Random Madness - a YouTube channel dedicated to response mechanics in video games, currently with 74 thousand subscribers and 29 million views, streamed the SHELLSTORM demo on YouTube! The channel’s host, Valentin The Mad, shared a detailed and enthusiastic reaction that highlights the game’s emergent gameplay, tactical depth, and detailed interactions. Below are his key observations, with direct quotes for context:
Overall Impressions
"It is seriously fun, seriously fun, like I wasn't really expecting". "Very, very, very, very pleasantly surprised”. "I very much enjoy the base concept - the core gameplay". "I'm loving the direction, I very much like what I see, and I gotta say in this Steam next fest it was the most pleasant surprise for me". "My preferred way of playing games like this to have a podcast playing in the background and just enjoying the hunt basically".
Overall, Valentin emphasized that the game exceeded his expectations in terms of enjoyment and engagement.
Cat and Mouse Gameplay:
“It’s kind of a cat and mouse game, where you are both the predator and the prey… you have to hunt your enemies one at a time. If you hit them head-on, you’re gonna die… The whole fun for me is the cat and mouse game… hit from behind, GTFO, get into a good position again, hit from behind… never attack them head-on”. "You know the Dream theater song 'Light the Fuse and Get Away'? That's basically this game".
Valentin's observations highlight the importance of careful positioning as opposed to mindless attacks.
Freedom & Player Choice:
“Many games have a specific way that they want you to solve a given problem, and there isn’t a whole lot of freedom to mess around and try different things. I will say - absolutely not the case here - you can just mess around".
Valentin appreciated the lack of restrictive “correct solutions,” allowing emergent strategies and experimentation. This is achieved by our NPC behavior system that responds to subtle changes in battlefield conditions, including the terrain shape, line of sight, as well as what the NPCs can hear.
Solo Hunt & Tension:
“There’s something about the solo hunt, kind of like 6 Days in Fallujah where you can play with a fire team, but when you play alone, it’s basically a survival horror experience… but here it’s more of a hunting experience, which I also do quite enjoy…
In SHELLSTORM, a single soldier can take down an entire army - not because he has better weapons or more health (he doesn’t) but because he played the match intelligently. This is where SHELLSTORM takes a dramatic turn from classic RTS games. It highlights a core Hypermad pillar: less abstraction, more simulation. You’re not locked into a statistical battle and dice roll calculations like in the classics (Company of Heroes). Instead, you’re finding the exact right moment to strike and the perfect place and time to do it. Combat outcomes aren’t dictated by stats and modifiers, but by simulating the underlying systems - line of sight, ballistics, reaction speed, positioning, timing, and environment shape. That means a single soldier can outplay a larger force if he uses terrain and timing perfectly.
Terrain Deformation & Environmental Detail:
“The terrain deformation is very nice… you would think that by this time it would be quite common but it isn’t - not in strategy titles, not in shooters… I like the terrain deformation with rifles a lot… small aspect, mild thing, but it actually looked really really cool… I do just love the cliffs deformation, I absolutely love it”. "... how many games allow that? No limitations, no BS, you can just mine like in the tech demos".
Valentin praised both large-scale and subtle environmental deformation from grenades and bullets as he stocked up on grenades and flattened entire cliffs, showing that the deformation system is authentic and not a gimmick.
Enemy AI & Challenge:
“The enemies have superhuman reaction time, and almost superhuman accuracy, but it’s not necessarily a problem for the feel this game is going for… it forces you to be more careful… The enemies go on different routes every time so you need to play the cat and mouse game… The key here is one at a time guys, one at a time, and from behind or the side, never go head on…" "You pay for your mistakes". "Sometimes you get lucky and the enemies are close together so you can take them out with one grenade, but most of the time they do spread around so you have to look for your opportunities". The key here is patience”. "The moment you are careless is the moment you die". Valentin emphasized that enemy behavior reinforces intelligent, tactical play.
Next-Level Interactive Details
“The sandbags slowly deplete and then become a ragdoll… yeah you know what guys, I can crown this as the game with the most advanced sandbag mechanics ever. You have the hit, and then you see the sand pouring out, and then it gradually flattens until it becomes just a flaccid ragdoll. That's actually seriously cool, seriously cool - and literally, no other game does it, literally". "So I'm quite happy about being able to showcase the most detailed sandbag damage in a game ever. Small details do very much matter and those things are quite memorable. Hayk I will say thank you very much for the very advanced sandbag mechanics".
Valentin was very satisfied with the interactive details!
Valentin’s feedback validates our design philosophy: SHELLSTORM leans into deep simulation rather than superficial abstraction. The result is a complex, interwoven possibility space that rewards patience, careful observation, and freedom of choice, while realistic environmental and destructible systems create unique and memorable gameplay moments. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome you to the next evolution of the RTS genre, and beyond excited about what the the future holds.
We encourage you to experience the Steam demo yourself, because no two battles are the same in SHELLSTORM: The Great War
-Hypermad