Shank 2 Review

Beautifully stylish and brutally vicious, Shank 2 is simply superb. No qualifying statements like “for a 2d game” or “for a downloadable title” are necessary. Standing on its own merits, this is easily one of the most outrageously fun action games to come out in years. Period. As a textbook example of how to do a sequel justice, Shank 2 rights just about all of the wrongs of its 2010 predecessor without spoiling any of what made the original so memorable in the first place. It even throws in one of recent gaming’s best instantiations of the now-ubiquitous survival mode for good measure.

What’s initially most striking about Shank 2, as was the case with the original, is the lavish presentation. The game sports a distinctly cartoony style, though don’t mistake this for a juvenile game. With a name like Shank, you’d be right if you had assumed that there’d be plenty of bloodshed. While the story itself won’t turn any heads due to its lack of memorable characters, the way in which it is told is noteworthy. The campaign is broken up into eight levels, with loads of gorgeously animated cutscenes throughout. These cutscenes tell the thin yet serviceable story, generally depicting either a bit of plot development, or some hilariously vicious dismemberment. The dialogue is campy and cheesy, though the game’s solid voice acting and incredible animation make it easy to see that this was an intentional stylistic choice. The developers clearly don’t mean for you to take the story or the premise too seriously. This is all well and good, as it allows you to focus on what really matters – the obscenely fun combat mechanics!

While Shank 2 is technically a platformer, you’ll spend far more time pounding enemies into the pavement than you will jumping over things. Combat controls have been cleaned up and tightened considerably since the original Shank. Picking items up off the ground and performing light attacks now each have their own individual buttons, as well, shooting controls have been enhanced for superior accuracy. Fight controls will still take some time to get used to, but the learning curve is worth it. Once your facility with the game’s mechanics is satisfactory, you’ll find yourself gracefully dancing around the screen in a whirlwind of bloody destruction. When things really get going, combat achieves a free flowing feel to it that’s incredibly addictive and never gets old. With swarms of enemies of all different shapes, sizes, and armaments (the latter of which can be picked up and used against them), there are always new combat strategies to employ.

The campaign maintains a brisk pace with tons of variety. While it’s fairly short, clocking in at just a few hours max, there are a great deal of engaging reasons to re-play it time and time again. There are several medals to earn by completing various gameplay challenges, many of which also unlock achievements/trophies and even extra playable characters. These characters can be used in the campaign, but they’re the most interesting when employed in the game’s new phenomenal survival mode.

Survival mode will see you battling your way through twenty waves of enemies while protecting three loads of cargo from bombers. It’s a cooperative mode that ends in a loss either when both players die or when all three objectives are detonated. It’ll take a great deal of strategy along with quick reflexes and skillful fighting to survive through to the end. It’s a great game to play locally, as being able to communicate on the fly with your teammate goes a long way towards success. Choose the online option, however, and you’ll be able to team up with a friend privately or jump into the quick and painless matchmaking.

Within survival mode, there are some valuable items that can be bought on the fly with gold picked up from dead enemies. Access to these helpful goods progressively unlocks throughout each individual match. The twenty waves follow a set chain of progress with increasingly numerous and difficult enemies. Bosses spawn in on occasion, and there’s even an obligatory zombie wave. With the statistical differences between the various player characters and the different weapons load-out possibilities, a plethora of different play styles are encouraged throughout survival mode. Couple in the fact that the two players, despite being partners, are scored against one another with postings made on the online leader board, and you’ve got a mode that stays fresh and fun for hours upon hours on end.

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Shank 2 is one of those games that is consistently beautiful, even when depicting disembowelments. The game’s flawless and intuitive control mechanics go a long way to keeping the visceral combat from ever getting old. With the tough and engaging campaign, the addicting survival mode, the many challenges to complete and the numerous hidden collectibles, there’s enough to do to keep you occupied for a very long time. It’s an absolute gem of an action game and, at only $10 (800 MSP), it’s one of the most highly recommendable purchases in gaming so far this year.

Shank 2 was reviewed with a copy provided by Klei Entertainment. You can download the game on XBLA, PSN, or PC for 800 MSP/$9.99.