Knights And Bikes

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 233 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Knights And Bikes Game Cover
I’ve played a lot of video games, but very few have truly blown me away.
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In Knights and Bikes, players control Nessa and Demelza, two young girls exploring a mysterious island with their pet goose, Captain Honkers. They'll ride and upgrade their bikes, face hazards and puzzles, and rely on their friendship and imagination to save the island and each other from an ancient curse. The game features creative gameplay and humor, and is developed by the talented team behind Tearaway, Ratchet & Clank, and LittleBigPlanet.

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Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 233 reviews
story62 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The art style is beautiful and charming, capturing the whimsical nature of childhood imagination.
  • The game offers a heartwarming story with emotional depth, exploring themes of friendship and grief.
  • Playing in co-op mode enhances the experience, making it a fun and engaging adventure with friends.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with some mechanics being overly simplistic.
  • There are technical issues, including bugs and camera problems that can disrupt the experience.
  • Some players found the pacing slow, with parts of the game feeling tedious or lacking excitement.
  • story145 mentions

    The story of "Knights and Bikes" is a heartfelt and whimsical journey that explores themes of friendship, grief, and childhood imagination, often evoking both joy and sadness. While the narrative is engaging and beautifully presented through charming visuals and dialogue, some players found the pacing slow and the gameplay occasionally dull, which detracted from their overall investment in the story. Despite these criticisms, many reviewers praised the game's emotional depth and the strong bond between its characters, making it a recommended experience for those who appreciate story-driven games.

    • “The story is sad but endearing, and embodies the difficulties of holding grief and friendship.”
    • “The story is full of heart, even though you know where it's going.”
    • “Knights and Bikes is an amazing game with charming characters, an interesting story, and an outstanding artistic design.”
    • “On the flipside, there are parts where nothing is really happening, just running around or riding your bike in silence from A to B, and the writing is inconsistent and underdeveloped at times, which for me kind of derailed my investment.”
    • “The trouble is: it is never fun or exciting to play, mostly due to the boring plot and the utterly bland gameplay.”
    • “My only complaint was the base storyline had some tired tropes, particularly the mother dying, which is a tired one that just needs to go.”
  • gameplay55 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simple and occasionally frustrating, lacking in excitement and depth. While some appreciate the whimsical mechanics and cooperative elements, others criticize it for being dull and repetitive, often overshadowed by the game's beautiful art and narrative. Overall, the gameplay is seen as satisfactory but not particularly innovative or challenging, making it more suitable for casual play rather than intense gaming experiences.

    • “The gameplay is fun, though sometimes confusing.”
    • “Beautiful art style, fun gameplay mechanics full of childlike whimsicality and wonder.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, storytelling is full of imagination, sometimes sad and complex but very relatable.”
    • “The trouble is: it is never fun or exciting to play, mostly due to the boring plot and the utterly bland gameplay (exploration, combat, level design, etc).”
    • “The gameplay is rather basic, but it is enough to make you smile and brighten up your day due to the previously mentioned S-tier animation and art.”
    • “The actual gameplay, however, is very simple both in terms of difficulty and the complexity of the mechanics themselves, very typical adventure game styled mechanics.”
  • graphics51 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique hand-drawn art style, which enhances the whimsical and heartwarming narrative. Reviewers highlight the vibrant colors and detailed animations that contribute to an engaging visual experience, making it feel like a playable piece of art. Overall, the aesthetic is described as both nostalgic and refreshing, successfully capturing the essence of the game's story and characters.

    • “The hand-drawn visuals are a feast for the eyes 😍”
    • “Visually, the game is what you would expect from a team of former Media Molecule workers who founded their own studio; absolutely beautiful, all the aesthetics are unique and really beautiful, hand-drawn and with a really good palette of colors.”
    • “Super cute action adventure with a very unique and consistent graphics and art style showing all the love and craftsmanship that went into this game.”
    • “The kids' imagination stuff is neat and the art style matches it, so it's a pity the game is boring and unfinished.”
    • “The hand-drawn art style is deceptive.”
    • “While it doesn't break any ground as a gameplay experience, the potent narrative and unique visuals give it a strong stature as essentially a playable piece of art and interactive story.”
  • music39 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and catchy tunes, effectively complementing the charming art style and engaging story. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to evoke the 80s and 90s punk vibe, some express a desire for more consistent musical presence throughout the gameplay. Overall, the music enhances the experience, though a few critiques highlight moments where it could have been more impactful.

