustre and generic. The same can be said about gameplay. It baisicly comes down to easy puzzles and shallow button mashing. THIS IS UNEXCEPTABLE! NEXT GEN! Puzzle games espicialy have so much poetential to show how the new consoles can make gameplay more dynamic and fresh. However the boss battles in this game are incredible, and are completely the opposite of all other gameplay sections. I know I'm being harsh on the game, but by now I think we should expect more from the once legendary creator of Crash Bandicoot.… Expand
  48. gameboy34
    Dec 9, 2013
    5
    Over all game play was not like the old school games were as you got farther in the games you got better and stronger. it is definitely not like ratchet and clank. your defense is horrible. if you get hit 3-4 times you will die throwout the whole game. i do give it credit for having an amazing story, and graphics. but over all the games was alright.
  49. Grimmolf
    Jan 4, 2014
    5
    All this game really is is hit enemies and suck up parts to make you bigger. It is fun for the first 2 hours but after that it is repetitive, monotonous, and boring.
  50. canadianidiot
    Mar 10, 2014
    5
    This game is a fine tech demo to show what the ps4 can do, it's good for the first 1-2 hours however it starts to get boring after a while and I wished it were over. I know that this is marketed towards children however I really don't recommend it to most children because it can be difficult even on normal.
  51. dgbot07
    Mar 20, 2014
    5
    This game should have been offered free to consumers, since only serves to demonstrate some elements that the device is capable of doing, nothing more.
  52. JoshLuck1995
    Jul 14, 2014
    5
    This game is no doubt aimed towards children for maybe a xmas day present (remember it was released in November 2013) The first thing i noticed when starting it up was the graphics, very very poor design and the textures are also very poor, the dialogue is boring, the levels are all the same (EXACTLY the same) the combat is also very poor, as i say its obviously aimed towards youngThis game is no doubt aimed towards children for maybe a xmas day present (remember it was released in November 2013) The first thing i noticed when starting it up was the graphics, very very poor design and the textures are also very poor, the dialogue is boring, the levels are all the same (EXACTLY the same) the combat is also very poor, as i say its obviously aimed towards young children who wouldn't notice or be bothered about such things, however if like me you are what is known as a 'hardcore' gamer who has spent a big amount of money on a next gen console you will no doubt feel let down and disappointed by this game. 5/10… Expand
  53. hhhhojeihsu
    Jul 19, 2016
    5
    When I bought this game on flash sale, I came to metacritic to see the score, it was 50~60 at that moment. I was thinking how bad can this game be. Well this game is not that bad, but not that good either.

    Pros: - Long game play: The gameplay is pretty long, but it's long because of some reason I will mention below. - Pretty graphics: The graphics looks decent on PS4 with those    When I bought this game on flash sale, I came to metacritic to see the score, it was 50~60 at that moment. I was thinking how bad can this game be. Well this game is not that bad, but not that good either.

    Pros:
    - Long game play: The gameplay is pretty long, but it's long because of some reason I will mention below.
    - Pretty graphics: The graphics looks decent on PS4 with those reflection.

    Cons:
    - Bad story: I think the entire plot is a mistake. When I play through the game, the good ones acting like idiot. I know this game is rated for teen, but when you take look at those conversation. They looks just so immature. And there action is just pretty straight forward, and always expected by the bad ones. To be honest, the story is just horrible. And is the main point why I play this game is not fun and a little painful.
    - Receptive combat: I played this game on hard for my first playthrough. Technically, this is game that copy the concept from God of War without fancy move. You just spanning square button technically through out the game. Just evade and hit, evade and hit or jump and hit, or use the super move occasionally.
    - Gadget item: Well, to collect useful item is pretty tough. Not to mention you can boost your progress by playing "Knack Quest" which is a mobile game that you need to demolish gem. And that's not a really good experience.
    - Underpower protagonist: Since you can power up yourself by absorbing material. The game itself constantly return yourself to basic type. And this game can have a lot of potential, while you act exactly almost the same when you absorb different kind of elements.

    Conclusion:
    This game is not that bad, but definitely worth full prize. It would be fine between 10~15 dollars. This game has potential, but before that, this game has a lot of things to be changed.    … Expand
  54. SwiftReviews
    Feb 12, 2018
    5
    It was well designed, not my thing though just a bit to repetitive. More of a very well designed kids game. Was too simplistic for me to continue playing past an hour or so.
  55. tsakiym
    May 15, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it............................… Expand
  56. Nel
    Dec 26, 2016
    5
    Knack, most people's first game to ps4. The game follows a giant character names knack, and the story itself is not very attention grabbing. The gameplay is overall great, but nothing really stands out, if you're looking for a game for your kids, this is very kid friendly.
  57. Lazlo21
    Jul 31, 2015
    5
    knack was the PS4 launch title i was looking forward to the most. Being a fan of such PS2 platformers, like Ratchet and clank, and sly cooper, i had high hopes for this game. It was also developed by Mark Cerney, which is definitely a plus. But in the end, what we had was a highly repetitive platforming/action game, with little to no platforming.

