Mortal Shell

 PC
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 428 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 191 out of 428
  2. Mixed: 121 out of 428
  3. Negative: 116 out of 428

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  1. Solarflare4646
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    This game inspires the same lost and alone feelings that DS1 hit me with. The art is gorgeous, the moves are fluid, and the sound is spot on. Highly recommend as a much more compact but well polished souls-like experience.
  2. JC814
    Aug 24, 2020
    10
    Love it, can't get much better for a souls like game bravo coldsymmetry. Best of luck
  3. Morphed
    Aug 29, 2020
    9
    Everything's awsome. Learning how to defeat a enemy is fun and not that hard to figure out. Concept of shells and hardening is entirely new experience (though it's best to master one shell and weapon because of scare upgrade resources). Combat is easy to master except one thing. Parrying. It's the single core mechanic I didn't get a hold on till end. The parry window is extremely small andEverything's awsome. Learning how to defeat a enemy is fun and not that hard to figure out. Concept of shells and hardening is entirely new experience (though it's best to master one shell and weapon because of scare upgrade resources). Combat is easy to master except one thing. Parrying. It's the single core mechanic I didn't get a hold on till end. The parry window is extremely small and is different for different enemies. Playing on kb and mouse so I am not sure about controller. Playing as Solomon without able to parry attacks and use resolve gives nothing but frustration. Though dodge and harden take care of defensive so I rarely find a need to parry.… Expand
  4. Skull6reaker
    Sep 5, 2020
    8
    Mortal shell is an excellent souls like experience that is not without faults which is why I am giving it an 8/10 First the good mortal shell is not only excellent because of the way it changes up the combat with its new shell system but it also nails the environmental story telling The way dark souls did with the constant environments and creatures that just enthrall you in the lore ofMortal shell is an excellent souls like experience that is not without faults which is why I am giving it an 8/10 First the good mortal shell is not only excellent because of the way it changes up the combat with its new shell system but it also nails the environmental story telling The way dark souls did with the constant environments and creatures that just enthrall you in the lore of the game and the Aesthetics alone that just get you to ask who what where

    Now the bad despite the games unique shell system and enthralling environments it’s also got a small amount of bugs and a bit of a slow start but a fun one which is why this has lost 2 points in my review like how parry don't always work and I don’t mean as unparrybles and I didn’t like crawling through a dozen holes in the starting area

