As spotted recently by Gematsu on Twitter, Sony filed a new trademark for Knack in Japan on March 17. As is the case with trademark filings more often than not, this doesn’t necessarily suggest that a new instalment in the series is in the works, but it does indicate that Sony could still have plans for the property. Then again, companies filing and renewing trademarks to protect their intellectual properties isn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence.

If a new Knack game were indeed in development, it would be interesting to see how its production would be handled, seeing as SIE Japan Studio, the studio that made the first two games, has been shuttered. Its replacement, Team Asobi, seems to have an ambitious new project of its own in the works- which doesn’t exactly sound like Knack.

In this feature, we’ll be listing what we feel are fifteen of the most disappointing games on the PS4- but disappointing, we should remind you, does not mean bad. Many of these games are a lot of fun, some have improved vastly since launch and managed to turn things around from initial disappointment. Being mentioned in this list simply means that these games, when we played them first, failed to live up to the standard of quality we expected them to hit.

Also note that for the purposes of these list, we’ll only be looking at PS4 exclusives- barring a couple entries that were either only console exclusives at launch, or remain console exclusives to this day.

With all that out of the way, let’s get into it.

DRIVECLUB

When Driveclub first launched, it’s fair to say that it ended up disappointing a whole lot of people. Though it was stunning to look at and hit technical heights that console games rarely do even to this day, there were many who felt that the game was, all said and done, a bit too dull, a bit too uninspired. Developers Evolution Studios would go on to provide excellent support for the game following its release, and arguably pretty much managed to turn things around, turning a disappointing launch into what was a legitimately great driving sim. Their subsequent closure, even in light of said recovery, proved to be a shockingly premature and abrupt one.

Gears of War 4

Gears of War 4 was the set up for a new generation of COG, but before we could get to what was to come, we needed to look back at some of the harshest battles humanity had endured before, throwing the green player right into some of the bloodiest battles of the series, including Emergence Day, the Pendulum Wars and the final defence of humanity taking place during the final battle of Gears of War 3. Welcome to Gears, solider.

Destiny

One of the most notorious aspects of Destiny, which would continue into its third year, was the reuse of areas for missions. Many story missions saw you revisit the same places that you conducted Patrols in. The Will of Crota Strike was infamous at launch for making you revisit areas from the Earth story missions. Let’s not forget a Rise of Iron mission essentially being the Dust Palace Strike but backwards (and shorter). That’s not taking into account the Nightfalls which are the same base Strikes but rotated weekly and with some modifiers here and there.

Well, who expected this to happen? The sequel to the underwhelming PS4’s launch game, Knack 2 is finally here and it seems to be a much improved game. Featuring an on the fly co-op mode along with refinded combat mechanics, larger and varied environments, decent puzzles and a big emphasis on platforming, Knack 2 makes a strong case for being one of the best platformers available on the PS4. And surprisingly, it also seems to be in the running for the game that best utilizes the PS4 Pro’s hardware.

The original Knack was led by Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS4. However, at the game’s launch, many were surprised that Knack didn’t really pushed the PlayStation 4’s limits. We mean a game led by the person who was behind the architecture of the PS4, should be a graphical splendour, right? Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be and Knack suffered from serious frame rate issues including an unlocked frame rate that distracted the gameplay experience.

However, Knack 2 is a different beast all together. On the base PS4 version, Knack 2 runs at a native 1920 X 1080 resolution. The developers have included the option to run the game at a locked 30 frames per second or at an unlocked frame rate. Running the game in unlocked frame rates can result into an experience which may or may not be appreciated by players but in case of Knack 2, an unlocked frame rate results in a rather jarred experience. On the base PS4, we prefer to play the game at a locked 30 frames per second and it suits the game really well due to the quick platforming actions involved.

However, the PS4 Pro version is where you should be playing Knack 2. The game offers two modes: a higher frame rate mode and a higher resolution mode. In the higher resolution mode, the game runs at 3200 X 1800 using a checkerboard technique on a 4KTV. In the higher frame rate mode, the game scales down to a native 1080p image buffer but the result is an almost locked 60 frames per second which is a huge win compared to the original Knack. If you are playing on a 1080p TV, PS4 Pro will supersample the image buffer resulting into a better looking game compared to the 1080p image buffer on the base PS4.

In short, Knack 2 on the PS4 essentially caters to every type of gamer out there. If you want a higher resolution mode, you can lock the frame rate to 30fps and enjoy a 3200X1800 image buffer. If you are the type that enjoys higher frame rates, simply switch over to the higher frame rate mode for an almost flawless 60 frames per second experience. If you are a base PS4 owner, lock your frame rate to 30 and enjoy a full HD image.

