Knack 2 PS4 Game Review

Reviewed by Max C. on Sep 11, 2017

Rating:

Knack 2, the follow-up to the mediocre PS4 launch title, is on store shelves and better than the original. How much better? Read on at Kidzworld to see what we thought of Knack 2.

By: Max Cannon

It's impossible to discuss Knack 2 without talking about the interesting legacy of the first game. The first Knack was a game that launched with the PlayStation 4 and was far from impressive and closer to mediocre. Gamers desperate to love the games on their new PS4 talked the game up and the hyperbole made Knack an internet meme that included gamers jokingly clamoring for a sequel. The part of the meme that gamers didn't expect was if Knack 2 was actually pretty good and here we are.

Knack 2's big new addition is the game's co-op.

Picking Up The Pieces

Knack 2's story centers around a surprisingly complex war between goblins and humans but it's sadly not a very interesting story. If you're unfamiliar with the story of the first game, Knack 2 will give you a bit of insight into Knack's origins but the rest of the original's story is mostly unneeded in terms of this sequel's tale. Opening up with a flashforward in a city under siege by giant robots, Knack fights to nearly 30 feet tall to take down a behemoth of a machine. The meat of the game is figuring out how things got this bad for our hero's city.

There's a cast of characters accompanying Knack on his adventure including the lab assistant Lucas, Lucas's archaeologist Uncle Ryder, and Ava who is a Youth Leader to a group of monks. While there are a lot of characters with a wide web of connections with each other, there is a big problem with the game's dialogue. Awful one-liners are uttered by every character constantly in the most frustrating way and you can only hear Knack say cheesy jokes like "Ice is nice" or "Knack is back" so many times before being frustrated by it.

Combat is a high point in the game.

A Major Improvement

The titular Knack is a creature made of various parts that add up to either make a tiny little character at 2' 6" or a monster that can grow to over 30 feet tall. Gameplay is made up of simple brawling and light platforming that adds a reasonable level of complexity by the end. The platforming also lends itself to uncovering some of the world's secrets by shrinking yourself down to tiny Knack size and sneaking into smaller crevices to find special parts for tools or parts that can help Knack to level up his attacks.

Knack 2 - PS4 Trailer | E3 2017

A lot of Knack's moves can be powered up with certain elements found in certain worlds. Metal, Ice, and Stealth elements can surround Knack and offer him different powers that don't drastically change up gameplay but amplify the moves you'll already use. Melee is extended with longer attacks that'll do more damage, shrinking makes Knack an even harder target to hit in stealth mode which will render him invisible to environmental traps, and dropping all of your surrounding pieces when charged with an element will leave a massive Knack statue in your place to help with some overly simple button puzzles.

The game's simplicity actually works really well in the game's combat, especially toward the end, but the puzzles just feel like lengthy busy work sometimes. Pushing a block down a path to the only obvious spot will quickly become tedious for older gamers but younger gamers will have found a perfect game to play alone or with older siblings or parents. Knack 2's co-op mode really made this the definitive game for kids and parents to play together.

The game's platforming feels good and is mostly fair.

Final Thoughts

Older gamers who are play Knack 2 may want to move on because of the game's simple puzzles and weak story but younger gamers who just want a fun and pretty game to breeze on through either alone or with parents will find a lot of fun in Knack 2's sizable 12-hour campaign. Knack 2 surpasses the original game in almost every imaginable way and results in a pretty good, if not great, game especially for families.