    However This game is an amazing game and I think it’s worth 30 dollars even though it’s not 10/10 it’s also their first game and it’s not a big dev team Either so considering those facts a 8/10 is fair for this team and a game of this caliber I cannot wait to see more from Cold symmetry    … Expand
  5. Myzekent
    Sep 27, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Игра шикарная,жду DLC ну или вторую часть, разрабы красавчики)… Expand
  6. Skygus2002
    Oct 27, 2020
    9
    Not bad game if you choose this like your first souls-like game. Interesting to experience new emotions with every shell, ability, weapon and fight.
  7. ahmed_malder
    May 1, 2021
    10
    this is one of the best souls like games its good and good story and interesting graphic I wish everyone play this game
  8. Game_Seeker
    Jun 2, 2021
    9
    MORTAL SHELL is not only the *best* Souls/Borne game ever made - it is also the *only* one worth playing. Sorry DEMON'S SOULS/ DARK SOULS / BLOODBORNE fans, but FromSoftware games are seriously overrated! Sure, it was made by DARK SOULS fans and they do copy a lot from that game
    Take COMBAT for instance - MORTAL SHELL mops the floor with all FromSoft games easily, as it has actually    MORTAL SHELL is not only the *best* Souls/Borne game ever made - it is also the *only* one worth playing. Sorry DEMON'S SOULS/ DARK SOULS / BLOODBORNE fans, but FromSoftware games are seriously overrated! Sure, it was made by DARK SOULS fans and they do copy a lot from that game
    Take COMBAT for instance - MORTAL SHELL mops the floor with all FromSoft games easily, as it has actually tactical depth, while FromSoft games have ZERO tactical depth: you just study enemy attack patterns which you exploit. Boss fights take about ten minutes because they have ridiculously large health pools, while you go down in 2 - 3 hits. MORTAL SHELL actually has an interesting mechanic with the hardening mechanic which turns you into stone for as long as you press the hardening button - or get hit once. It tanks the entire damage. You can harden in mid-action, which can function as a trap.
    Graphically it looks far better than the aforementioned games, it's amazing. The art style is just fantastic.
    The biggest plus of MORTAL SHELL is its FAIRNESS. Enemy health pools are nowhere near as ridiculous as in the other Souls games, boss fights don't last as long. Also there are less bosses, which is also a plus: there's 4 main bosses and 4 "mini bosses". Saving points are fairly placed at the beginning of each area, at the end of each area and right next to the boss rooms, this is good design, not forcing the player through a gauntlet of trash mobs to face a 10 minute boss fight. As such it is far less frustrating.
    The core game mechanics are pretty similar however: souls are replaced with tar, the game's currency for leveling up and purchasing items. Leveling is different however as classic experience levels are non-existent. There are 4 classes to choose from, but not in a conventional sense, as you play an alien creature that wears the bodies of dead people like armor. You can find 4 of these "shells", from an average Joe with medium health, medium and medium resolve to a high health, low stamina tank. Each shell can be leveled up ten times by unlocking ten unique skills, which costs x amount of tar and x amount of glimpses - a rare drop comparable to DARK SOULS "humanity".
    There are "only" four weapons - yes MORTAL SHELL is on a smaller scale - but these weapons feel fantastic, are well animated and can be upgraded five times with additional attacks.
    I liked the areas which are very distinct with greatly designed enemies. MORTAL SHELL does require a bit of work to get used to it: the swamp area took me several hours to not get lost in, getting used to the harden mechanic and dodging, but if you put that time in, it is well worth the 15 - 20 hours of time it takes for a playthrough. Yes, it's not a 50 - 100 hour game, but it also only costs half of one of those.
    Finally the atmosphere is superb, especially when you defeat one of the main bosses and are in for a surprise. It's amazing.    … Expand
  9. WanderinMelmoth
    Aug 26, 2022
    9
    This is SUPERIOR SOULS.
    Yes, it is better than anything From Soft has ever made. Why? Because the devs are not a$$holes! There are fair saves right in front of every boss room. THIS is excellent game design.
    Atmosphere and world design are excellent and even beat Bloodborne. Fights are hard enough without the cheapness of FromSoft's games. The combat has actually tactics involved instead    This is SUPERIOR SOULS.
    Yes, it is better than anything From Soft has ever made. Why? Because the devs are not a$$holes! There are fair saves right in front of every boss room. THIS is excellent game design.
    Atmosphere and world design are excellent and even beat Bloodborne. Fights are hard enough without the cheapness of FromSoft's games. The combat has actually tactics involved instead of simply memorizing enemy moves. FromSoft: take notes, you have met your master!    … Expand
  10. ZionEM
    Oct 11, 2022
    7
    Desde la perspectiva de un SoulsLike, es excelente su gameplay y ambientacion, tanto como sus mecanicas originales y unicas, tambien es un juego muy versatil a la hora de tu poder cambier de estrategia para un boss o alguna zona en concreto. Pero donde pierde es en la variedad de sus Bosses y enemigos, algo aceptable teniendo en cuenta que no es un juego triple A, pero donde NO me gustoDesde la perspectiva de un SoulsLike, es excelente su gameplay y ambientacion, tanto como sus mecanicas originales y unicas, tambien es un juego muy versatil a la hora de tu poder cambier de estrategia para un boss o alguna zona en concreto. Pero donde pierde es en la variedad de sus Bosses y enemigos, algo aceptable teniendo en cuenta que no es un juego triple A, pero donde NO me gusto para nada y por lo cual no le doy mas punto es en su Jefe final, es realmente decepcionante.… Expand
  11. Danazoid
    Apr 25, 2023
    7
    The Scorn of Dark Souls clones. It's a 7 from me but a high 7 (green rather than the default yellow colour). The aesthetics are oppressive and beautiful. The slow methodical exploration and figuring out what to do is way more obtuse than Dark Souls but has a similar feeling of reward. I'd argue that the mechanics are a little too obtuse and that as a result I didn't commit to any otherThe Scorn of Dark Souls clones. It's a 7 from me but a high 7 (green rather than the default yellow colour). The aesthetics are oppressive and beautiful. The slow methodical exploration and figuring out what to do is way more obtuse than Dark Souls but has a similar feeling of reward. I'd argue that the mechanics are a little too obtuse and that as a result I didn't commit to any other playstyle rather than my starting one, but the sense of being lost in an aggressive dream-like world is very strong. The combat for me was repetitive and sluggish and the bosses aren't the best I've seen. For me the game shines in it's 3 main 'dungeons', and the genuinely scary 'run-backs' to base camp after killing the bosses. As others have said the long animations and clunkyness are what hold it back, despite it clearly being intended to give the impression of heft - it does but at a cost.… Expand
  12. Forgotten
    Jan 31, 2023
    1
    Feels like a cheap Dark Souls knock-off. But with less smooth gameplay, more bugs, clip through graphics, RTX (really? Why focus on RTX before gameplay) if you try this before the Demon / Dark / Elden series. You done wrong.
  13. Jenne
    Dec 10, 2020
    7
    I like indie Souls. I liked Lords of the Fallen, Ashen, Surge and this. It's a bit more basic than Surge, let alone proper Souls games by FromSoft but it's fun. Kindda short, finished in 13 hours, but there's a solid build variety, with different shells and weapons you'll get very different playstyles. Can't expect too much enemy or world variety, the main world is kindda drab andI like indie Souls. I liked Lords of the Fallen, Ashen, Surge and this. It's a bit more basic than Surge, let alone proper Souls games by FromSoft but it's fun. Kindda short, finished in 13 hours, but there's a solid build variety, with different shells and weapons you'll get very different playstyles. Can't expect too much enemy or world variety, the main world is kindda drab and confusing and almost all enemies are humanoids. Despite all that Mortal Shell is a solid game to scratch that Souls itch.… Expand
  14. XzRecolz
    Nov 30, 2020
    2
    One of the worst games I've ever played. Please, save your money. It's not even worth your time if you get it for free. Stay away from it and just play any SoulsBorne game instead.

