So, I've played for about an hour and must say, I'm not feeling the controls. When there's a bunch of enemies in the screen (which, granted, happens most of the time) they're fine. You just shoot, stab, cut, and you'll do with no problems. But when you need to be more precise (which happened during the second and third boss) I found the controls to be lacking. What bothers me is that Shank must always finish the animation of you have started, even if you're pressing something else. Most of the time, in my case, it means that I'll still be shooting even though I'm hammering the jump button to get out of harms way - and, consequently failing.
The game is still very good and fun, and I am enjoying it. But I sure wish the controls would be better. It has been somewhat frustrating at times.
Shank
Game » consists of 4 releases. Released Aug 24, 2010
A bloody tale of revenge, Shank is a 2D brawler which has players slicing, shooting, grenading and chainsawing their way through enemies.
How are you guys feeling the controls?
Look forward to the last boss, who will punish button mashing to the max.
The key to precise and intutive controls is to find an input rythm. Fast enough never to let off and slow enough for reflex dogding/blocking/countering to beat your next mash to the punch. It's all about NOT mashing. Much like Ninja Gaiden. Once you get to the place, where your reflex inputs aren't cancelled out by your button mashing, it's pretty much spot on.
Controlwise, I just miss the ability to airdash (evade while jumping, like in the Dishwasher). In later stages with plenty of shooting enemies on screen, jumping is pretty much useless (and that jump onto the enemy move aswell). Also - just began on Hard. No checkpoints means falling to your death is failing. Now that's discouraging knowing what's up ahead in terms of platforming and other random deaths (rockets anyone?).
Enjoying the game immensely. Will play it on hard (with no intention of beating it). It has that Ninja Gaiden appeal. Definitly delivers on its premise. It took me 3h 30m to complete the game on Normal. Had a hard time beating the last boss, but beating him kinda unlocked the next skill level. I feel prepared to take on Hard mode now.
@Seppli said:
" It's all about NOT mashing. Much like Ninja Gaiden. Once you get to the place, where your reflex inputs aren't cancelled out by your button mashing, it's pretty much spot on. "
The X Button shouldn't be used for picking up items, and using your shank, i end up picking stuff up when i don't want to...
I have the same problem as the OP. The fact that he has to finish each animation before going to the next is whats bothering me. I feel like they should have had the jump button cancel any other attack, so you can evade properly.
" The X Button shouldn't be used for picking up items, and using your shank, i end up picking stuff up when i don't want to... "It's even worse when you have two big guns near to pick up and a health bottle in the middle of them. Literally impossible to pick it up without picking the chain gun up by accident and losing a bunch of health because of it.
I think the game took pity on me at a point. During that stage that you're being constantly attacked by a barrage of missiles I died, died and died again. After trying again for maybe the sixth time, I missed a jump and fell into a pit but, instead of dying, was teleported to the end of the stage.
@Seppli: I just finished a little while ago and, indeed, once you start to be more rhythmic and less mashy, it feels much better. But still, I couldn't feel comfortable with the controls and, more the once, I felt that I died not just because of my inability but because they wouldn't cooperate with I wanted to do. I liked the game, and want to try out the co-op (which, apparently, is local only?) but felt a bit exhausted after the end.
Also, it helped a lot that, in a stage further down the line, the game taught me how to evade. I knew of the defense button, but had no idea I could evade enemies with a press on the stick. That's why I kept being hit constantly by those big dudes.
@skyline7284: Yeah, the kept happening to me, specially during the last boss fight.
Mmm...didn't have a problem with the controls. It got harder in later stages but I didn't find the bosses to be that rough, will be replaying on hard tomorrow.
Also I heard it got some pretty average reviews, shame as personally I would say this is easily my favourite download game, then again I have always been a big brawler fan.
The only real problem I had was shooting and lobbing grenades in the wrong direction. I swear I would flick the stick to face to the right and I would still face back to the left and waste a nade.
" reading all this makes me sure i never wanna play shank ever "
The controls aren't nearly as bad as they seem. They work just fine, just can get a little frustrating when theres a lot of enemies on screen.
I think Shank's controls are pretty damn great. The button mapping makes total sense, and even though every button on the controller is used, i was never confused. And they're very responsive. There are no combos in the fighting game sense, but some of the attacks i've strung together by just mixing it up end up looking totally fluid, even though they're composed of separate attacks.
