- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Release Date: May 21, 2021
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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May 24, 2021I can’t get enough of Knockout City. Velan Studios put an impressive amount of work into a confluence of themes and mechanics that all work together in harmony for a symphony that resonates with a rubbery thwack. Everything feels polished to a degree that is rather monumental for a day one launch, and their plans to support Knockout City for the foreseeable future will ensure it stays downloaded on my hard drive. Every once in a while, a special game comes along that redefines the rules; that finds a unique concept that nobody knew they wanted, but that everyone ends up loving. Knockout City is one of those special games, a passion project built on originality that will surely go on to be bigger than anybody could have initially imagined.
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May 25, 2021Knockout City is a brilliant multiplayer brawler. Its well-balanced, skill-based gameplay is a joy, providing players with surprising depth just beneath the surface. While the number of maps and modes on day one is fairly small, the fun factor means this doesn't really matter, and updates will bring extra content to the game post-launch anyway. With a ton of customisation options, rewarding progression, and constantly engaging matches, this is knockout by name, knockout by nature.
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May 24, 2021Knockout City is a rollicking good time, restructuring dodgeball into a competitive team sport that anyone can enjoy. Appropriate for all audiences, there is plenty of fun here for casuals and the hardcore crowd alike. Knockout City leaves plenty of room for the game to grow and expand, making it a solid platform for success as a living game. Bright, cheery, inclusive fun.
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May 21, 2021It feels like a lot of care has been put into Knockout City. The gameplay offers a satisfying loop, and the amount of customisation is staggering. As time ticks on, Knockout City could prove to be a big hit.
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Jun 27, 2021Approachable, but surprisingly deep, Knockout City is one of 2021’s biggest surprises and a refreshing take on the team-based competitive multiplayer genre.
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CD-ActionJul 23, 2021A wicked, Rocket League-inspired fiesta that cleverly translates dodgeball into a fast-paced multiplayer game. With the variety of balls (and player’s ability to become one!), throwing, catching, knocking each other out, and avoiding city traffic, it’s pure fun. However, to enjoy the game to the fullest, be sure to gather a proper team instead of playing with randoms. [08/2021, p.38]
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PLAYJul 5, 2021Dodgeball meets platformer, and makes an enjoyable PvP baby. Easy to understand, much less easy to avoid getting a ball in the face. Don’t dodge this one. [Issue#3, p.152]
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Jun 25, 2021As accessible as it is addictive, Knockout City is a pleasant surprise. The surprisingly deep gameplay will keep you playing for a long time, even if the lack of variety might at times put a bit of a damper on the proceedings.
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Jun 16, 2021Knockout City might seem generic at first glance but beneath the plasticky models and Fortnite-esque visuals, there’s a tense game of cat and mouse that’s oddly compelling. Many people will be put off by the visuals, but this is a competitive shooter at its core, and it could be one of the more interesting releases to have surfaced this year.
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Jun 9, 2021Knockout City is fun, fast and fresh, and even though it sounds like I'm describing a deodorant, it's also the perfect way to describe this just-as-perfect summer game.
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Jun 8, 2021We probably have our game for the summer with Knockout City . Refreshing, invigorating, accessible and endowed with a huge potential, the title developed by Velan Studios has something to convince you, in particular thanks to a certain replayability, especially with friends. If its look will divide, the content is there : it remains to be fleshed out so as not to exceed the status of simple summer hit.
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Jun 2, 2021Knockout City is both easy to pick up and deviously simple in its design, hiding a layer of complexity behind more casual gameplay that fans will discover the more they become invested in it. There's some standard launch-month polishing left to be done still, but Knockout City lands more hits than misses with its high-stakes gameplay and cunning combat, resulting in a multiplayer experience that's both fun and intense at any given moment.
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May 31, 2021I have played many online multiplayer games in my time, but Knockout City has made a better first impression than most. With its easy-to-understand mechanics, along with the complex mind games involved in almost any interaction, it is very satisfying for quick play sessions. Despite some technical issues and a lack of single-player content and diverse game modes, what is there at launch is a lot of fun so far. Hopefully Velan Studios has more plans to expand the scope of Knockout City further with new maps and cosmetic options over time.
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May 28, 2021Knockout City's greatest strengths lie in its simplicity, but also in the ways it remixes traditional multiplayer elements to create something distinct. Its easy-going nature and straightforward mechanics reduce the time it takes to feel invested in each match, but it's really the subtle complexity underneath that keeps the action engaging and compelling over long play sessions. There's certainly room for improvement with the game's rotating match modes and some of its special ball types, but Knockout City nails the fundamentals to create multiplayer fun that will likely hook you for a long time to come.
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May 24, 2021Whether you’re a fan of multiplayer games or not, it’s hard to not recommend Knockout City. Velan has developed an exciting and refreshing take on an often overlooked sport, with varied and fun game modes and tight controls that lead to matches you will remember long after finishing. Right now Knockout City is great and I am excited to see where it will go in the future.
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May 21, 2021Knockout City has surprised me. It has all the ingredients of a successful multiplayer game: an enjoyable core gameplay mechanic, a high skill ceiling, and the promise of continuous and meaningful support. It’s the type of game I could easily see becoming a popular esport. If you’re after a new competitive online game to play that’s fun and rewards teamwork, be sure to give it a try. If you’re an EA Play or Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you don’t even need to pay anything for it. Velan Studios has taken the simple concept of dodgeball and turned into one of the most original and enjoyable multiplayer games I’ve played in quite a while.
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May 24, 2021Velan Studios’ Knockout City is a fun game that anyone can pick up and play. It has everything it needs to be a go-to competitive game that is destined to find its way regularly on an Esports schedule. If the promised content is consistently delivered, then it will certainly stick around for years to come.
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May 21, 2021Knockout City is a fun multiplayer video game that takes advantage of a well-designed playability, and very accessible mechanics that work very well. Considering it's a game as a service, it is inevitable that the question arises as to whether it will have enough personality to be considered a success, and although the base is good and the developers have great plans for the future, there are certain superficial elements that deserve to be explored in greater depth.
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May 21, 2021Knockout City manages to stand out as a multiplayer in the field of gameplay thanks to a different, but familiar premise. Its accessibility invites everyone to participate, but it is in other aspects where it stumbles. A series of business decisions relegate his formula to something fun, but one that could have accomplished much more.
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Jun 7, 2021Knockout City plays with some interesting ideas to turn Dodgeball into a simple competitive shooter, but it's clear Velan Studios has spent more time building a robust microtransaction system than appealing content.
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May 26, 2021Knockout City is a balanced title and a fun game to play: victory or defeat is defined by your skills and not classes, perks or anything that gives players an advantage above others. Even so, with its current game modes, there is little motivation to keep fighting dodgeball style.
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May 24, 2021While we may regret the screaming artistic direction and the game modes that lack craziness, we cannot deny that the core gameplay of Knockout City is really fun and well thought out. By putting aim aside in favor of feints and co-op, the title from Velan Games offers an exhilarating experience with real personality. Everything loses in clarity once in close combat, of course, but does not spoil the experience for all that. Knockout City is a highly recommendable experience.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Jun 2, 2021Velan Studios transposes the sport of dodgeball into what's a fun, friendly shooter that bears no arms, though it currently lacks legs.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 27 out of 53
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Mixed: 19 out of 53
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Negative: 7 out of 53
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May 31, 2021
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May 22, 2021
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Jun 24, 2023Knockout City is a team-based competitive multiplayer video game.
+ Fun Multiplayer