Mortal Shell II opens with cultic imagery, a theme that permeates the game and immediately signals its intentions to fans of the Souls-like subgenre. The title from developer Cold Symmetry distinguishes itself in a crowded field by embracing an intensely dour, "metal" aesthetic, not in a superficial sense, but in its very essence. This is a game that demands to be played in dim lighting, evoking a persistent sense of creeping evil and dark grandeur.
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Sharing the predecessor's core hook of "shells" – character classes with unique abilities that can be swapped at rest points – Mortal Shell II expands significantly from its predecessor's compact design. The sequel features a much more sprawling open environment, filled with numerous weapons, smaller dungeons, and Tarstones for character augmentation, offering ample opportunities for varied builds. The game's tone is relentlessly serious, bordering on the darkly humorous, with a palpable sense of dread and viscosity.
Exploration is a primary driver in Mortal Shell II. The objective involves collecting a series of MacGuffins to unlock endgame activities, but the true joy lies in the player's freedom to chart their own course through the dense world. Lingering questions about mysterious NPCs or hidden areas encourage further exploration, making the experience compelling even after the main campaign concludes. Nearly every checkpoint is accompanied by a small dungeon, many of which serve not just as skill tests but as intricate puzzles rewarding thoroughness with valuable materials and experience.
Combat and Customization
While the game retains the demanding combat characteristic of its genre, Cold Symmetry offers accessibility options. The Slayer Seal, an early-game defensive item, augments abilities to deal more stagger damage and provides healing on special attacks, offering a less punishing approach without fundamentally altering the game's combat loop. Furthermore, Mortal Shell II notably removes the traditional stamina meter found in most Souls-likes. Players can attack, run, and dodge freely, a decision that initially felt like a departure from genre conventions but ultimately supports the game's deliberate pacing and the weightiness of its protagonist's movements. While this mechanic might not be universally desired in future titles, it proves effective for Mortal Shell II's specific design.
This combat design, combined with the variety of shells, weapons, and augmentation items, allows Mortal Shell II to bridge the gap between traditional Soulslike challenges and more accessible action game mechanics. The game offers robust character-building possibilities, with each shell featuring distinct skill trees. However, the scarcity of upgrade materials and currency can lead to restrictions in character builds, occasionally necessitating grinding. Despite this, the game can be cranked up to a harder difficulty mode with additional content for those seeking a greater challenge.
Mortal Shell II is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The review was based on approximately 40 hours of gameplay, including completion of the main campaign, several dozen dungeons, and finding all shells but missing a few weapons. The author played the campaign on normal difficulty and experimented with the harder "Night" mode.