The player can craft items such as pickaxes, swords and tools to smash blocks, fight monsters, and construct elaborate buildings, armour and weapons.

[8][9][10][11] David Keremes of Nintendo World Report praised the title's vibrant worlds, accessible RPG mechanics, amount of content, and multiplayer, while criticizing the constant item management and unexplained crafting mechanics.

[15] Ryan Craddock of Nintendo Life lauded the pleasing art style, crafting options, and cooperative play while taking minor issue with finicky controls and long load times exclusive to the Switch port.

[13] Brandon Marlow of Push Square praised Portal Knights' crafting mechanics, combat, and boss battles but deemed the stats system and reliance on RNG as the game's hindrances.

[12] In December 2016, Deutscher Entwicklerpreis Awards 2016 selected Portal Knights as their choice for "Best Online Game 2016".