    The gameplay includes pretty much three    knack was the PS4 launch title i was looking forward to the most. Being a fan of such PS2 platformers, like Ratchet and clank, and sly cooper, i had high hopes for this game. It was also developed by Mark Cerney, which is definitely a plus. But in the end, what we had was a highly repetitive platforming/action game, with little to no platforming.

    The gameplay includes pretty much three buttons. Jump, attack, and dodge. That's really it. Expect no other controls. The levels are extremely linear and offer no real interesting sights. Also, like i said earlier, there is also pretty much no platforming, save for a few levels early on in the game. Now, these linear levels involve you going from location to location, beating on goblins and robots. Knack's main gimmick is Knack's ability to grow bigger and stronger by absorbing "relics". It's actually a very cool and interesting idea, except it's executed horribly. The level determines how big you will be, then the game lets you expand from there, until you grow too big and it stops you. I suppose this is due to balancing issues though, as in some levels the enemies are much smaller or larger than regular. One thing i like though, is when knack absorbs a unique material, such as burning logs, ice, or glass.

    The characters are what you would expect. Shallow and boring. The story is what you would expect. Thin and has no originality. For this type of game though, that's OK. It kept me invested enough to finish the thing. The graphics are great, not as great as some other launch titles, but once again, it's great. The way some of knack's relics reflect light looks really good.

    Now, i was going to give this game a 3, but i decided to up it 2 points, because it was designed for kids, and they would enjoy it. Knack is just innocent fun. 5/10    … Expand
  58. danield80
    Sep 3, 2022
    5
    Mark Černý himself made a 3D beat 'em up game with controls that could fit into the NES controller and gave it a name where the first and the last letter is silent so no foreigner could possibly pronounce it, let alone understand.
    Two basic attacks (punch and weak jump punch), no combos and three special attacks (which you won't use because the gauge's never filled up) is desperately    Mark Černý himself made a 3D beat 'em up game with controls that could fit into the NES controller and gave it a name where the first and the last letter is silent so no foreigner could possibly pronounce it, let alone understand.
    Two basic attacks (punch and weak jump punch), no combos and three special attacks (which you won't use because the gauge's never filled up) is desperately insufficient.
    The games provides with multiplayer where player no.2 is incredibly inferior to the host player. Camera always focuses on host, host dies - checkpoint restart, player 2 can't use special powers (which makes certain parts of the game unplayable), etc. Even the appearance of player 2 speaks for itself.
    Throughout the game you collect relics and gadget parts which you can use in your next or ongoing playthrough. However, you can't backtrack nor collect them in level select so you won't be able to actually use any of the upgrades unless you played the game at least three or four times.

    The only commendable attribute of the game is its relative difficulty which is neither too easy nor too frustrating. But why would you want get good in a game with jump-punch-dodge control scheme?

    There's a sequel which is a big improvement over the first instalment. It has equal multiplayer, more moves and combos and even multiplayer combos. Still, it's nothing to coom about.    … Expand
  59. DSmith349
    Feb 22, 2018
    5
    A monotonous, but pleasant enough game.

    I didn't play this game at launch. And I'm glad I hadn't, or I think I'd be wondering how the most up-to-date console generation had improved on the last. Because that's exactly what Knack feels like, a "last gen" game. While the game is nice, it doesn't quite cut the mustard, or have the "knack" for current gen (see what I did there? I'll see    A monotonous, but pleasant enough game.

    I didn't play this game at launch. And I'm glad I hadn't, or I think I'd be wondering how the most up-to-date console generation had improved on the last. Because that's exactly what Knack feels like, a "last gen" game. While the game is nice, it doesn't quite cut the mustard, or have the "knack" for current gen (see what I did there? I'll see myself out...).

    I picked up this game when it was a free PS Plus game and I'd be disappointed if I'd forked out $40-50+ on it a few years ago. I would probably be okay with it if I picked it up for $15 or less. And I can justify that to some extent by comparing it to "indie" games at that price point, because there's certainly linear 2D indie games out there that provide more gaming satisfaction than this title. It certainly doesn't stack up alongside current gen Ratchet and Clank, which can often be found at a $10 price tag as of the past year or so.

    The game is just that, a linear platformer, much in the vain of the first Crash Bandicoot which would see you progress from start to finish of each level before progressing immediately to the next (In the case of Knack, these are rpesented as "chapters"). And repeat. This is unlike Ratchet and Clank-like platformers that place you in a semi-open world setting in which you can flit back and forth between "stages".

    Being a linear platformer isn't such a bad thing, heck Crash Bandicoot games are brilliant fun, as are many other similarly designed titles. But with Knack, I found little motivation to go from one chapter to the next. I didn't feel engaged in the game. The game follows a very strict pattern. Move forward, kill a couple of baddies, move forward, kill a couple of baddies again, move forward, kill some more baddies, repeat and repeat and repeat. That's the thing, you know how every chapter and sub-chapter is going to progress. There's nothing to grip you.

    This monotonous progression is also mixed with frustration. I've never come across a more pointless health bar, when almost any attack from any bad guy is enough to be a one-hit KO, even when you've temporarily increased your health bar. Combine this with clunky movement and laggy combat inputs and you'll find yourself unjustly dying over and over. This just makes the game even more monotonous, as you keep getting respawned to your last check point to go through the same pattern twice-fold. Kill, move forward, kill, move forward, kill, move forward, be killed, go back, kill, move forward, kill move forward...