Knack 2’s brilliant support for all platforms puts it in the group of some great games that support PS4 Pro in meaningful ways. These include the likes of Shadow of Mordor, Final Fantasy 15, The Surge and a few others. Unfortunately, this line-up is rather small and Knack 2 is yet another reminder that most developers won’t care to go the extra mile and add meaningful benefits to the iterative hardware version of their games.

In Knack 2, you upgrade Knack by finding 100 Treasure Chests, that give you a Relic or Crystal Part, which can be used to make Knack stronger. These are actually optional- but they give you so many abilities that you are encouraged to hunt them down- their contents are randomized, but their location never changes, so you are encouraged to farm them if you have to until you get what you want.

That apart, to upgrade Knack, you need to find enough Relic energy to fill one meter- you will have to first unlock the Way of Speed skills before you are allowed to move on to other branches. Way of Speed will be unlocked automatically while playing the game.

There is one last way of upgrading skills in Knack 2– as you are playing the game, you my see several non-aggressive creatures (mostly ladybugs). These guys are harmless- but attack them anyway, because they contain a bit of Relic energy- which can be useful for upgrading too.

Knack 2 has a lot of collectibles- treasure chests, gadget parts, super moves, and more. Thre’s a lot for you to hunt down- in fact, in a lot of cases, one might say that you need to hunt down the collectibles, because some very important content (not to mention Trophies) can’t be accessed unless you find them all.

In this guide, we help you find some such collectibles.

SUPER MOVES

There are four Super Moves/Super Powers in Knack 2, and finding them unlocks a Trophy- so get on it right away with this video below.

TREASURE CHEST COLLECTIBLES

There are 100 Treasure Chests in the game, and finding all of them is actually mandatory if you want to find the crystal knacks, gadget parts and crystal relics – so, again, let us help you out with this. The video below will help you find all 100 Treasure Chests, and the collectibles within them, in the game. Let’s get right on it.

Against all expectation, logic, common sense, or justice in the world, Knack 2 is a thing. Not only is it a thing, it is actually sort of better than the original game too- if only somewhat. But hey, the original Knack actually had a fanbase.

But hey, I can’t complain about it. It’s a thing, people have it- and if they have it, they might want help completing the game. Or, there might be others who don’t buy the game, but want to see what exactly the deal with it is. Call it curiosity, if you will. And if you have curiosity about Knack– we are here to help.

Secondly, here, here’s a video walkthrough. Whether you are stuck in the game, or just want to see it in action to see what the deal with it is, this video walkthrough will help you.

Knack 2 is almost as much of a brawler as it is a platformer- in fact, some might say that it is more of a brawler than a platformer, and those people wouldn’t necessarily be wrong, either. Regardless, the fact remains that combat is an emphasized part of the game.

As with many combat focused games, things in Knack 2 come to a head when you engage its bosses- of which there aren’t actually that many. Still, they are there. And while most experienced gamer should probably not have issues with them, if you have a kid who is playing the title, they might need help.

That’s where we come in- below is a video that shows you how to take on each of Knack 2‘s many bosses. Just make sure not to jump ahead of where you are, or you get spoilers- we’ve timestamped the thing so you know exactly what boss you should jump to.

00:00 – Rothari
04:12 – Relic Monster
06:50 – Titan #1
09:11 – Titan #2
14:55 – Final Boss
21:11 – Ending

Knack, the ever-growing, ever-dismantling sentient life form made from ancient relics, is back. And this time he’s out to stop the sinister high elves from putting an end to all humans. This action-adventure, puzzle-platformer is filled with ancient secrets to unlock, dangerous enemies to put down, and a lot of cliché storyline to ignore. Knack, his returning friend Lucas, and Lucas’s uncle discover the rise of elves causing havoc within the world. These monsters have become dangerously overpowered and Knack and company want to get behind the mystery of it all. That entails traveling throughout the world, gathering clues from many different locations, and discovering who’s behind this elf invasion. Unsurprisingly, the story is dangerously mediocre and can make the average player take a quick snooze between cutscenes. It’s almost as though they purposely make the story uninteresting, and unnecessarily too complex for the child-demographic this game aspires to to really understand what the hell is going on.

This may sound odd when I say this, but the graphics in-game are actually better than the cutscene graphics. Knack (the character) always looks pretty good whether he’s in-game or in the cutscenes, but ever human character just looks awful. It’s almost as though the graphics took a step back to early PS3 days. To be fair, nothing really stands out within the game itself.

"Each location is filled with puzzles, secrets, collectibles, things to do, but it all looks and feels exactly the same as the last place you’d just been."

