Mortal Shell Reviews

Mortal Shell is ranked in the 63rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Jacob James
Top Critic
8 / 10
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell retains the best elements of the genre - weighty combat, tension, exploration, and progression - and succeeds in refining a deep and beloved genre in ways that feel rewarding, familiar, and new, all at the same time.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

For any fans of the Soulslike genre looking for a new addition to their collection, Mortal Shell is worth the time. While there is room for Cold Symmetry to expand upon their ideas here and make improvements, they have absolutely proved their value as creative minds and talented developers.

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Sirus Gaming
Rhett Roxl
7 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell is not the perfect Souls-like game out there, but it’s most certainly one of the best ones. It has its glaring flaws, but they’re drowned out by the amazing craftsmanship of the game’s creators and their taste for distinction.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell is an excellent first game from Cold Symmetry and although light on content, I cannot wait to see more of Mortal Shell down the line.

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8 / 10
Aug 17, 2020

It may seem daunting and punishing, and it is. But its visual beauty and aesthetic has me compelled to explore more of this world and the Shells that inhabit it.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell has enough fresh ideas to set itself apart and takes enough inspiration from existing titles to create a unique experience for veterans of the genre and new-comers alike.

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95 / 100
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell is to Dark Souls what Gears Tactics is to XCOM. It takes the tried and tested formula, wipes away all the years of hubris the original developers have grown accustomed to, and brings back the initial excitement of the first title. It works on those original premises and ideas and instead of replacing Dark Souls, it stands next to it as the new benchmark of the genre. In many ways Mortal Shell is as unpolished and raw as Demon Souls, but ultimately captures the heart and soul of what Dark Souls was, Dark Souls II wanted to be, and Dark Souls III only somewhat achieved. It is a beautiful homage to the original Soulslike titles and comes in strong as a competitor that will stand the test of time as the quintessential Soulslike game.

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7 / 10
Aug 18, 2020

Mortal Shell is bleak, twisted, and poses a challenge from start to finish. It will leave you wanting more, and while some mechanics weren't as fleshed out and diverse as I’d hoped, this game from Cold Symmetry is a commendable adventure that deserves the attention of those who love the subgenre.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

In conclusion, Cold Symmetry has achieved greatness with Mortal Shell. The game is by no means perfect and it is fairly brief. But for such a small team and a new IP, the result is impressive. This is strongly recommended for all fans of the Souls genre and it shows that innovation still exists within the cluttered space.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

We can easily say that Mortal Shell has nothing to be ashamed of From Software's games as it has a solid basis which bring some new exciting features. And it's a AA title. More accessible than most of the Souls-like games for all the gamers, it has his own codes. Mortal Shell is not a Dark Souls copycat and even if he doesn't have the same aura, it will easily make his path to your video-games library. And if you're still affraid of the Soulsborne, Mortal Shell seems to be the perfect choice to take a look at this very specific style, especially at a very kind price (29.99€)

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Aug 17, 2020

Many of the mechanics here could lead to an incredible sequel, but more often than not, Mortal Shell feels as lifeless and hollow as the corpses your playable character inhabits.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 18, 2020

Mortal Shell's incredibly strong start peters out as you learn more and more about the limitations of the gameplay and the world Cold Symmetry try to establish.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 18, 2020

Mortal Shell isn’t shy in showing off its Souls-like inspirations, but it offers enough fresh ideas of its own to stand out as an entertainingly brutal adventure. Swapping Shells remained neat throughout and added an extra element of strategy to different encounters, whilst the intricate combat mechanics and mesmerising world will keep you engaged all the way through to the game’s conclusion. Sure, it could be frustrating in places thanks to the occasional glitch or overwhelming group of enemies, but there weren’t any stand out issues that make Mortal Shell difficult to recommend. It’s definitely one of the better Souls-likes out there and fans of the genre will have a good time trudging through its desolate world.

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Unscored
Aug 18, 2020

While not nearly as sprawling or complex system-wise like the Souls games, Mortal Shell is an elegant and contained game that benefits from the more limited scope set by its developers and succeeds in providing a substantially shorter but incredibly tight and rewarding experience that does justice to its inspirations.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell might be the best Dark Souls game ever, despite not having any official affiliation with the franchise. What this small team does with a short playtime is nothing short of astounding.

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4 / 5.0
Aug 18, 2020

If you have a Dark Souls-shaped hole in your heart, I promise Mortal Shell will climb inside and fill that void quite nicely.

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4 / 5.0
Aug 17, 2020

A great stepping stone into a difficult genre.

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8.6 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2020

Mortal Shell takes from Dark Souls and Bloodborne but still innovates the game genre to the next level and sets a new bar.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2020

Fans of Souls-like games will love the challenge and unforgiving gameplay within Mortal Shell – those with little patience should maybe give it a miss! For quite a small-scaled game, there’s a lot of variety within the enemy types and locations you have to venture through, making each Gland quest even more exciting. Pick your Shell, your weapon, your accessories, and your skills, what happens next is all up to you as the game has no direction and no strict order of completion, you’re free to do whatever you want – some will find this enjoyable whereas others may get confused and overwhelmed. So far, this is 2020’s best Souls-like game, one which people who love the genre must buy.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020
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