4 out of 5 stars.

Knack, a new title exclusive to the PlayStation 4, is an ambitious and enjoyable game, combining style and form from older titles from the PlayStation 2.

However, for one of the first games for the new console, is Knack really enjoyable enough to merit a launch title?

Knack, at first glance, is a generic platform beat-‘em-up game, combining above average visuals with a minimal display and effective combat mechanics. Knack has a few surprises up its sleeves, though.

Knack’s difficulty ramps up significantly right after the beginning of the game, and turns the game into being more than an average, friendly new game. It’s very easy for Knack, the titular main character who is made of small metal and stone relics, to die in one or two hits from even the smallest enemies. This creates a need to strategize and plan attacks out in an area, instead of simply going in and hitting things until they fall over. Knack can destroy sunstones to absorb their energy, which allows him to dish out more damage to multiple enemies.

With the addition of co-op, another ‘Knack’ is added to the game to be controlled, this time made entirely out of metal. The second player Knack is far more resilient to damage, and can run faster than the actual Knack. To counter this, the second Knack can also use his health (which decreases far slower than the real Knack’s) to heal his teammate after battles. This combination of strengths and weaknesses makes the co-op an enjoyable experience to play through with a friend.

Most fighting games such as Knack rely more on the mechanics of the game to drive influence more than the story. The same could be said of Knack, yet Knack’s story is actually quite entertaining, and is much deeper than the cheery characters may suggest.

Knack, a scientific marvel, is discovered to be the best asset humans can use against a sudden technological spike in a community of Goblins that have now begun terrorizing human towns. As the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that the Goblins are hardly the worst threat facing humanity any longer.

As Knack defeats enemies and travels through levels, he finds and loses relics, which in turn affect his size. Finding tons of relics can allow Knack to grow as large as buildings. Knack can also absorb substances like crystals and wood. Each substance can grant Knack new abilities, such as stealth. All of the elements of the game can be learned quickly, and the game is quite linear in both story and level design.

Knack is certainly an easily forgettable game, yet is honestly one of the best refreshers for what a fun game really is. Taking elements from older, nostalgic platforming games and combining them with an engaging hero and a rich story, while maintaining enjoyable yet difficult fighting mechanics, Knack is a solid launch title and displays the greatness promised by the PlayStation 4.