EMPTY SHELL

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 280 reviews
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
  • story
EMPTY SHELL Game Cover
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In "Empty Shell," players enter a mysterious Japanese facility for a so-called "recovery operation." Armed with stealth and combat skills, they'll face unknown dangers and a labyrinthine environment. The game promises a suspenseful, atmospheric experience, with careful planning and strategy key to survival.

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Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 280 reviews
graphics16 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and sound design that enhances the horror experience.
  • Engaging gameplay with a satisfying combat system and a variety of unique enemies.
  • Interesting lore and story elements that encourage exploration and add depth to the game.
  • The pixelated visuals and camera zoom can make it difficult to see enemies and navigate effectively.
  • Death can feel overly punishing, with significant loss of progress and resources upon failure.
  • Some controls feel floaty, leading to frustrating moments during combat and movement.
  • graphics55 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique VHS-inspired aesthetic that enhances its horror elements, though opinions on this style vary widely among players. While many appreciate the atmospheric and immersive qualities of the minimalist visuals, some find them disorienting and challenging for gameplay, particularly in terms of visibility and item detection. Overall, the art style is praised for its creativity and ability to evoke a creepy ambiance, but it may not appeal to everyone, with some players needing to adjust settings for a more comfortable experience.

    • “The black and white aesthetic tied with the old CRT filter gives the game's atmosphere a great boost in the 'unnerving' department.”
    • “Absolutely adore the style and visuals, and the audio design is very well done and very well implemented; the environment groans and distant screams keep you guessing, anxious, and slow-moving with weapon raised.”
    • “The horrific and mysterious ambience is also on point, enhanced by sweet old-school visuals and minimalist but immersive sound design.”
    • “Though visuals get old quite fast as you dedicate most of your mental resources trying to see what's around you (bridges blend with surrounding water and feel like a corridor of invisible walls more than anything), a flashlight would be not just a lifesaver but simply a logical thing inside the game's universe.”
    • “My main gripe with it is its art direction/graphics: I think I understood what the dev tried to do with it, but I had to turn off most options, like the filter and shaking, and play the game at its most barebones; otherwise, I risked getting a migraine.”
    • “The visuals are making it difficult to focus and find things, although I know that was a design choice.”
  • atmosphere46 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepiness and tension, effectively immersing players in a haunting experience that combines unique visual styles and sound design. Many reviewers highlight the oppressive and nerve-racking ambiance, which enhances the horror elements and keeps players on edge. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyment and replay value.

    • “The unique visual style and crunchy audio design lends a lot to the game's creepy atmosphere.”
    • “The game is atmospheric and uneasy, with a level of uncertainty that haunts you to what awaits at the other end of each door.”
    • “The atmosphere is top tier, the gunplay feels good, the gameplay is engaging and there are moments that will genuinely scare the shit out of you.”
    • “I understand that the developer was going for atmosphere here, but certain visual effects might not work for certain players.”
    • “It isn't remarkable in many areas, but the atmosphere is definitely unsettling and creepy.”
    • “Hardcore level-based survival isometric shooter with inventory management and unique enemies and objectives, and a dreadful atmosphere.”
  • story43 mentions

    The game's story is generally praised for its intriguing and immersive qualities, with many players appreciating the dark atmosphere and the depth of lore presented through environmental storytelling and in-game documents. While some find the narrative compelling and well-integrated with gameplay, others note that it may not be the primary focus, as the gameplay mechanics and challenge take precedence. Overall, the story is seen as a strong complement to the gameplay, enhancing the experience without overshadowing it.

