<s>
Shank	B-Application
is	O
a	O
2D	O
side-scrolling	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Canadian	O
independent	O
studio	O
Klei	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
in	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
plot	O
was	O
penned	O
by	O
the	O
God	O
of	O
War	O
series	O
 '	O
co-writer	O
Marianne	O
Krawczyk	O
and	O
tells	O
the	O
tale	O
of	O
the	O
ex-hitman	O
Shank	B-Application
's	O
quest	O
for	O
revenge	O
in	O
the	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
,	O
also	O
featuring	O
a	O
prequel	B-Application
story	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
a	O
cooperative	O
multiplayer	O
campaign	O
for	O
two	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
received	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
,	O
but	O
generally	O
positive	O
reception	O
overall	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
commercially	O
successful	O
,	O
selling	O
tens	O
of	O
thousands	O
of	O
copies	O
and	O
remaining	O
in	O
the	O
top	O
20	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
games	O
during	O
September	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
sequel	B-Language
,	O
Shank	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
2012	O
for	O
the	O
same	O
gaming	O
platforms	O
as	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
is	O
a	O
side-scrolling	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
with	O
a	O
comic	O
book	O
art	O
style	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
Shank	B-Application
,	O
an	O
ex-mob	O
hitman	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
has	O
other	O
attacks	O
such	O
as	O
multiple	O
grapple	O
attacks	O
,	O
throw	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
perform	O
a	O
pounce	O
maneuver	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
he	O
jumps	O
in	O
the	O
air	O
and	O
lands	O
on	O
a	O
nearby	O
enemy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On-screen	O
enemies	O
each	O
have	O
a	O
health	O
bar	O
that	O
displays	O
on	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
HUD	O
,	O
akin	O
to	O
Final	B-Application
Fight	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
features	O
a	O
cooperative	O
campaign	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
played	O
locally	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
prequel	B-Application
to	O
the	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
multiplayer	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
Shank	B-Application
and	O
his	O
partner-in-crime	O
named	O
Falcone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
Shank	B-Application
is	O
told	O
in	O
two	O
parts	O
,	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
cooperative	O
campaign	O
,	O
which	O
serves	O
as	O
a	O
prelude	O
to	O
the	O
former	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
follows	O
the	O
character	O
Shank	B-Application
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Marcel	O
Davis	O
)	O
from	O
his	O
time	O
as	O
a	O
hitman	B-Application
in	O
the	O
mob	O
through	O
his	O
revenge	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
mob	O
for	O
the	O
murder	O
of	O
his	O
girlfriend	O
Eva	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Becky	O
Poole	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
cooperative	O
campaign	O
begins	O
with	O
Shank	B-Application
and	O
his	O
partner	O
and	O
fellow	O
hitman	B-Application
Falcone	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Gavin	O
Cummins	O
)	O
as	O
they	O
head	O
to	O
Cassandra	O
's	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Sheila	O
Goold	O
)	O
strip	O
club	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
overrun	O
by	O
a	O
biker	O
gang	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
and	O
Falcone	O
chase	O
them	O
to	O
a	O
back	O
alley	O
and	O
kill	O
one	O
,	O
leaving	O
the	O
other	O
for	O
Cassandra	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
and	O
Falcone	O
are	O
ordered	O
to	O
teach	O
the	O
Butcher	O
a	O
lesson	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
Cesar	O
phones	O
the	O
two	O
hitmen	B-Application
and	O
asks	O
them	O
to	O
go	O
and	O
oppose	O
a	O
priest	O
and	O
the	O
members	O
of	O
his	O
congregation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Angelo	O
shoots	O
the	O
priest	O
in	O
the	O
face	O
,	O
much	O
to	O
Shank	B-Application
's	O
disapproval	O
;	O
he	O
then	O
dons	O
the	O
dead	O
priest	O
's	O
garments	O
and	O
takes	O
his	O
place	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
