Shank is back!

25th September 2011

After a year of production, we’re finally able to announce… Shank 2! As some of you may know, our team at Klei risked everything to build Shank 1. We threw our life savings and risked our mortages in the project, and to say that we’re happy that you supported us in our endeavor is an amazing understatement.

Shank 2 is the best thing that Klei has done to date: we didn’t want to just “build more Shank”, we redesigned all the underlying systems to give you twice the fidelity and far more control over our favorite stabbing man.

So: welcome to the redesigned, brand new Shank blog! As per usual, we’re going to be updating this place with information about the game right up to and beyond the release of the game.

To get you started: Go to the media page to see the official trailer and screenshots.

Leave us a comment on this post, or follow us on twitter. Oh, we also have a facebook page. Pick your poison :)

38 Comments Klei Replies Leave a comment

Shank 2 Announced Shank Blog Overhauled » Two Fedoras
ravi on September 28th, 2011 at 12:43 am

very nice, so happy to see this series come back and that the game did well for you guys. great combat, great great great style,

its just that the amount of content that was in there for 1200 Microsoft points did not add up to be 1200 points worth, i really don’t mean to be mean about it but when i had beat the game i was like that’s it? and also the enemies took too much hits,

im confident that you guys already took a hard look at all the criticisms of the first game, and are addressing it for the sequel,

viva la shank!
Andy/fignutz1 on September 28th, 2011 at 2:21 am

Wow , it looks amazing and I thought the first was beautiful, the screens blow the original away , can’t wait too feel like I’m in the middle of a animated Rodriguez/Tarantino flick again! Keep giving me games like this and ill keep stuffing money in your wallets, happily . BTW totally worth the $15 . And its never too many hits to kill em.
Clauwen on September 28th, 2011 at 4:31 am

The first Shank was pretty fun. Better environments that encourage exploration and a more diverse combo system sound like a win to me. As long as the single player boss battles aren’t as repetitive this time around. Looking forward to some kickass 2D brawl’n in early 2012.!
Jamie on September 28th, 2011 at 7:36 am

Thanks for the kind comments! I’ll post some previews as they come and they should give you a better idea of the game. IMO, Shank 2 is a way better game than the original.
- Bostonian on December 6th, 2011 at 4:04 am
  
  Will Falcone get a mention in the game? if you risk spoilers than you don’t need to reply.
Sixty on September 28th, 2011 at 9:49 am

I love the first game, still play it with friends. This will be another Must Have. Can’t wait, and did i see a playable female character? AWESOME!
Shank Back For Round Two, EA Partners To Publish | Video Game Deals & UK News | Dealspwn.com
an@98 on September 28th, 2011 at 2:52 pm

YES! YES!! YES!!! YEEEEEEEEEEESS!!!!!!!!!! :-D I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!! :-D WOOOOO!!!! but…I miss the old graffics….:-\ But I can’t judge before I play the game, so I hope you won’t disapoint me…..! :)
I have one question (and I want you to answer me): What is the story about, what is happening in Shank 2?

P.S.

sorry for my bad english , I am a girl from Greece.
SuperBit on September 28th, 2011 at 5:01 pm

As soon as I watched the Shank 2 trailer I nerded all over the floor and it was messy. Shank 1 is a great 2D hack and slash, in fact I still replay the boss fights just for the hell of it. Definitely looking forward to getting Shank 2 on day one.

Good luck with the sequel, and keep 2D gaming alive!
ElMejorcito on September 28th, 2011 at 7:54 pm

AWESOME!!!!!

though i don’t like the Shank’s new look.How about a long tail grey jacket?

And how about the duration of the campaign?

Sorry,Bad english.Anyway, it’s AWESOME!!!!!
Shank 2 Announced (Trailer) | TechnoBuffalo
an@98 on September 29th, 2011 at 4:12 pm

and what about the duration? I hope it will have much longer duration than the first game…! I mean, I finished the whole game in only 3 hours…! :O
MGS on September 30th, 2011 at 10:49 am

Im happy that you are in works with SHANK 2!
looking foward to it!

Good Luck with it!
DYU on September 30th, 2011 at 5:52 pm

Happy to see Shank is back!
XxSHOCKxX on September 30th, 2011 at 10:24 pm

The is The Best 2D Game Ever, yeah This is Awesome i cant wait :D
BreakDown on October 1st, 2011 at 2:41 am

Ill buy it day 1, i loved the first one.

