Review: Knack

With the debut of its new console, the PS4, Sony has to release as many launch titles as it can to fit the needs of a diverse audience of gamers. Killzone: Shadow Fall and Call of Duty: Ghosts are obviously for the hardcore gamers, but M rated games like those can’t fit into the family friendly mold. For that a game like Knack, developed by Sony, fills the void so you can play your PS4 while your grandparents are sitting on the sofa next to you and won’t be offended by insane violence.

GAMEPLAY

Knack is a platformer that keeps everything as simple as possible, while trying to keep gameplay on the cute level of a Nintendo game. You play as Knack, a shape shifting creature who’s body mass is made up of collected objects and relics that determine how big, small, or powerful he may be at any given time. The generic storyline centers around evil Goblins and their leader called Gundahar, who has waged war on humankind. A scientist uses ancient relics to create a being known as ‘Knack’ to defend us from them, hoping that it’s not too late.

Knack has the Bruce Banner/Hulk think going on, whereas he moves around mainly in a tiny three-feet size as he runs under laser grids and paces through air ducts, and attacks simple enemies. But when Knack finds and engulfs particular relives inside his form, he grows in various sizes from seven-feet tall to even the size of a building. As he grows, his abilities accumulate and he can take on bigger baddies and even shatter war tanks with a series of blows.

The game sort of plays out like a Sesame Street version of God of War, because Knack has similar fighting styles as his Sony homeboy Kratos, but without the blood and guts. With the right combination of acquired relics you can take on waves of baddies, and at the right points certain relics will transform your form into fire, like the Human Torch or a block of glistening ice like Iceman. This helps to mix up the style of action, but because it doesn’t have the awesome kill scenes as God of War, the payoff is not as exciting when you hit an enemy boss robot and it just explodes into tiny bits.

What the game mainly suffers from is heavy repetition and a lack of eye dazzling set pieces. Yes, the game is very colorful, but it’s trying too hard to be “Mario-like” with an edge, though that extra thing that would single it out never happens. Don’t get me wrong, there are certain visual moments when you’ll say “that was kinda cool” but for a next generation game you don’t want ‘kinda’ you want and deserve something more spectacular.

Overall, the game at times plays like it was more of a big demo, but more was added to it to make it a full game. It doesn’t show you what the PS4 can do, and doesn’t make use of the new controller properly. If you let a youngster play Knack or a non-gamer who just wants to play so they don’t feel left out, Knack will give them some moments of joy. But this is not a game for hardcore gamers and not the show-stopper to demonstrate what the PS4 can do.

GRAPHICS

Knack is at times very pretty and extremely colorful like a Nintendo game, but there is nothing here that you could not get from your current PS3. The framerate is smooth and the controls are nicely animated, but it is so kid friendly, that the sweetness can give you a toothache. There are certain cutscenes that look like they are right out of Shrek or A Bug’s Life, but nothing matches these when the actual gameplay unfolds. The highlight is seeing Knack transform to a giant smashing beast and then destroying everything in site, which is a great use of the game’s particle physics.

SOUND

The audio design is actually very well done, and goes for the tone of an animated movie, with over-the-top sound effects, and voice work where all the characters sound whiney. The music is on a loop so expect to hear the same tones over and over again until you finally make it past a level. There’s nothing really bad about how the sound is utilized, it’s just trying to be like Mario.

REPLAY VALUE

The game offers about eight to ten hours of gameplay, depending on the level of difficulty and who’s playing it. The main reason to replay the game is to get all the hidden collectibles; such as devices that you put together piece-by-piece that will get you through levels easier the second time around. Some additional special abilities will also make Knack stronger when he takes on bosses. There are also plenty of achievements that will require multiple plays to collect them all.

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Review: Knack