When Sony released the PlayStation 4, they included a number of games at launch including the original Knack. One of the design goals for the game was to showcase all the features of the new console. After a few years they followed it up with the sequel Knack II. I have to be honest in that I never really played the first one but did watch my youngest son work his way through the game. I started playing Knack II at the suggestion of my oldest son who said it made for a great couch co-op game to play with my 4-year-old grandson. The first thing my grandson would do after arriving at my house was run down to the TV room and ask to play Knack II. Naturally I indulged him.
Knack II is a great game if you are looking for a video game to play with younger children. As both players appear on a single screen at the same time, the more advanced player takes the lead and every so often, the slower player is brought up to the same part of the game and magically reappears. That makes it fun for younger players getting used to the controller. Towards the end of the game, it wasn't always me in the lead. I have to say that it really helped my grandson's gaming abilities.
Knack II is an action-adventure game that involves some level of close quarters combat combined with puzzle solving. You also have the ability to collect skill points and level-up your character. It is missing the crafting element which makes it easier to play for younger gamers. I have to say that I would find it mildly entertaining and probably wouldn't have played the game had it not been for the chance to bond with my grandson.
The game has an ESRB rating of E10+ meaning that it is a game meant for everyone with a suggested age of 10 or older. While I played it with my 4-year-old grandson, I doubt he would have been able to solve the majority of the puzzles without my help. Therefore I agree with the age suggestion. The only warning for the game is that it contains fantasy violence. You get to battle with goblins and robots.
As Knack II has been out for a few years, you can purchase a digital version for $20 from PlayStation directly or get a disk from a number of retailers for the same price. I paid $20 when the game was released through my company store when I worked for PlayStation and think that is a very good price for the game. It took me and my grandson about 50 hours to complete the game and we had a great time playing together.
If you are looking for a game to play with younger children where you can play together, I highly recommend this game. I think it would also be a fun game for older children as well. I would not recommend it for older teens nor adults unless you really are young at heart and enjoy playing cartoonish games. If you are not sure you will enjoy it, there is a free demo available to give it a shot before dropping $20.
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