Highlights
- 1) Shell Runner brings twin-stick PvE back to looter shooters, offering cyberpunk aesthetics and unique gameplay mechanics.
- 2) Players can customize mechanical bodies and risk-taking missions, balancing cost and effectiveness for big rewards.
- 3) Reija Studios plans to add more content and features based on player feedback during Shell Runner’s Early Access period.
Looter shooters are having a moment right now. With Destiny 2‘s The Final Shape expansion releasing to widespread acclaim, and The First Descendant finally starting to find its feet after a shaky launch, it’s a good time to be a fan of PvE co-op multiplayer. However, it seems the genre is leaning away from mechanical diversity in favor of more traditional third- and first-person gameplay. Thankfully, with Reija Games’ Shell Runner bringing twin-stick PvE gameplay back, gamers craving old-school top-down gameplay have a new cyberpunk looter shooter to sink their teeth into.
First announced two weeks ago, Shell Runner was released via Steam Early Access on July 15, 2024. Bringing extraction shooter elements into the tried and tested looter shooter formula, Shell Runner allows players to customize their loadout and ‘shell’, before venturing forth to complete missions in a procedurally generated environment. This simple but effective formula has been received well by gamers, with Shell Runner‘s Steam reviews currently sitting at ‘positive.’ In particular, players have praised the game’s gameplay, mission variety, and loot mechanics. Some reviews have criticised the game for an overall lack of polish, but Reija Studios has stated that bugfixing is a core focus of Shell Runner‘s 3 to 6 month Early Access period.
Shell Runner
‘s ‘shells’ are mechanical bodies which can have a person’s mind transferred into them, allowing the person to undertake risky missions without the risk of bodily harm. While the game’s title is likely
a reference to
Ghost in the Shell
, the concept is a staple of cyberpunk, appearing in notable works, such as
Surrogates
and
Altered Carbon.
Related
Cyberpunk 2077’s Sequel Should Take a Page Out of FromSoftware’s Playbook
The upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, Project Orion, could greatly benefit by leaning into an aspect more commonly associated with FromSoftware.
Shell Runner Fuses Cyberpunk Aesthetics With Looter Shooter Gameplay
So far, cyberpunk fans have been underserved in the looter shooter genre. While there’s no lack of cyberpunk games available at the moment—from open world RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077 to smaller, more directed narrative experiences like Signalis—recent looter shooters, such as The First Descendant and Destiny 2, have instead gone for a more Robert A. Heinlein or Arthur C. Clarke inspired ‘Golden Age’ science fiction vibe. Because of this, Shell Runner’s cyberpunk trappings make it stand out as particularly unique.
Shell Runner’s Cyberpunk Elements Are More Than Skin Deep
Rather than putting their own life at risk, each run in Shell Runner sees the player character’s mind being digitally transferred into a 3D printed ‘shell.’ Each shell costs money, requiring the player to spend money acquired during the game’s missions. Almost like a hero shooter, each shell is unique, with a unique cost and a different set of abilities and perks. Once a shell has been selected, players are able to kit out their mechanical body with a bevy of weapons, gadgets, and tools in order to make it a more effective killing machine. All of this, of course, costs money.
Money is the lifeblood of Shell Runner. More powerful shells cost more money, but once destroyed they’re gone forever. With big risks come big rewards—more expensive shells allow players to take on more dangerous missions, meaning more money to be found in the environment, and more money awarded once the mission is complete. Likewise, modifiers and weapons cost money too.
Balancing cost against effectiveness, players must make strategic decisions about how much money to spend on kitting out their shells, and how much to save for later missions. Spending too frivolously risks the mission rewarding the player with less money than the shell, weapons, and upgrades used to complete it cost; being too frugal means the player is at risk of being underprepared for the mission’s boss or a particularly chaotic enemy encounter. It’s all about balance.
Shell Runner Is Currently Available in Early Access
Shell Runner entered Steam Early Access on July 15, and Reija Studios plans for the game to receive its full release in 3 to 6 months. Despite its relatively short Early Access period, Reija Studios has big things planned for Shell Runner. Beyond bugfixes and balancing, Reija plans to add more missions, more levels, more varied mission objectives, and lots of additional weapons, shells, and gadgets. With Reija Studios paying close attention to fan feedback on the Steam forums, now is the perfect time for cyberpunk and looter shooter fans to check out Shell Runner.
