I seem to be in defensive, "mode", huh? Maybe I need to look at my own post history.
And for the record, I won't go near any Xbone review threads because I barely care about reviews and certainly don't care about reviews on a system I won't own for a long time - if ever.
Here is my own personal video review for Knack. Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyoPubbon6g
Good stuff, man
Thank you sir. I really came away surprised with how much I enjoyed this title even with its issues at hand.
Thank you sir. I really came away surprised with how much I enjoyed this title even with its issues at hand.
That's the spirit.
Of course this game have some issue and of course this game don't pretend to be a masterpiece, but I really, really enjoyed it, because the game is nice and have some nice moments.
The game also fails as a high-profile PS4 launch title in terms of what its putting onscreen. The particle effects serve their purpose, but everything from the vapid story sequences to the hackneyed goblin foes feels blandly feeble. A chapter setting entitled The Barren Wastes? Yes, you think, no need to ram it home.
About halfway through the game you encounter an area strewn with a dozen or so crates, so naturally you smash them all open. Just one box reveals anything of value. Its an effort/reward ratio that feels entirely out of kilter for a game of this style, and one that reasonably sums up Knack as a whole.
3/10 in EDGE. Ouch!
I can see it. The game gets tiring to play very quickly due to it's repetitive, simple nature. The simple gameplay mechanics are... pretty mediocre, and very unpolished. It has AWFUL jumping mechanics. The way the sprites interact with the world is some amateur Unity project level of awful. It's bland visuals do not justify how poor it runs. And it's just not as charming as it wishes to be.Oh please even if you didn't like the game there is no way this game is even close to that type of score and from that quote sounds like a load of crap.
I can see it. The game gets tiring to play very quickly due to it's repetitive, simple nature. The simple gameplay mechanics are... pretty mediocre, and very unpolished. It has AWFUL jumping mechanics. The way the sprites interact with the world is some amateur Unity project level of awful. It's bland visuals do not justify how poor it runs. And it's just not as charming as it wishes to be.
Take that, and run it through Edge's system of reviewing things (where 5/10 is medicore, not 7/10) and yeah, 3/10 is not unbelievable.
edit: Not saying it's impossible to have fun with the game. Games are designed to be fun! But there are like a billion better ways to spend your time.
Edge does seem try a bit too hard to score Sony games badly. TLoU review really surprised me but I guess they do have to pick one to make it not completely obvious.
Edge does seem try a bit too hard to score Sony games badly. TLoU review really surprised me but I guess they do have to pick one to make it not completely obvious.
I'm happy that Knack has no platforming. Everytime they make you jump up a ledge I cringe at how poorly the jumping is implemented.Knack has no variety. No real platforming.
Seriously corridor, camera angle change, camera angle gets in the way, one shot, break wall or something similar to collect hidden loot.
This is no Crash Bandicoot. :-(
I really don't understand how people are having fun with this. I mean maybe when compared to Ryse, but why bother.
Some of sony's main criticisms are that they concentrate more on or atleast perceived to concentrate more on presentation than gameplay which can end up solid but nothing beyond average to some people.Edge does seem try a bit too hard to score Sony games badly. TLoU review really surprised me but I guess they do have to pick one to make it not completely obvious.
I wrote some thoughts on why it was reviewing poorly... having more to do with the reviewers (and the way Sony setup the reviewing) than the game itself.
I've since finished it and am replaying it. I'd 6 to 7.5 out of 10 is fair. Higher is a bit much, lower is nonsense. The game plays great and there's a ton of variety for those who dont just die over and over and over until they get enough sun crystals to do a super move.
I strongly disagree. This game isn't deceptively simple. It's simple. The game is a blank, poorly functioning canvas that people have projected their desires of what a game should be onto. It's art, in a way.I wrote some thoughts on why it was reviewing poorly... having more to do with the reviewers (and the way Sony setup the reviewing) than the game itself.
I've since finished it and am replaying it. I'd 6 to 7.5 out of 10 is fair. Higher is a bit much, lower is nonsense. The game plays great and there's a ton of variety for those who dont just die over and over and over until they get enough sun crystals to do a super move.
I strongly disagree. This game isn't deceptively simple. It's simple. The game is a blank, poorly functioning canvas that people have projected their desires of what a game should be onto. It's art, in a way.
The enemy placement isn't intelligent, I haven't engaged in a scenario where I thought the developers were being clever. It comes across as one team worked on the enemy design, another one worked on the teams, and they just plunked in whatever. "Well, okay, he fought this guy. How about two? Okay, now how about three? Now let's introduce a new enemy and mix him in with two of the old one." The combat isn't even hard to understand, it's just "observe animation priority."
The game didn't "Strive for 7.0" and fail because it's a oldschool diamond lost forever in the shitpile of AAA Shootermans. It strove for it because they were rushing to put out "Sony Launch Exclusive #3". And a 7.0 is all they could ever hope for. Everything about this game reeks of time constraints.
Here's my theory, supported by how similar they both feel: They took the Tokyo Jungle game engine, and in a short amount of time they awkwardly made it to look like something vaguely resembling Crash Bandicoot.
Exactly. But how is that an "intelligent" design?the game repeats enemies in quick succession because its a challenge, a good example would be the traps, simply having one there would be no fun.
It doesn't matter what species they are if 90% of them are either going to swing at you or shoot.There is great variation in enemies too from humans to goblins, robots, animals, traps..what else do you want?
If you're wondering why people might have that reaction, and more importantly why what you say shouldn't necessarily be taken at face value, let me point out the first page or so's worth of activities you've had on Gaf. And to reiterate your own words as a prelude, "I won't go near any Xbone review threads because I barely care about reviews and certainly don't care about reviews on a system I won't own for a long time."
Here you are in the XB1 teartown thread [negative comment]
Here you are in the Ryse review thread [Negative (but fair) comment]
Here you are in the thread about the XB1 image scaler [One-off mocking comment]
Here you are in the XB1 24-hour livestream thread [One-off mocking comment]
Here you are in the first Ryse review thread [One-off remark]
Here you are in the Forza 5 review thread [One-off negative quip, edited when the reviews came in positive]
Here you are in the XB1 hardware review thread [Crocodile-tears criticism]
Here you are in the XB1/Twitch implementation thread [Saying that people who enjoy the console are blind]
Here you are in the XB1 review embargo thread [Criticizing Polygon for saying positive things]
Knack has no variety. No real platforming.
Seriously corridor, camera angle change, camera angle gets in the way, one shot, break wall or something similar to collect hidden loot.
This is no Crash Bandicoot. :-(
I really don't understand how people are having fun with this. I mean maybe when compared to Ryse, but why bother.
Exactly. But how is that an "intelligent" design?
It doesn't matter what species they are if 90% of them are either going to swing at you or shoot.
Edge does seem try a bit too hard to score Sony games badly. TLoU review really surprised me but I guess they do have to pick one to make it not completely obvious.