Knack Reviews

Knack is ranked in the 12th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Nov 20, 2013

With the difficulty dropped down to easy, Knack might find a place among younger gamers/new PS4 owners, but it's a tough recommendation otherwise.

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Guardian
Top Critic
Nov 28, 2013

This cute action-adventure effort adds a non-hardcore dimension to the PS4's launch line-up, but its graphics and gameplay fail to convince

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2013

Knack is a charming romp, but not one I could recommend shelling out full price for.

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Nov 13, 2013

Knack is a colorful, but mediocre platformer that has issues with repetitive gameplay on top of being frustratingly difficult at times.

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3.5 / 10.0
Dec 4, 2013

Knack is not only a miserably boring action game, but it features one of the worst heroes ever made. Knack is easy to kill, stupid looking and part of an adventure that will never end. This PlayStation 4 game is too difficult for kids and too generic for adults. It's a disappointing failure on just about every level.

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6 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2013

Knack desperately wants to be the 3D platformers of old, but dull combat and a half-hearted story leave it difficult to recommend.

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4 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2013

"I couldn't get through it. I wound up frustrated, bored and tired far too quickly for my own liking."

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Nov 20, 2013

Knack has its moments, and PlayStation 4 owners starved for something to play on their shiny new console will appreciate that the game actually becomes more fun to play the second time around, allowing it to keep players busy during the several month drought that seems to follow every system launch. But had Knack released as it plays now at any time other than a new system's launch, it would have been overlooked and overshadowed without a second glance.

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7 / 10
Nov 20, 2013

Knack offers a refreshing return to the PSone platformers of old. The title may not be particularly ambitious, but it has a nostalgic quality that can make it difficult to put down. Checkpoint hiccups, framerate issues, and difficulty spikes prevent it from reaching its maximum potential – but much like the titular hero himself, the title will definitely grow on you.

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72 / 100
Nov 18, 2013

No matter how linear or repetitive the levels are you'll still enjoy taking everything in. Knack manages to be magical regardless of its weaknesses and personally I hope the little relic monster gets another chance to shine in a future title.

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Nov 17, 2013

Knack's basic gameplay foundation is a solid one, but with extremely poor, numbingly repetitive level design and an absolutely absurd difficulty level, it is mostly an exercise in frustration, and one of the unfortunate low points of the PS4 launch lineup.

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4.5 / 10.0
Nov 28, 2013

Knack is not at all indicative of the PlayStation 4's potential. The gameplay and the storytelling are banal even by last-gen standards.

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Nov 25, 2013

It's an extremely entertaining time knocking around some goblins, and this game will even serve as a nice alternative to the typical shooters we saw at launch.

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Nov 19, 2013

Take away the expectations and graphical power, and you're left with a simple, but often charming button masher.

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EGM
Top Critic
4.5 / 10.0
Nov 17, 2013

Knack, while conceptually interesting, never rises above being an OK platformer without any real positive memorable aspects, but plenty of frustrating ones. If you've ever wondered what a tech demo turned into a full-fledged game would be like, Knack is—or very much feels—like that.

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6 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2013

Knack is technically impressive with its utilization of extreme particle physics and bringing to life what could have easily been a Dreamworks animated film, but the gameplay does little to really satisfy. Players who seek a challenge may find enjoyment in tackling the tougher difficulties, but most won't find enough satisfying game or story behind the technical demonstration to warrant classifying this as a great PS4 experience. If you simply can't wait for more PS4 releases, Knack isn't a terrible game, but it will be forgotten very quickly as more titles beyond the launch period are released.

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5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2013

That's "Knack's" bottom line. It's a solid concept with horrible execution. I can't recommend paying $60 for this bare-boned experience, when it feels more like a $20 digital download title. If "Knack" does well enough to warrant a sequel, lets hope they rebuild him.

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5 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2013

Knack is one of the launch titles for the long-awaited PlayStation 4. Being a launch title, there's some pressure for it to perform well and become a sort of benchmark for future console-exclusive games. With Mark Cerny and SCE Japan Studios at the hem, Knack's got the kind of backing and developer pedigree that should make it a hit. But, as with Knack's size, our enjoyment proved to grow and diminish with each minute spent in the game.

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7 / 10.0
Dec 19, 2013

Though it fails to live up to the promise of its biggest ideas, Knack is a good game, a solid a challenging old-school adventure for gamers young and old.

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7 / 10
Dec 4, 2013

A charming adventure, Knack will also push your frustrations to the limit with the occasional cheap death and discouraging checkpoints that will force you to replay sections of each chapter. Combat can be broken down into punching everything in sight, but the challenge is welcomed for those looking for a throwback to classic games that weren't afraid about being labeled as hard.

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