    The game also suffers from frame rate issues during cut scenes (minimally engaging cut scenes that I eventually found myself skipping). Compare this to the cut scenes in Ratchet and Clank that make you feel like you're getting interludes of a Pixar-standard movie in between your gaming experience and Knack comes nowhere near.

    All this said, Knack still warrants a score of 5, since the colours are really nice and bright and the graphics a pretty good. The gaming experience is okay, but it certainly won't leave it's mark on you and you might find yourself getting bored pretty quick. The simplistic game design can, however, make it a decent enough game to pick up for quickies.    … Expand
  60. elolugo
    Oct 30, 2020
    5
    Fun gameplay but up for the first 6 hours, then is a chore to game this. Childish cutscenes & plot
  61. Justareviewer21
    Jul 19, 2020
    5
    Better than the order 1886, but it’s still a big pice of hot **** in a good console with great games
  62. adrianompo
    Jan 2, 2023
    5
    Not technically impressive. Not fun to play. Not even fun to watch the history, characters are dull and boring.

    Knack fails even on being bad enough to be remembered even if it is to be bashed. If it tried to be a disaster, it failed there as well. It's just a lifeless, forgettable and mediocre game that few people would know to exist if it was not developed by Sony itself
  63. Elite_Soldier
    Nov 21, 2020
    5
    Knack is an absolute Knacksterpiece, absolutely the system seller for the ps4.
  64. candycorn__
    Dec 9, 2020
    5
    it's a decent game for the average user. short, mildly interesting storyline, mind-numbingly simple gameplay, but still being pretty fun. no blood or gore or anything of the like, so it's basically perfect for an eight year old with an attention span shorter than the average vine.
    5/10, simply because it just doesn't do anything remarkable in the slightest. 7.5/10 for kids.
  65. DominicPlays135
    Aug 15, 2021
    5
    With the game current 15£ price tag , I would get it there are some levels/ mission which are a bit meh and the ending was like 1/10.
    So its worst a try but I would rather spend my money on a other platformer game
  66. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    5
    I wouldn't say it's a bad game. There's just nothing new or unique about it.
  67. supercriticguy
    Jan 15, 2017
    4
    I bought this game because the characters and setting looked interesting, and because I was in the mood for a solid platforming game. I figured that the game's low review scores were related to how "for kids" the game looks, so I ignored them. I shouldn't have.

    The characters and the setting are not interesting. The platforming is good, but is minimized in favor of (frustrating,    I bought this game because the characters and setting looked interesting, and because I was in the mood for a solid platforming game. I figured that the game's low review scores were related to how "for kids" the game looks, so I ignored them. I shouldn't have.

    The characters and the setting are not interesting. The platforming is good, but is minimized in favor of (frustrating, clunky) combat. The game is completely linear and boring. There isn't much else to say because Knack comes off as a bare-bones shell of a game. You walk forward, slog through the game's one linear path full of unchanging enemies, watch a cutscene, and then the pattern cycles for the entirety of the game.

    I like Knack's sound design, graphics, and music. Unfortunately, that's all I like about Knack.    … Expand
  68. nono5551212
    Apr 30, 2015
    4
    Wow I thought this was a new game for the PS4 that showed off the PS4. I played it for a few hours and I must say it feels like this was created using Project Spark. It's a very run of the mill game.
  69. joao1198pedro
    May 5, 2014
    4
    This game is really boring, i had fun in some of the parts but its a repetitive game with a strange and useless story, worst of all are the so so graphics in a ps4.
  70. elitefour
    Dec 28, 2013
    4
    Sony...do you think this is the spiritual successor of Crash Bandicoot?
    this game is bored,stupid, its not crash bandicoot,jax and dexter,little big planet
    its just another stupid playstation game. the gameplay its not impressive
    its weak and broken. Im sorry Playstation Fanboys but i hate this game
  71. Ramiro1992
    Jun 3, 2014
    4
    One of the WORST launch titles of all time! Incredible bad game, boring and repetitive gameplay, uninspired characters, you never feel good even watchinh this DISASTER of game, i really miss the old crash bandicoot games, but this? this is a launch title? please someon tell me this game is a joke.
    Too overhyped, poor game, poor graphics, poor voice acting, and poor character design.
  72. TheCartoon77
    Mar 4, 2014
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So christmas came and gave me a PS4 and showed me Knack. I start by saying if you do get a PS4, just get it with Killzone Shadow Fall. You will probably have more fun with that than you will with this. So to start off; Knack is a action adventure kids game. Knack the character is an 'Orb' that is made of relics. He collects relics to get bigger and increase his health. The beauty of this is to appeal to kids by being a huge destructive machine. But being this comicly large takes away the challage its trying to offer. Normally I would like something like this because sometimes I like things to be easy. Aside that it does try and introduce the adventure part of the game by being open minded about what the character can do. However Knack takes it the wrong way. For example most of the game will revolve around fighting goblins. The goblins and other enemies get bigger as you progress through the game. But Knack gets bigger too so the gameplay never really changes, it only looks like it does. To make things worse the game offers a very strict route that you must take. The gameplay is just so boring, you feel after a while as though each level has been copied and pasted. But its not all bad. For example Knack offers a range of combat techniques. This can be both fun and intresting. But enemies have this advantage of hitting you repetitivly. This causes you die quite frequently. The characters are quite bland too. The scientist has lost his wife in a exploring expedition, which gets very anti-climactily resolved by her mysteriously coming back. We are supposed to care about her but we don't know anything so we can't really care. In short Knack is a predictable adventure game for next gen. Take my advice and just don't waste your time with this.… Expand
  73. DeadshotAce
    Jul 30, 2014
    4
    I bought this game when it became cheap in the hopes that the reviewers were just being a bit harsh. The graphics looked fine from what I saw in videos and being a ps4 game i had high hopes.

