Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Shelf Life
NeonGhost Studio · Published by NeonGhost Studio · Official site ↗
Last updated 28 Sept 2026
Solve your supervisor's deadly task sequence to survive, but be warned: every wrong guess makes the store a more monstrous labyrinth. Unravel the horrific code and finally clock out, or be a permanent employee.
Adventure, Indie, Simulation · More free games
Navigate the perilous twists of Shelf Life, where every decision propels you deeper into a deadly maze. Solve complex tasks to escape or face eternal employment in this chilling indie simulation from NeonGhost Studio.
About this game
Welcome to Shelf Life... Your Nightmare shift Has a New Rule!
You've worked the aisles of the supermarket countless nights, a monotonous rhythm of restocking and cleaning. But tonight, your supervisor has a new game for you. A twisted, silent test of obedience where the stakes are your sanity—and your life. You are not just a stocker; you are a pawn in a brutal corporate puzzle.
The Task Grid: Solve or Be Slaughtered.
The rules are simple, yet terrifying. Your supervisor has a specific, secret sequence of tasks he wants completed. Your job is to deduce that order before your shift ends. Every time you finish a series of tasks and return to the breakroom, the "Supervisor's Task Board" reveals how close you are to the truth, using a sinister Wordle-style feedback system:
Green: The task is correct and in the right position in the sequence.
Yellow: The task is part of the sequence, but in the wrong position.
Grey: The task is an abject failure.
The Price of Failure: Rising Tension.
Each incorrect guess—each grey task—infuriates the supervisor and escalates the terror. The air grows cold. The lights flicker and die. The mundane aisles become a labyrinth of horrors. The more you guess wrong, the more terrifying the next attempt becomes, as the very store seems to come alive with an unsettling presence. Your only reprieve from the mounting dread is a correct guess.
Your Only Escape is the Truth.
Your only hope of survival is to figure out the code. Explore every dark corner of the store, collect task tickets, and use the feedback from each run to unravel the sequence. Piece together the cryptic clues left by those who came before you. Will you figure out the supervisor’s maddening routine and finally punch out, or will your last shift become your eternal resting place?
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 480
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 7 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 7 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Supported Languages
*languages with full audio support
Latest news
Community & EventsOfficial
Shelf Life is LIVE for Steam Next Fest!
Hello everyone! The biggest news in the store right now is that Shelf Life is officially part of Steam Next Fest!If you've been waiting for the perfect time to step into the terrifying world of the midnight shift, that time is now. The Shelf Life Demo is available throughout the festival, giving you a free, chilling taste of our unique horror deduction experience.The Steam Next Fest is our time to gather crucial feedback! We need you, the horror enthusiast, to play the demo, solve the Task Sequence, and let us know what makes your spine tingle.This is your chance to directly influence the final game!Here’s how you can help us make Shelf Life the best it can be:Play the Demo: Download and experience the deduction horror for yourself!Wishlist the Game: This is the single most important action you can take to support us! Every wishlist helps us gain visibility.Join our Discord and Share Feedback: Jump into our Discord community and tell us exactly what you loved, what terrified you, and any bugs you encountered. Your playtest feedback is gold!Find us during Steam Next Fest!Please Share Feedback on Discord🔥 Fresh Polish and New Nightmares 🔥We've been hard at work reading your feedback and continue to polish the game based on what you've shared. We are excited to announce a new demo update that is live right now:Bugs: We’ve squashed several pesky bugs to ensure a smoother, less interrupted dive into the terror.More Scares: Get ready to jump! We've added several brand-new jumpscares and tightened the timing on existing scare systems to ensure the Ghostly Manager and the store's other inhabitants keep you constantly on edge.Refined Experience: General polish has been applied across the board, making the UI cleaner, the atmosphere thicker, and the overall deduction challenge more rewarding.Thank you so much for your support. We look forward to reading your screams (and your bug reports)!Team NeonGhost StudioRead full article on Community Announcements (dev.neonghost)AnnouncementsOfficial
Shelf Life Demo 1.0 is OUT NOW!
Hey everyone!The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here! We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the Shelf Life Demo 1.0 is available to play RIGHT NOW!We've poured our hearts and souls into crafting a unique horror deduction experience, and we couldn't be more excited for all you horror game enthusiasts to step onto the terrifying aisles of our supermarket.What Awaits You in Shelf Life Demo 1.0?This demo offers a chilling taste of the anxiety, deduction, and unexpected scares that define Shelf Life. If you've been following our DevLogs, you'll be happy to hear that Demo 1.0 includes all the recent advancements we've been working on:A Polished, Terrifying Environment: Immerse yourself in our updated level design with an improved store layout and a completely overhauled visual polish. The eerie atmosphere of the late-night supermarket has never looked (or felt) better, right from our polished main menu to the deepest shadows of the aisles.The Deduction Challenge: Get ready to test your wits! The core of Shelf Life is solving the five-step Task Sequence by interpreting subtle environmental clues in the employee room. Every night is a new puzzle, pushing your observation and logic to their limits.Escalated Scares & Dynamic Threats: This isn't just a quiet walk through the store. We've implemented new scare systems and introduced several more ghosts beyond the Ghostly Manager, each with unique behaviors. Watch out for unsettling environmental effects like flickering lights and shifting objects that will keep you constantly on edge!Emotes - Your Unexpected Defense: Discover our unique "emote" mechanic! These fun hand gestures aren't just for show; they provide a surprising way to temporarily ward off or protect yourself from the spectral entities. Mastering these gestures could be the key to your survival!Join our Discord Channel! Share your feedback, connect with the community, and be the first to know about future updates and behind-the-scenes peeks!This...Read full article on Community Announcements (dev.neonghost)AnnouncementsOfficial
DevLog #01: What is Shelf Life?
Hello everyone,Welcome to our first official DevLog!We are Neon Ghost Studio, and we're thrilled to introduce you to Shelf Life, a game that takes the familiar setting of a late-night supermarket and twists it into a unique horror deduction experience.A Nightmare on Aisle SixShelf Life puts you in the worn-out shoes of a store employee trapped on the graveyard shift. The fluorescent lights are buzzing, the aisles are empty, and every sound is magnified. This is a game about atmosphere and escalating anxiety, where the monsters are less about claws and more about the persistent dread of being truly alone when things start to go horribly wrong.The terror in Shelf Life is embodied by the Nightmare Supervisor, and relentless entities that patrols the store. Survival is not about fighting; it’s about observing anomalies, deducing tasks, and executing the perfect plan.Deduction is SurvivalAt its core, Shelf Life is a first-person horror deduction game. To break the loop and escape the store, you must discover and complete a specific, five-step sequence of mundane supermarket tasks. This sequence is the store's code, and it changes every time you play.Solve the Code: You will not guess wildly. The sequence is revealed through subtle environmental anomalies. You'll need to meticulously check for bizarre clues that tell you which task must be completed next.Execute the Sequence: Once you've deduced a step, you must leave the safety of the back room and perform the task, whether it's securing the Orange Juice Bottle or restocking the Milk Carton.Consequences of Failure: The moment you perform a task out of order or pick the wrong task entirely, the Manager will be alerted to your location. Your mistake doesn't just cost you time; it escalates the nightmare, forcing you to flee and re-evaluate your deduction.Stay tuned for our next update, where we will dive into the specific design of our unsettling environmental clues!Sagar Saha, Game DirectorNeonGhost StudioRead full article on Community Announcements (dev.neonghost)
