Knack 2 is a kind of reply to Knack. Almost everything that the critics — and, I suspect Cerny too — did not like about the first game has been tossed out or improved. Knack 2 looks to me like everything Knack was not.
[...]
He also mentions that this game — due out on PlayStation 4 later this year — has more checkpoints than the first, an omission that was much criticized. "I do believe those days are over," he says. "We're finding challenges in other places than successfully completing lots of consecutive platform jumps before reaching a checkpoint."
[...]
In Knack 2, combat is very different. Basic moves such as kick, punch, jump and slam are augmented by chain maneuvers, dodges, special moves and weapons. There are sections in which Knack briefly becomes invincible.
Shield use is extremely important, offering a chance to counter against goblin attackers, or even to bounce projectiles back at them. Crystal energy can be collected to boost defenses. This is especially useful when Knack is small and extremely vulnerable.
In cooperative play, Knack and partner can also team up to execute moves on one another in order to create powerful weapon attacks. This includes a deadly machine-punch and an explosion. "When we tested the game, we saw that siblings always liked hitting each other, so we decided to turn that into a weapon," says Cerny.
https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/5/8/15564354/knack-2-preview-interview-mark-cerny