Knack

Sony’s just lifted the embargo on its next generation console, meaning that a flood of PlayStation 4 review scores are starting to hit the online airwaves. While you’ll have to sit tight for a few more days while we ready our opinion, we’ve compiled some of the key verdicts for Japan Studio’s platforming throwback Knack in the space below. Sadly, early impressions aren’t looking pretty for the shape-shifting star.

IGN - 5.9/10

Playing Knack is like watching a dull movie on a plane – it's tolerable if all you want is a way to pass the time, but it's not something you'd seek out for its own sake. I finished in about 11 hours and, challenges, co-op, and secrets aside, there's just not much here worth recommending. Sure, some individual elements show potential, particularly when the scale of the encounters changes as Knack grows, but it never moves beyond playing it safe with the concepts or the characters.

Eurogamer - 4/10

Perhaps time was a factor, or perhaps Mark Cerny – the PS4 visionary who also led development of this game – is a better programmer and system architect than he is a writer and creative director. Whatever the answer, Knack isn't the kind of game you'll want to take home with your PS4. I'm all in favour of games that transport us back to the good old days of vibrant originality, but Knack simply doesn't.

Joystiq - 1.5/5

There's a danger of these complaints being interpreted as an adverse reaction to Knack's simplicity, style of graphics or wildly oscillating challenge – as a case of "it's just not for you." That, however, would mean that some people are content with slogging through a monotonous, charmless game just because it's pitched at their level. Knack fails to capitalize on its own ideas and structure, and is successful only in acting as a reminder of the shallow, punishing platformers of a time when we really cared about how many bits there were on your console.

Destructoid - 7/10

All of that said, Knack is still a fun romp, and definitely worth a play. It’s easy to pick up, a joy to look at, and some of the boss battles are pretty great. My recommendation is that you take it in smaller doses, or try out the drop-in/drop-out cooperative play, which will definitely help when the going gets tough.

Polygon - 6/10

Knack has too little going on over its 12 hour length. The core concepts are strong – it's fun to watch Knack grow bigger and smash things. The incredible imagination promised by the dawn of new hardware is on display in Knack. But the moments of payoff come too infrequently to make plodding through another three dozen frustrating enemies any less tedious.


Have these initial reviews prevented you from picking up Knack at launch? Are you going to venture ahead with the old-school adventure anyway? Fight back in the comments section below.