Topic: Shank

[Xessive]

This look like awesome fun!

I love the Penny-Arcade-ish style!

[TheOtherBelmont]

Yeah, been looking foward to this one since Pyro linked me to a video awhile back, looks awesome.

[idolminds]

Can't wait.

[idolminds]

It comes out today on PSN. And hey, free soundtrack!

[Xessive]

Awesome news! I'll have to wait for the Asian PSN Store to add it on.. It's usually a few days behind.

[W7RE]

Should be up on Xbox Live tomorrow. I've been waiting for this one for a while.

[PyroMenace]

I played through this the other day, its pretty cool but there's not much to it. Its fun through the beginning but starts to wear thin towards the end. I didn't have too much trouble with the combat, if you keep mixing up your moves it isn't too difficult. I have heard people talking about how hard the last boss is but I didn't have much trouble at all. If you keep dodging and taking small shots then he's no problem, I honestly think my experience with Smash Bros helped there.

[Cobra951]

I wasn't very attracted to this.  The 2GB size killed my meager interest in trying the demo.

[Quemaqua]

The size is huge.  I bought it because I love violence.

[W7RE]

Shank is the Xbox Live deal of the week. It's $10, marked down from $15. (only for people with XBL Gold)

[MysterD]

Just tried the PC demo - whoa, that game is wicked fast and can kinda fry your eyes. Love the comic-book look it has going on and all.

For those who played the full version - how long/short is it?

[gpw11]

I tried the demo a while ago and liked it, but also worried a bit about the length. As it's on sale right now I'm curious as to the answer as well.

[Pugnate]

I played through this the other day, its pretty cool but there's not much to it. Its fun through the beginning but starts to wear thin towards the end. I didn't have too much trouble with the combat, if you keep mixing up your moves it isn't too difficult. I have heard people talking about how hard the last boss is but I didn't have much trouble at all. If you keep dodging and taking small shots then he's no problem, I honestly think my experience with Smash Bros helped there.

Apparently the PC version makes the dodge move difficult to execute.

[Xessive]

Apparently the PC version makes the dodge move difficult to execute.

Does that apply if I'm using a gamepad? (X360 for Windows Controller)

[Pugnate]

According the IGN PC review, the 360 controller has some real issues with the game.

Also, $7.50 for a 3 hour game? Nah.

It's not all roses though. While Shank will feel instantly familiar to fans of character-centric action titles for players using a gamepad, certain omissions are glaring, namely the lack of a dodge move. After playing Dante's Inferno and God of War 3 earlier this year, there were moments when I would subconsciously tap left or right on the right analog stick in an abortive effort to roll out of danger.

Shank's dodge move is a little... er, dodgy. You execute it by holding block and pushing left or right; it often behaves in unpredictable ways, leaving you as likely to get knocked on your ass as it is to get you out of trouble.

This is a PC review, I hear you saying, so why focus so much on a controller? Because the developers strongly urge you to play with one. Unfortunately, this is one of the areas where Shank's PC transition feels a bit lazy. While an Xbox 360 controller works perfectly well technically speaking, all of the tutorial text that was matched to buttons in the console versions lacks that context here. Last time I checked, my controller didn't have a button labeled "guns" or "tequila".

So they changed the dodge button for the PC keyboard, but didn't take the time to leave things the same for PC gamers using 360 controllers.

Last year, I fell in love with Shank based on its promise and presentation, but after finishing the game, the honeymoon is over. I can appreciate the things Klei pulled off, and in many ways, they’re achingly close to something magical. However, the fundamental level design issues later in the game, combined with the eventual tedium of the combat it relies on, makes Shank a good game for a particular audience rather than a great game worthy of everyone’s attention. For PC players, the best looking version is plagued by an interface that feels a bit lazy in transition from the consoles. Fans of character action titles should pull out their virtual wallets without hesitation, but otherwise, Shank might just be too sharp to handle.

Here is the gamespot PC review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r28N3EcnxsA

They call it incredibly frustrating. Give it a low score like IGN.

[MysterD]

Only 3 hours?
Ugh, I'm gonna wait until it's $5 or less then...

[Pugnate]

It is an incredibly good looking title, with a lot of artistry. A graphic novel come to life, as some critic put it. It can be worth it in that sense I suppose.

[Cobra951]

Netflix costs $8/month for unlimited short experiences.  That's the ballpark a 3-hour "graphic novel come to life" needs to play in.

[MysterD]

Shank 2 announced.