Mortal Shell Reviews

Mortal Shell is ranked in the 63rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
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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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2020
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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2020

Mortal Shell is another pleasant surprise that surprised me with its inspiration in the Souls series, but presenting its own identity in both the gameplay and the plot. It may not be as challenging as its inspiring source, but it has not lessened my interest in the game. This is an excellent gateway for those who wish to experience the soulslike genre.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2020

Mortal Shell is more than a simple Dark Souls clone.

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85 / 100
Aug 21, 2020

I cannot fault them for the bugs, which were both rare and easily fixed, especially in the review copy. If you want a fresh and unique Soulslike experience, then look no further than Cold Symmetry’s Mortal Shell.

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84 / 100
Aug 26, 2021

Although as of this writing it is no longer a free download, The Virtuous Cycle is probably an easy to recommend purchase for fans of the base game. The new roguelike game mode is punishing fun (if that’s your thing) and the new Shell and weapon are a welcome addition to the arsenal. If you bounced off Mortal Shell due to its difficulty, this new DLC won’t change your mind, but it’s good news for most everyone who enjoys Cold Symmetry’s homage to Dark Souls.

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8.3 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2020

Mortal Shell surprises me a lot with its quality and value. It uses some of the best elements of masterpieces like Dark Souls, Sekiro and Bloodborne, but in the end and because of some special elements in gameplay like defense system and shell, it has its own unique character and vibe. As a 30 $ game, Mortal Shell has value and quality more than many AAA 60 $ games. Long story short, if you like hardcore games like Dark Souls, you should definitely play Mortal Shell.

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8.1 / 10.0
Oct 16, 2020

There’s no better way to wrap this up than to say a big thank you to Cold Symmetry for giving us a great soulslike that that hits the spot.

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PC Gamer
Top Critic
80 / 100
Aug 17, 2020

Both its world and story are entertaining to investigate, with glimpses of brilliance hidden amidst its gloomy environments and obscure characters. Ultimately, Mortal Shell is not a Souls game, but it is the best not-Souls game I've played so far.

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Leif Johnson
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2020

Mortal Shell is an extremely loyal Dark Souls homage with just enough clever new ideas to make fighting through its gorgeous world feel like something more than a rehash.

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Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Aug 18, 2020

The best Dark Souls clone so far features a number of interesting new ideas and also offers an experience that is easier to acclimatise to for new players.

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8 / 10
Aug 19, 2020

Developer Cold Symmetry's budget action-RPG is a love letter to From Software's work, but Mortal Shell's take on similar ideas feels aimed at those who struggle to get through Soulsborne games.

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Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell’s scope ends up being a more significant net gain as it offers a brisk Soulslike experience without trying to overwhelm players with content for content’s sake.

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8 / 10
Aug 17, 2020

Mortal Shell is just an incredibly satisfying experience. It'll punish you constantly, but if you can master the mechanics it lays out in front of you then you'll have an incredible time of things. The lore is a little more obvious that in other soulslikes, and the story it tells and the world it puts you in are both rather enthralling. This is definitely a game that fans of dying a lot will enjoy, but it's probably not for everyone.

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80 / 100
Aug 24, 2020

Mortal Shell is an action RPG that uses the sleeve of the soulslike genre to create something unique enough to stand on its own two feet. Though its campaign is short and predictable, the beautiful world, interesting body-swapping mechanics, and strong technical performance more than make up for how liberally it borrows from other games.

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Aug 25, 2020

While it's not perfect, Mortal Shell is nevertheless an impressive snack-sized Soulslike that's fun, polished, and unique, providing an experience that Souls fans will love.

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8 / 10
Aug 17, 2020

With beautiful environments and plenty to discover, Mortal Shell is a compelling world to explore. After a steep learning curve, its combat is challenging but fascinating, and with a great sense of reward once you master it. It might be a little too similar to Dark Souls in terms of overall tone and style, but it brings enough new ideas functionally to make it stand out from the crowd. Ultimately, this is a great entry into a demanding sub-genre that fans won't want to miss.

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8 / 10
Aug 20, 2020

Mortal Shell may be a smaller Souls-like adventure, but the passion from the developers and unique mechanics results in one of the best entries in the genre.

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8 / 10
Aug 19, 2020

I heavily enjoyed my time with Mortal Shell, and if you are a fan of Souls-like games then you will certainly enjoy this one. The combat is extremely engaging, and the atmosphere and setting provide a disturbing and dark would to explore. At times, if I did not know the title of this game I would have assumed it was a Dark Souls entry.

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8 / 10
Aug 26, 2020

Mortal Shell doesn’t just replicate what other games in the genre have done before. Instead, it takes that formula, sharpens it and adds enough to make it a completely different feeling, but equally satisfying blade. Fallgrim is a world I’d be happy to struggle through again.

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