Knack 2 review (PS4)

Long, repetitive, but saved by stellar platforming


I missed out on the first Knack game, partly because I never got the PS4 at launch, and partly because other games have been of higher priority to me, despite its very low price. But I decided to dip into Knack 2 because I wanted to play something that wasn't overly complex, and the platforming looked good from the videos I had seen.

Like most platform games the story is bare bones and badly told. In the most basic terms, an army of goblins and robots have invaded the world and it's up to Knack to try and find out how to stop it. Knack, for those of you who don't know, is made from ancient relics that give him mysterious powers, the more that he collects the more power he has. He's also able to separate himself from these relics so his size is much smaller, alternating size is a big factor in the gameplay and the puzzle solving.

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Knack 2 works in two ways, one part of the game sees you play as Knack in his larger and complete form, smashing up baddies as he moves from one section to the next. At various points the enemies can be a little frustrating, not because they are difficult but because they tend to appear in large swathes all at once, and unlike most platformers the AI is noticeably quite aggressive.

There is a skill tree where you can upgrade your abilities, but to be honest the techniques you gain don't really switch the game up too much, they just make it easier to banish the enemies. There are also power ups that you gain for the purpose of puzzle solving, one example is the ability to transform the relics into a statue to hold down a ground switch so Knack can press the other switch or walk through a door. It's those kind of puzzles you'll come across, there's nothing that is particularly hard, you just have to pay attention to your surroundings. If you ever do get stumped it won't be long before the game gives you a hint.

The second aspect of the game is playing as Knack in his smaller, miniature form. I love this part of the game because this is where the platforming takes centre stage. The platforming is in the vein of getting past obstacles and reaching places you can't when you're fully formed. With the help of the fixed camera, the character controls really well and mistakes don't feel cheap.

The intricacy of the two play styles is the game's saving grace, alternating between the two to solve puzzles is pretty damn fun. It certainly breaks up the dominant beat em up aspect of the game, which does become monotonous the further you get. In fact the beat em up part of the game reminded me a lot of Sonic Unleashed, it's not bad it just becomes repetitive beating up the same enemy types with an underwhelming move set that brings little excitement while you're doing them.

You are presented with some Quick Time Events at various moments, and they are in no way difficult, they literally require minimal reaction time. To be honest I think they've just been included to mix the game up and show off some cinematic set-pieces.

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The game is visually impressive but its aesthetic is bland, the worlds you explore are generic and uninspiring. There's decent interaction with the locales you visit but the colour palette is pretty dull. This is in no way a distraction from the overall fun, but for a game of its type it could have been better with a more cartoon look to it. Compare this to last year's Ratchet and Clank, and it really does come up short.

While it's only a minor gripe, the human character designs are a bit odd looking, they remind me of the humans in Pixar movies but without the world to fit them into.

**

There is a co-op mode that I did not delve into, and you can also go back and roll your abilities over into a new game as soon as you have finished it for the first time, so there is some replay value.

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Verdict: 

Knack 2 is a decent platformer, nothing more, nothing less, and that's not a bad thing when you consider how much the genre has kind of disappeared until the recent nostalgia trips of Yooka Laylee and Crash N.Sane trilogy. And I enjoyed this game more than the two of them, It's just a shame that moments of brilliant platforming can't hide its flaws, and the fact that it outstays its welcome once you get to a certain point.

I would recommend this for anyone who likes platform games, and most importantly it would be a great gift for a child. If they like the Lego games, they will be right at home here.

6.5