Knytt Underground

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 359 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Knytt Underground Game Cover
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"Knytt Underground" is a serene yet action-packed platformer following Mi, a mute sprite with special powers. Set in a post-apocalyptic world underground, Mi must find and ring the six bells of fate to prevent a destructive chain reaction. Featuring captivating quests, zen-like gameplay, and dynamic characters, embark on an unforgettable adventure to discover the secrets of their origin and the meaning of life.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
  • Wii
  • Wii U
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 359 reviews
story43 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • Knytt Underground features a vast, beautifully designed world filled with secrets and hidden areas, making exploration a joy.
  • The game has a relaxing atmosphere, enhanced by its soothing soundtrack and charming visuals, creating an immersive experience.
  • The platforming mechanics are tight and responsive, allowing for enjoyable gameplay that balances challenge and accessibility.
  • The story and character dialogue can feel juvenile and detract from the overall experience, with some players finding it off-putting.
  • The game lacks native controller support, which can be frustrating for players who prefer using a gamepad.
  • Backtracking can become tedious due to the game's large map and the sometimes convoluted fast travel system.
  • story231 mentions

    The story in Knytt Underground is often described as quirky and unconventional, blending humor with deeper themes such as emotional trauma and existential questions. While some players find the narrative engaging and character-driven, others criticize it for being thin or poorly executed, with many quests feeling like simple fetch tasks. Overall, the game emphasizes exploration and atmosphere over a cohesive plot, inviting players to uncover its story through interactions and environmental storytelling rather than a straightforward narrative.

    • “There's a good and unpredictable story under the surface of this strange looking cave, with a cast full of personality, especially the main characters, that kept slowly growing on me even though they might look plain at first.”
    • “The storytelling was actually one of my favorite parts about the game, but it might go a little bit over your head if you aren't actually giving it the attention it deserves.”
    • “The story defies a lot of genre conventions; quests don't always end in a way the characters find satisfying, and ultimately a lot of doubt is cast on the claim that your quest to 'save the world' is actually doing anything.”
    • “The worst character portraits known to man hide a story that's both deeply personal and serious yet extremely flippant at the same time.”
    • “The way the game ends seems to be a setup to send a message about 'the journey being more important than the destination', but it really comes off as if the developer just didn't know how to do a cohesive story.”
    • “Maybe there is actually some plot in this game, but after hours and hours of gameplay I still don't know what is actually going on, who is the main character, who are the bad guys, if there is any.”
  • gameplay138 mentions

    The gameplay of Knytt Underground is characterized by its exploration-heavy platforming mechanics, which are simple yet engaging, allowing players to traverse a beautifully crafted world filled with puzzles and fetch quests. While the game features unique mechanics such as transforming into a bouncing ball, some players find the gameplay repetitive and the reliance on fetch quests can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun challenges and atmospheric exploration, though opinions vary on its pacing and depth.

    • “Traversing the world doesn't feel like a chore at any point since the movement feels good and the mechanics are few and easy to learn, but nicely implemented and exploited, including optional segments that push the platforming aspect of the game to the limit and pose a very exciting challenge.”
    • “Knytt Underground is an atmospheric exploration platformer with a huge world, great soundtrack, and fun mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is a lot of fun too, with the ability to turn into a bouncy ball at will.”
    • “The gameplay is simplistic and kind of boring, but the story is fun, in a post-ironic sort of way.”
    • “The game’s content is bloated, repetitive and lacking in interesting new mechanics to explore after a while.”
    • “The game is unique with a great soundtrack and solid enough presentation for sure but the repetitive gameplay and frustrating trial-and-error puzzles drove me insane.”
  • music133 mentions

    The music in Knytt Underground is widely praised for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, featuring a diverse soundtrack that enhances the exploration experience. With over 100 tracks, the ambient and sometimes melancholic tunes create a captivating atmosphere that complements the game's beautiful visuals and intricate level design. While some players noted occasional repetitiveness, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersive quality.

    • “The soundtrack alone is almost 5 hours of beautiful mostly-ambient tracks, and it’s a perfect zen companion to even more hours of exploring the vast underground world finding all manner of obscure secrets.”
    • “The music helps greatly, ranging from atmospheric ambiance to catchy tunes.”
    • “The soundtrack on this game is nothing short of amazing, very calm and charming along with the brilliant visuals that decorate the background.”
    • “Music just kills any enthusiasm, which has not been killed yet by the level design.”
    • “Some platformers have inspiring music, but this just makes you feel melancholic.”
    • “The music is often quite trippy and kind of melancholy, which really adds to the lonely atmosphere of the game.”
  • graphics85 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with many praising its unique art style and beautiful environments that create a moody atmosphere, while others criticize the character designs and some graphical choices as unappealing. The visuals are often described as charming and atmospheric, effectively complementing the game's soundtrack and overall exploration experience. However, some players feel that the transition to higher resolution graphics has not been flattering, leading to a disconnect between the game's aesthetic and its character sprites.

    • “The graphical style is perhaps unusual, but manages many beautiful environments regardless.”
    • “What makes this game such a nice experience is the gorgeous artwork and excellent ambient soundtrack which combines to create a very relaxing vibe.”
    • “The look and sound of the game is gorgeous and easily rivals the best 2D artwork out there.”
    • “The graphics are laughably bad - the previous games' charming pixel art have been replaced by stock photos of vegetables and the absolute worst character sprites I've ever seen.”
    • “The art style of this game is pure trash.”
    • “The player and NPC artwork didn't really gel with the overall mood for me; it was a bit too cartoony against the silhouettes and real-life digitized background artwork.”
  • atmosphere84 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing music, unique art style, and immersive environments that encourage exploration without pressure. Players appreciate the deep, mysterious ambiance and the engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, making it a standout in atmospheric exploration games. However, some critiques mention that certain character designs and humor can detract from the otherwise captivating atmosphere.