    Clunky, slow, your health bar is a joke with barely any healing, parry mechanic can easily be missed which is just a dumb choice, the 'learning' mechanic is interesting but poorly executed, no enemy variety,    One of the worst games I've ever played. Please, save your money. It's not even worth your time if you get it for free. Stay away from it and just play any SoulsBorne game instead.

    Clunky, slow, your health bar is a joke with barely any healing, parry mechanic can easily be missed which is just a dumb choice, the 'learning' mechanic is interesting but poorly executed, no enemy variety, awful world design... It's a mess not worth playing.

    Graphics look decent though.    … Expand
  15. p1menta
    Oct 2, 2020
    8
    Really good good way to initiate in the souls-like genre. Not at all as hard as from software's games after you get the hang of the hardening mechanic but still challenging enough (although I havent died to ANY of the bosses).
    btw, the shell mechanic and the hardening are really fun, it needs some adjustments, maybe, more integration with combos, or something like that, idk, there's stuff    Really good good way to initiate in the souls-like genre. Not at all as hard as from software's games after you get the hang of the hardening mechanic but still challenging enough (although I havent died to ANY of the bosses).
    btw, the shell mechanic and the hardening are really fun, it needs some adjustments, maybe, more integration with combos, or something like that, idk, there's stuff that can be improved, but i had a lot of fun anyways.
    oh, the game is beautiful, actually, even tho it lacks diversity on it's maps and "dungeons". And the character designs are awsome, really, the bosses are really creative, I wish there were more of them; the game is kind of too short for me.    … Expand
  16. Dominion
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    Понравилась боевая система. Анимация !!! Дизайн персонажей .
    Хотелось бы онлайн побегать с друзьями и дизайн локаций побогаче . Но и на том большое спасибо авторам.
    Неожиданно приятная игра .
  17. pongkrit03
    Sep 10, 2020
    7
    Soul veteran here I enjoyed the game quite well. Gameplay clearly took a lot of inspirations from Dark Souls but it has its own unique style. This game has 4 classes that are different from each other. Graphic is good too. For a small indy team, I have say they did very amazing job here. Anyway, while the game is cheap, it is also short (I beat it in 13 hrs) and the areas are like maze,Soul veteran here I enjoyed the game quite well. Gameplay clearly took a lot of inspirations from Dark Souls but it has its own unique style. This game has 4 classes that are different from each other. Graphic is good too. For a small indy team, I have say they did very amazing job here. Anyway, while the game is cheap, it is also short (I beat it in 13 hrs) and the areas are like maze, too hard to navigate . Enemies are not variety enough (mostly 90% are humaniod, same for bosses) and there are only 4 weapons in the game which are far from enough. Healing by parrying seems interesting at first but it could make the game too hard for someone who is not good at parrying.

