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Shell Runner

2045. Life's never been cheaper. Shells mean you can come back if you have money. You used to. Now you're on the bottom in a cyberpunk sprawl. Claw your way back up through wet work as a Shell Runner, in a PvE extraction looter shooter, where a gig can make you rich - or broke.

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Developer
Publisher
Release
April 11, 2025
1 year and 112 days ago
Steam Reviews
Mixed95 reviews54.7%

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Updated: Jul 13, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
The separate publisher has a broad catalog or developer network in the local database.
Search Google: Is Shell Runner self-published or published by Reija and indie.io?Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Search Google: How is Shell Runner and Reija and indie.io funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Search Google: Who controls the creative direction and IP for Shell Runner and Reija?Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.
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About the Game

Welcome to 2045. The long struggle between people and corporations left the megacorps as overlords, ruling over the broken remnants of humanity huddled together in vast urban sprawls. But with no law or government beyond corporate boards, the underworld thrives. You are a Shell Runner using lifelike Shells to carry out wet work for anyone willing to pay.

Shell Runner is a top-down tactical shooter hybridized with looter shooter and extraction games. Every run can make you rich - but lose your Shell and you lose all that. Experience high-risk runs as a solo merc - or find allies and face the seedy underbelly of a dystopian future in cooperative mode.

Shells are remotely controlled bodies that blur the line between man and machine. Take control of one of over 20 Shells, from disposable everyman models for low-tier mercs to specialized high-tech Shells for corporate assassins and shock troops. But be careful: Lose a Shell on a mission and it's gone - together with all the gear, loot, and Silicon credits you managed to pilfer from other unfortunates living in the shadows of the corps.

Life's cheap and brutal in the sprawl. You're always outnumbered and outgunned and even a lowly thug can flatline your Shell in seconds if you don't play it smart. Plan ahead and outfit your Shell with an arsenal of melee weapons, firearms, and explosives. Fine-tune stats thanks to a multitude of modifiers. Then head in to complete your contract. Stay on your toes, plan your attack, and hit your targets where they least expect it.

No two runs are the same. Every mission is a procedurally-generated map, combining hand-crafted boss encounters with unpredictable randomness, ensuring no two runs are the same. Every Shell and item comes with random modifiers, meaning every contract is a risk - but also an opportunity. One job in the slums might leave you barely breaking even - the next one might make you break the bank. So get to work, Shell Runner, Silicon won’t earn itself!