Game review: Knack

Knack is aimed at a young audience.

Knack From: Japan Studio For: PS4

Knack was touted as the Sony exclusive launch title that would sell PlayStation 4s to the younger market. It might, but that doesn't mean Knack is a game worthy of the "next-gen" mantle by any means.

In fact, had Knack been released three years ago on the PS3, I still wouldn't be raving about the visuals, or the gameplay for that matter.

Knack is a character made up of, wait for it, "relics" (is there anything "relics" aren't good for?) scattered around a fantasy world. Knack begins quite small and as he progresses through a level, collects more relics, which in turn make him grow in size and become more powerful. If an enemy hits you then you lose relics and start to shrink again. When you're at your normal size it takes only a couple of wrong moves to be sent back to the last checkpoint.

Scattered around are Sunstones that give Knack special abilities, and using them against enemies provides an element of strategy to the otherwise beige gameplay.

The game is a fairly basic combat/platformer with little variation. Its storyline is decent enough to keep the interest of younger gamers, but it's also quite long, so only the most dedicated will last to reach the end. When Knack is at his biggest (a virtual 100ft tall) and indulging in battles with giant foe, the game is at its most exciting.

These moments are few and far between.

There are several games worth buying a PS4 for but, unfortunately, Knack isn't one of them.

Review courtesy of Fatso Games Club