    In sum, it is good game if you like dark souls and don't have anything to play at this moment, but don't expect too much of it. I hope devs could continue to make better game in the future. For those who want to try, I strongly recommend looking for a map online for the first area, otherwise you might miss out weapons and classes. (It is a bad design, devs should just let you choose them from the start)    … Expand
  18. ShadowXyo
    Sep 13, 2020
    5
    A clunky mess, filled with poor game design, clunky combat and a sad excuse of a music composition. It is an absolute insult that people are comparing this to Dark Souls, if Dark Souls is a 100, this game is a 10. I've played 7 hours so far and it doesn't seem to be getting better. To add more insult, the game drops you into a point of no return after a certain boss and you are forced toA clunky mess, filled with poor game design, clunky combat and a sad excuse of a music composition. It is an absolute insult that people are comparing this to Dark Souls, if Dark Souls is a 100, this game is a 10. I've played 7 hours so far and it doesn't seem to be getting better. To add more insult, the game drops you into a point of no return after a certain boss and you are forced to defeat multiple bosses before you are able to go back. There was absolutely no reason to make it a point of no return, many of the enemies have non-telegraphed attacks that create artificial difficulty, similar to the issues with Dark Souls 2, along with hyper-armor to add to that difficulty. The game doesn't let you heal with a potion but you have to scavenge mushrooms that spawn once in a blue moon. After the point of no return, the game also doesn't let you upgrade your weapon at all. I've seen people compare this to other souls-likes, but this game is the worst so far. The Surge 2 was way more polished, and so was Lords of the Fallen. What a joke.… Expand
  19. alexandru_ale26
    Nov 1, 2020
    6
    This game has some good and unique ideas behind him but it falls shortly after 3 hours of playing it. I love the hardening mechanic, the parry/regain health mechanic and the design of the shells. I'm so glad I paid for it only 14 $ (a 20% off sale and a 10$ coupon from Epic). It doesn't worth more than 14-15$. I'm too disappointed by this game to tell you everything here, but I canThis game has some good and unique ideas behind him but it falls shortly after 3 hours of playing it. I love the hardening mechanic, the parry/regain health mechanic and the design of the shells. I'm so glad I paid for it only 14 $ (a 20% off sale and a 10$ coupon from Epic). It doesn't worth more than 14-15$. I'm too disappointed by this game to tell you everything here, but I can resume that: easy to beat bosses, repetitive dungeons, uninspired dungeons, too easy to upgrade, and I finalized the game with the first shell upgraded at maximum. I beat the game in just 10.5 hours, and I think it could be finished in just 7 hours if you don't waste your time exploring. It is not a bad game, it's just dissappointing. And the biggest issue for me was at the final boss where it always crushed the game before beating it. But somehow it finally worked after it made me very very angry.… Expand
  20. stormundying
    Aug 24, 2020
    7
    Am impressive concept (particularly for such a small dev team) marred by janky animation and downright baffling design decisions.

    The good: - the shell concept is intriguing, though it could have been built on a bit more (see: small dev team). Being able to choose different shells for different sorts of challenges would be interesting...but the lack of resources and similarly    Am impressive concept (particularly for such a small dev team) marred by janky animation and downright baffling design decisions.

    The good:

    - the shell concept is intriguing, though it could have been built on a bit more (see: small dev team). Being able to choose different shells for different sorts of challenges would be interesting...but the lack of resources and similarly restrictive upgrade system for levels turns it into more of a 'choose your class and weapon and stick with it' kind of deal, so I don't think this was explored to it's full potential. Still, having some access to different playstyles gives it replay value

    - interesting and visually appealing environments, particularly the floating obsidian temple. It all looks pretty good.

    - combat feels (very) weighty and landing a solid hit is highly satisfying.

    - Hardening is a cool mechanic with lots of potential, and i would like to see it developed in a future release.

    - fairly punishing difficulty curve (if you're not cheesing the game with Solomon) and some legitimately challenging enemy encounters:

    The Bad:

    - HEALING. For some incomprehensible reason, the devs decided to go the bloodborne route for healing items...but even more scarce (the main item respawns on a timer). You also have very limit access to healing in the dungeons, often just a single spawn near a checkpoint, so if you run out before a boss, prepare to either git gud or to spend an hour or so camping that spawn. This was just an absurd decision, given that you CAN farm essentially infinite healing items if you really want, so it's not even a real limiter on the game's difficulty, just...padding for the game's runtime.

