Shank 2

 PC
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. IGN
    Feb 6, 2012
    85
    It's a more responsive, faster action title that does away with the damning side of its dazzling animation. This is a smooth brawler with gorgeous spectacle, and its dedication to nailing its second chance makes it one of the best action games in recent memory.
  2. Armchair Empire
    Feb 21, 2012
    80
    This writer is glad that games like Shank 2 still get made. While the nostalgia of the genre is there, the developers were sure to make the combat fun and varied enough so there wasn't a mashable way to charge through the game. No, it's almost a science chainsawing dudes or impaling them with their own machetes.
  3. Games.cz
    Feb 21, 2012
    80
    When we compare Shank 2 to the previous instalment we see developers eased up a bit and at the same time they stepped up a gear. The outcome is it's still a great bloody action that will please both fans of the series as well as the newcomers.
  5. AtomicGamer
    Feb 13, 2012
    80
    Sure, Shank 2 falls apart here and there, but it's minor compared to the excitement that this game brings, and the reasonable $10 price tag (on all platforms) makes this a good value, too.
  6. PC Master (Greece)
    May 16, 2012
    77
    A worthy sequel that handles most of the original's shortcomings and adds a wonderful survival mode… but would have made a more appealing offer, if there was more content and co-op support. [May 2012]
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  7. PC Gamer
    Mar 21, 2012
    71
    At $10, Shank 2's hardly a regrettable purchase. Just a largely forgettable one. [May 2012, p.71]
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  8. GameStar
    Feb 19, 2012
    71
    Quotation forthcoming.
  9. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Mar 22, 2012
    70
    Shank 2 is an interesting platformer with a unique visual style, but gets tired pretty quickly. Extreme difficulty will probably discourage many gamers. [March 2012]
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  10. GamingTrend
    Jan 14, 2013
    68
    I would only recommend this game to those who have attached themselves to Shank's story from the first game, or perhaps the hardcore gamer that enjoys a challenge. The art is good, the mayhem is there: too bad it sometimes feels like you're bringing a knife to a gunfight.
  11. Destructoid
    Feb 15, 2012
    65
    Shank 2 can be summed up as "fine." It isn't going to revolutionize brawlers or bring anything truly unique to the table, but it isn't a bad game either. Some of the strongest points also seem to be the weakest, but there are some places where they get done right.
  12. Gaming Nexus
    Mar 5, 2012
    58
    Violent, absurd, and even a little fun--Shank 2 is a decent enough way to kill a few hours' time.
  13. Gaming Age
    Feb 17, 2012
    50
    Shank 2 isn't worth its weight as a full sequel. It should have been DLC, since that's what it is. Without building in any way on the original, even, do we receive a game which merits itself as a full-fledged sequel, and lasts no longer than a few hours. There's even an omission of a secondary co-op campaign as the first had. Even with different modes of play to extend its life, badges to earn for unlockable characters, and the thought that it's possible to be the best at any level on the global leaderboards, there's nothing inspiring me to ever go back to Shank 2 past its campaign.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 143 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 143
  2. Mixed: 68 out of 143
  3. Negative: 22 out of 143
  1. RectalTerror
    Feb 14, 2012
    3
    Shank 1 was a visually stunning 2D beat'em up (not really platformer), with average controls (on PC), bearable difficulty, but a lot of fun,Shank 1 was a visually stunning 2D beat'em up (not really platformer), with average controls (on PC), bearable difficulty, but a lot of fun, over-the-top (violent) action, and a scenario that was pretty much the one of Kill Bill. Shank 2 is still visually stunning, still offers great over-the-top action, and still has a pointless scenario (but that's not important). What it changes are the controls & difficulty, but only to make them worse. Shank 1 required too many keys (half of them being unnecessary), and it's even more broken in Shank 2.
    But it's in the difficulty that it gets very bad. While the game is slightly more difficult & more frustrating during the "normal" parts, the bosses are unnecessarily hard, very hard, and unlike in Shank 1, require no specific strategy, they're just hard, like in a japanese schmup. If you easily throw your monitor through the window, skip this game, you probably won't see more than 1 or 2 levels of it, and it will be better for your health. If however you enjoy dying a hundred times in a row & replaying the same thing the whole day, then go ahead.
    It has an online survival mode but to be honnest I haven't been able to find anyone playing it.    … Full Review »
  2. JaydenPickens
    Feb 20, 2019
    8
    A definition of a great sequel. Better controls, better gameplay, everything is great here. Pickens approves!
  3. ZootMan
    Feb 25, 2012
    6
    Hmm....well, the animation IS worth a glimpse, if only to witness the variations in the characters at the outset. Honestly, if you play theHmm....well, the animation IS worth a glimpse, if only to witness the variations in the characters at the outset. Honestly, if you play the first 20 minutes of the game, you're pretty much done on the mechanics at large. The rest of the game is an amalgamation of all the concepts and challenges developed in the first level or two. The combat is flashy...but not substantial. I would love to see a 2-d arkham asylum/city combat system translated, and i felt as if the developers wanted shank to be that kind of engaging action. As it stands, its a decent, if underwhelming experience.… Full Review »
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