The management of Sony decided that to promote the new PlayStation 4 in 2013, the audience is vital to high-quality platformer. So was born the adventure game Knack, which, among other things, was to demonstrate the computing power of a modern at the time of iron due to the remarkable physical models and graphics in the spirit of CG-animated cartoons. Unfortunately the game is not shot and was cool enough well received by critics. That is why the announcement of a sequel instilled in the hearts of many the hope that the developers will do serious work on the bugs of the original. The Knack II game comes out today, and I hasten to share with you her detailed review.
Game play:the Knack II
Platform: PlayStation 4
Genre: Action, Platformer
Release date: 6 September 2017
Developer: Japan Studio SIE
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
For the development of both games in the series Knack responsible for lead architect of the console Sony PlayStation 4 mark Cerny. This man ate not one dog on the platform, because in the past he was a notorious producer of such series as Crash Bandicoot. In addition, he had to work with the game series Spyro the Dragon, Jack and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, and many others. If someone trust development of a new platformer for the PS4, only him. The first pancake came out lumpy, but mark decided not to give up and in the sequel Knack to be rehabilitated before fans of platformers and video game critics. I’ll tell you what turned him bad, but all problems have failed to solve.
A serious drawback of the original game was frankly a weak script. The plot of the sequel Mark Cerny helped to invent Mariana Kravchuk, famous for writing scripts for the series God of War, as well as participation in the creation of such hits as L. A. Noire, Watch Dogs, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and many others. The story was deeper and more worked out, still not perceived as a serious work. The script is reminiscent of many children’s cartoons, which are in abundance are shown on channels like Nickelodeon. However, given that the game was created primarily for a younger audience – it is impossible to attribute it to the cons of the game. Because children from Knack II will definitely be delighted.
Who is this NPC? Dr. Vargas, who for many years studied the mysterious relics left from ancient civilizations. During the experiments, he was able to bind these relics together and give life to them. To everyone’s surprise, the resulting creature has become sentient. The creators decided to call it a Neck. NEC is able to build in his body he found the relics, or discard them, thereby freely changing its size. Because of this useful skill he at any moment can turn from a giant machine of destruction in the tiny creature, able to squeeze into narrow passages, where you do not fit any one person. Let me remind you that the game 2013 NEK along with his friends saved the human world from the attacks of the treacherous race of goblins.
In the sequel, the main character and his team face a new threat. Some new combat robots are attacking the human settlement around the world. Who is behind all these attacks? I do not whether our old friends from the first game? The team of heroes will go through many trials to learn the terrible truth about what is happening. They will visit in the snowy mountains, green forests, large cities, dark mines, the sun-drenched deserts, dark ancient ruins and other interesting locations filled with enemies and treasure. Game Knack II is divided into 15 fairly long chapters, each of which contains several levels. The game is played in about 15 hours. And considering that developers offer you four levels of difficulty –fun can stretch on far longer. By the way, depending on the difficulty the player will be offered different routes of passage of some levels.
You need to give the developers what the game was a couple heads taller than the original, so it’s a variety of gameplay. I will be very honest with you: first Knack was eerily monotonous. Fortunately, the sequel never ceases to entertain the player. The study is well-designed levels alternates with the fighting and puzzle solving, punctuated with gorgeous cut-scenes and impressive set of QTE-inserts. Puzzles, though simple (don’t forget about the target audience of the game), but very exciting. Resizing NEK played up by developers in various ways. The main character may at some time to involve metal, ice or crystal relics, which is fundamentally changing its relationship to the surrounding world. Metal NEK takes incredible force of the blows, the ice can freeze opponents and some of the mechanisms, and the crystal safely pass the laser security system.
The combat system has been overhauled since the first game. Collecting the glowing sphere of energy that fall from defeated enemies or found in treasure chests, NPC will be able to get many additional fighting techniques. The game for the first time offers us the skill tree, broken into four main categories, each of which contains several useful abilities. For example, you can increase the force of the blows, learn new tricks and combo chains to accelerate the evasion of enemy attacks, improve the ability to parry blows, and much, much more. Some skills you will receive not with pumping, and in certain moments of the game, according to the story. For example, NEC will receive an especially powerful blow, easily breach the enemy’s shields, the ability to attract enemies to themselves, and even run into opponents deafening boomerang.