    - relatedly, the game is balanced around you having access to healing, so when you don't have it (or want to conserve it for a boss) the game turns into a cheese factory, where you bait enemies out single file, hit them with a single closing attack, then get out and wait for your harden to recharge so you don't take damage. Every enemy deals absurd amounts of damage (especially if you're not playing the tank) and the distance between checkpoints is so great, that you're simply can't fight your way through 'conventionally' without taking damage and dying...which leads to a lengthy and risky corpse run.

    - Enemies are highly cheesable. Very few have any kind of gap closer, and even the quick enemies tend to lumber towards you at about the speed of an arthritic sloth, so there's rarely a point where you can't just disengage, recharge your harden and stamina, and dive back in for damage. The main challenge arises when there are multiple enemies in an encounter...but the janky hitboxes, clipping, and potential for overlapping attacks make taking on multiple enemies a good way to take unavoidable damage. Again, the best way to handle 95% of enemy encounters is to bait out a single target, chip away at it's health until dead, rinse and repeat. This applies to almost all bosses, too.

    - relatedly, the game is full of terrible hitboxes and weird 'phenomena?' is I guess the correct term? That make cheesing more appealing than it should be. for instance, enemies will stagger after a certain number of hits...but sometimes (very rarely) a combo that SHOULD stun an enemy won't, and you'll get hit. This doesn't feel intentional, and is very irritating when it happens. Enemies will sometimes cancel out of an attack animation without warning, and chain directly into another animation without any leadup. Again, this happens rarely, and I don't think it's intentional, but it's very aggravating when you do get his this way.

    - All of the bosses are both cheesable, and very hard to defeat without cheesing. They don't stagger easily, even off of harden, their attacks tend to have unpredictable hitboxes, and they have massive health pools (to your relatively tiny one). Add in stamina constraints on everyone but the rogue class, and you'll find that trying to fight toe to toe - timing hits and dodges like you would in dark souls - is largely infeasible, as dodging a combo of attacks will often leave you with no gas to counter with. Instead, you are highly incentivized to stay out of melee, bait the enemy into a punishable combo, hit them a few times, then run away again. Most bosses have literally one gap-closer move, so the fight becomes a boring slog livened only by the potential for the boss to unpredictably decide not to stagger at an innopportune time and wallop you for half your health bar.

    - For SOME godforsaken reason, the devs decided to place an entire segment of the game having you fight enemies on thin, tiny walkways above bottomless pits. In a game where almost all of the attack animations have significant forward momentum and dodge mechanics with sometimes unpredictable directionality. Yes, I yeeted myself off cliffs more than a few times while playing this section. No, I'm not thrilled about it.    … Expand
  21. sakuutio
    Mar 19, 2021
    1
    From Software, hire this team,
    From Software, hire this team,
    They're using Unreal Engine in any way they can
  22. XBliss
    Jan 4, 2023
    1
    Backtracking all over the game and you even don't need to kill enemies - just run and everything will be fine
  23. LunarBeamOfSun
    Sep 15, 2020
    5
    Лоск, стиль, пустота.
    К сожалению, это о самой игре, а не о происходящем в ней.
    Слишком. Мало. Контента.
  24. PhillusMaximus
    Nov 16, 2020
    8
    Solid game for a studio that small.
    Took a lot of influence from the souls games (but it's ok and they don't try to hide it either), still some unique features.

    Only think that let me down a bit is the story.
    Could have had a bit more to it.
  25. wolfram812
    May 11, 2021
    8
    I give this game 8 out of 10. I take minus 1 point because it's short and another point for some minor shortages. But it's perfect in every other way. Graphically speaking the game is beautiful. Almost no bugs of glitches. Creates amazing atmosphere which should be to liking of soulsborn's fans. Challenging. Really look forward to the next creation of these amazing game developers.I give this game 8 out of 10. I take minus 1 point because it's short and another point for some minor shortages. But it's perfect in every other way. Graphically speaking the game is beautiful. Almost no bugs of glitches. Creates amazing atmosphere which should be to liking of soulsborn's fans. Challenging. Really look forward to the next creation of these amazing game developers. Definitely recommend.… Expand
  26. TeneBriLuxs
    Aug 22, 2020
    10
    Чудова гра, в кращих традиціях souls-like. Шикарні анімації, шикарна оптимізація.
  27. watchm824
    Jan 24, 2022
    8
    I love "souls-like" games. And "Mortal Shell" was no exception. I got a lot of pleasure from the game.
    Pros: great atmosphere, high-quality graphics and excellent technical execution. Cons: not very interesting leveling of the character, the game is short.
  28. RickGrimez
    Feb 26, 2021
    8
    Ignore the salty reviews. These people clearly couldn't beat the game. And it shows based on their reasons for hating the game.
  29. joel_tdl
    Mar 30, 2022
    5
    Ni buen souls Ni buen juego

