A deeper look at the world of Knack

Hello, everyone. With the PS4 launch just a few weeks away we’ve got some more exciting details to share on Knack.

Our goal with Knack was to deliver a different kind of experience for PlayStation fans at launch, outside of the realm of gritty shooters and mature action games. Knack harkens back to the golden days of Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter, when controls were simpler but challenged were large enough that those control schemes had to be mastered by anyone intending to finish the games. So, who better to create a game like that than than one of the creative forces behind bringing Crash and Jak to life, Mark Cerny himself?

This game has a lot to offer, so I’m excited to be able to bring to you some new details on what you can expect when the game hits this November.

The story of course revolves around Knack, mankind’s secret weapon against the goblin threat. After the goblins invade the human settlement, Knack sets out to find the goblin hideout and discover how the primitive goblins got their hands on advanced tanks and airships. While you always play as Knack, there are a lot of other characters who factor into the story:

Doctor – Knack’s creator is a genius but can be moody and impetuous at times. He also raised Lucas since the boy’s parents died, so he’s pulling double duty as a father figure. Although he’s not always good at it…

Ryder – Lucas’ uncle is a world famous adventurer and explorer who is invaluable to the mission to defeat the goblins.

Lucas – Very level headed for such a young age, and Knack’s best friend.

Viktor – A billionaire industrialist who made his fortune mining the ancient relics that provide power for electricity, machinery, vehicles and more. He brings his powerful robots on the expedition to discover more about the goblin threat.

Katrina – Viktor’s head of security, she’s tough and composed no matter what occurs.

Knack is made of these very same relics, and by absorbing more and more relics he can grow from his original 3-foot tall size to 6 feet tall, 15 feet tall, even 30 feet tall. On their way to the goblin hideout, Knack makes his way through an ice cave and, thanks to Lucas, discovers the ability to absorb ice, just like relics, to make himself bigger and stronger.

This changes up the gameplay in different ways. For example, once Knack makes it out of the cave, the ice starts to melt and he’ll have to defeat tough enemies before he shrinks back down to a smaller size. Throughout the game, Knack will find he can absorb different kinds of materials, such as:

Metal Knack – Very tough and powerful (and my favourite), but being made of metal also means you’re magnetic. Which can lead to some interesting problems!

Wood Knack – one of the biggest versions of Knack in the game. And while wood is easy to find, it does burn easily! That said, if you are on fire you can use that to access some extra areas…

The storyline will take players through a wide variety of gorgeous stages and environments, from caves to forests, cities to giant airships and more, all brought to life by the amazing artists at Japan Studio. And of course, no action platformer game would be complete without some challenging boss battles. Don’t let the colorful graphics fool you—there’s plenty of challenge to be found within the world of Knack.

There’s a lot more to the story, which is told through a full length CGI film’s worth of of fully mo-capped cinematic cutscenes (featuring some familiar voice acting talent). You’ll learn more about the origins of the mysterious ancient relics that power everything in the world, including Knack. Deeper mysteries abound, but trying to harness the true power of the relics could threaten to put the whole world at risk.