I saw on the giant bomb quick look about what you have made out of the multiplayer mode, it looks pretty fun, but i REALLY would like to see another co-op campaign.

could you consider it? the co-op was the best part from shank 1 i would be sad to not see it again.
DLC maybe?
- an@98 on October 12th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
  
  I agree. Though it would be a lot of FUN to play the survival mode with my brother, I would prefer if it had a story on the multiplayer campaign.
  
  WE LOVE SHANK…!
Mu6o on October 2nd, 2011 at 12:06 pm

Did you made online co-op this time?
Yamato Ryou on October 3rd, 2011 at 9:43 am

期待中…………
Yamato Ryou on October 3rd, 2011 at 9:44 am

差点忘了: SHANK不如以前帅了
Pleased To Shank You… « Dancing Silhouettes
an@98 on October 6th, 2011 at 11:34 am

will Shank 2 be avaliable on Steam? I hope so…!! :)
- Jamie on October 7th, 2011 at 7:05 am
  
  It sure will!
an@98 on October 7th, 2011 at 3:32 pm

Realy?! :D oh thanks guys!!! :D you are awesome…! ;)
an@98 on October 9th, 2011 at 11:02 am

release date?
an@98 on October 9th, 2011 at 4:19 pm

One more question: what happened with Shank’s girlfriend? Is she REALY dead? I have finished the game, but I can’t accept that she is dead…! :\ I hope in Shank 2 Shank will discover that she is still alive…
lseoopza20 on October 13th, 2011 at 5:59 am

เด็ก
Bostonian on December 5th, 2011 at 2:23 am

I hope Shank turns into a franchise.
Linux Man on December 23rd, 2011 at 3:49 pm

Hey there I can not download Shank on the humble bundle after a min of downloading it just stops and I have tried this a few times.
oyun on December 23rd, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Thank you for this wonderful game. Klei!
wondermaker on December 26th, 2011 at 3:24 pm

you guys are the best, infact this is the most outstanding 2D game ever made in the world gaming! and i am very very grateful that those having PC’S are going to enjoy it too. you guys are the best!
wondermaker on December 26th, 2011 at 3:25 pm

am hoping nothing delays the release of the game!
wondermaker on December 26th, 2011 at 3:29 pm

the hored mode in shank 2 is the best. you wouldn;t enjoy it once, but you will get to play it over and over with your friends! or even your siblings at home!
wondermaker on December 26th, 2011 at 3:30 pm

thank you very much klei, you guys are the best! i don’t even know what to say!
Jonny [shank] on December 28th, 2011 at 4:28 pm

Briliant i can not wait :P
Shmi on January 26th, 2012 at 9:18 pm

will it be available for mac?
- Jamie on January 26th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
  
  Alas, currently Shank 2 is not available on Mac.

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Mark of the Ninja Special Edition DLC Coming This Summer! 19th March 2013

Every since Mark of the Ninja was released, we’ve had numerous requests for more. The trouble is, we very intentionally built Ninja to be a complete experience, both in terms of its mechanics and narrative.

But you all kept sending us messages. Then we considered what a “Criterion Collection” version of the game might be like. And with that in mind, we’ve been putting together Mark of the Ninja Special Edition. Here’s what you can look forward to in the Special Edition:

- A new level, set in a flashback to the early life of Dosan (the enlightened tattoo artist) that will set the stage for the events that transpire in Mark of the Ninja.

- A new style of play, which includes a nonlethal takedown ability, and provides a hybrid of lethal and nonlethal approaches to the game.

- Two new items, one more geared to stealth and concealment and one a bit more direct. Both the items and the new play style will be available in the main game as well as the new level. (more details at a later date).

- Finally, we’ve added a ton of developer commentary to the main game. All the original levels will feature a number of commentary nodes that discuss various aspects of the game’s creation, anecdotes, at least two history lessons and other behind the scenes info from nearly everyone on the team.

- Developer commentary has been fully localized for English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Japanese. (Additional details below.)

For anyone who has already played Mark of the Ninja, we’re hoping the Special Edition will give them a reason to revisit the game with both new challenges and insights, much like you’d watch the director’s commentary of one of your favourite movies.

The Special Edition will be available as DLC on Xbox Live Arcade and Steam. It will be released this summer (price still TBD).

Additionally, the Special Edition will be playable in part at PAX East this upcoming weekend at booth #774. If you’re going to be in Boston, we’d love to chat with you and have you check out the game (along with Don’t Starve, of course)!

Thanks again for support us and our game, and we can’t wait to get the Special Edition out to you all!

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