murder	O
go	O
undetected	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Afterward	O
,	O
Falcone	O
calls	O
Shank	B-Application
about	O
an	O
important	O
hit	O
:	O
the	O
deputy	O
mayor	O
is	O
in	O
town	O
and	O
he	O
must	O
be	O
eliminated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
and	O
Falcone	O
kill	O
the	O
deputy	O
's	O
final	O
bodyguard	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
about	O
to	O
take	O
the	O
deputy	O
out	O
when	O
Eva	O
is	O
taken	O
hostage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Suddenly	O
Shank	B-Application
is	O
full	O
of	O
doubt	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
not	O
able	O
to	O
pull	O
the	O
trigger	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
quickly	O
dives	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
her	O
and	O
kills	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Realizing	O
they	O
must	O
flee	O
,	O
Eva	O
and	O
Shank	B-Application
drive	O
off	O
into	O
the	O
sunset	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
single	O
player	O
campaign	O
begins	O
as	O
Shank	B-Application
walks	O
into	O
a	O
bar	O
looking	O
for	O
vengeance	O
for	O
Eva	O
,	O
his	O
murdered	O
girlfriend	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
he	O
leaves	O
the	O
bartender	O
reports	O
to	O
Cesar	O
about	O
Shank	B-Application
's	O
return	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Shank	B-Application
makes	O
his	O
way	O
to	O
the	O
wrestling	O
arena	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
learns	O
through	O
flashbacks	O
that	O
the	O
Butcher	O
had	O
kidnapped	O
Eva	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
arrives	O
at	O
the	O
arena	O
and	O
confronts	O
the	O
Butcher	O
,	O
killing	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
a	O
violent	O
train	O
ride	O
Shank	B-Application
arrives	O
at	O
a	O
meat	O
factory	O
,	O
the	O
Butcher	O
's	O
hideout	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Butcher	O
reveals	O
that	O
he	O
killed	O
Eva	O
and	O
taunts	O
Shank	B-Application
,	O
stating	O
that	O
he	O
enjoyed	O
every	O
second	O
of	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Butcher	O
fight	O
,	O
with	O
Shank	B-Application
finally	O
choking	O
him	O
with	O
a	O
chain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
meets	O
with	O
Cassandra	O
at	O
which	O
point	O
a	O
flashback	O
shows	O
that	O
as	O
Cassandra	O
was	O
about	O
to	O
kill	O
Eva	O
with	O
her	O
katana	B-Operating_System
,	O
Shank	B-Application
stopped	O
her	O
,	O
slicing	O
the	O
right	O
of	O
her	O
face	O
and	O
leaving	O
a	O
large	O
scar	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
learns	O
through	O
another	O
flashback	O
that	O
Shank	B-Application
used	O
to	O
be	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
cartel	O
mob	O
ruled	O
by	O
a	O
man	O
named	O
Cesar	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
when	O
Cesar	O
asked	O
Shank	B-Application
to	O
kill	O
Eva	O
as	O
a	O
test	O
of	O
loyalty	O
,	O
Shank	B-Application
refused	O
and	O
Cesar	O
ordered	O
his	O
top	O
men	O
to	O
track	O
down	O
and	O
kill	O
them	O
both	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
follows	O
the	O
trail	O
of	O
blood	O
left	O
by	O
Mello	O
which	O
leads	O
to	O
a	O
church	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
church	O
Shank	B-Application
has	O
another	O
flashback	O
,	O
which	O
shows	O
that	O
Angelo	O
lit	O
Shank	B-Application
's	O
house	O
on	O
fire	O
,	O
ensuring	O
Eva	O
could	O
not	O
be	O
saved	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Shank	B-Application
fights	O
through	O
the	O
church	O
,	O
Angelo	O
attacks	O
him	O
with	O
a	O
rocket	O
launcher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
battles	O
him	O
,	O
gaining	O
the	O
upper	O
hand	O
,	O
but	O
Angelo	O
fires	O
a	O
rocket	O
causing	O
a	O
church	O
bell	O
to	O
fall	O
on	O
Shank	B-Application
,	O
knocking	O
him	O
unconscious	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Cesar	O
leaves	O
Shank	B-Application
frees	O
himself	O
,	O
then	O
ties	O
Angelo	O
to	O
the	O
chair	O
and	O
electrocutes	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
pursues	O
Cesar	O
to	O
his	O
villa	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
final	O
showdown	O
begins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
would	O
have	O
obeyed	O
the	O
order	O
to	O
kill	O
Eva	O
,	O
but	O
upon	O
arriving	O
Eva	O
revealed	O
that	O
she	O
was	O
carrying	O
his	O
child	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
explains	O
that	O
Cesar	O
