[Review] - Shank

Graphics aside, the gameplay is very smooth. You can perform light and heavy attacks, use guns, grappling moves, and (thankfully) move around and jump. It has very standard controls, but it's in the way that you combine them that the game gets interesting. Throughout the game you get a variety of weapons, from the default shanks and chainsaw, to machetes, a shotgun, and my personal favorite, a chain that you wrap around your fists to attack your enemies' weak points for massive damage. You can switch between these weapons at any time. By combining your light, heavy, and ranged attacks, you can become a whirlwind of death, shanking, bashing, chopping, and shooting your way through hordes of enemies. Words really don't do it justice. Check out this video courtesy of Machinima:

The story is the usual tale of revenge, but is well formulated. It helps that one of the writers of the God of War series, Marianne Krawczyk, is involved. There's enough emotion in the acting that you feel for Shank (the aptly named titular character) and want to help him brutally murder the ones responsible for killing his loved one. There is also local co-op in Shank, with it's own unique backstory, detailing the events leading up to the beginning of the game. In this mode player two plays as Shank's friend, Falcone. There are more enemies, and they are even tougher, but it can be very fun with two whirlwinds of death flying around the screen. There are even special grappling moves that let the players work together to take down the enemies.

In the end, Shank is every bit as gratuitous as it is inspired. From the beginning to the end, it's essentially a constant series of violent encounters, but the game has enough style that it never really gets old. If you're a fan of brutal beat 'em up games, you don't want to miss Shank. It's an outstanding credit to the genre.