Choose Shank
Choose Shank if you want the Shared/Split Screen side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 88.1% positive across 998 reviews.
Shank vs Shank 2
Shank and Shank 2 both land in Action, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Indie on Steam. Shank (2010) is 2 years older than Shank 2 (2012). Shank scores higher on Steam reviews (88.1% positive) than Shank 2 (80.9% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Shank 2
Choose Shank 2 if you want an Adventure game with Steam Leaderboards and Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Shank 2 launched in 2012.
Both Shank and Shank 2 sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Shank |  Shank 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2010 | 2012 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.1% positive (998 reviews) | 80.9% positive (713 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Klei Entertainment | Klei Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Shank (2010) is 2 years older than Shank 2 (2012).
- Shank scores higher on Steam reviews (88.1% positive) than Shank 2 (80.9% positive).
- Shank 2 is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Shank (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Shank 2 has co-op; Shank does not.
- Steam Deck: Shank is Deck Playable, Shank 2 is Deck Verified.
Shank vs Shank 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Shank or Shank 2?
- On Steam reviews Shank scores higher (88.1% positive) than Shank 2 (80.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Shank is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Shank or Shank 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Shank (2010) came out before Shank 2 (2012). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Shank and Shank 2 similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.