    First things first, the story. The premise of the game isn't too bad itself, it's just that it doesn't hold my interest or give me a reason to care. It's also a bit too thin for me. It just doesn't    I bought this game when it became cheap in the hopes that the reviewers were just being a bit harsh. The graphics looked fine from what I saw in videos and being a ps4 game i had high hopes.

    First things first, the story. The premise of the game isn't too bad itself, it's just that it doesn't hold my interest or give me a reason to care. It's also a bit too thin for me. It just doesn't feel like they really tried to flesh out a story that was fitting for the game.

    Then you get to the gameplay. I just can't enjoy it. I know people like to give it a break because they see it a children's game but I don't get that. Maybe because of how bright the graphics are but I could see this game as being made for a general audience and that's why I think the gameplay is a joke. It's basically just has you running from area to area, beating up a handful of enemies to advance. No real gameplay stands out. It doesn't help that your slowly collecting parts to upgrade your character. The amount of things you need to collect just make you wonder when you'll ever get to use any of them. I had to play the app just to unlock anything. Which makes it seem like that's what they wanted all along.

    Overall, I would recommend you stay away from this game unless you can find it for under $20 (which I did). Theres just too many games out there that you'd be better off spending your time and money on.    … Expand
  74. Termin8ter
    Jul 8, 2015
    4
    Knack in one of the most boring games I have ever played. The missions are very repetitive and the controls are lousy. I watched the trailer to this game and had very high hopes for it, but it turned out to be very average.
  75. Bunterboy
    Feb 9, 2018
    4
    Tedium.

    Repetition. Tedium. Repetition. Those four words basically sum up this game in its entirety. It is a substandard platformer that, while having a reasonably interesting premise around 'Knack' being able to grow etc, etc, it's literally the extent of the imagination on show here. I got it free with PS Plus (thankfully as paying for it is a waste of money, unless it's    Tedium.

    Repetition.

    Tedium.

    Repetition.

    Those four words basically sum up this game in its entirety. It is a substandard platformer that, while having a reasonably interesting premise around 'Knack' being able to grow etc, etc, it's literally the extent of the imagination on show here. I got it free with PS Plus (thankfully as paying for it is a waste of money, unless it's 2.99) and I've completed it and recommend that you don't. Game-play is dull and all of the 'good' characters are unlikable. I think that 'Knack' suffers from Stockholm syndrome as he does exactly as he's told, unquestioningly, he's got a real weird relationship going on with that professor.

    And to all the people on here who gave it a 10. I want to give you all a hug as you have all obviously experienced some immense trauma in your life if you feel that this game is perfect. Don't let your damaged outlook hurt you any more. I hope you are ok.    … Expand
  76. Talomustkill
    Aug 6, 2021
    4
    Asquerosamente repetitivo, su jugabilidad es buena, pero muchas veces falla, hacer un dash y golpear a los enemigos es frustrante que a veces funcione y a veces no, de verdad que cansa, sus gráficos se suponen que demostraban lo que podía hacer la PS4? Creo que eso lo demuestra mejor ratchet and clank.
  77. Brianscott13
    Jul 4, 2020
    4
    O pior exclusivo de Playstation 4 que joguei. Sensações horríveis assim só senti ao jogar Crackdawn 3, Bleeding Edge, State of Decay, Resident Evil 6.
    Já sua continuação "Knack 2" é bem melhor. Digno de nota 8(Knack 2).
  78. LG_Fox_Brazil
    Jul 6, 2020
    4
    Tedious gameplay, boring story, characters that are completely unlikable, a gameplay that is, at best, okay, and a multiplayer component that looks like was an afterthought. Stay away
  79. kirrwed
    Sep 5, 2020
    4
    The graphics are nice and the controls are somewhat intuitive. There is nice scenery and some intuitive puzzle solving throughout that utilizes Knack's nature. Those things give the game a few points.

    However, there are far more flaws as follows: • Very redundant. Levels go on forever with repeated mini fights against the same enemies over and over. • The aim of the special attack    The graphics are nice and the controls are somewhat intuitive. There is nice scenery and some intuitive puzzle solving throughout that utilizes Knack's nature. Those things give the game a few points.

