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Knack Review Thread
- Thread starter skynidas
- Start date
graywolf323
Member
Game Informer has a pretty good piece up from someone else on staff (not the reviewer) who also enjoyed Knack
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...what-i-learned-while-arguing-about-knack.aspx
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...what-i-learned-while-arguing-about-knack.aspx
Callibretto
Member
I hope the game sold good number of copies despite the bad reviews for the sequel to come out. I imagine a sequel expanding some of the core gameplay like have a bit more moves, or more variety to platforming or maybe wider level come out, it could be a real gem. Cerny has been involved in a shit ton of games of all kind of genres, I think he's capable to make Knack 2 into a more open game like Jak and Daxter. he know all the trapping of how a big level can be confusing player of where to go next and how to avoid that kind of stuff.
and despite the very basic and limited action Knack can do, from the gameplay vid, the enemies are varied enough with the attack pattern etc to make the combat still strategic and not mindless. I've been playing Lego Marvel a bit lately and I like the game for the fanservice, but the combat is very mindless and Knack combat simply look more fun to play.
and despite the very basic and limited action Knack can do, from the gameplay vid, the enemies are varied enough with the attack pattern etc to make the combat still strategic and not mindless. I've been playing Lego Marvel a bit lately and I like the game for the fanservice, but the combat is very mindless and Knack combat simply look more fun to play.
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]
Good stuff, man
SlasherJPC
Banned
Thank you sir. I really came away surprised with how much I enjoyed this title even with its issues at hand.
This genre is under-represented as it is, so it drives me crazy when a release gets dismissed partly on the grounds that it's "just another platformer," because goshdarnit I want another platformer
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.
SlasherJPC
Banned
It touched on a genre that only really Nintendo touches on these days. I'd love to see a comeback of some more titles just like this. Knack 2.... I want you.
Boy Wander
Member
3/10 in EDGE. Ouch!
chixdiggit
Member
How people are singing this games praises is beyond me.
This plays exactly like a cheap knock-off of Skylanders only not nearly as fun. And let's face it Skylanders is not exactly the cream of the crop to begin with.
This plays exactly like a cheap knock-off of Skylanders only not nearly as fun. And let's face it Skylanders is not exactly the cream of the crop to begin with.
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.
FootballFan
Member
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.
IncandescentPrecept
Banned
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.
maybe the people at edge just don't like games sony makes. not everyone does.
GoofsterStud
Member
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.
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.
Or they're just being honest. Right?
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.
foxuzamaki
Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
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.
famousmortimer
Banned
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'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.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
This is the best explanation of what's good and bad about the game I've read. And you zero in on why fans of the genre may play Knack and end up having a really good time with it - that being the finely tuned enemy placement. In another thread I compared Knack's design philosophy to old school Castlevania and I think that still holds true.
Personally I think this is why a number of folks really want to see a Knack 2. Take what's good about Knack - because those key elements can be really good - and improve all the rest.
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 enemy placement is the way it is because that's all they could have done. 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 quickly rushing to put something together, and still suffering under 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.
You couldn't be more wrong but everybody's entitled to their own opinion I guess. Your point about enemies. Did we play the same game? Like the classic platformers we used to play, 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. There is great variation in enemies too from humans to goblins, robots, animals, traps..what else do you want?
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.
Nymphae
Banned
lol ouch.
Start enjoying it because the launch games are really bad.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
You are really making the game sound more simplistic than it is. There's constantly a new kind of enemy, whether melee or ranged. Attack patterns, number of attacks, blocking abilities, shot spreads, explosives, all change up frequently. Enemy combinations get progressively trickier and in spite of complaints about checkpoints, each section is usually designed to test the limits of your ability before giving you a new checkpoint.
There seem to be two kinds of people who play this game, and I think FamousMortimer is correct: you either run into rooms without paying attention to anything and eventually nuke your way through relying on super attacks. Or you start to understand the enemy types and placement and can ace levels without dying once - despite so many people saying this game is stupid, you die in two hits, why is that.
Knack is a simple game. But it's designed surprisingly well for its apparent simplicity.
No, it really is that simple. It doesn't matter if it's a Goblin, Robot, Human, or whatever. You wait for there to be an opening and you attack. Sometimes they'll swing once, sometimes they'll swing twice. Sometimes there will even be someone in the back, shooting at you. If you replaced the enemies with, let's say, different colored spheres, so that their only distinction was their behavior, the fights would look like they were taken out of templates: Melee fight, melee fight w/ range, melee with bruiser. And you approach these fights with the same solution: Wait for an opening and punch.
I'm not having any difficulties playing through the game. Am I dying? Sure, sometimes that air attack fucks up and Knack will land right in front of an enemy instead of hitting it (seriously, a game this simple shouldn't be this unpolished.) But the only difficulties I'm having is trying to stay awake when I play more than a half-hour of it.
I'm not having any difficulties playing through the game. Am I dying? Sure, sometimes that air attack fucks up and Knack will land right in front of an enemy instead of hitting it (seriously, a game this simple shouldn't be this unpolished.) But the only difficulties I'm having is trying to stay awake when I play more than a half-hour of it.
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
I'd really like to try this game, but I don't want to pay 60 bucks for it.
I wish they would have a sale for this.
IT seems weird they have these big sales for games like Battiefield which sell like a gazillion copies, but no sales for games like this that only sell a small amount.
I wish they would have a sale for this.
IT seems weird they have these big sales for games like Battiefield which sell like a gazillion copies, but no sales for games like this that only sell a small amount.