Mini Review: Skully - Knack Meets Marble Madness

Whose idea was it to kick-start the PlayStation 4 generation with Knack and then proceed to end it with a game inspired by the popular mascot? We joke, of course, but Skully really does borrow those basic elements of brawling and platforming to create a somewhat enjoyable experience targeted at kids. That is to say that players beyond their teens won't be challenged by the latest title from Finish Line Games.

You play as a skull, appropriately named Skully, which has somehow gotten itself involved in a family feud. This set-up forms the foundations of a throwaway plot that sees the character hurry its way through a series of extremely linear levels containing all manner of ramps, speedways, and tricky angles. You'll catch a good amount of airtime and it's fun for the most part -- helped along the way by impressively responsive controls. Reactive enough to the point where adjusting your landing spot mid-flight is possible, you'll never begrudge the game itself for your failings.

The other half to this equation is that Skully can change into different forms if it dives into a pool of mud -- it's here where the Knack comparisons come into play. A strong form allows it to destroy rocks in its path and engage in some light combat, the swift form moves platforms about on the horizontal axis, and the final form does the same vertically and gives you a double jump. Despite these abilities lending some complexity to the puzzles you encounter, they're never too difficult. The three forms do eventually have to interact with each other in order to progress, but again it's never particularly troubling.

What continues to be a source of frustration though is the camera, particularly during boss battles. It tries to take a page out of Crash Bandicoot's book by having Skully run at the camera, except it gets in the way more often than not. And that's all there really is to the game. The younger generation is sure to extract some enjoyment out of Skully, but it proves all too basic for those getting on in their years.