    However, there are far more flaws as follows:
    • Very redundant. Levels go on forever with repeated mini fights against the same enemies over and over.
    • The aim of the special attack can be sketchy and will sometimes target some breakable object off-screen instead of the enemies on the screen.
    • Knack's toughness and strength are frustrating because they are not consistent. He can pick up cars or tanks and throw them at enemies. And yet it takes him up to 3 hits to defeat a beetle. As well, later in the game there are times when the prompt to pick up cars or tanks simply doesn't appear.
    • On a related frustrating note, he can do amazing things in cutscenes that he cannot do in gameplay, such as scale bare walls, fences, or jump tremendous distances.
    • The game is very on the rails, which isn't necessarily bad, but it suffers from no option to rotate camera in some areas where you can't see enemies or paths off-screen that are affecting the moment. There are times when you think hitting attack will make Knack zero-in on the nearest enemy but because the camera angle is so awkward or far away, he will sometimes punch air and be left in a vulnerable position because his swing motion leaves him in stunlock for a second every time.
    • Closing gates that prevent backtracking - what's the point of this, especially in a game where there are treasure pieces to collect. Once I came upon a fork and wasn't sure which was a path to a hidden item and which was the continue path. I chose the latter and a gate immediately closed, so I wasn't able to explore the other path even though it was only a few feet back.
    • Treasure collecting is nearly useless unless you plan to play over and over. It takes forever to complete a set and get the powerup. I got one powerup on first playthrough at the very end and I found a ton of secret items besides.
    • From a story perspective, the characters act highly irrational multiple times and some of the dialogue and decisions are laughable.    … Expand
  80. WillJohn46
    Feb 2, 2021
    4
    This game was really rushed out, and if they gave it more time it could've become the new ratchet and clank. Sadly that didn't happen. And the combat is ok at best. Flaws aside, Knack is actually a good mascot.
  81. thirdeye98
    Sep 21, 2021
    4
    I'm being absolutely fair and generous by giving it a 4/10. It's a meh'ish' action platformer with not much variety. levels structures are same and basic throughout the game. It was giving me Dejavu because of it's monotonous nature. The first few minutes repeats itself to the very end. It's very repetitive. But i guess most platformers are repetitive. What i hate is the lack of scenicI'm being absolutely fair and generous by giving it a 4/10. It's a meh'ish' action platformer with not much variety. levels structures are same and basic throughout the game. It was giving me Dejavu because of it's monotonous nature. The first few minutes repeats itself to the very end. It's very repetitive. But i guess most platformers are repetitive. What i hate is the lack of scenic variety and the lack of combat moves. The graphics is sometimes ugly and sometimes decent. It's very inconsistent in that matter. The story is boring. This is the first game that i felt like skipping the cut scenes. Not all of those were bad but most was. Knack as a character is pretty one dimensional and lacks depth but he is not as bland as Aloy. The comparison might seem a bit off, but knack for me is a bit more interesting character than Aloy. Knack looks good while he is transforming. It's also a decent and an interesting game mechanics. And it's the only selling point of this game. Voice acting is fine but the writing is meh. So i couldn't feel much impact. The story is filled with lackluster B movie tropes / clichés . I kinda hate it and it's only worth a play.

    So should you buy this terrible playstation exclusive launch title from almost a decade ago? No. Not if it's above $4. Buy it on sale if you must.    … Expand
  82. BlueSubi
    Oct 29, 2021
    4
    Good things: Graphic Soundtrack
    Leveldesign Bad things: Movement Checkpointsystem
    The Enemy's they kill you by one hit and that's not good if the game give you a lot of enemy's in a little area.
    The Projectiles from the Enemy's are not good enough to see.
  83. Nautalcritzsm64
    Jan 18, 2022
    4
    Mi chiedo ancora perché ho completato questa imitazione di un qualsiasi action-platform game con un character mediocre e una personalità morente e infantile, e ciò nonostante il gioco è complicato e si muore con due colpi, boh
  84. JacobMarksy
    Nov 19, 2013
    3
    Knack failed to achieve the core experience it promised, dissolving my long anticipation for the new ps4. The games only success lies within its audio and presentation unfortunately this wasn't enough justice to sweep the dirt under the carpet. Knack was meant to entertain its audience with a classic platformer experience while introducing new ideas and themes to the genre. Here it comes.Knack failed to achieve the core experience it promised, dissolving my long anticipation for the new ps4. The games only success lies within its audio and presentation unfortunately this wasn't enough justice to sweep the dirt under the carpet. Knack was meant to entertain its audience with a classic platformer experience while introducing new ideas and themes to the genre. Here it comes. Knack was bland, boring, repetitive, short and unoriginal.

    Pick up killzone and invest in the PSN titles to avoid the disappointment which knack will deliver.    … Expand
  85. Ndibu
    Nov 25, 2013
    3
    Knack is a disappointment. Lacks the charm and polish that make other games in the genre memorable. There are those that will enjoy the repetitive shallow gameplay but if you want a game with depth and a good story to boot, look elsewhere.
  86. chaosmage
    Dec 9, 2013
    3
    Really fun platformer game. Definitely not all that unique, but still a great game to play when you're bored and don't want anything too intense.