Each level of the game contains many secrets and hiding places to discover that is not so easy. Most often to get to such places it is possible reducing of Neka to its original size. In some cases you will have to solve the puzzle that is associated with the activation of different mechanisms, or by movement of the blocks. Hidden in the recesses of the chests contain not only additional experience, but also valuable items, of which the NEC can make themselves extremely useful in combat gadgets. For example, pulse emitter, creating a deafening wave of enemies, teleport, saves the hero from falling into the abyss, and other useful devices. To create every gadget you will need a few specific details, so try not to miss a single treasure chest on your way. Most of these chests in the game are hidden about a hundred.
Visually, the game is prettier. It still resembles a high-quality CG-cartoon, bright and attractive enough to interest a child audience. It is, in fact, emphasized the authors. The sequel received the full support of the updated PlayStation 4 console Pro, which allows you to run the game at 4K resolution and with support of the color range HDR. But most of all me personally in games Knack was always fascinated by the physical model. First, the NEK – walking particle system. Character consists of hundreds of individual parts-the relics that form his body. They showered with him, or shape his body by pressing the corresponding button. In addition, each relic a life of its own that creates a very unusual effect. The same is true about the advanced system of destruction, which allows Neku to wreak havoc in the levels.
In the beginning, the game will prompt you to choose not only the complexity, but also the passing mode: single or cooperative. Your friend or family member at any time can join the passage in the second NEK alternative blue. To do this, simply connect a second controller DualShock 4 to the console and sit back on your sofa. This ability has been present in the original game, the sequel offers you and your partner a lot more variety and fun, why Knack II can be recommended to fans of cooperative entertainment. We would like to praise the revolutionary system tips caused by pressing on the d-pad D-Pad if the player is stuck and does not know what to do next. The game consistently shows him with arrows and different symbols, where to go, to jump, to press, to activate the mechanisms. For younger players, such a system is simply irreplaceable. I had not met in a video game anything like it.
Something Knack II remains at the level of a not very successful first game. I’m talking about the flat characters, unfunny humor, and not always appropriate pathos. Forever whining teenager Lucas begins to irritate literally half an hour later passage. Characters Knack II is so refined that at times it becomes uncomfortable. Jokes level “behind me is someone worth?” was good about 20 years ago, but not in a video game 2017. The characters are constantly trying to pose as stand-up comedians, but it turns out so bad that they become truly sorry. However, as I wrote above, the game is designed for children. Just kids such a sense of humor and clichéd characters may come to mind. Let’s hope that the release of the third game of the series the developers will remember that platformers are still adult gamers.
Pros:
- The game has become significantly more diverse and exciting of the original.
- Visually, Knack 2 resembles a modern CG-animated cartoon.
- Great integration of the physical model in the gameplay.
- Staging some action scenes really impressive.
- Fascinating puzzle-related features of the Neck.
- Comprehensive system of development of abilities of the protagonist.
- A huge number of possible hiding places and secrets.
- The game can be completed in cooperative mode with a child.
- The revolutionary hint system for younger players.
- Surprisingly, in the game I have not met any bug.
Cons:
- The plot is still not able to interest an adult audience.
- Flat characters, not causing empathy.
- The laborious and completely not funny humor.
What we have in the end? Knack II – a great game for a younger audience, which is not ashamed to be walking with their children. For an adult player it can hardly be a revelation, but the children from her ecstatic. It’s nice that the developers have listened to criticism of the original 2013 and has done a wonderful job on the bugs. Very pleased with the presence in the game hint system, customizable difficulty available, but with challenging puzzles and wonderful bright graphics in the style of modern animated films. Even more encouraging is the significantly increased variety of gameplay, improved combat system and a gorgeous setting. On the other hand frustrates the weak plot, the lack of expressive characters and frankly unfunny humor. To put a final score this game very difficult, because as reviewers are always adults. And if we ignore the “adults claim” – we will be exemplary entertainment for children. Knack II in my opinion deserves 8 points out of 10.
Review game Knack II
Sergey Grey