    JUGABILIDAD: La movilidad del personaje y la fluidez del combate son bastante malas. Es intencional ,claro, para darle el sentido a la armadura que portamos. Pero, siendo que en la mayoría del resto de los ARPG esto es fácilmente manipulable con un simple cambio de equipo, aquí resulta pesadumbroso. Y no es por exagerar, es que de verdad la fluidez de juego    Ni buen souls Ni buen juego

    JUGABILIDAD:
    La movilidad del personaje y la fluidez del combate son bastante malas. Es intencional ,claro, para darle el sentido a la armadura que portamos. Pero, siendo que en la mayoría del resto de los ARPG esto es fácilmente manipulable con un simple cambio de equipo, aquí resulta pesadumbroso.
    Y no es por exagerar, es que de verdad la fluidez de juego es horrible. Es una tortura de jugabilidad y arruina todo el concepto que pudieron tener los desarrolladores.

    Escenarios feos, enemigos repetitivos y "mal" ubicados, jefes cero interesantes. Un sistema de combate mal realizado (el supuesto contra ataque funciona solo cuando quiere, esto debido al "mal" calculo que el jugador hace debido a la pésima fluidez).

    Un concepto interesante es la familiaridad de los ítem, y la obligación de usarlos un determinado número de veces para descubrir su funcionalidad. Nos hará desperdiciar muchos, tratando de descubrir su función, pero le da una buena inmersión y hace un match con la idea de que nuestro personaje jugable tampoco tiene idea de para qué son. Es lo único rescatable que se me ocurre.

    GRÁFICOS:
    Por debajo de la media, lo cual es particular puesto que no es precisamente un juego "abundante". Como ya dije, los escenarios son decepcionantes y los diseños de enemigos y Bosses fueron muy poco trabajados.
    En conjunto es una experiencia muy poco redituable.

    SONIDO:
    Extremadamente molesto. No puedo describirlo de otra forma. La música es nula y la ambientación es fastidiosa al punto de desesperante, los sonidos que podemos escuchar son reciclados una y otra vez, al cansancio. De verdad que es el primer juego en que planteo ponerle mute a la TV con tal de dejar de escuchar la misma mala ambientación de un bosque en loop.

    INNOVACIÓN:
    Me gustó lo de los items, y el concepto de la armadura. Lastima que el propio juego los vuelva cero disfrutables.

    Sin duda le daría una oportunidad a alguna secuela mejor realizada, y con un presupuesto y trabajo mejor.    … Expand
  30. BallzyDan
    Dec 11, 2021
    0
    Slow movement, no ability to save, and cats. No noticeable objectives. What is the point of this game? Not even worth the price of free.
  31. Galaxian
    Dec 27, 2020
    10
    I usually never manage to finish Dark Souls games or Soulslike games because the difficulty in these games feels like cheating. With Mortal Shell, even though the difficulty is very high; I wanted to get immersed in the game and after going through Fightin Cowboy's walkthrough on youtube, I managed to progress in the game; and finish it. It is certainly worth it, and make sure to downloadI usually never manage to finish Dark Souls games or Soulslike games because the difficulty in these games feels like cheating. With Mortal Shell, even though the difficulty is very high; I wanted to get immersed in the game and after going through Fightin Cowboy's walkthrough on youtube, I managed to progress in the game; and finish it. It is certainly worth it, and make sure to download Rotting Christ's OST and enable it in the Audio menu in-game.… Expand
  32. DrKrimel
    Aug 30, 2020
    6
    I liked this game. The setting and graphics are great, and the combat is also pretty good. But it's very repetitive, because there are so little diversity in enemy design. In Fallgrim, there are literally 3 different enemies.
    And then there is the problem with the healing. It's a difference between hard game play and unfair game play. The parrying sometimes does not work well, and it's    I liked this game. The setting and graphics are great, and the combat is also pretty good. But it's very repetitive, because there are so little diversity in enemy design. In Fallgrim, there are literally 3 different enemies.
    And then there is the problem with the healing. It's a difference between hard game play and unfair game play. The parrying sometimes does not work well, and it's nearly the only chance to heal yourself. That is unfair and not hard.

