There will be blood

GAME REVIEW: Shank 18 cert, EA/KLEI, Xbox 360 (also PS3)

Amid the countless first- person-shooters, racers, music games and new control systems, Shankhas turned a lot of heads. Graphically it hardly pushes the boundaries of modern consoles, and the format is rather old-fashioned. So what makes it so hot? The answer lies in appearance and its gameplay.

Shankis a man of few words (think Antonio Banderas in Desperadocrossed with a spry martial arts star). He's on a revenge mission that becomes more complex as he progresses, killing a number of old foes in an episodic Kill Bill-style narrative. To get to these enemies he has to slice, shoot, saw and strangle his way through an army of goons.

Shankis exciting, audacious and distinctive. The animation is unique and striking, resembling a violent Manga cartoon more than a video game. And the developers have used modern technology to enhance a traditional format.

This side-scrolling, 2D game can be single or multiplayer, and there are a glorious variety of weapons and moves, including machetes, shotguns, chainsaws, melees, grabbing and many more.

To ward off the bad guys, your weapons can be used in a variety of ways. I especially liked that you can fire two handguns in opposite directions at once.

Shankis a challenging game, even on the easiest level. Story and cut scenes often bring games to a juddering halt, but here they're genuinely compelling, with fabulous animation, an engaging story and decent character development.

This is not for the squeamish; before you even pick up the joypad, you should know, there will be blood. The stylised violence suits the game well, but it might be considered gratuitous by some. For anyone who can stomach it, though, Shankis a cut above most action games.