I agree though that using X / square to pick up items isn't optimal. Also i think mapping the Katana disembowel move to just RT / R2 is kinda inconsistent with the other weapons.
" These controls are frustrating, actually. I also like how they never mentioned to tell there's a fucking block button until I failed a boss fight like two times and then they're like, "YO DAWG MAYB U SHULD TRY THAT BLOCK BUTTON DAWG." "Aren't the controls displayed at the loading screens?
@Napalm said:
" I wish there was a simple "press up and shoot directly up" mechanic. I think it's dumb that it's like, "oh, shoot these meatslabs, but oh, you have to shoot them angled to hit them, good luck figuring out how to do that while this guy kills you over and over. "That was the easiest f-in boss battle of the game. I got hit maybe once that entire fight. =\ It's okay to suck at games dude (lord knows I get my ass handed to me at SSF4 all the damn time), but you don't need to blame it on something else.
@Seppli said:
Now that's discouraging knowing what's up ahead in terms of platforming and other random deaths (rockets anyone?).That was probably the only cheap deaths I can remember in the game. I thought I was missing something, but it seems pretty random whether you make it through that area without getting hit or not.
Shank has a pretty steep learning curve you don't really discover until you get deeper into the game. I learned to use Shank's mechanics to overcome the obstacles and in the end, it became more rewarding. The diagonal shooting mechanic is still fucked, though. The problem is the controls don't know if you're trying to control Shank, or if you're trying to aim in a different direction and it becomes a mess. I don't really know an easier way to control it, but looking at a game like Metal Slug might give them some better ideas.
" @MushroomSamba: Wow. Way to reply like, a week late. Also, nice attempt at insulting me, now fuck off. Shank has a pretty steep learning curve you don't really discover until you get deeper into the game. I learned to use Shank's mechanics to overcome the obstacles and in the end, it became more rewarding. The diagonal shooting mechanic is still fucked, though. The problem is the controls don't know if you're trying to control Shank, or if you're trying to aim in a different direction and it becomes a mess. I don't really know an easier way to control it, but looking at a game like Metal Slug might give them some better ideas. "That is exactly how I was trying to describe it to my roommate. Thankfully there weren't too many times where you had to shoot diagonal on the normal mode.
Like someone said, the loading screen has a control configuration on it...EVERY loading screen. Also when did gamers stop trying out controls, one of the first things I do in a game is try out everything and see what its does." These controls are frustrating, actually. I also like how they never mentioned to tell there's a fucking block button until I failed a boss fight like two times and then they're like, "YO DAWG MAYB U SHULD TRY THAT BLOCK BUTTON DAWG." "
" @Napalm said:Are you guys fucking stupid or something? How about reading the entire thread before you reply to an outdated comment, you dolt.Like someone said, the loading screen has a control configuration on it...EVERY loading screen. Also when did gamers stop trying out controls, one of the first things I do in a game is try out everything and see what its does. "" These controls are frustrating, actually. I also like how they never mentioned to tell there's a fucking block button until I failed a boss fight like two times and then they're like, "YO DAWG MAYB U SHULD TRY THAT BLOCK BUTTON DAWG." "
" @IkariNoTekken said:" @Napalm said:Are you guys fucking stupid or something? How about reading the entire thread before you reply to an outdated comment, you dolt. "Like someone said, the loading screen has a control configuration on it...EVERY loading screen. Also when did gamers stop trying out controls, one of the first things I do in a game is try out everything and see what its does. "" These controls are frustrating, actually. I also like how they never mentioned to tell there's a fucking block button until I failed a boss fight like two times and then they're like, "YO DAWG MAYB U SHULD TRY THAT BLOCK BUTTON DAWG." "
What difference does it make, you still failed to grasp that there was block button until you were told, even though it was displayed on all of the loading screens. You claimed that the controls where frustrating as though they were at fault when it was really just you.
Also why are you being so hostile? I've read the rest of the thread and I saw your comment to the other person who mentioned the loading screen, maybe if you'd written your original comment differently to make it sound as though you were at fault not the game people like myself wouldn't have found it necessary to comment.
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