Knack 2 Reviews: 11 Critical Reactions You Need To Know

7. Checkpointing Is Much More Generous This Time

"Checkpointing, a source of serious frustration in the first game, is much kinder in Knack 2." - Eurogamer

"The old-school hostility of the first game is replaced with the modern gaming comforts of regenerating health and frequent checkpoints, which feel appropriate to the cheerful scene the game is often trying to set." - Kotaku

"Checkpointing is generous, so if you miss a jump or get killed in combat, you’re generally only moments away from where you died. That’s definitely appreciated, and means you’ll rarely get frustrated. " - IGN

One of the most vocal complaints about the original Knack was the often infuriating checkpoint system, which would severely punish players for dying and often set them back many, many minutes at a time. This was especially odd considering that the game was aimed primarily at kids.

Thankfully, Mark Cerny and co. have clearly listened to this complaint above all others, with far more generous checkpointing throughout the campaign, ensuring that frustration is kept to a more agreeable minimum, and you won't need to repeat the same sequences numerous times over.

Artificial difficulty and padding are some of the worst things developers can insert into their games, so mercifully, it's largely gone in Knack 2.