Knowledge is Power review for PS4

Platform: PS4
Publisher: SIEA
Developer: Wish Studios
Medium: Digital
Players: 1-6
Online: No
ESRB: T

I’m of two minds on Knowledge is Power.

On the one hand, I can’t help but compare it to so many trivia games I’ve played on various systems over the years: You Don’t Know Jack, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, and various games in the Buzz! series all spring to mind. And by that standard, it’s kind of lacking. There aren’t a ton of features, the mini-games are pretty bland, and the questions generally aren’t that difficult. The host, while personable, lacks the personality of Cookie Masterson or Alex Trebel (or even Buzz!’s host), and just comes off as generic. It’s not terrible, but it’s not the kind of thing I’d urge everyone to rush out and buy.

On the other hand, however, I feel like I need to look at Knowledge is Power from the point of view of my wife. This game is, after all, a party game geared towards more casual players, and seeing as my wife has only a passing acquaintance at best with YKDJ and Jeopardy, it seems like her perspective may be the more valid one. And on that front: she enjoyed it.

I don’t think she’d say it blew her away or anything, but at the very least, she kind of got into it, which is more than could be said about how she’s reacted to YKDJ. She loved the bright visuals and characters, and the fact you could use your smartphone as a controller made the game more intuitive and, I suspect, less intimidating than it would’ve been with a DualShock.

That said, I can’t imagine that, even a few weeks from now, she’ll asking to play one more round of Knowledge is Power. It may be fun to play once or twice at the odd party or two, but beyond that, you’re better off grabbing the first Jackbox Party Pack and playing You Don’t Know Jack.

Grade: B