The Shell Part II: Purgatorio on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
Quick menu
Detective Reiji Tokisaka is back to face down a mystery that spans decades, if not centuries. With the aftermath of his last case weighing on his soul and a long-silent cult resurgent, can he solve the crime—or will it become his curse?
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is a detective, visual novel and investigation game
developed by Innocent Grey
and published by Shiravune.
Released on April 18th 2024 is available only on Windows
in 3 languages: English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
It has received 462 reviews of which 450 were positive and 12 were negative resulting in a rating of 9.0 out of 10. 😎
The game is currently priced at 24.50€ on Steam, but you can find it for 12.41€ on Eneba.
The Steam community has classified The Shell Part II: Purgatorio into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at The Shell Part II: Purgatorio through various videos and screenshots.
Load More
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i series
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Sound Card: PCM (DirectSound support)
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio takes the somber, psychologically charged foundation of the first game and expands it into something far more intricate, oppressive, and narratively ambitious. Set several years after the original events, the story once again follows detective Reiji Tokisaka, a man still deeply scarred by past failures and unresolved loss. Rather than presenting him as a hardened or evolved protagonist, the game leans into his stagnation—his inability to move on becomes a defining trait, shaping both his decisions and his emotional detachment. This lingering grief is not merely background flavor; it permeates the entire experience, giving the narrative a heavy, almost suffocating tone that reflects a world where closure is elusive and healing feels out of reach. What distinguishes Purgatorio most is its layered narrative structure. While it initially appears to revolve around a new series of grotesque murders, the story quickly unfolds into something much broader and more unsettling. The investigation stretches beyond simple detective work and begins to uncover connections to older events, hidden communities, and deeply ingrained traditions tied to a remote rural setting. One of the game’s most striking narrative choices is its extended shift in perspective, diving into a past storyline that at first feels disconnected from Reiji’s investigation. Over time, this section reveals itself as a crucial piece of the overarching mystery, providing context that reframes the present-day events. This interplay between timelines and viewpoints gives the story a sense of scale and cohesion, though it also demands patience and attention from the player to fully appreciate how all the threads intertwine. The writing is unrelentingly bleak, even by the standards of the series. Rather than relying on shock value alone, the game builds its horror through atmosphere, implication, and the gradual realization of how deeply its characters are entangled in cycles of trauma and obsession. Themes of inherited suffering, identity, and the consequences of unresolved grief are explored with a level of seriousness that can feel emotionally draining. Moments of warmth or hope do exist, but they are rare and often overshadowed by the broader sense of inevitability that hangs over the narrative. This tonal consistency is one of the game’s greatest strengths, as it creates an experience that feels cohesive and purposeful, though it may also make it difficult for some players to engage with such a relentlessly heavy story. From a gameplay perspective, Purgatorio refines the investigative mechanics introduced in the first installment. Players still engage in examining crime scenes, gathering clues, and making deductions, but these systems feel smoother and less restrictive, allowing the narrative to flow more naturally. The game places greater emphasis on storytelling rather than mechanical challenge, using interactivity primarily as a way to deepen immersion. The branching structure remains significant, with multiple routes and endings that encourage repeated playthroughs. Importantly, the full scope of the story is not accessible in a single run, requiring players to revisit earlier decisions and uncover additional layers of meaning. This design reinforces the game’s themes of perspective and understanding, though it also contributes to its considerable length and complexity. Characterization is one of the areas where the game truly excels. While Reiji remains central, the narrative expands to give substantial attention to other characters, allowing their personal struggles and perspectives to take on equal importance. This broader focus enriches the story, as it presents a more comprehensive view of the world and its underlying conflicts. Certain characters emerge as particularly memorable due to the depth of their arcs and the emotional weight they carry, often serving as mirrors or contrasts to Reiji’s own journey. However, the large cast can occasionally make it difficult to maintain a clear focus, as some characters receive less development than others despite their narrative significance. Visually, the game continues to uphold the series’ distinctive identity. The art style blends elegance with unease, capturing both the beauty and the decay of its setting. Character designs are expressive, and key scenes are illustrated with a level of detail that enhances their emotional and psychological impact. The depiction of violence is handled with a deliberate intensity that reinforces the game’s themes without feeling gratuitous. Complementing this is a carefully composed soundtrack that leans heavily into melancholic and atmospheric tones, subtly guiding the player’s emotional response without overwhelming the narrative. Together, these elements create a cohesive presentation that strengthens the overall immersion. Despite its many strengths, the game is not without its shortcomings. Its ambitious narrative occasionally struggles under its own weight, leading to pacing issues where certain sections feel overly drawn out while others move too quickly through important developments. The complexity of its structure, while rewarding, can also be overwhelming, particularly for players who are not fully invested in piecing together its many layers. Additionally, some tonal inconsistencies arise in specific scenes, which can momentarily disrupt the otherwise carefully maintained atmosphere. These flaws do not detract significantly from the overall experience, but they do highlight the challenges of balancing such a dense and multifaceted story. In the end, The Shell Part II: Purgatorio stands as a bold and uncompromising continuation of the trilogy, one that elevates its narrative ambitions while embracing a darker and more emotionally demanding tone. It is a work that prioritizes depth and thematic exploration over accessibility, offering a richly layered story that rewards careful attention and repeated engagement. For those willing to immerse themselves in its heavy atmosphere and complex structure, it delivers an experience that is both haunting and memorable, pushing the boundaries of what the series set out to achieve. It may not be flawless, but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses, making it a standout entry that leaves a lasting impression. Rating: 9/10
Expand the review
Really good, not quite as good as the first one but it leads into the 3rd one which is one of the best eroge ever made
Expand the review
One of my favorite visual novels. I love the switch of perspective between the two different characters and time periods. I'm currently reading the 3rd and final novel in this series, but so far this one has still stuck out as my favorite. A wonderful murder mystery that left me guessing until the end.
