Showcased today at the PC Gaming Show, Shell Runner is an isometric PvE tactical extraction shooter set in a world where corporations have taken total control, opening the door to a thriving but brutal underworld where making a buck is as easy as pulling a trigger.
Well, maybe not quite that easy. Along with a gun, you’ll also need a “Shell” to carry about your dirty work—essentially a body you control remotely. Is it an android? A clone? A Syndicate-style sucker taken from the streets? That’s not entirely clear and frankly it’s probably best not to think about it too much.
Turn your attention instead to the numerous weapons, gadgets, and cyberpunk technology available to help get the job done, with loot rarity and “RPG-style progression” enabling characters to take on increasingly challenging missions. Wealth awaits anyone who can make it out in one piece, but if you don’t, you die—well, your shell does, anyway—and more importantly, any loot and equipment earned during the mission is gone for good.
Shell Runner supports both solo and co-op play, with swappable Shells with different stats and appearances enabling different playstyles. Levels are procedurally generated, “providing endless replayability,” and while other humans are obviously going to be the big problem, there will also be powerful boss fights to take on, with big rewards on offer for those willing to take on the risk.
(Image credit: Reija)
(Image credit: Reija)
(Image credit: Reija)
A release date hasn’t been announced but developer Reija plans to launch Shell Runner into early access “soon,” saying it wants to “work closely with our community to gather feedback and make Shell Runner the best game it can possibly be.”
More levels, missions, objectives, and other content is planned for the full release, but even so the studio doesn’t expect it to be in early access for long: Nothing is carved in stone with these things, but the current target is three to six months before full launch. Ahead of all that, you can get a taste of what Shell Runner has to offer through the new demo that’s now available on Steam.
