Knack 2 Reviews
In the absence of an epic tale, a torrent of doodads to collect, or some time-devouring crafting system—all the fixtures big business gaming says you need to survive today—Knack 2 just works.
While Knack remains an uninspired protagonist, Knack II's gameplay more than makes up for his bland character. Vast improvements in combat, visual fidelity, platforming, and the addition of cooperative play realize much of the potential the original Knack was meant to achieve. Knack II is a fine example of how a sequel can improve on its predecessor in nearly every way.
Knack 2 is an improvement on the original game across the board with a better balance between brawling and platforming, though it's not without its flaws.
Knack 2 is a bloated experience that no one asked for. Sony Computer Entertainment Japan can be credited with improving over the first game, but that's not saying much.
Knack 2 is the proper way to do a sequel. The ideas are solid and platform games of this quality are few and far between.
It is ostensibly still Knack though, bland characters and all, so if you disliked the first game for its weak story, this isn't going to win you over. It's not a must-have, but as a cheap, easy-to-grasp game to entertain you or your kids for a short while, you can't go too wrong with Knack 2.
Knack II looks and plays better than the original, and some scenes with QTE are really felt epic. But boring and repetitive sections of levels, monotonous platforming and flat plot disappointed us. However, if you plan to play a game in a co-op and you liked the original project, then you can add an extra score to our final rating.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Leaving its predecessors legacy far behind, Knack has seriously grown up and become the platformer we deserved all along.
Knack 2 is far from a perfect game. The level design is sometimes a mess and the graphics looks dated. Despite that, the game manage to be fun, especially if you play together with your kid.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Who would have thought it? Knack 2 is a genuinely great game. The huge breadth of combat options on offer make for a far better experience than anything the initial outing could ever offer, and with a much bigger focus on platforming, the title can start to lay claim to the promises of a Crash Bandicoot successor. Even if you were completely turned off by the original adventure, make sure you give Knack 2 a fair shot because what you find may pleasantly surprise you.
If Knack's track record has you worried, I'll say this; Mark Cerny and company heard the complaints, and this is their response.
All in all, I found Knack 2 to be a curious experience. It certainly has the ingredients for a successful action-platformer from a production and mechanical perspective. Like a dish that does not quite come out perfectly, however, its various elements don’t mix as well as they should have. The platforming is solid for the most part and certain aspects of the game are definitely impressive on a technical level. That being said, the lack of an emotional connection to its characters made me feel like I was playing an extended technology demo at times.
Knack 2 falters when it stops reinventing elements from other games and starts cannibalizing itself.
Knack II completely eclipses its predecessor with a revamped combat system, gorgeous visuals, and a new focus on platforming and puzzles.
Knack II is a better game than its predecessor; it has improved gameplay mechanics, nice additions and some corrections that were needed from the previous game. However, it still suffers from many flaws that were present in the past - like little challenge, absurd story or linear levels - that tarnishes most of its improvements. It is fun to play but an inconsequential experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Knack 2 makes better use of its protagonist's abilities – and like any good sequel, throws a few more into the mix – but there isn't much story to support the revamped gameplay. Even so, excellent sound and level design get Knack over the line.
Knack 2 silences naysayers with innovative puzzle-platforming, even if its combat can't keep up.
Knack II fixes many of the problems of its predecessor, delivering a fun action-platformer worthy of giving this series a second chance. The story is still a bit bare-boned, but the gameplay alone will be enough to keep you going until you see the end credits.
Knack 2 is an improvement on the first game in every way possible. Mark Cerny and his team have proven that they can take criticism, iterate on it, and then give players even more for their money than was expected.