Early Access Note

The trailer provides glimpses into various areas of the game. To ensure the highest possible quality, we are introducing Deadly Shaft in stages. At the start, the ground floor and the basement area will be fully explorable, while the upper floors are still in development and will be unlocked for you throughout the Early Access phase.

I have consciously chosen this path because I do not want to offer you a half-finished or unpolished experience – every area must meet my high graphical and gameplay standards in Unreal Engine 5 before it is made accessible to you.

A Technical Note on Development:
Deadly Shaft utilizes cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5 technologies (such as Lumen and Nanite). As the game is currently in Early Access, performance and optimization are being continuously developed and refined. Consequently, the game may not yet reach the final performance levels targeted for the full release on certain system configurations. Your feedback is invaluable in helping me continuously improve optimization for a wide range of hardware throughout the ongoing development process.

About the Game

NOTICE

This product is currently in a very early Alpha phase.

INTRODUCTION

Deadly Shaft is a claustrophobic survival-horror experience that combines the psychological pressure of total surveillance with the struggle for personal freedom. Trapped in a luxurious yet sinister mansion on the remote island of "Veilshore," you are at the mercy of the enigmatic "Landlord."

When Ashley, a 21-year-old gothic woman from "Emberwick" with powerful supernatural abilities, falls victim to a devious trap, she wakes up in this living nightmare. Stripped of all her powers, she realizes the unpredictable landlord has injected her with an artificial serum.

Now, it is up to you: Find a way to break through these mental blocks through focused meditation in the shadows, reclaim your stolen abilities piece by piece, and uncover the mansion's dark secrets to find a way out of this nightmare.

Deadly Shaft combines stealth gameplay with strategic resource management – in a world where your greatest weapon is not violence, but wits and concealment.

GAMEPLAY

Take control of Ashley and face an ominous adventure. Explore the threatening mansion, slip past guards unnoticed, and discover the dark truth behind your imprisonment. Overcome the mental blocks caused by the serum through meditation and make wise decisions to escape the Landlord's relentless grip. 

FEATURES

• Atmospheric, complex mansion with many hidden areas

• Real-time surveillance through a relentless camera system

• Focus on stealth, psychological immersion, and strategic survival

• Social Status System of the House Master.

CURRENT FEATURES

• Character starts inside the villa

• First-person / third-person camera

• Interactive objects (e.g. carrying and moving canisters)

• Dynamic day-night cycle with accelerated sleep phases

• Rest mechanic: use benches to restore energy

• Hide in closets to escape the House Master

• The House Master monitors the estate around the clock and reacts to your actions

• Security zones in the courtyard and backyard

OBJECTIVES

Collect items and master the Master's tasks.

STRATEGIC TIME MANAGEMENT

Use short work breaks on benches to regenerate your focus and observe your surroundings unnoticed.

ESCAPE AND HIDE FROM THE MASTER

Move silently. When the Master is hunting, a hiding spot is often your last resort.

CAMERA SYSTEM

In the luxurious mansion, you are constantly under surveillance.
Learn to use the camera system to your advantage.

DAY & NIGHT CYCLE

Time is working against you. Use the night to secure your energy reserves for the coming day.

PLANNED FEATURES – [COMING SOON]

• Expanded tasks and behavior patterns of the House Master

• Increased threat from security AI

• Additional hiding spots and interaction options

• Locked areas with keycode mechanics

• Detailed inventory system

• Meditation system to overcome mental blocks and unlock abilities

• Behavior-based AI reaction system

• The island of “Veilshore” as an expanded game area

• Multiple story endings

• Localization into additional languages

• Steam achievements

UNLOCK MAGICAL ABILITIES [COMING SOON]

Fulfill the Master's demands to gather experience points unnoticed. By uncovering the secrets of the mansion and overcoming your traumatic blocks, your true, magical powers will gradually awaken within the talent tree.