    I liked it, buy it on sale.    … Expand
  33. FoxHound88
    Aug 28, 2020
    9
    I've played all the "souls" games, and games similar to them. I say this because this game is inspired by the series. I really enjoyed the experience. It does get easier by the end, but for me as a casual souls player the ramp up in the strength of my character was a good thing. sometimes i have to give the souls games a break because it becomes almost too hard. I'd say this is a good gameI've played all the "souls" games, and games similar to them. I say this because this game is inspired by the series. I really enjoyed the experience. It does get easier by the end, but for me as a casual souls player the ramp up in the strength of my character was a good thing. sometimes i have to give the souls games a break because it becomes almost too hard. I'd say this is a good game to start your journey in this type of game format. It's hard, but not to the point of making you want to cry. The game is very polished, and brings some unique features to the genre. This was made by a 15 person staff, and because of that this game really deserves a very high rating.… Expand
  34. Narekplayer
    Sep 9, 2020
    8
    Great game with interesting mechanics, incredible character designs, and awesome graphics. The 3 worlds there especially the seat of infinity are so huge and interesting to explore, it's a really massive game with great gameplay. Minuses are that there is literally no soundtrack or any music and the story is technically about nothing and you won't probably understand anything from lore orGreat game with interesting mechanics, incredible character designs, and awesome graphics. The 3 worlds there especially the seat of infinity are so huge and interesting to explore, it's a really massive game with great gameplay. Minuses are that there is literally no soundtrack or any music and the story is technically about nothing and you won't probably understand anything from lore or story itself, though I think that for such a game, gameplay, boss fights, open-world, and atmosphere of a medieval mystery quest are more important.… Expand
  35. Asdor677
    Jan 22, 2023
    5
    Блять, как же я ненавижу. Игра по визуально у стилю отменная, но блять ебучие драки. Их главная проблема, что игра не честна с тобой. Отсутствует нормальный засчёт пападаний, было не однократно, что ты вроде убежал или уклониться, но игра считает, что урон прошёл. Это бред, полный. Смог пройти только на секретую концу так как на другую не хватило сил, поиграл где-то 5 часовБлять, как же я ненавижу. Игра по визуально у стилю отменная, но блять ебучие драки. Их главная проблема, что игра не честна с тобой. Отсутствует нормальный засчёт пападаний, было не однократно, что ты вроде убежал или уклониться, но игра считает, что урон прошёл. Это бред, полный. Смог пройти только на секретую концу так как на другую не хватило сил, поиграл где-то 5 часов
  36. Jake2077
    Aug 23, 2020
    9
    its actually a really good souls like the only down side is the game length which is justified by its price tag
  37. drfranconi
    Feb 17, 2021
    8
    It's a great game to discover. I enjoyed it very much. It think it would be better with parry like the other souls-like games.
  38. Alrojovivo
    Aug 21, 2020
    9
    Me enteré de este juego hace unos meses y me uní a la comunidad al instante, ha sido una experiencia increíble ver este juego crecer a lo que es ahora. El combate me enganchó cuando lo vi, una espada con peso real a ella. La voz que actúa junto con la atmósfera del juego es realmente y la experiencia.
  39. Thefogan
    Aug 21, 2020
    10
    Absolutely wonderful game, lovely graphics, well designed areas, fun boss fights, nice variety of weapons and shells, the game is a bit short if you're comparing it to dark souls but for the price it's a great length game with good replayability.
  40. jpritch711
    Aug 21, 2020
    10
    If dark souls is a bottle of your favorite red wine then this is a full glass of it. Smaller but just as good to taste. I never review games here but I felt compelled to for Mortal Shell out of respect for a small team putting together a game like this. I was looking for something to scratch that dark souls itch and Mortal Shell got it done in glorious fashion. I cannot stress enough howIf dark souls is a bottle of your favorite red wine then this is a full glass of it. Smaller but just as good to taste. I never review games here but I felt compelled to for Mortal Shell out of respect for a small team putting together a game like this. I was looking for something to scratch that dark souls itch and Mortal Shell got it done in glorious fashion. I cannot stress enough how happy I am to see a small developer stick to a very concise vision for a game and then execute that perfectly without adding bloat to the game for no reason. Sometimes games don’t need to be exploding with content the content in the game just needs to belong and executed very well. The harden mechanic is a brilliant twist to fighting and the entire game feels well balanced with the hardening in mind. If you like dark souls this is a must buy especially at $30. I hope to see more from this team… Expand
  41. nintoddlersnoy
    Aug 28, 2020
    7
    The game is good, but its nothing to write home about.

