Killzone: Shadow Fall and Knack: The Top 5 Reviews

IGN – 8/10

IGN gave the game a pretty positive score. They applauded the game’s move away from a grim shooter to a livelier single-player romp. IGN also felt the multiplayer was perfect for casual and hardcore players:

Shadow Fall represents the Killzone series’ coming-out party – out from being a plodding, gray war shooter through hours of bland, linear corridors. Now, it’s something else entirely. Its single-player campaign suffers from some AI issues and dabbling in non-shooter gameplay it’s just not good at, but it’s still an enjoyable romp that challenges you to really think about how you’re approaching each fight. And then there’s multiplayer, as hardcore as ever but with a level of accessibility that will allow Killzone’s online community to grow and flourish for some time to come.There’s never been a better time for everyone to be paying attention to the Killzone franchise, because Shadow Fall is a step in an all-new, very welcome direction.

GameSpot – 7/10

GameSpot’s review awarded some points to the game’s multiplayer portion and character customization. However, they were quite disappointed in the single-player campaign:

As much as I enjoyed my online time with Killzone: Shadow Fall–and as much as I will enjoy lots more time with it, unlocking perks that allow me to personalize my weapons–I missed Killzone 3’s jump pack, which brought a nifty nimbleness to the battlegrounds. I missed it in Shadow Fall’s disappointing single-player campaign, too, which sorely needed a shot of adrenaline. Where I look back fondly on Killzone 2’s finest single-player moments, the moments I recall here are those in which I wandered through corridors and rocky meadows wondering where the bad guys were. Luckily, Guerrilla Games remembered what drew me and many others to the front lines of online war, and it’s here that Shadow Fall emerges from the rubble and flies into the electric skies.

Polygon – 5/10

Polygon didn’t seem to pleased with Shadow Fall as a whole. This review pointed out the game’s lack of evolving over its predecessors, as well as its FPS cliches:

– SHADOW FALL LOOKS LIKE THE FUTURE, BUT IT’S STUCK IN THE PAST: That absence of meaningful evolution might be Killzone: Shadow Fall’s biggest sin. For all the next-gen bluster of its visuals and the repeated blunt-force attempts to ram a message home, Guerrilla’s first shot on the PS4 retreads shooter cliches, and poorly. In a launch lineup crowded with shooters, Killzone: Shadow Fall sits at the bottom.

Destructoid – 9/10

Destructoid gave the game a much more positive review. They appreciated the game’s change of pace, beautiful graphics and brand new approach to sandbox gameplay:

I like Killzone: Shadow Fall for its change of direction from previous series games, as well as its change of pace over other first-person shooters. Guerrilla has tried a few new things this time around, and should be commended as such. I welcome the almost sandbox-ish level approach, and the stealth segments did a nice job of breaking up the standard shooting action. It’s really nice when gameplay concepts win out over big set pieces and cinematic events. Oh, and it’s beautiful. A stunner. Killzone: Shadow Fall is the game that will make you happy to own a PS4. This needs to be on your PS4 launch game list.

GamesRadar – 4/5

GamesRadar.com felt the game was a pretty good. They made sure to mention how cohesive the multiplayer experience is and how much the open mission structure for the campaign excels:

Killzone: Shadow Fall is an excellent way to kick off the eighth console generation. Sure, its characters may not be all that convincing, and its multiplayer is more a well-crafted distraction than a long-term destination, but the game as a whole contains plenty of unexpected surprises that make it worth your time. The open-ended missions, though not as plentiful as you might like, are made even better thanks to the awesome tools at your disposal, and its story has some powerful moments that are sure to catch you off guard. And even when it hits lulls, you’ll still have a great time shooting to your heart’s content.

Head to the next page to get a glimpse at the reviews for Knack!

IGN – 5.9/10

IGN enjoyed the lead character and its cool concept of growing larger the more he fights. However, they took a few points of the game for its repetitive nature and poor plot execution:

Playing Knack is like watching a dull movie on a plane – it’s tolerable if all you want is a way to pass the time, but it’s not something you’d seek out for its own sake. I finished in about 11 hours and, challenges, co-op, and secrets aside, there’s just not much here worth recommending. Sure, some individual elements show potential, particularly when the scale of the encounters changes as Knack grows, but it never moves beyond playing it safe with the concepts or the characters.

GameSpot – 4/10

GameSpot gave the game a low score and lamented the fact that Knack’s basic gameplay, unmemorable in-game fights and lack of diversity hurt the final product:

Knack’s downfall is that it focuses entirely on combat, but doesn’t offer enough variety or depth within its system to compel you onward. Any early thoughts you may have that there must be more to the punch-punch-repeat action than meets the eye are banished once you plow through hours of the same basic sequences. And even Knack’s few attempts at diversity are merely competent. The occasional platforming scenario lacks the joy of movement so necessary for jumping to be engaging, and the platform placement doesn’t require any cleverness to surpass. There’s not one element of Knack to rally around, to excite you. And without that special something, Knack crumbles just like its piecemeal protagonist.

GamesRadar – 2 and A Half/5

GamesRadar felt the game was an entirely mediocre experience. They were quite fine with the game’s nostalgic play-style and beautiful graphics. They were displeased with the game’s design flaws that make the game not worth remembering or returning to:

There are certain times, when the camera is pulled in tight, that Knack looks like the next-gen showpiece you want it to be. In-engine cutscenes show off the detailed world and fantastic lighting, with wonderful shadows and imaginative characters. And there are moments where the gameplay lives up to expectations, feeling like a modern game with flashes of old-school nostalgia. Problem is, those times are interspersed between design flaws that feel two generations old, making for an uneven, unmemorable experience.

Polygon – 6/10

Polygon wasn’t too high on Knack, either. They felt the game’s single-player campaign was nothing special, plus the payoff moments weren’t much of a payoff in the first place:

Knack has too little going on over its 12 hour length. The core concepts are strong – it’s fun to watch Knack grow bigger and smash things. The incredible imagination promised by the dawn of new hardware is on display in Knack. But the moments of payoff come too infrequently to make plodding through another three dozen frustrating enemies any less tedious.

Game Informer – 8.25/10

Game Informer enjoyed the game’s return to the heyday of high-quality platforming. They also felt the game’s graphics were a big part of this title’s appeal:

Though it’s a launch game for a next-gen system, Knack is almost nostalgic; it’s the kind of game they don’t make that often anymore. As such, it’s not the most innovative or the most visually dazzling game. This won’t be the one you put in to show off your new console to your friends. However, when you’re done with the prettied-up versions of the big franchises, you’ll find yourself wanting to return to Knack. It’s got charm and heart, and offers a whole lot of good gameplay. Ultimately, that’s still what’s important – no matter which generation we’re in.

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Killzone: Shadow Fall and Knack: The Top 5 Reviews You Need to Read