How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 54 | 20 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 67 | 713 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (78)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 66
“In spite of its family-friendly aesthetics and its co-op option, Knack ended up being more repetitive and unsatisfactory than we expected from one of PS4's big release titles. ”
read full review ↗ - 30
“Knack fails to capitalize on its own ideas and structure, and is successful only in acting as a reminder of the shallow, punishing platformers of a time when we really cared about how many bits there were on your console.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Knack offers a refreshing return to the PSone platformers of old. The title may not be particularly ambitious, but it has a nostalgic quality that can make it difficult to put down. Checkpoint hiccups, framerate issues, and difficulty spikes prevent it from reaching its maximum potential, but much like the titular hero himself, the title will definitely grow on you.”
read full review ↗ - 35
“A tedious, dull and repetitive experience, Knack is a charmless launch title that punishes its players with little variety, poor music and an empty, abandoned and joyless game world. ”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Knack is a charming romp, but not one I could recommend shelling out full price for. The old-school difficulty combined with tedious combat make for an experience that simply isn’t enjoyable.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“There's nothing to recommend Knack, and it's destined to join the ever-growing pile of low-budget launch titles that nobody remembers.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Knack is a colorful, but mediocre platformer that has issues with repetitive gameplay on top of being frustratingly difficult at times.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“I'm all in favour of games that transport us back to the good old days of vibrant originality, but Knack simply doesn't.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“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. ”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Knack is a game with some solid core mechanics which cry out for a bit more polish and a lot more variety in the gameplay. While changing size is truly amazing, it doesn’t bring enough in the table to make the lengthy game fun, and it becomes quite tired after the halfway mark.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“A poor quality video game by any measure, but what this joyless throwback is doing being a key launch title for the PlayStation 4 Sony only knows.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“An average retro platformer with stylish visuals. Knack glances off the surface of next-gen potential and tries to lure in the casual gamers. Quite a lazy approach. [Issue#237]”
Push Square
LevelUp
ZTGD
Worth Playing
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
Metro GameCentral…and 66 more tracked reviews.