    • “The soundtrack is a delightful mix of nostalgic tunes and catchy melodies 🎶”
    • “The art style shows a lot of heart and soul with the sound and music design being so fitting for the game's time period.”
    • “Music is excellent, evoking the eighties and nineties punk from the era.”
    • “The audio is certainly the weaker part of the game, especially the lack of any atmosphere building music or ambience.”
    • “And the opening sequence with the child screaming out song lyrics was legitimately painful to listen to; it seemed like the intent was to make the opening sequence feel rustic and spirited but listening to a child straight up screaming in your ears is not remotely either of those things.”
    • “The other issue is that I wish there was more music to accompany you during the game.”
  • emotional34 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Knights and Bikes" is widely praised for its heartwarming yet bittersweet storytelling, effectively capturing the essence of childhood and friendship. Players report feeling deeply moved by the game's touching moments, particularly its exploration of grief and emotional trauma, which resonate strongly throughout the narrative. The unique art style and charming sound design further enhance the emotional experience, making it a memorable and impactful adventure.

    • “I've played this game twice and still get emotional at the end.”
    • “The dynamic between her and her father grieving the loss of her mother felt heart-wrenching and real.”
    • “The writing is emotional without being a drag.”
  • humor23 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to evoke laughter through goofy moments and relatable characters. Players appreciate the lighthearted narrative and whimsical interactions, which contribute to a heartwarming experience, especially in co-op mode. While some find the humor occasionally repetitive, the overall consensus is that it enhances the game's appeal and makes it enjoyable for a variety of players.

    • “This game is super charming, funny, and has an interesting narrative.”
    • “I found myself laughing out loud several times in the game, even though I'm not typically someone who does.”
    • “The humor hit just right without being annoying or overly complicated.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its vibrant, lived-in world and visually interesting art, creating a fun and engaging experience, especially in co-op play. However, some reviewers noted that the lack of atmospheric music and ambient sounds detracts from the overall immersion, leaving certain areas feeling empty in comparison.

    • “The world felt very lived-in and atmospheric even though the main quest areas were noticeably linear.”
    • “Fun, silly atmosphere punctuated by some really sad moments.”
    • “Lovely atmosphere, amazing art and co-op.”
    • “The audio is certainly the weaker part of the game, especially the lack of any atmosphere-building music or ambience.”
    • “Which does make it more powerful, but also leaves the rest of the game empty by comparison in terms of atmosphere.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, noting that while the dialogues are humorous, they become repetitive over time. The combat is described as lackluster, leading to a frustrating experience, especially during multiplayer sessions where little progress is made.

    • “Combat is tedious.”
    • “Even though the dialogues are written quite funny, they get really tedious after some time.”
    • “Ultimately, I think what did 'Knights and Bikes' in was setting aside 1.5 hours to play online with someone and essentially not doing anything in the game but run around tediously and fight a few lackluster battles.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches that necessitate quitting and reloading. Players report a buggy experience and a clunky combat system, which detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “Despite the gameplay issues, there were numerous glitches that required quitting and reloading the game to fix.”
    • “It's buggy, has a clunky combat system, and not all puzzles are well-designed.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game's replayability is uncertain after completing the story, but the large map offers opportunities for free exploration, making it enjoyable for players like the user's nephew.

    • “The map is pretty large for my nephew to enjoy exploring, so there's plenty of free roam opportunities.”
    • “Even after finishing the story, I find myself coming back to explore different areas and try new strategies.”
    • “The variety of quests and side activities keeps the game fresh, making me want to replay it multiple times.”
    • “Not sure how replayable it is now that I've finished the story, but the map is pretty large for my nephew to enjoy exploring, so free roam is a plus.”
    • “Once you complete the main storyline, there's not much incentive to go back and play again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful side quests makes replaying the game feel tedious and uninteresting.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The character development in the game is enhanced by imaginative elements and charming sound effects that evoke a nostalgic sense of childhood. The art and animation contribute to a vibrant atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like Psychonauts, despite differing narratives.

    • “The figments of imagination floating around as the girls explored the island, along with the charming sound effects of them laughing and playing, really set the mood of 'this is a game about childhood.' I loved the art, and the animation and character designs made me feel like I was playing a game that could easily be set in the same world as Psychonauts, even though the stories had absolutely nothing to do with each other.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
10-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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