Empty Shell

Genre: 2-Stick Shooter / Horror / Roguelike

Players: 1

.

Review:

Empty Shell, released in 2023 on PC and then ported in 2024 to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, is a game that combines 2-Stick Shooter, Horror, and Roguelike elements, with players taking the role of one of a series of hapless folks either recruited or press-ganged into a job venturing into a dilapidated facility to restore operations, while contending with the aggressive monsters that are running rampant all over the place.

The presentation here is difficult to describe, as it seems to be making use of a mix of 2D and 3D visuals, but it’s hard to be sure when everything is covered with a static filter and then rendered almost entirely in monochrome with occasional red highlights. The result is that everything in this game looks blurry and indistinct… which does kinda’ work for the game, making its creepy corridors and threatening monsters even more scary due to how inscrutable they are.

This is joined by a noticeable lack of any sort of music, with the game instead mostly having atmospheric environmental noises. These help with the creep factor, but the lack of some really good signature critter sounds for the different enemies feels like a missed opportunity.

When it comes to the gameplay, Empty Shell plays like a 2-Stick Shooter, but in many ways it has the spirit of a game like a classic Resident Evil in that your firearm ammunition is highly limited, and you’re better off using melee attacks whenever you can. That said, melee combat in this game isn’t very good, and it feels like it comes in two forms depending on your enemy – either it works far too well, to the point where you can use it to easily dispatch some enemies without much effort or risk… or it works far too poorly, and if it’s all you have to fight some enemies you’re pretty much guaranteed to walk away from the fight with a lot of damage… if you walk away at all.

Another element that seems copied from Horror games is a limited inventory, and I feel like this works against the game’s Roguelike elements. Yes, it makes sense to keep players from collecting a massive arsenal if you’re trying to keep things scary, but it’s pretty frustrating to leave behind loot when supplies are so scarce, just because of arbitrary inventory limits.

Overall, I think Empty Shell carves enough of a unique niche that it’s worth checking out for players who think they’ll enjoy its unique mix of genres, but with lacking combat and restrictive mechanics stamping out a lot of the fun of the Roguelike elements, it definitely feels like this is a game that could have used a bit more work in some areas.

tl;dr – Empty Shell is a game that combines 2-Stick Shooter, Horror, and Roguelike elements, with players taking the role of various unfortunate folks roped into running errands in an abandoned facility full of monsters. The minimal presentation and unique blend of genres this game offers are interesting enough to make this game worth a look, but lackluster combat and disappointing Roguelike elements do make this feel like it could have been something better.

Grade: C+

^{You can support eShopperReviews on Patreon! Please click HERE to become a Sponsor!}

^{This month’s sponsors are Jamie and His Cats, Ben, Ilya Zverev, Andy Miller, Johannes, Jaka, Jared Wark, Gabriel Coronad-Medina, Francis Obst, Kristoffer Wulff, Seth Christenfeld, and Vince Verrinoldi. Thank you for helping to keep the reviews coming!}