    • “The incredible soundtrack and beautifully unique art style create a dense atmosphere supported by an interesting lore passively told through small snippets sprinkled all over the map as item descriptions and dialogues.”
    • “The world is enormous and beautiful and full of little details in its art and atmosphere.”
    • “The music is often quite trippy and kind of melancholy, which really adds to the lonely atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Even the moody atmosphere of the previous games is ruined by characters that look like muppet rejects and dialog that is insultingly juvenile.”
    • “But the story serves no purpose besides trying to be humorous, which in turn ruins the atmosphere.”
    • “Having the protagonists talk to the author talking steals away some of the atmosphere.”
  • humor30 mentions

    The humor in the game is a blend of darkly comedic moments, witty dialogue, and self-referential humor, often delivered through quirky NPCs and engaging quests. While many players appreciate the clever writing and emotional depth, some find the humor can be uncomfortable or forced at times. Overall, the game successfully balances funny and thought-provoking elements, making it a memorable experience.

    • “The overall gameplay is nice, with quests to help you progress and funny NPCs that constantly break the fourth wall.”
    • “The storytelling is nice and funny - I liked the grumpy blue fairy best, her remarks are very witty.”
    • “It's really funny to see how future cultures see human artifacts from the past (current) technology age.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The game is praised for its emotional depth, blending heartfelt moments with humor and charm, creating a unique experience that resonates on various levels. Players appreciate the thoughtful integration of themes like religion, emotional trauma, and the significance of small joys, all set against a backdrop of engaging music and exploration. While some find the story lacking in depth, the overall atmosphere and character interactions contribute to a touching and reflective gameplay experience.

    • “A thoughtful, heartfelt game.”
    • “It hits on weird emotional levels that I cannot explain, and I love it.”
    • “A true labor of love, from the hours and hours of subtle but emotionally resonant music, to the massive world and its myriad, flawed inhabitants.”
    • “The ambient music is great, but the story is pretty boring.”
    • “I felt no emotional connection to the characters or the plot.”
    • “The game tries to evoke emotions, but it falls flat and feels forced.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the depth and subtlety of the interactions and story, while others criticize the character designs as stiff and out of place. Despite the varied opinions on aesthetics, many reviewers note that engaging with the characters can unlock meaningful development and commentary about the game’s setting. Overall, while the character designs may not resonate with everyone, the narrative offers moments of heart and complexity that enhance the experience.

    • “Interacting with the denizens produces a lot of interesting commentary about the setting and can unlock character development and allow you new characters to interact with.”
    • “Gorgeous, soothing visuals and soundtrack; tight controls; puzzle platforming ranging from easily doable to devastatingly brutal, but always cleverly and fairly designed; a story that's partly just a bunch of tropes and jokes but sneakily filled with subtle moments of heart and bittersweet character development.”
    • “This game is really well made, you have awesome character development, an extremely fitting art style and background music which makes you feel comfortable and the map of Knytt Underground is huge and has tons of secrets.”
    • “I think character design is the weakest point here, being in a stiff 'toon' style which feels a bit out of place, but that’s also not what’s front-and-center most of the time, and it’s still fine anyway.”
    • “The things that threw me off most originally were the character designs and dialogue.”
    • “This game has bad character design and the storyline is not one of the best.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some side-quests are seen as tedious and repetitive, the engaging story and characters provide unexpected enjoyment. Late-game content can become tiresome due to backtracking, but the respawn system mitigates frustration from character deaths, reducing the overall sense of tedious repetition.

    • “Side quests were menial, tedious, and follow the repetitive trope of 'go here, collect this, return back.'”
    • “However, its story and characters come with some unexpected surprises which you'll probably find off-putting, while late-game can get tedious with lengthy backtracking.”
    • “Chapter 3 gets a bit tedious but it's still largely amusing.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its flexible story completion and numerous secrets, allowing players to explore different item combinations and paths. While 2D platformers typically lack replay value, this title stands out by encouraging exploration and experimentation.

    • “The game lets you complete the story at your own pace and with items in different orders, so it has great replay value.”
    • “If you want to play a game with replay value, the numerous secrets in this game will ensure that.”
    • “I've never really heard of a replayable 2D platformer before, except for maybe Mario Maker, but this game truly stands out.”
    • “Replayability -- I've never really heard of a replayable 2D platformer before, except for maybe Mario Maker, but that's not really a game.”
    • “If you want to play a game with replay value, the secrets in this game, of which there are many, will ensure that.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game is praised for its exceptional stability, with users reporting no significant bugs or glitches, resulting in a smooth overall experience.

    • “No real bugs, no glitches, all in all a fantastically stable experience.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, with no reported performance issues, smooth gameplay, rebindable controls, and satisfactory graphics options.

    • “The performance is excellent, with no issues at all. The game runs smoothly, and I appreciate the rebindable controls and satisfactory graphics options.”
    • “I am impressed with how well the game optimizes performance. It runs flawlessly on my system, and the ability to customize controls is a huge plus.”
    • “The optimization is top-notch; I haven't encountered any performance issues, and the graphics settings allow for a tailored experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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