    • “It's a wonderful display of good mechanics and horror storytelling.”
    • “The story and world is quite interesting, with some well-written notes and emails, and the occasional bit of environmental storytelling.”
    • “The gameplay and story really sing, but the sheer atmosphere is what grabs you.”
    • “Couldn't even bring myself to keep playing after the first 10 minutes or so, which is a shame because I'm really interested to know where the story is going.”
    • “Currently I don't really feel much pull to come back to the game having beaten it and largely experienced the story.”
    • “The story, while not groundbreaking, is quite interesting, mainly in presentation alone.”
  • gameplay35 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, solid challenge, and enjoyable loop, with many players appreciating the blend of horror elements and lore. However, some criticisms arise regarding specific mechanics, such as the dodge system and inventory management, which can detract from the experience. Overall, while the atmosphere and aesthetics are highlighted, the gameplay remains a strong point, with potential for improvement through updates.

    • “Fun gameplay loop, interesting story.”
    • “Solid gameplay loop, proper challenge, good mechanics and map generation.”
    • “The atmosphere is top tier, the gunplay feels good, the gameplay is engaging and there are moments that will genuinely scare the shit out of you.”
    • “The problems arise when you look at the actual mechanics at play around all of it.”
    • “The dodge mechanic sends you in seemingly random directions at times, potentially throwing you into a laser or enemy.”
    • “The ways Empty Shell is different have introduced pain points into the gameplay, such as a 'pick up where you left off' system if you die, where you stay in the same level you died but with a totally wiped clean character with none of the upgrades or weapons you previously had.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    The game offers a mix of replayability through procedural map generation and varying difficulty, though some players note a lack of unique content and minimal upgrade options. While the random level design and branching paths provide some replay value, the repetitive tasks may limit long-term engagement. Overall, many find the game enjoyable and worth replaying, especially for its challenging gameplay and atmospheric experience.

    • “Procedurally generated maps give enough replayability to warrant long-term value.”
    • “Atmospheric, fun to play, and has good replay value.”
    • “I bought this game on sale, but I feel I would have still felt like it was worth it even at full price; the game being replayable in at least a couple of different ways helps its case.”
    • “There's no need to finish the game in one run; the upgrade options are very minimal and bland, and there's not a ton of variety or replayability that the genre is known for.”
    • “The level design features randomly generated levels that are not very unique; while there is some branching, the replayability is limited.”
    • “It has a bit of replay value as the level layers change, but unfortunately, the tasks remain the same.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game significantly enhances its oppressive atmosphere, contributing to a sense of suspense and tension throughout. Players appreciate how the sound design, including the sparse soundtrack and ambient noises, effectively amplifies the eerie vibe, particularly during key moments like discovering radios. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received, adding depth to the gameplay experience.

    • “The vibe of the game is great; the atmosphere and music lead the game into an overall oppressive feel that something has definitely gone wrong in this facility.”
    • “The overall combat and the way the weapons feel, along with the utter lack of sound and a soundtrack, builds really nice tension.”
    • “The overall combat and the way the weapons feel, combined with the utter lack of sound and a soundtrack, builds really nice tension.”
    • “Give me a creepy vibe, especially reading some of the notes, and the music adds a bit of suspense.”
    • “I remember finding my first radio, and the little bit of music really made a difference in perspective.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report a generally stable experience with minimal glitches or optimization issues, though some minor bugs remain that could be addressed in future updates.

    • “I'd love to overlook a bunch of things; some of these are just glitches that need to be ironed out.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find that while the game is well-crafted, grinding becomes tedious and unnecessary on difficulties above medium, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Nicely done; however, on difficulties higher than medium, it's senseless time grinding.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I found myself spending more time grinding than actually playing the game, which was frustrating.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers express dissatisfaction with the game's monetization strategy, feeling that it misrepresents itself as a roguelite while relying heavily on advertisements, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The monetization model feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that progress is heavily gated behind paywalls, which ruins the experience.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion of the game.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Overall, users report a positive experience with optimization, noting the absence of significant glitches or performance issues.

  • humor1 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be enjoyable, particularly highlighting amusing glitches like the enemy ragdoll bug, which adds a lighthearted element to their experience. Overall, the humor seems to enhance the gameplay rather than detract from it.

    • “I don't know why there is a review saying that they keep crashing, because during two playthroughs, the only serious bug I found so far is an enemy ragdoll bug, which is actually quite funny, to be honest.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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