Review: Shank

[Reckoner]

[via ReadyUpLive]

 

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/503/shanktoppic.jpg

 

The word “shank” can mean a lot of different things. Just because you’re not in tune with urban slang doesn’t mean you’re totally left out. In this case, it is the name of a guy who – well, who happens to be very good at killing.

 

You play the role of Shank, a former gang member whose life was shattered when his old gang killed his lady. He’s back in the action with revenge on his mind - or blood if that tickles your fancy - or possibly the question of why he was named after a prison knife.

 

You start off by hunting down the first of many crime family members who you used to work for. Is this starting to sound a bit familiar? Can you say Kill Bill? Anyhow, you end up finding some clues and learn about their whereabouts as you start your murdering mayhem. The game right away sets you up with akimbo pistols, a chainsaw and you guessed it, a shanker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFIAlrabEsg

 

Shank looks good. It has some fallbacks when it comes to the voice acting though. It uses a lot of the typical innuendos when it comes to bad and good guys. Regardless, it makes up with its nice looking comic books feel. The explosions, gunfire and other effects are well drawn. There’s not much of a physics engine which I happen to be a huge fan of. I mean, who doesn’t like to see a flying ragdoll?

 

Combos will be your biggest friend and are an important aspect of the game. Mastering certain move strings will have you breezing through the level in no time. They are easy to pick up, but hard to master. From using a real-time weapon changing system to make your combos more effective to grabbing characters and sticking grenades in their mouths, this game doesn't disappoint in the action department. There are even outfits you can unlock for reaching a nice, big, juicy number on the combo meter count.

 

The game gives you an extremely wide variety of ways how to approach and kill your enemies. For starters, you got your basic pounce move. When in doubt, pounce! This handy maneuver almost guarantees a free shot at beating the baddies to a bloody pulp. Take into account that this action only works on normal sized enemies; if they get any bigger, they’ll just end up manhandling you. The next and most important gameplay feature of Shank are combat and combos. The game has several different combat styles that you can mix for fast and aggressive. You can quickly toggle between melee or ranged weapons and both play a crucial role in determining your playstyle. Your combat finesse decides how easy or difficult it will be to defeat enemies; your style also affects the outcome of boss fights. Although most boss battles entitle you to make specific gestures at an opportune moment to move in for a devastating blow, certain bosses require quick reflexes and some handy memorization of your favorite combos.

 

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/2870/shank1a.jpg

 

While most levels are simply linear in fashion, some of them will have you wall running, pole swinging, and maybe even skull hopping to reach the objective. The trouble is sometimes these maneuvers become difficult to control. At times, I couldn't even go up a wall without Shank jumping around and inadvertently falling to his death; this became quite aggravating. There were a few other minor bugs, but nothing that drew away my Shank-like mood.

 

I found Shank to be enjoyable most of the time. My only gripes were the couch co-op, a few minor bugs here and there, and the fact that some boss battles became a pain to finish -- let alone the time consuming co-op boss battles. You'll also find that the game slowly, but surely becomes repetitive. Other than that, the cutscenes are nice to look at and the three to four hour gameplay of nothing but killing the baddies are quite satisfying.

 

If you've been waiting for an arcade game that touts an extensive combo based combat system, then Shank is the game for you. It'll set you back 1200 MSP ($15). If you have the extra cash, treat yourself with an enduring, yet enjoyable game.

 

Score

8.5/10