    However, this is a next gen title, and it needs to be treated like one. Compared to something like Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack is not going to blow you away with its graphics. These graphics look like they belong on the Wii U, rather than the    Really fun platformer game. Definitely not all that unique, but still a great game to play when you're bored and don't want anything too intense.

    However, this is a next gen title, and it needs to be treated like one. Compared to something like Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack is not going to blow you away with its graphics. These graphics look like they belong on the Wii U, rather than the PS4. I can't help but feel that, for $60, I definitely did not get a next gen title.

    Along with not being graphically next-generation, Knack also suffers from lag. A LOT of lag. This makes several of the boss battles throughout the game incredible frustrating. Button presses don't register right away (especially Knack's right-stick dash/dodge move) and this leads to a lot of one-hit kills against Knack. One boss battle was so laggy that I was only able to pass it by sheer luck, and what was probably a bug in the game.

    Overall, Knack is a fun, lazy-day type of title that you play for an hour tops, and then put down. For $60, however, you're best picking up any of the other launch titles, as this should have never been released on the PS4. If Resogun can render so many elements on the screen so effortlessly, the lag that Knack sees when there is just Knack and 3 other enemies on screen is absolutely inexcusable, and the game devs, plus their quality assurance team should be ashamed to have released this to the public.

    Wait until this becomes a Greatest Hit title, folks.    … Expand
  87. nothingbutmine
    Jan 4, 2014
    3
    Never has a game made me rage with so much... disappointment!? I can persevere through most situations in any game, and will be the first to tell someone else to take a breath if their game is getting to them. But this game. Wow. Unbalanced like nothing I've ever played before. I'm going through on normal, and I just want to restart on easy! If I'm lucky, Knack survives three hints fromNever has a game made me rage with so much... disappointment!? I can persevere through most situations in any game, and will be the first to tell someone else to take a breath if their game is getting to them. But this game. Wow. Unbalanced like nothing I've ever played before. I'm going through on normal, and I just want to restart on easy! If I'm lucky, Knack survives three hints from enemies, but with health regeneration being basically non-existent (once in a while, it tops you up, but most of the time collecting health gives say 5% health back, if you're lucky!). Knack's ability to grow bigger and stronger is swiftly negated by the enemies getting bigger and stronger. Which, sure, every game the enemies get harder, but throughout the entirety of this game so far, I have yet to survive more than 3-4 hits in succession, before scattering into a million pieces of disc-snapping frustration. To say this game is going to be the next-gen Crash-bandicoot is a joke. I don't expect a game to be easy, but if you read reviews and comments about the game, I think everyone agrees that never in the first hour of playing a game would dying near 50 times be conceivable.

    Knack's dodge, and general clumsy controls. If you're lucky, you'll have time to allow him to finish the move he's currently performing. But god forbid you have to dodge a missile (or two, which is basically insta-death), you have to wait for him to finish his current move before it even processes you are trying to dodge. And good luck dodging anything the bigger you get.

    The game is artistically childlike and whimsical, bringing a certain charm and innocence to appeal to a younger audience. I'll give it that much, I liked that. However, the story is equally as childlike, but not in a good way, and I must say it can be extremely boring. Perhaps they've gone too far in trying to be accessible to children. Who knows This part of the game I enjoyed, but felt like it lacked a depth and richness to the characters and plot.

    With fast paced enemies, slow reactions, beautiful graphics (for what it is) and a story that wafts along like a bad smell, this game has left me feeling unsatisfied with what was hyped to be more than what was delivered. Truth be told, I don't know how to feel about this game... it seems unfair to rate it so low, but it is what it is, and I won't be recommending this to my fellow gamers.    … Expand
  88. FrozenDiablo
    Feb 2, 2014
    3
    I'm a sucker for platformers and always have been, and I can safely say that this game is a disgrace to the platformer genre. The game starts off fun in a way reminiscent of the old gems of the PS2 era, but it goes downhill very quickly. I always strive to get 100% but I very nearly gave up because this game was so mind-numbingly boring.

    The plot is simple, but ends up being    I'm a sucker for platformers and always have been, and I can safely say that this game is a disgrace to the platformer genre. The game starts off fun in a way reminiscent of the old gems of the PS2 era, but it goes downhill very quickly. I always strive to get 100% but I very nearly gave up because this game was so mind-numbingly boring.

    The plot is simple, but ends up being anticlimactic with the final boss being a complete twist, but not in a good way. Unfortunately, the story isn't the only boring element to the game. Knack is often compared to games like Mario, Crash Bandicoot or Ratchet and Clank - but this game misses out on two of the key things that make those games so enjoyable: variety and fun. I remember vividly changing into different forms in Mario by using power-ups, or riding vehicles in Crash Bandicoot - but none of that is existent in Knack. It's a simple platformer, with no variety - and gets stale very quickly.

    In an attempt to make the game more sociable, you can open secret chests and get collectibles with your friends but the mechanics behind it are flawed. Trying to get Diamond Relics leaves you grinding and becoming a repetitious waste of time. While you may need 15 of one relic to unlock a stronger version of the character, you can theoretically end up with 50 or so, while not having any of the relics you need - its completely luck-based.

