When comparing Shank 2 vs Spelunky, the Slant community recommends Spelunky for most people. In the question“What are the best 2D games on Steam?” Spelunky is ranked 31st while Shank 2 is ranked 42nd. The most important reason people chose Spelunky is:
Spelunky features 4 player local co-op where players share the same screen, which can get a bit hectic.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Has a very enjoyable co-op mode
The game has a worthwhile multiplayer mode that is great to play with friends. it is separate from the main campaign (which would make the campaign too easy most likely) in that the players will face off against waves of enemies through coordination.
Pro Nice comic style look
Has Cel-Shaded graphics which displays this games graphics with smooth animations and has lots of attention to detail.
Pro Up to 4 player local co-op
Spelunky features 4 player local co-op where players share the same screen, which can get a bit hectic.
Pro Provides an interesting challenge by heavily relying on increasing your skill
Spelunky gives the player everything needed to succeed from the start so it is only when the players skills get better will they advance.
Pro Quick sessions so you can play in short bursts
Being that Spelunky is at its heart a roguelike the gameplay sessions can tend to be quick as the player will die quite often. This makes for something that can be played in quick bursts throughout the day. The convenient saving also lends to this as a game that is still ongoing can be quickly saved in order to be picked up at a later time.
Pro Expanded gameplay through mods to improve replayability
Ranging from Mega Man to Metroid, there are a tone of great mods for Spelunky all of which make for a new experience in the game which vastly expands the replayability.
Cons
Con Story is pretty bland
The story does not really stand out and is a weak point of the game, though being a side scrolling platforming shooter/brawler the story is not really integral to the gameplay itself. Shank 2 takes on some heavy storied elements but sadly does not really take advantage of them and instead tends to just go over the top, which usually just falls flat.
Con Co-op is boring and confusing
In co-op this game is very confusing with little instruction on how to play. With little to spice up the game play, it gets boring quickly.
Con Difficult to the point of frustration
Spelunky is pretty difficult and some could say abusive, but with practice and a desire for masochism the game can be mastered.