Rating: Overall 7.0
The original Knack was a launch title for the PS4 which was released to a mediocre response. The game was criticised for its repetitive combat and level design, among other gameplay and story issues.
Knack 2 is a sequel that seemingly no one wanted, but it succeeds in many ways. Knack has plenty of new moves that add a much needed variety to the combat while the game introduces new ideas every couple of chapters to prevent things from getting monotonous. You now have access to a skill tree with four quadrants, and you unlock the next set of abilities upon attaining all basic skills from one set. These range from passive improvements to finishers and completely new moves. Not only is the combat much improved, all other aspects of the gameplay like level design and puzzles have seen a significant overhaul. Over the course of the game, different parts like Iron or Ice will get attached to Knack, changing his move set, which are then cleverly used throughout the game in order to solve puzzles. Most of these puzzle rooms are designed around figuring out how to proceed to the next area and the game surprises you by introducing new elements at regular intervals.
Knack 2 is a long game and it will easily take 11 hours to complete. There is a lot of variety so that no one pillar of gameplay overstays its welcome. The pacing and flow between combat, platforming and puzzle solving keeps everything fresh, except for the final stretches of every chapter which usually consists of QTEs and wave after wave of enemies. Add to that fun vehicle sequences, set-pieces and new moves built specifically for co-op, and the end result is a game that is rarely boring from a design perspective. There are secrets hidden throughout every level. Most usually give you more relic energy, which is used for upgrades, but you will often run into treasure chests that unlock new gear or crystal parts that allow you to control crystal versions of Knack. Knack 2 is at its best when you are exploring the beautiful levels, solving puzzles and looking for secrets. The story, writing and characters still aren’t good and combat can get annoying when you are dealing with enemy after enemy, but Knack 2 shows a significant improvement over the original in almost all major departments.
