Knack (video game)

Knack
European cover art
Developer(s)	SCE Japan Studio
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment
Director(s)	Mark Cerny
Producer(s)	Yusuke Watanabe
Platform(s)	PlayStation 4
Genre(s)	Action platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player, co-op,

Knack is an action platform video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Japan Studio in cooperation with game director Mark Cerny. It was officially announced by Cerny on February 20, 2013 during PlayStation Meeting 2013 in New York City. They have announced Knack as a launch title for the PlayStation 4. It was also the first ever gameplay from the PS4 shown publicly during the PlayStation Meeting 2013. The game was released on November 5, 2013 in North America, and will be released in Europe on November 29, 2013, and in Japan on February 22, 2014.

Gameplay

During the game, Knack discovers that he has a skill (hence, knack) that allows him to incorporate ice, metal and other substances into his body, giving him new abilities from level to level. Game director Mark Cerny describes the gameplay as "a little bit like Crash Bandicoot and Katamari Damacy, with a touch of God of War".

Plot

War has been brought against mankind by a resurgent species known as Goblins, led by Gundahar. A human doctor, who studied ancient relics from a long lost civilization for many years, finally found a way to bind them together and give them consciousness. The result was Knack, a creature with mysterious powers. For example, he can incorporate more relics into his body as he finds them, which allows him to transform from a three-foot tall creature into a gigantic wrecking machine. The doctor believes that Knack will be an invaluable asset in the war against the Goblins, until it becomes clear that an even greater danger is posed by elements of the human community.

Knack's Quest

To promote the launch of the PS4 game, Sony Computer Entertainment and Japan Studio released a free mobile game called Knack's Quest on November 6, 2013. The game is a tile-matching puzzle video game for iOS and Android devices. The game allows connectivity with players' PlayStation Network accounts to unlock special relics within the main game.

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	59/100

Review scores

Publication	Score
Eurogamer	4/10
GameSpot	4/10
IGN	5.9/10

Knack has received mixed critical reception, with a metacritic score of 59/100. Steve Butts of IGN gave the game a 5.9 praising the concept and the hero but criticizing the gameplay and the story by saying "Knack's shifting size is a great idea that never really grows into anything substantial". Also Tom McShea of GameSpot gave the game a poor rating of 4.0 praising some elements of the game, but criticizing again the story and the gameplay. Eurogamer gave Knack 4/10, criticising the lack of depth in gameplay and the checkpoint balancing.

On the other Hand, Game Informer's Matt Helgeson gave the game an 8.25/10, stating that it's "not the most innovative or the most visually dazzling game. This won't be the one you put in to show off your new console to your friends. However, when you're done with the prettied-up versions of the big franchises, you'll find yourself wanting to return to Knack. It's got charm and heart, and offers a whole lot of good gameplay. Ultimately, that's still what's important - no matter which generation we're in." The Financial Post's Chad Sapieha tells that it "even with its not-quite-fully-delivered-upon promise – may still be worth picking up." and gave it a 7.5/10. Destructoid's Dale North gave it a 7/10 and calls it "A fun romp, and definitely worth a play. It’s easy to pick up, a joy to look at, and 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."