Mortal Shell Reviews
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.
Mortal Shell is one of the year's biggest gaming surprises, offering a deep, fascinating journey into a melancholic world. It takes blatant inspiration from Dark Souls and Bloodborne,. But innovative tweaks to its combat and progression mechanics let it easily stand on its own two feet.
Not without its quirks and issues, Mortal Shell is a fun and unrelenting good time. Shell-swapping makes the experience unique, while its combat and world are ripe for experimentation and exploration. Though unabashedly inspired by other games in its genre, Mortal Shell warrants a play from the most die-hard of fans.
It's still hard to believe that Mortal Shell is Cold Symmetry's first game, as this game rivals many AAA games. Everything in the game screams quality, from the gameplay to the art and sound direction. As a long time fan of Soulslike games, Mortal Shell has shot to the top of my favorite game lists and I can't wait to see what the devs do next. If you enjoy these sorts of games like I do, I recommend giving Mortal Shell a try.
Regardless of all its faults, I still believe Mortal Shell is a solid game. It transcends itself from being another Dark Souls imitation to an excellent game based on true inspiration. This is all the more impressive once you realize that a small studio of fifteen people developed a game with such high quality. Mortal shell is a remarkable love letter to FromSoftware's Staple series, and its asking price of $29.99 is just an added reason for why Souls fans especially should be picking up this game.
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.
Mortal Shell takes what you’d expect from Souls-clones and adds heaps of creativity along with unique systems and features that make it a whole new experience. Each moment of gameplay is an adrenaline rush as you progress further in the nightmare. There may be a few moments of confusion, but this one’s for the masochists out there who are looking for something to really immerse themselves in and discover for themselves.
You will find each new Shell is just as good as the other, once you learn to utilize their capabilities, and adventure forth with a level head. That being said, this is single-handedly the best non-FromSoftware game within the genre and it sure as Hell has a lot of promise. To be quite honest: If there isn’t a sequel, this game is as good as it gets, which is just fine the way it is.
Mortal Shell is a clear and straightforward clone of Salisbury's work that ultimately offers a deep and lovable experience; A trip to the scary and mysterious lands with overwhelming challenges that are undoubtedly offered to the fans of this style.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Mortal Shell‘s origins may be steeped in an echo but the final product has more than enough soul.
Mortal Shell embraces the Souls-like moniker with open arms. They welcomed comparisons, and, for the most part, delivered. What's more impressive is that a team of only 15 people created it. Mortal Shell will make you to rethink your ideas around patience and frustration. You will love this game for all the same reasons that you hate it.
Cold Symmetry have nailed it. Mortal Shell is an amazing, brutally hard, rewarding, frustrating, thrill ride that the genre has needed from development teams outside of From Software. With a genre that everyone has been gravitating to, it’s not an easy one to pull off especially on the first try and that’s what was done here. Out of the box and having made the style work in a different manner may just change the game moving forward while having also brought back the thrill of exploration and the fear of what’s behind the next corner.
Mortal Shell wants you to know that if you like Dark Souls, you don't always have to resort to From Software. A brutal ARPG with good ideas.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mortal Shell takes from Dark Souls and Bloodborne but still innovates the game genre to the next level and sets a new bar.
Mortal Shell boasts refreshing mechanics that eschew the Souls-like subgenre's tried-and-tested methods. Though a bit on the short side, it oozes bone-crunching, stylish combat, and its performance is superbly optimized. Simply put, Mortal Shell manages to exceed all expectations.
Mortal Shell shines brightly as an example of the Souls formula done well. Anyone who is a fan of the challenging gameplay the genre is known for will be happy with this title.
Mortal Shell has left me fuming at times but the game’s impressive visuals, combat, and atmosphere will keep pulling me back for quite some time yet.
New and fresh take on popular soulslike genre from newly established developer is full of interesting ideas
Review in Slovak | Read full review
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.