had	O
always	O
taught	O
him	O
the	O
importance	O
of	O
family	O
and	O
so	O
he	O
did	O
not	O
kill	O
her	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
fight	O
nears	O
its	O
end	O
,	O
Shank	B-Application
is	O
stabbed	O
and	O
shot	O
multiple	O
times	O
in	O
the	O
chest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
ends	O
as	O
Shank	B-Application
walks	O
towards	O
the	O
sunset	O
,	O
his	O
revenge	O
fulfilled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
for	O
Shank	B-Application
began	O
in	O
January	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cheng	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
an	O
"	O
ode	O
to	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
with	O
a	O
Tarantino	O
film	O
feel	O
to	O
it.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
August	O
5	O
,	O
2010	O
,	O
Klei	O
Entertainment	O
announced	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
release	O
Shank	B-Application
original	O
soundtrack	O
for	O
free	O
to	O
download	O
on	O
their	O
official	O
website	O
,	O
if	O
1,500	O
people	O
joined	O
their	O
community	O
on	O
Facebook	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
cross	O
promotion	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
titular	O
character	O
from	O
DeathSpank	B-Application
is	O
available	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
Shank	B-Application
's	O
alternate	O
costumes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
received	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
but	O
generally	O
positive	O
reception	O
overall	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
holds	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
75.86	O
%	O
at	O
GameRankings	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
holds	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
76.33	O
%	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
a	O
75.11	O
%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metacritic	O
reports	O
similar	O
scores	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
averaging	O
75/100	O
,	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
74/100	O
,	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
averaging	O
71/100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sharkey	O
expressed	O
approval	O
,	O
stating	O
Shank	B-Application
is	O
"	O
bloody	O
,	O
violent	O
,	O
adolescently	O
indulgent	O
,	O
and	O
absolutely	O
beautiful	O
in	O
execution.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
review	O
by	O
GameTrailers	O
called	O
Shank	B-Application
"	O
a	O
savage	O
Saturday	O
morning	O
cartoon	O
filled	O
with	O
blood	O
,	O
boobs	O
and	O
Berettas.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Over	O
9,200	O
units	O
were	O
sold	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
in	O
the	O
first	O
week	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
August	O
2010	O
alone	O
Shank	B-Application
sold	O
41,000	O
units	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
remained	O
in	O
the	O
top	O
20	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
games	O
for	O
the	O
month	O
of	O
September	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
sequel	B-Language
was	O
released	O
in	O
February	O
2012	O
for	O
the	O
same	O
platforms	O
(	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
)	O
,	O
also	O
developed	O
by	O
Klei	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shank	B-Application
2	I-Application
features	O
a	O
new	O
multiplayer	O
survival	O
mode	O
,	O
updated	O
combat	O
mechanics	O
and	O
new	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contrarily	O
to	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
,	O
Shank	B-Application
2	I-Application
lacks	O
a	O
cooperative	O
story	O
mode	O
,	O
instead	O
offering	O
a	O
two-player	O
survival	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
sequel	B-Language
takes	O
place	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Shank	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
his	O
mentor	O
figure	O
Cesar	O
dead	O
,	O
Shank	B-Application
heads	O
back	O
home	O
to	O
find	O
that	O
the	O
cartels	O
have	O
been	O
replaced	O
by	O
a	O
military	O
regime	O
and	O
his	O
foster	O
family	O
is	O
fighting	O
to	O
oppose	O
the	O
general	O
who	O
is	O
slowly	O
dying	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Shank	B-Application
attempts	O
to	O
break	O
past	O
a	O
military	O
checkpoint	O
,	O
he	O
becomes	O
embroiled	O
in	O
a	O
battle	O
between	O
the	O
rebels	O
and	O
the	O
army	O
.	O
</s>
