Knack was set up to be a new generation PlayStation mascot. Following in the footsteps of Crash, Ratchet and even Sackboy, he was a loveable creature, though the game was perhaps anything but loveable.
It’s perhaps one of the most average things I’ve ever played, and despite one or two brilliant sections and some great particle effects as Knack grew from a creature made from a few relics to a colossal beast made of thousands, the game was marred with lots of repetition and generally poor gameplay, along with a side helping of bad environment textures.
It was such a shame too, as there was a genuine basis for something decent, or even fantastic here. The central mechanic worked well, and if difficulties hadn’t been so strange – easy was too easy, normal was hard, and hard was one hit KOs – it would’ve and could’ve been a big hit with the kids.
I reviewed the game, and scored it 5/10, concluding:
Knack is a game with some solid core mechanics which cry out for a bit more polish and a lot more variety in the gameplay. While changing size is truly amazing, it doesn’t bring enough in the table to make the lengthy game fun, and it becomes quite tired after the halfway mark.
There’s some great design here, but it’s joined by some poor choices and visuals. While children may have a blast, the difficulty and controls are a bit strange, as if they weren’t designed with them in mind but everything else was. It’s just utterly average and repetitive, despite there being an underlying potential for something superb.
I do hope Knack comes back in some shape or form, and they make a more distinct and fun platformer which doesn’t feel outdated or generally poor. If his potential is realised, a great new wave of 3D platformers could be begin. And we all want that.
But what did you think of the game? I can imagine this splitting opinion – there will be those who hated it but others may have found genuine enjoyment in Knack’s debut, perhaps not worrying about the repetitive nature.
So, just leave a comment below, with a paragraph or two about the game. Then, add a Buy It, Bargain Bin It, Rent It or Avoid It rating on the end, and if you get your comment in before Sunday afternoon then we might include it in next week’s Verdict round-up.
TSBonyman
I just couldn’t figure out what it was meant to be or who it was aimed at, a hardcore game for kids? If the gameplay had been styled along the lines of Jak&Daxter or Ratchet&Clank i would have been interested but instead it seemed a throwback to a much more basic style of game. It just seemed a strange choice for a AAA launch game for a next generation console. I might eventually pick it up out of curiosity in which case it will be Bargain Bin.
CrawFail
For me it was a game I bought for PS4 so the gf had something to play..and to justify getting one!
Anyway, she hasn’t played it so I gave it a go and probably won’t end up finishing it. The repetition is a bit much..same surroundings for the best part of an hour in (as far as I’ve got). It’s also a little bit more difficult than I was expecting for a kids game, something I’d expect to fly though.
There are too many really dull areas which I kept dying at, adding to the frustration even further. “DAMMIT, GET ME PAST THIS PART SO I DON’T HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DRAB LOCATION AGAIN”, wanting to rush through it to get to a part that was more visually appealing.
It’s a bit The Bouncer on PS2..shows off some graphical capabilities and frame rate improvements from the last generation but is hampered by crap gameplay and level design for the most part.
CrawFail
Sorry..
Avoid. Unless you have a kid or a woman in the house. And even then don’t pay more than £10 for it.
JR.
This game was frustrating as hell on the harder difficulties. If I put a pound in a jar every time I cursed at this game on ‘very hard’ difficulty, I’d be a millionaire. Yet, as annoying as it was, I still enjoyed the game a lot. There was a great feeling of accomplishment when you finally made it through a particularly tough section after countless re-tries and several expletive outbursts. It was refreshing. Games can be overly forgiving these days so it was nice to feel the pain again from the PS1/PS2 days.
Knack did have it’s problems. The story was weak, characters were forgettable and the fixed camera was an issue for me at first. You get the feeling that they just didn’t have the time to expand or improve on the basics as the release deadline fast approached. That said, the game is finished to a high standard and I didn’t experience a single bug or glitch during my 4-5 playthroughs.
I’m not saying Knack is a fantastic, must play game but it isn’t nearly as bad as people would have you believe. It’s a charming, little, old school adventure game (you don’t get many of those nowadays) and has great replayability. I enjoyed it enough to play through 4-5 times for the platinum and I wouldn’t put myself through that if it wasn’t fun.
The original £50 retail price was probably asking a bit too much for this game but if you can find it for £30, BUY IT.
Spence1115
I really enjoyed the game. Sure it wasn’t anything particularly new, but that’s what I expected, and it made me feel like I was playing old style platformers again! I completed it on Hard and it was fine, so I don’t think it was ever really that difficult.
Dominic Leighton
I loved it, though I genuinely can’t say why. The checkpointing is awful, Knack’s voice is just wrong, and the story is incredibly basic but still I think it has been my favourite PS4 game so far (and I’ve enjoyed a good number).
Perhaps it’s the graphics, which I thought were great, or maybe the old-school gameplay and challenge that you don’t see very often anymore. Either way, I’d buy it again, and I must have really enjoyed it as when I got to the end I was sad that it had finished.
Gaztee
It’s the game I’ve played most on my ps4. I really don’t get all the negative press for the game. My only real gripe was having to farm the diamond relics, which was a pain in the ass. Personally after sinking over 60 hours into it I can only say BUY IT, especially as its now dropped in price :)
Lyts1985
I found the concept brilliant and it had buckets of potential but it turned out very dull, repetitive, and needlessly punishing. I hated the first hour while I was trying to get to grips with it but felt compelled to finish it just to say I’d given it a fair shot. I have absolutely no desire to revisit it for the platinum… I enjoy a challenge but for a game aimed at a younger audience it’s ridiculous! Not so much challenging as outright frustrating.
The final verdict is a tough choice… It’s nothing special, gameplay is dull and repetitive, graphics are not what I expected from “next gen”, and the difficulty is ludicrous considering the genre and target audience, but, all that said, it clearly appeals to some so I’d have to say RENT IT