You’ll get a diverse lineup of locations: city, desert, jungle, ruins, etc. Sadly, with all of those diverse locations, nothing truly stands out. Each location is filled with puzzles, secrets, collectibles, things to do, but it all looks and feels exactly the same as the last place you’d just been. As little Knack you’ll fit into vents, air ducts, and crawl spaces where big Knack can’t fit. The controls for little Knack felt stiff but worked well enough for the short bursts I needed him for. The worst situations you’ll get into with little Knack are scaling tiny ledges up walls. These ledges are so small only little Knack can walk across them, but they’re so small that he has trouble clinging to them from time to time. After the first few falls I came up with a technique that helped me stop falling, and that’s always pushing forward and into the wall as a I jump. This process makes Knack looks like he’s bad at jumping and landing, but hey at least he lands on the ledge more often.

Knack II is basically a game based on converting the character Knack from a small-scale doll-sized being to big-scale goliath  at the touch of a button — or in this case R1. Progressing through the game, Knack will often come across various ways to collect more relics that automatically attach to him, causing him to grow in size. As you find more relics to collect, Knack gets bigger and bigger until he’s a towering beast of destruction. However, don’t expect to get into just any stage and rampage through the level as big Knack. Much like the first game, the levels are scaled accordingly and each level has a specific number of collectible relics to increase Knack’s size. For the first third of the game, Knack will grow (if you find enough relics) to a modest height — that’s only a little taller than twice the size of Knack’s human friends. Later on, however, you can expect him to get much, much larger.

As the game progresses, the game does embrace set pieces and really gives you that feel that Knack really is a monstrous beast not to be trifled with. He’ll eventually be smashing his way through ancient ruins, climbing towers and throwing monsters around. There are a few downsides to playing as the ever-growing big Knack, though. Big Knack becomes slower, his hits are more clumsy and and the frame rate begins to slow as the many particles and on-screen enemies make for a challenge to the base PS4. There is an option to lock the frame rate at 30 fps, but it still slowed down for me in some of the bigger battles. As you’ve probably guessed, as Knack gets bigger so do some of the enemies. There’s never a moment when I felt like the bad guys didn’t always have the advantage on me. It’s almost as if they know what attacks you’re going to do before you do them. They’ll roll out of the way, reflect your attacks easily and always have the upper-hand when it comes to getting the beat down on your character. Even when you’re a monstrously huge Knack, some of the smaller enemies are still difficult to hit; and even the smallest hit from them will bounce Knack back a few steps.

"The camera within the game is set and locked, but that didn’t make the developers hold back on hidden walls and paths that are hard to see. "

I never felt as though there was a level that I truly enjoyed. Each location felt exactly the same as the last and there was nothing new to gain after the first couple stages of the game. Progressing through the level and having to go from little Knack to big Knack was fun but nothing to write home about.

The camera within the game is set and locked, but that didn’t make the developers hold back on hidden walls and paths that are hard to see. There are tons of hidden areas within the game and the semi-set camera makes it hard to see much past what’s smack dab right in front of the screen. There are times when Knack actually has to pass through a hall or behind a wall to progress, and you have no idea if you’re stuck on something or walking through properly until the camera changes to the next space.

One of the bigger complaints of the last game was the game’s difficulty, and this game is no different. There is a steep difficulty and the game is very unbalanced when it comes to enemies. Within the first hour of the game you’ll run across enemies that can shoot, block, and defend while you still haven’t gotten a hit off yet. As the game progresses, you’ll learn many different and new moves that will make taking enemies down easier, but not all moves work on all enemies. I often found myself doing the same two moves over and over: a heavy punch and a belly flop on everyone. It worked, and I didn’t have to find out each enemies particular battle variations. There is an easy mode and very hard mode, but normal felt good for me. Sometimes I found myself in situations where I just couldn’t figure the enemies out and I died a few times before realizing that some of their battle tendencies aren’t like you’d see in other games, they’re a bit too ahead of your own thought process.

"Overall, Knack II is still mediocre, but it has a few moments that are fun. If you just want a game to pass the time, Knack II will be good for that. "

Knack II is filled with things to learn, to find, and to do. By pressing the touch pad you’ll access the Power Up screen. Here you’ll find new abilities that help you gain momentum in battle; such as greater strength, faster moves, etc. Each ability costs one point and up, and to get points you need to fill the relic energy gauge by simply busting open chests, killing enemies, or killing defenseless animals and bugs. There are also many other chests that contain parts to help build new abilities that can’t be unlocked through the Power Up menu. These abilities have to be attached and are often very helpful, but you must collect the adequate amount of parts to gain their abilities. There are also different variations of Knack armors such as the returning Stealth Knack, and Iron Knack that help in various situations throughout the game.

The voice overs within Knack II are surprisingly good, and sometimes the humor made me chuckle — slightly. However, the music sounds stock and didn’t have a memorable moment within the entire game. There’s also a co-op mode that allows you to bring your friend into the game and enjoy the adventure together.

Overall, Knack II is still mediocre, but it has a few moments that are fun. If you just want a game to pass the time, Knack II will be good for that. You won’t find anything new or anything that redefines the genre, but I don’t think the developers were ever going for that in the first place.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.