Formidable fantasy soulslike Mortal Shell 2 has faced player criticism regarding the decision to disable Steam achievements for those who equip the Slayer Seal, an in-game option presented in trailers as an "easy mode." The Slayer Seal grants players a significant combat advantage, providing a "pulverising punch and your ranged weapons the ability to deal Break damage," which can be substantial in the game's challenging environment.
Players have protested on platforms like Reddit, feeling penalized for using the Slayer Seal, even after unequipping it. Developers at Cold Symmetry have now responded to these concerns in a video interview, revealing that the disabling of achievements was an unintended consequence.
The development team originally intended to implement a separate set of achievements specifically for players using the Slayer Seal. Studio co-founder Andrew McLennan-Murray explained that this was envisioned not just as an "easy mode," but as an "alternate game mode" to encourage players to experience the game in a different way, even for hardcore players seeking to earn additional achievements.
However, this plan was complicated by the game's simultaneous digital and disc release. McLennan-Murray stated that the achievements were finalized months before launch to accommodate the disc version. "We came to find out that, oh you can't change these anymore. They're like, locked in on the consoles," he said. This left the team "kind of cornered," as they could not implement the dual achievement system they had envisioned.
When pressed about the possibility of introducing a new set of achievements, particularly for players who may require the Slayer Seal for accessibility reasons, McLennan-Murray suggested that future updates or DLC could address this. "It wasn't that we had planned to lock everybody out," he reiterated. "So you know, maybe there will be some other tools that we introduce in the future, that will make the game more accessible." The methods for updating achievements vary across different gaming platforms.
While the focus of the criticism has been on achievements, the developer's explanation also sheds light on the Slayer Seal's intended purpose. It was not solely designed as a straightforward difficulty setting, despite marketing that may have suggested otherwise. The developers' intention was to offer a distinct gameplay experience for those who opted for the Slayer Seal.