- Quick Unity fix - 6 October 2025
Hi everyone! Just a quick update to fix the recent security vulnerability issue that may affect all Unity games built in the past few years. The volunteers already have their own problems... they don't need any more vulnerability issues.
- Level exit prompt - 8 January 2024
Hey, everyone! This small update brings a prompt at the end of each level that asks for an interaction to proceed to the next one, so that you don't accidentally exit a level leaving stuff you were planning to recover behind.
- Happy Birthday! - 6 January 2024
Hey, everyone! Exactly one year ago, EMPTY SHELL: PROLOGUE was released, marking the beginning of this journey. Since then, thousands of lines of code have been written, tens of thousands of vertices have been crafted and hundreds of thousands of axe blows have been struck. Thank you all for venturing into the Facility and for contributing to improving the game with your feedback. Looking forward to giving you more!
- Steam Deck quick fix - 20 December 2023
Hey everyone, just added a quick QoL fix. Basically, if running on the Steam Deck, at first launch the default UI size will be "Big". If you already launched the game, then, if you want, you can manually change the UI size from the options.
- Typos fix - 18 December 2023
Just fixed a couple of typos, nothing special :)
- Some new gameplay mechanics, QoL and more - 12 December 2023
Hey, everyone! I've just updated the Prologue, that used to be the original version of the game, with some features and improvements from the Next Fest demo and the full version. You'll find lots of QoL updates, bug fixing, better balancing and much more. Here the full changelog: Weapons now have a reload system Secret rooms More balanced enemies spawns in the second level Shotgun overhaul: 30% more damage, ~11% less damage decay (distance), 20% less spread Now the previously dead volunteer body will be found closer to the start of the level (the distance scales with difficulty, closer on easy) Better recoverable equipment from the previously dead volunteer body (scales with difficulty) Option to change the zoom type from original (automatic) to manual Option to increase the UI size (menus, documents screens, invetory, etc) Options to reduce UI effects Option to reduce in-game effects (…
- EMPTY SHELL release - 16 October 2023
Hey, everyone! This is it: the full version of EMPTY SHELL will be released on October 16, 10am PST, right after the Next Fest ends. The Demo will no longer be available, but i'll update the Prologue around Halloween with the latest version you were able to try during the Next Fest. The full experience brings a whole lot more: You'll travel throughout the entire Facility, visiting all the new locations to complete the list of tasks given to you Lots of new monstrosities will hunt you down New disturbing bosses Plenty of new weapons, from old war equipment to futuristic prototypes Upgrade your volunteers with new stats to give them a better chance of surviving Several new automated Gadgets and Devices will help you get through this nightmare Dozens of new achievements Secret rooms to discover and secret items to collect Dozens of documents to finally uncover the mistery of what happened…
- Full Game Release Date - 27 September 2023
Hey, everyone! So, this is it: EMPTY SHELL will be released on October 16. After months of development, I am very happy to say that the time has come and I am looking forward to delivering the full experience to you. See you in the Facility, then.
- A glimpse of the woods - 15 September 2023
The island is heavily wooded. Not all parts of the structure are interconnected with each other. To reach the west wing, volunteers will have to cross part of the woods that cover the island.
- A printed document - 4 September 2023
This was found on the floor of one of the labs of the Facility.
- Update: starting bonus/malus - 3 September 2023
Actually, i spoke too soon: i made a few test and the feature is not engaging enough, so i'm putting this aside, for now! I'll think about something better :)
- Starting bonus/malus - 1 September 2023
Hi everyone! I'm testing some new starting bonus/malus values for the volunteers. Based on age and height, voluteers will have little starting bonus/malus for health (and max health), max armor, melee damage and stamina amount. Essentially, the older the volunteer the lower the health (and max health) but the higher the max armor value (kind of due to more life experience). Melee damage use a linear curve for the height (the taller the stronger) but is also affected by a custom curve for the age (where a volunteer in his/her late 20s/early 30s is stronger than younger and older volunteers). Stamina, on the other side, can only have a small bonus but not a malus (to respect the balancing in fights that has been tested for months). In this case, the younger the better, BUT, shorther volunteers will have more stamina than taller volunteers (it's a mix of the two attributes, age and height)…
- This one hits hard - 28 August 2023
An experimental Railgun, probably one of the last projects the R&D team of the facility was working on, before the accident. Considering its bullets don't stop after hitting a target, it is especially efficient if you manage to get some enemies in a row.
- No such thing in nature - 18 August 2023
"There can be no such thing in nature. A cruel fusion of metal and flesh. Like a mad, confusing experiment."
- They see you - 3 August 2023
They see you, literally. And they will hunt you down.
- Multiple drones at the same time - 8 July 2023
If you're lucky enough to find (or wealthy enough to buy) multiple drones (even equipped with different weapons), there's no limit to how many of them you can activate at the same time. You can basically turn yourself into a walking piece of artillery. (also, gadgets will now show how much ammo they have left)
- Reloading - 21 June 2023
Hey, everyone! Considering the very positive reception of the idea on Discord, i'm implementing a reload system for all the weapons. It wasn't there from the beginning, deliberately, to give EMPTY SHELL more of a "Quake" vibe, but the game is shaping up in a way that a reload system would fit nicely. Some weapons (most of them) will work with mags, others (like the shotgun and the hunting rifle in the prologue, for example) will have single round reload (with a finite number of maximum rounds in the internal magazine). Dodging, aiming, or melee strikes will interrupt the action, so keep a distance when reloading. Also, reloading won't be automatic (shooting with an empty weapon with spare ammo won't reload), so keep an eye on the ammo counter!
- About extra inventory slots - 16 June 2023
Yes, they exists! Carrying stuff isn't easy when wearing a hazard suit, but volunteers can get some extra help from leg pouches. They won't be able to equip too many of them, but they will surely notice the benefits.
- Quick fix - 8 June 2023
Hey! Just a quick fix: added WASD to navigate the Antennas view fixed the pan in some areas where the sfx sounded weird
- Special gas mask - 20 May 2023
Some of the containers, abandoned for decades, have started to leak and have made some areas particularly dangerous to pass through, unless you wear a special gas mask, capable of filtering the polonium particles dispersed from the containers.
