Ryan Davies
Knack has left me a little confused. While at times the game is awkward, annoying, uninspired, and even boring, it also manages to be fun, beautiful and rewarding at others. In the end though, if the question is would I recommend this game, the answer would probably be no. The local co-op is a great addition but not enough to sell the game (let alone a new console), while the gameplay is so old-fashioned you might as well dig out the PS1 and play Crash Bandicoot instead.
Single-player and multiplayer combined, this is a good package, and certainly one of the highlights of the PS4 launch titles. Unfortunately, it's also a highly typical launch game, in that it does little to actually provide a truly next-gen experience.
Some clever puzzles are interspersed with more exciting challenges that are interesting when playing both alone and with friends. There's nothing particularly new on offer here, but it's a decent platform puzzle game, especially on the software-short PS4.
Unless you know you love pinball already, I'd say it's a bit of a gamble. Zen have also included demos of each table, though, so feel free to try them at your own leisure. Overall, this an experience worth trying at the very least, and buying even if it's just for the split-screen.
Even if you really invest in the digital people you're interacting with, there just isn't enough variety in the gameplay to have a truly enjoyable experience. This is an interesting experimental game, and also an acute demonstration of human manipulation. If nothing else, Redshirt will make you appreciate the power of your online actions.
Enough time, energy and money has been spent on creating Ghosts that it's still a decent game in its own right, but eight games on from COD4, this series seriously needs a revolution to get it back on track as the FPS king.
Black Flag presents a game world that is wonderfully historic, yet incredibly fun. Being a pirate is one of those childhood fantasies I'd love to live and ACIV brings me one step closer. Probably as close as I'm going to get without the help of an actual animus.