    Finally, the graphics are great - but lacklustre when compared to some of the late Ps3 games. Worse still, is that when you play as different versions of Knack - you default back to the original during cut-scenes.

    Knack had so much potential but ends up leaving you wondering why it was made. Not all children are easily impressed - but the fact you can do more with the box than with the actual game speaks volumes about how bad it is.    … Expand
  89. Jubilarian
    Apr 12, 2014
    3
    Knack is the worst exclusive on the PS4. Don't listen to people saying, "If you love Mario, etc.", as that is false.

    This game had a simple premise: A 'fun' platformer exclusive to the PS4. Right? Wrong. Knack is surprisingly difficult, even at easy difficulty. I found myself repeating sections over and over because the commands delayed way too much. The graphics are great though,    Knack is the worst exclusive on the PS4. Don't listen to people saying, "If you love Mario, etc.", as that is false.

    This game had a simple premise: A 'fun' platformer exclusive to the PS4. Right? Wrong.

    Knack is surprisingly difficult, even at easy difficulty. I found myself repeating sections over and over because the commands delayed way too much. The graphics are great though, and I feel sad that the only 2 exclusives for the PS4 on launch day both had good graphics, but horrible gameplay.

    Overall, I suggest that you avoid Knack and instead buy another game for the PS4, even if this is an exclusive. This feels more like a tech demo just to show off the game's graphics.

    (Note: I did not finish the game, so I can't really say anything about the story.)    … Expand
  90. gazingforth
    Apr 23, 2014
    3
    This game is an appalling disaster of bland and restrictive level design, repetitive and clunky gameplay, uninteresting and predictable narrative, and an overall botched attempt at reviving the lost genre of 3D platforming. Knack's ability to scale and vary his powers are so contextually driven that it's pointless to give it any thought, as it barely adjusts gameplay, and everythingThis game is an appalling disaster of bland and restrictive level design, repetitive and clunky gameplay, uninteresting and predictable narrative, and an overall botched attempt at reviving the lost genre of 3D platforming. Knack's ability to scale and vary his powers are so contextually driven that it's pointless to give it any thought, as it barely adjusts gameplay, and everything scales with you, so there's only 1-2 sections of being giant knack that you actually feel giant. Enemies are hardly skilled, and the game makes up for their lackluster behavior by making Knack have the defenses of a wet Kleenex, and overwhelming the player with an annoying amount of enemies.

    The game hardly is a platformer, as the level rarely scales vertically in so few sections that most FPS's outdo them, and it barely makes for a brawler, as the fighting is so limited that you spend most your time mashing Square or X and Square. Most of the game is spent determining attack order, and dying due to your wretched controls. secrets in this game are essentially just hidden rooms in breakaway walls, 80% of which are fairly easy to find, and consist of assembling parts to "Upgrades" that you'll never have the desire to go back and use, as a single playthrough will leave you with the entire story. Seeing as the game lacks nearly any replayability, Once completed, you'll be hard-pressed to have any other use for it.

    I understand that this was meant to be a love letter to games like Jak and Daxter, Banjo-Kazooie, and Super Mario 64, but this failed on a massive scale. No part of this resembles them, and even with the corridor gameplay of Crash Bandicoot (Another game from Mark Cerny), it at least had a wider range of play, better level design, and a far more fun overall feel. From a game 17 years younger. This isn't acceptable for a game of this generation, nor would it have been on the PlayStation 1. About the only thing that's noteworthy are the graphics and particle effects, neither of which are terribly difficult to get wrong when dealing with the cartoon-like style of Knack.

