Shank 2: a review

Grindhouse style movies have resurged in recent years. Movies like Black Dynamite, Hobo with a Shotgun, and Machete have brought back the exploitation and ultra-violence that can satisfy like nothing else. Shank 2 is inspired by these and it shows.

Here’s your plot: Shank (yes that is the main character’s name) rides into town on a bus to visit his old orphanage. Said town is under the control of a corrupt politician’s personal army. After they kidnap the woman who runs the orphanage, Shank decides to fight them all to get her back.

That’s it. If it seems familiar then you’ve probably watched your fair share of westerns and action films in the past. Shank 2 borrows heavily from the conventions of these genres, but it’s always tongue in cheek about it, always aware of what it is. The comic book shading and style allows for fantastic animations, and even in still shots the art is impressive. The music also helps set the scene, just as in the best grindhouse flicks.

The game plays incredibly smoothly. Shank moves at a good clip and can roll, leap, and lunge great distances. The attacks feel powerful, from the fastest swipes of the knives to the slow swing of a sledgehammer. His enemies aren’t slouches either though, and the variety of weapons and strategies they employ will the player on their toes. Fortunately, between your rolling dodges and counterattacks (as well as infinite ammo for guns and lots of useful temporary weapons), you’re always more than equipped to deal with the threats at hand.

What is less fun is the lack of cooperative multiplayer in story mode. The first game had a separate story for two players, so having this completely missing is a shame. Instead there is a cooperative survival mode, with several waves of enemies in multiple locations. This is a frantic and fantastic alternative to the story, and it provides replay value that the first game lacked. Where that game only lasted 6-8 hours at best, Shank 2 offers substantially more to play and content to unlock. For a $10 download, the amount of game here is surprising.

Shank 2 is a love letter to grindhouse movies. The action is over the top, the cutscenes are ridiculous and the plot is an afterthought, but it manages to distill everything fun about watching your favorite action flicks into a video game. The lack of a cooperative story mode is a drawback, especially since the last game did it so well, but the survival mode largely makes up for it and overall the game is a noticeable improvement on the already solid original.

Shank 2 is available for download on Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network, and PC.