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Shank

40 Melee games like Shank that you should try

Games like Shank · Find similar →

We filtered the 48 games similar to Shank down to the 40 that fit the “Melee” category. Shank 2, Sacred Citadel and Guacamelee! 2 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Shank.

NextGameLike76/ 100

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GenreActionSubgenreHack and Slash
Tags
DarkSoloCo-op
Year 2010Dev Klei Entertainment
Stores

Quick answer

Within the “Melee” category, the closest game to Shank is Shank 2 — scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. Sacred Citadel and Guacamelee! 2 follow close behind.

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The best melee games like Shank

40 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Shank. Each one has been evaluated across 12 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Shank 2

95
NGL80
Shank 2
Closest overall match
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeDark2D
Year 2012Dev Klei Entertainment · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · PC

If Shank worked for you because of dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus, the same is here. Both also lean on 2D presentation. What it adds of its own: shooting mechanics.

Same studio: Klei Entertainment.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100
2

Sacred Citadel

86
NGL57
Sacred Citadel
ActionHack and Slash
MultiplayerSoloOfflineCo-opMeleeDark2D
Year 2013Dev Deep SilverPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Shank is dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay, and the two track each other on genre, combat and tone. The common ground extends to 2D presentation. It sets itself apart with fantasy world and online features.

Released 3 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Tone100Visuals100Game mode93
3

Guacamelee! 2

86
NGL88
Guacamelee! 2
ActionHack and Slash
Co-opOfflineSoloMultiplayerMelee2D
Year 2018Dev Drinkbox StudiosOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

What brings it close to Shank is melee combat, co-op play and 2D presentation, and the two track each other on genre, combat and game mode. They part company on tone: this one brings punishing difficulty.

Released 8 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Tone0
4

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

78
NGL74
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
ActionHack and Slash
OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDark2D
Year 2005Dev Mortal Kombat Team · Midway Games

If Shank worked for you because of dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and offline play, the same is here. To that it adds 2D presentation. Its own ground is horror setting.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100
5

Overgrowth

78
NGL65
Overgrowth
ActionHack and Slash
OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDark
Year 2017Dev WolfirePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

It comes from the same genre as Shank and shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and offline play. They part company on visuals and combat: this one brings tactical combat and a third-person camera.

Released 7 years after Shank.

Genre100Game mode100Tone70Combat64Visuals0
6

River City Girls

77
NGL81
River City Girls
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMelee2D
Year 2019Dev Arc System Works · WayForwardOn PS4 · Android · PC

The genre is the same as Shank’s, and with it melee combat, single-player focus and 2D presentation. Where the two diverge is tone and visuals: cozy, relaxing feel and pixel art.

Released 9 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals59Tone0
7

Double Dragon II: The Revenge

76
Double Dragon II: The Revenge
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMelee2D
Year 1988Dev Technos Japan

With Shank it shares melee combat, single-player focus and 2D presentation. Its own ground is a third-person camera.

It predates Shank by 22 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode82Visuals70
8

Double Dragon

76
NGL39
Double Dragon
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMelee2D
Year 1987Dev Technos Japan · Empire Interactive

Held in common with Shank: melee combat, single-player focus and 2D presentation. What it adds of its own: a third-person camera.

It predates Shank by 23 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode82Visuals70
9

Mother Russia Bleeds

76
NGL79
Mother Russia Bleeds
ActionHack and Slash
MultiplayerCo-opSoloOfflineMeleeDark2D
Year 2016Dev Le Cartel Studio · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · Linux · PC

Same family as Shank: dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds 2D presentation. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings strong narrative focus and pixel art.

Released 6 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone66Visuals59
10

Kung Fury

76
NGL69
Kung Fury
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDark2D
Year 2015Dev Hello There · Hello There HoldingPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · iOS

Genre puts it alongside Shank, and so does dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds 2D presentation. They part company on tone and visuals: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and pixel art.

Released 5 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Game mode83Visuals59Tone33
11

Dragon Ball: Xenoverse

75
NGL81
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMelee2D
Year 2015Dev Dimps · Bandai Namco EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

Held in common with Shank: melee combat, single-player focus and 2D presentation. What it adds of its own: open world exploration and an anime aesthetic.

Released 5 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Visuals84Game mode75
12

Streets of Rage 2

74
NGL88
Streets of Rage 2
ActionHack and Slash
Co-opSoloMultiplayerOfflineMelee2D
Year 1992Dev SEGAPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Shank does: melee combat, co-op play and 2D presentation.

It predates Shank by 18 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100
13

Golden Axe

74
NGL81
Golden Axe
ActionHack and Slash
SoloMultiplayerOfflineCo-opMelee2D
Year 1989Dev SEGAPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Shank does: melee combat, single-player focus and 2D presentation. It sets itself apart with fantasy world.

It predates Shank by 21 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100
14

Evil West

73
NGL73
Evil West
ActionHack and Slash
Co-opSoloMultiplayerMeleeDark
Year 2022Dev Flying Wild Hog · Focus EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

The genre is the same as Shank’s, and with it dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and co-op play. The distance is in visuals and tone — its own ground is strong narrative focus and a third-person camera.

Released 12 years after Shank.

Genre100Combat100Game mode70Tone64Visuals0
15

Ninjin: Clash of Carrots

71
NGL83
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots
ActionHack and Slash
MultiplayerCo-opSoloOfflineMelee2D
Year 2018Dev Modus GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Same family as Shank: melee combat, multiplayer gameplay and 2D presentation. Where the two diverge is tone and visuals: punishing difficulty and ranged combat.

Released 8 years after Shank.

Genre100Game mode84Combat63Visuals58Tone0

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Shank by category

If Shank left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the platformer or the adventure that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Shank look-alike but simply the best Hack and Slash Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Action Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.