    I understand if they wanted to create a game that could appeal to younger audiences and show that even the casual market can enjoy the PS4. However, this was a failure in a massive way, and wouldn't be worth half its cost. I really wanted to like this game, as 3D platforming is such a dire love of mine. This just didn't do it. At all.    … Expand
  91. Epiternal
    Jun 4, 2014
    3
    This is by far the most frustrating games I have ever played, forget Dark Souls, if you truly want that motivation to turn into the Incredible Hulk this is the game for you. Unless you're playing on easy mode, this game is far more difficult than you'd initially expect, even as early in as the first levels enemies can one hit kill you, and the sluggish moving Knack seems to only want toThis is by far the most frustrating games I have ever played, forget Dark Souls, if you truly want that motivation to turn into the Incredible Hulk this is the game for you. Unless you're playing on easy mode, this game is far more difficult than you'd initially expect, even as early in as the first levels enemies can one hit kill you, and the sluggish moving Knack seems to only want to indulge them, at first it might seem bearable, but in later levels where enemies are shooting projectiles left, right and centre it becomes a real pain, and regardless of how monstrously huge Knack grows from consuming relics, he still seems to drop faster and harder than a paper airplane. The story itself is nothing special, it basically escalates from a series of random and unconnected events that eventually become a story, despite that the main bad guy basically exudes evilness from the get go, making it quite predictable. The game is extremely linear, thus removing any, if not all replay value, which only makes getting all the items from the chests a pointless and annoying grind. The graphics are fine, no real fault with them, but as they're quite cartoony it was a bad choice of game to show off the PS4's 'amazing' graphics capabilities. The games only redeeming quality in my opinion is that you can share the pain and boredom with someone else; it has a co-op mode. I use the term 'co-op mode' loosely as it's more like one play with an annoying second person who'll sometimes help you, sometimes knock you over leaving you at the mercy of a thousand enemy arrows, or sometimes go off screen and scream at you for ditching them because of course the camera only follows player 1. If it wasn't for the co-op with my girlfriend I'd have given up on this game ages ago, which sums up my entire experience of Knack really; I played it just to get laid.… Expand
  92. MrWill
    Jun 27, 2016
    3
    With an unappealing cast, repetitive and frustrating combat, baron platforming and level design and an embarrassing frame rate, Knack proves that videogames aren't always any fun. Sluggishly pondering through corridors to beat up some more enemies with little motivation from the games plot with extremely precise combat becomes a frustrating and uninspiring.
  93. CyberRobotnix
    May 23, 2018
    3
    I will tell that straight up to your face, but this game is mediocre, it is not boring, it is not badly done so why is it mediocre? This game is basically what would happen if Dark Souls and Ratchet & Clank had a baby, the fact is you die way too quickly and for literal feces thrown at you, it's not even fun nor interesting unlike Dark Souls and the game is really dull, like it's a beatsI will tell that straight up to your face, but this game is mediocre, it is not boring, it is not badly done so why is it mediocre? This game is basically what would happen if Dark Souls and Ratchet & Clank had a baby, the fact is you die way too quickly and for literal feces thrown at you, it's not even fun nor interesting unlike Dark Souls and the game is really dull, like it's a beats 'em all, but like most bad beats 'em all (Sonic Boom Rise Of Lyric for instance) your character has a pretty basic moveset that will never evolve over the time which makes that it feels repetitive. Hell, go complain about Breath Of The wild, but atleast you could try every different weapons and test them on enemies and whatnot, the game might not have a lot of different enemies, but you could atleast experiment with them, in Knack you can't because not only you have a very generic moveset the likes of Crash Bandicoot and the character is not fluid unlike Meat Boy nor the heroine in Celeste, but also that same moveset doesn't evolve at all. I think I put an emphasis a bit too big on the gameplay whilst the real problem is especially the fact that it's not fun to get stuck in a level because it's borderline too hard!

    Think whatever you want, but hell this game is really not fun, if atleast growing up meant something advantageous to the gameplay, but no! You still die in a few hits if not immediately! I like the concept, but damn the game needs a fix!    … Expand
  94. Laffn14
    Feb 20, 2018
    3
    Painfully average. The difficulty is rage-endusing due to it being 2-3 hits to kill Knack on Normal.
    Boring levels, repetetive chapters. The only thing holding it up is that it isnt the worst game ever, and believe it or not, it can actually be fun for like 5 minutes.
  95. AdrianTank
    May 26, 2018
    3
    The story is **** the gameplay is trash it makes me want to vomit i never even completed it, it's so boring.
  96. Xplocion
    Mar 13, 2021
    3
    The good:
    Many particles.

    The bad:
    Story like “I want to be Pixar” (and I can't). An entertaining debut game that soon ends the novelty of the particles. Much more emphasis on cinematics

    Meh !:
    As a technical demo it is good. As a Game that hooks you and opens the library of a new generation is painful. I personally don't know anyone who liked this game.
  97. ElMonforte26
    Oct 6, 2019
    3
    Plataformeo falto de emoción al igual que todos los apartados del juego, un juego debe ser mínimamente desafiante para ser divertido, o estar enfocados en la historia, estética o libertad e interacción, pero esta basura prefiere justificar la falta de diversión con que quieren abrirse a un mayor público.
  98. Xx_ammar10
    May 14, 2022
    3
    It's inferior to the sequel in literally every aspect and it's boring so not worth any dollar
  99. partyintheback
    Nov 24, 2013
    2
    Very repetitive. Knack is destined to be a forgotten mascot and rightfully so. There will never be a sequel to Knack and that's a good thing. Bland environments, very repetitive combat, lousy characters and storytelling, and not enough platforming, makes this one you want to avoid.
  100. proxskullz
    Jan 13, 2014
    2
    I find it funny how even the stupidest Sony drones can find this piece of **** fun to play it's repetitive and boring if you want a good PS4 game wait until infamous or uncharted or anything but this abomination.
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Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PS4 Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 83 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 83
  3. Negative: 28 out of 83
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Feb 13, 2014
    75
    Knack isn't a bad combat platformer, it's just mediocre. It's a kind of God of War for casual players and the fighting works actually quite well. Some boring factory levels should have been cut, though. [Jan 2014]
  2. GameCritics
    Jan 26, 2014
    40
    I have absolutely no idea what caused Knack to be the kind of game that is, because it just doesn't make any sense. Whether it's the case of being a a vanity project that went unchecked or just another could-have-been that lost its way while rushing to meet the PS4's launch date, the bottom line is that it's a misguided title too simple for adults and too difficult for children.
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  3. CD-Action
    Jan 10, 2014
    25
    An awfully boring, repetitive and uninspired game that does absolutely nothing to show PS4’s capabilities but a lot to ruin your day. [01/2014, p.66]
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