Hands-on with Knack on PS4 (This Is My Joystick)

GAME stores around the country are currently holding PlayStation 4 preview events, letting you get your hands on the upcoming console. Out of a questionable selection of playable titles including Fifa 14, Contrast, Super Mother Load, Octodad: Dadliest Catch (groan) and Pinball Arcade.

Here at This Is My Joystick we decided that our first encounter would be with Knack on the PS4.

[GribbleGrunger]

"That said, I left the event with mixed thoughts. I feel that we’ve been spoilt this generation by how much the current consoles have evolved and improved over time, making the ‘next’ generation feel like less of a leap than it perhaps should do."

You're crazy!

Warning, Your browser may be drowsy for a few seconds:

http://gifs.gamersyde.com/g...

http://gifs.gamersyde.com/g...

And yes, that's in game footage.

[Destrania]

Driveclub looks insanely good. I cant wait till they reveal a full race with the latest build soon.

[ohiostatesman]

The game doesn't look that great. 60 dollars for this? Is this a joke

[DigitalRaptor]

@ Ohiostatesman

You're either delusional or should have gone to Specsavers.

*reads comment history*. ah, my bad. should've guessed.

[SniperControl]

This game is just getting better and better each day, the definitive racer on console next gen!

[Evil_Abed]

The prevailing opinion seems to be that Knack is uninspired. I wouldn't say that I'm surprised even disappointed as it never looked like my kind of game.

I am however surprised that this game was made by Mark Cerny himself and yet it doesn't come anywhere close to showing us what the PS4 can do.
One would think that the much loved and talked about architect would be leading the charge to show us what a beast of a console him and his buddies have created.

Do not think I'm doubting the power of the PS4, far from it, in fact it's just the opposite. I do not think this game does the console justice, especially since it isn't a simple PSN store game but a full fledged AAA(?) title being sold at fall price. Worse off, it doesn't maintain a steady frame rate throughout despite not being much of a technical marvel.

The full game may just surprise me though but for now, Mark I am disappoint son. I know not everything next gen needs to be life-like or photorealistic especially with games like this but when the gameplay is as uninspiring it really does seem like you phoned this one in.

[GribbleGrunger]

Simple? Have you seen how many separate parts Knack is made up of? Each has it's own lighting and physics. You're taking what you are seeing for granted and making a broader statement about the whole of next generation. Gameplay I can't vouch for though ... you may well be right.

[Evil_Abed]

I did not say it was simple, I said that it wasn't a simple psn store game and so I expected more from it and Mark Cerny.

I can appreciate the technical intricacies involved in all the particle jazz but it does not make up for lackluster gameplay and uninspired level design.

My current gen reference was to draw comparisons to games like SMG 2 and Rayman Origins, games that despite being stylized, manage to be a feast to the senses and have amazing-come-back-for-more gameplay.

As far as next gen goes, I did say that I do not use Knack as a gauge for what PS4 is capable of.

[GribbleGrunger]

Ok, fair enough, but your closing comment does appear to have broader meaning.

[Evil_Abed]

I'm not sure what you mean as I said "...phoned THIS ONE in." This one being Knack and certainly not the console. I know for a fact that the console and generation as a whole has dazzling games on offer now and in the future.

In any case, this was a simple miscommunication and just for the record I did not "disagree" with you.

[GribbleGrunger]

No worries :)

I don't always agree with my friends but they still remain my friends. And for the record, I agreed.

[theXtReMe1]

That's kind of been my exact feeling the entire time I've seen Knack. It really doesn't have that Nextgen feeling to it. The gameplay seems pretty antiquated and rather PlayStation 2-ish. The visuals are very simplistic and there isn't much Nextgen about them. Generally launch games for any brand-new system coming out, especially first party, show off why you are buying a Nextgen system. This game does just the opposite. Kind of makes you wonder why you did? Especially since it is so linear.

Kameo was one of my favorite Xbox 360 launch titles. It gave me a reason to buy the system. Not only did it look incredible, there were hundreds of enemies on the screen at once and you knew it was something that the original Xbox couldn't do. Knack, not only looks current gen, but is so linear and simplistic in design... That it looks like we've actually gone back a generation.

I just don't get what Mark Cerny was trying to do when making this game. He said he wanted to make something that families can enjoy together, but nobody over the age of six or seven is going to enjoy this game. It's just too simplistic. Nobody makes a one button push game anymore. The reason being, is it gets too tedious and boring. Especially in a linear environment, where you can't even control the camera.

I am all for retro. I grew up in the 70s and 80s. But if you're going to make a game that is this simplistic, you have to make sure it looks better than any other game on the system. The visuals have to blow people away, because the gameplay isn't going to. when you introduce a game like this that has both simplistic gameplay and visuals, what do you have to draw people into? If this game was $20, I think people would look past it shortcomings. But since it is full price, you basically alienate it as something people will play when it's free on PSN or the price comes down to almost nothing. As it is now, it is a glorified Indie game, on disc.

As with you, I hope there is something I am missing. Maybe they should show a video with more than three enemies on the screen at once. Some sort of difference in gameplay. Something that makes me think that it isn't just the same level over and over again, with a new coat of paint. I really want to like and buy this game, I've been back-and-forth with it since we saw the first video. But I can't justify buying it at $60 in its current state. I imagine other people feel the exact same way.

So I hope in the next three weeks they show us something that blows away gamers... Or Im afraid this will be on the clearance rack, sooner than later.

[Bennibop]

I was impressed by how knack looks it's an action platformer not an fps!

[sprinterboy]

Been to the GAME event tonight myself and knack was great. Uninspiring game selection ?, contrast was awesome, knack, octodad is trippy and fun, fifa was a suprise being a good port imo, pizza, drinks and ps4, I went away full of excitement but knocking the article, everyone has a opinion. Oh and there were 2 xbots at the event who had no interest apart from trying to crash the systems which I thought was imature, no ps4s crashed in Coventry retailer

[SniperControl]

Was that at the Ricoh or broadgate store sprinterboy?

[sprinterboy]

Broadgate

[LoveSpuds]

Speaking as someone who loves a good platform game I have to say the more I see of knack the less impressed I am.

Its not that the game doesn't look nice and next gen, its the lack of character that worries me. I just recently platinum trophy on JAK HD and that had great character design oozing from it....Knack seems lacking in this department to me.

I will still likely pick it up when it has dropped in price a little but for now I am looking to replay my Ratchet & Clank games before PS4 hits .

[dcj0524]

I love the knack mechanics. Its fast, has good skilled dodging mechanics and the combos are sick.

[Lboogieskells]

The Knack demo I played left me feeling unsatisfied. On the graphical end it looked really good but the game play was meh. I know they wanted to appeal to new gamers, but Knack in my opinion is too simple. So simple that the fun factor was non existent. It's quite sad actually because I was looking forward to playing it.

[sprinterboy]

You have to remember it's a demo, demo did not have character development because they took the cutscenes out

[Evil_Abed]

Gameplay =/= character development though.