Expand the review
I'm truly baffled how this game manages to top literally everything the first one did in terms of mystery, story engagement and dare I say art and presentation only to kill my enjoyment quite so severly. I liked this one, it's also way more stream-lined than the first and locking us into a specific ending, finding out things to then go back from the beginning but with more scenes felt rewarding. Until it didn't. I am already closing both eyes and ears to all the optional H-scenes for everything with boobs and two legs, no matter the age, whatever, comes with the genre yada yada. What I don't like is that we have a revelation in passing how a side character was treated, hm abusive parents, nothing new, we see her react to someone else and can piece together exactly why she would react the way she does. Why in god's name do we get an entire scene dedicated to showing us in all detail just what that entails? Ah yes, rape fantasies, that's why. 4 CGs and variations of it in fact. Not even MC's scenes have quite as many versions, but let's do it for this one. Not opening the can of worms, it is fiction, but it felt so unnecessary and violent, it left me upset hours later (in case you can't tell, as I am writing this review). It is also NOT optional, unlike MC sleeping with every schoolgirl but why would I even expect that. Overall, the True End had an interesting solution to a mystery we've dragged around from the first game only to present us with something exciting and new, which is cool in and of itself, unfortunately I can not appreciate it in its entirety due to the above mentioned situation. I will be going back to playing the third entry at some point in the future, however I have no desire to do so anytime soon. It gets a recommendation simply because noone wants to leave a story unfinished, but it is not with pleasure.
Expand the review
story of obsession and how they weave ourselves what an amazing sequel im genuinely so shook that ending was so gut wrenching i dont know how im supposed to recover from that
Expand the review
Similar games
View all
The Shell Part III: Paradiso
The coiling chains of obsession that began with The Shell now threaten to strangle Detective Reiji Tokisaka in the third and final entry in the trilogy. As old friends and foes rise up for one last confrontation, can anyone break the cycle—and can Reiji's heart ever be set free?
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative
Special Agents Mizuki and Ryuki, along with their AI partners Aiba and Tama, are tasked to solve the bizarre Half Body serial killings in this sequel to the critically acclaimed AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Join rookie attorney Apollo Justice and his mentor, the legendary Phoenix Wright, in this collection of 3 games! This title features 16 episodes (including previously DLC-only episodes) and supports English, French, German, Japanese Korean, and Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Subsurface Circular
When the truth is buried, go underground. Step into this new take on text-based adventure from the award-winning team behind Thomas Was Alone and Volume. A short story that hands you the fate of the world above, as a detective looking for answers on the Subsurface Circular.
A Case of Distrust
A Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game.
Mohism: Battle of Words
Mohism: Battle of Words is a detective game set in the world of wuxia. The game follows Zhang Xiaochen, investigates unsolved cases and comes into his own as a hero. He must rely on his wits and razor-sharp tongue to best his opponents, find the culprit and ensure justice prevails!
√Letter - Root Letter -
When a letter is delivered 15 years late - you discover an old pen-friend was involved in a murder, before she disappeared. Travelling to her hometown, you must investigate the murder, using her past letters as clues to uncover the disturbing truth.
The Shell Part I: Inferno
Unravel a string of gruesome murders terrorizing Tokyo in this mystery-thriller visual novel. The secrets of a case from six years prior may just be the key to the current unending cycle of tragedy—and the thing that cracks this woeful world’s shell may be one girl’s smile.
Tokyo Dark
Legend tells of a door deep below Tokyo's sewers. All who enter are lost forever. Detective Ito's partner is missing. Explore Tokyo & uncover the darkness that lays beneath the streets in this Point & Click - meets Visual Novel - narrative adventure that questions the very core of Ito's sanity.
Roman's Christmas / 罗曼圣诞探案集
Roman, the wolf detective plans to spend his Christmas vacation in his favorite tavern, but murder cases happened in the tavern put him to work again.
Detective Butler: Maiden Voyage Murder
Follow Detective Butler and his sidekick Gilligan as they solve a locked-room murder during a haunted cruise ship's maiden voyage. Can you solve the mystery before Detective Butler reveals the answer?
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Investigate murders, search for clues and talk to your classmates to prepare for trial. There, you'll engage in deadly wordplay, going back and forth with suspects. Dissect their statements and fire their words back at them to expose their lies! There's only one way to survive—pull the trigger.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is currently priced at 24.50€ on Steam.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 24.50€ on Steam.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio received 450 positive votes out of a total of 462 achieving a rating of 8.99.
😎
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio was developed by Innocent Grey and published by Shiravune.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is playable and fully supported on Windows.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is not playable on MacOS.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is not playable on Linux.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is a single-player game.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio does not currently offer any DLC.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio does not support Steam Remote Play.
The Shell Part II: Purgatorio is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for The Shell Part II: Purgatorio.
Data sources
The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.
Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 26 April 2026 07:07 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 28 April 2026 18:03 |
| Steam price | 29 April 2026 12:47 |
| Steam reviews | 29 April 2026 09:57 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about The Shell Part II: Purgatorio, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about The Shell Part II: Purgatorio
- SteamCharts - Analysis of The Shell Part II: Purgatorio concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck The Shell Part II: Purgatorio compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
9
Developer
Innocent Grey
Publisher
Shiravune
Release
18 Apr 2024
Platforms
Clicking and buying through these links helps us earn a commission to maintain our services.