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. AnobuSinkai
    Nov 15, 2013
    8
    One of the first games I picked up at launch. Slow to start but once it starts you really start to enjoy seeing the character's. It has Its humor. Best part is its children friendly so I do not have to worry about any blood and gore. It reminds me of a old school crash game, but with the Graphics of the ps4. Great buy for the whole family. Best of all two kids or more? It has co-op. endsOne of the first games I picked up at launch. Slow to start but once it starts you really start to enjoy seeing the character's. It has Its humor. Best part is its children friendly so I do not have to worry about any blood and gore. It reminds me of a old school crash game, but with the Graphics of the ps4. Great buy for the whole family. Best of all two kids or more? It has co-op. ends the fighting over who plays first.… Expand
  2. Jetfire-
    Nov 15, 2013
    8
    Knack is not here to break ground. It is not here to blow your mind, or win game of the year. It is not here to be critically acclaimed or sell 10 million copes.

    It is here to do one thing, to let you have fun. Not bogged down by complicated plots, combat upgrades, blah blah blah. Its beauty is in its simplicity, and with that being said this game is damn beautiful. It will challenge    Knack is not here to break ground. It is not here to blow your mind, or win game of the year. It is not here to be critically acclaimed or sell 10 million copes.

    It is here to do one thing, to let you have fun.

    Not bogged down by complicated plots, combat upgrades, blah blah blah. Its beauty is in its simplicity, and with that being said this game is damn beautiful. It will challenge you veterans and entertain the beginners. It has some real difficulty woven into its fabric but it never becomes frustrating, it also always down to the players mistakes, I never felt robbed or betrayed by the games mechanics.

    This is old school platform gaming, revived into a new generation, it is ridiculous amounts of fun. Do not be put off by the reviews who did not understand the wave this game chose to ride, just ride along side it and enjoy yourself in the process.

    Game on.    … Expand
  3. Ahlan
    Nov 15, 2013
    10
    This game is a must buy for people who love games like Mario, Jak, Banjo-Kazooie and Ratchet and clank.

    Gameplay: Solid, simple, responsive and smooth.It has simple and uncomplicated controls to introduce children to console-based gaming. the game is around 10 hours on normal difficulty. You can upgrade Knack’s abilities and sizes.different materials and elements, which supplement    This game is a must buy for people who love games like Mario, Jak, Banjo-Kazooie and Ratchet and clank.

    Gameplay: Solid, simple, responsive and smooth.It has simple and uncomplicated controls to introduce children to console-based gaming. the game is around 10 hours on normal difficulty. You can upgrade Knack’s abilities and sizes.different materials and elements, which supplement Knack’s health and size. Example crystal for stealth ability, Ice and wood.

    Graphics: The graphics are gorgeous, pixel art like. Very colorful and vivid scenery. The physics are awesome, Knack's body is composed of individually rendered relics and you can see each piece connecting.

    Multiplayer: 2-Player Coop Multiplayer and i have to says its extremely FUN in coop!

    I gave this game a 10/10 because i like it and im having a blast playing coop with my kid.    … Expand
  4. RoboKabutops
    Nov 4, 2019
    10
    This game is a mastapiece, it has an epic story, great visuals, one of the best characters ever created. Sadly knack only went on to sell three copies.
  5. 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.
  6. ImBored58
    Dec 2, 2020
    10
    KNACK BAYBEE
    this game has it all
    dog graphics, expert gameplay, and a story that rivals the last of us
    peepee
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. Mattaclysm
    Nov 25, 2013
    7
    Don't understand how or why this game got bashed so hard. It's not bad it's just not great. It's a decent launch title for what it's worth and a lot more fun then Killzone Shadow Fall. Graphics and sprites are nice and the game itself kept me interesting the whole way through. That being said it may not be worth the price tag it offers very little in terms of replay value but it would haveDon't understand how or why this game got bashed so hard. It's not bad it's just not great. It's a decent launch title for what it's worth and a lot more fun then Killzone Shadow Fall. Graphics and sprites are nice and the game itself kept me interesting the whole way through. That being said it may not be worth the price tag it offers very little in terms of replay value but it would have been a solid pick up via the closest bargain bin.… Expand
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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.
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. NoRecourse
    Nov 16, 2013
    9
    Fun platformer. Not overly difficult for young players. Simple mechanics that allow for a low barrier of entry. The story line needs a bit of improvement but my kids don't seem to care. This is their go to game. Difficult setting proves more of a challenge for experienced gamers.
    Visually Knack delivers. Pixar quality animation with a strong, early showing of what the nextgen can do. This    Fun platformer. Not overly difficult for young players. Simple mechanics that allow for a low barrier of entry. The story line needs a bit of improvement but my kids don't seem to care. This is their go to game. Difficult setting proves more of a challenge for experienced gamers.
    Visually Knack delivers. Pixar quality animation with a strong, early showing of what the nextgen can do. This is just the beginning and as developers have more time to explore the hardware I'm sure we will see some real innovation come about. For now., Knack is a pleasing addition to my game library.    … Expand
  27. llLeonhart
    Nov 15, 2013
    7
    Knack certainly has surprised me in a good way, after several bad reviews I almost didn't buy it, but I'm glad I did it, it's a game that is focused mainly on a younger audience, but that's no reason a mature gamer can't enjoy it, it's not the best launch for the ps4, but it's certainly a good time killer when you have nothing better to play.
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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.
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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

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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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