The devs are pitching the highly anticipated digital game as the answer to the question, "What would it happen if Quentin Tarantino abandoned cinema and instead, crafted intense 2D action games?"
"Our goal with Shank was to create a game that pays homage to the classic 2D brawler, while seeing how far we could push it by melding it with our own pulp-fiction influences," said Jamie Cheng, CEO of Klei Entertainment. "At the end of a long road that began as an indie dream in 2009, we've finally shipped a visually striking, cinematic brawler."
The rundown from Klei:
Gamers play as Shank, getting their hands bloody as they uncover the secrets of Shank's past and the reasons he is hell-bent on revenge. With a deep and intuitive combat system, players unleash a tremendous number of creative combos as they take down waves of enemies standing in their path. Shank also features a special co-operative campaign, designed to be played with a friend locally, which tells the backstory of the revenge plot. This prequel mission allows players to play as Shank or his partner-in-crime Falcone, with deadly double-team moves and gameplay that encourages teamwork.Shank, published by EA Partners, will be available for $15 on PSN and 1,200 Microsoft Points ($15) on Xbox Live. "This exquisitely bloody game conjures memories of the best arcade brawlers of the late 1980s, while delivering the production values and pitch perfect controls of a modern high definition blockbuster masterpiece," said Jamil Moledina, Outreach Director at EA Partners.