Broken Shell crowdfunding campaign surfaces on Kickstarter

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Demo available for cozy hand-drawn underseas adventure on Steam and itch.io

If you're feeling a little crabby these days and in need of a pick-me-up, you'll find just what you're looking for – in more ways than one – in the short playable demo for Broken Shell, a cozy point-and-click underwater adventure from Foggy Studio, who are currently raising funds for the game on Kickstarter. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hermit are a pair of loving crabs happily enjoying life together when their peaceful home is "devastated by human expansion." Their love story doesn't end there, however, as they set out into the great big ocean in search of a new place to call home where they can "rebuild their life together." It won't be easy, as they will encounter many obstacles and the "harmful impact of pollution on animal life," even becoming separated at times along the way. Yet they'll also "meet new friends and assist diverse characters" as they "navigate love, loss, and hope" through a combination of "humorous narrative events within a heartfelt romantic drama without a single word."

Described as a "cute and cozy adventure game filled with love and courage," the side-scrolling Broken Shell is presented in a charming hand-painted cartoon art style accompanied by gentle background melodies ranging from soft jazz to exotic flutes. Using a (mostly) simple point-and-click control scheme, the Hermits must collect necessary items and solve a variety of puzzles and minigames that "demand logic and problem-solving skills to progress" in their undersea travels. Their journey will comprise a series of "heartwarming moments" that are suitable for families and players of all ages, as is the subtle environmental message that "even the smallest creatures have stories worth telling and homes worth protecting." By reminding players of "the fragile beauty of ocean life and how even the tiniest actions can create ripples that shape the world around us," the story is intended to inspire "a deeper appreciation for nature, encouraging us to cherish and protect it, not just for ourselves, but for all who call it home."

In order to help finance the rest of production, the two-person Austrian team has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise €8,000 by March 20th. If successful, we could see the full version of Broken Shell launched on Steam sometime in October for Windows, Mac and Linux, with ports on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices to follow. In the meantime, a short (Windows-only) playable demo is available to check out right away on Steam and itch.io.

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