    Good: -fun, weighty combat. -Weapons are diverse and fun to use -great graphics -feels good to play -Hardening mechanic is fun -some really cool bosses Bad: -Short, even for a $30 game but this is offset by potential replay value if you want to try other shells/weapons or ng+ -bosses only have like 3-4 moves/strings -big    The game is good, but its nothing to write home about.

    Good:
    -fun, weighty combat.
    -Weapons are diverse and fun to use
    -great graphics
    -feels good to play
    -Hardening mechanic is fun
    -some really cool bosses

    Bad:
    -Short, even for a $30 game but this is offset by potential replay value if you want to try other shells/weapons or ng+
    -bosses only have like 3-4 moves/strings
    -big quality drop for the last 2 bosses

    all in all I dont regret buying or playing this game. In hindsight though, I would wait for a price drop. This would be a steal at $15, but in a world where you can get DS2 and Bloodborne for $20-$30 its hard to argue its worth the full price. I will be purchasing the sequel of DLC if it is released.    … Expand
  42. addisinyan
    Aug 22, 2020
    9
    I have had my fare share of the souls series including scavenging all I can get regarding the lore as well. But never have I come across something so similar and yet so different.

    For me, it didnt strike me with another FromSoftware product but as a series that can grow to be a master piece just like the others. There are new mechanics, unique character development, beautiful    I have had my fare share of the souls series including scavenging all I can get regarding the lore as well. But never have I come across something so similar and yet so different.

    For me, it didnt strike me with another FromSoftware product but as a series that can grow to be a master piece just like the others. There are new mechanics, unique character development, beautiful environment, and an absolute treat of a novel combat system ..... just to say the least. The only reason this is not a 10 for me is because I wanted more hours in the game. But if Mortal Shell DLCs or MS2 come out ..... please please, take your time and give us more content devs.

    P.S. It has a better control configuration system than DS. TAKE MY MONEY.    … Expand
  43. S3XU4LH34L1NG
    Jul 9, 2022
    7
    A decent souls like with a very mysterious convoluted world. I liked my experience and the lack of handholding but the combat just isnt that snappy and the balance and playcement of the enemies is questionable at best. Also the endboss is bs.
  44. twoknots
    Aug 24, 2020
    9
    Fantastic game. I had fun at every encounter and love the combat. In NG+ now and still going strong. If you're a fan of action RPGs then you'll love this game.
  45. consumptive7
    Aug 24, 2020
    10
    This game is honestly a high contender for game of the year for me, everything from the art style to the lore and the unforgiving combat is amazing. Sure it can be very unforgiving and cruel, and it may seem like there's no hope at certain points, be that due to losing all sense of direction, running out of the limited heals you are provided and are forced to get good with pary system, orThis game is honestly a high contender for game of the year for me, everything from the art style to the lore and the unforgiving combat is amazing. Sure it can be very unforgiving and cruel, and it may seem like there's no hope at certain points, be that due to losing all sense of direction, running out of the limited heals you are provided and are forced to get good with pary system, or feeling there's A lack luster of even the most simple mechanics of a souls like, or game in general. This is done intentionally to be hard and such things as fast travel for example, are in the game but are later unlocked for all your hard efforts, I've seen many criticise this game made by a small team of passionate developers and personally believe they didn't give it a good enough chance. It can be frustrating and annoying and even feel clunky at times, the lack of music in the atmosphere can be disappointing, the confusing environment and getting lost frequently can be tedious. But it all adds up into its own unique experience and I enjoy it just as it is, getting lost leads to new and interesting places and the lack of music is a design choice I agree with, it doesn't need music to feel alive and or bring an intensity, it's ominous and mysterious atmospheric sounds fill that gap quite nicely.

    Also the progression system and currencies can be daunting and even a little confusing, aswell as the combat and upgrade system, but it's all about patience, people complain its too slow but I feel its done just right, it's a slow and steady pace that is satisfying and rewarding for your hard work and time.

    I've never written a review before but this game inspired me to do so, seeing how mixed it is I thought my opinion might help sway some minds into buying this incredibly challenging and exciting experience. I love it and can not recommend it enough, it's by far my favourite souls like and already has topped even some souls games for me, please if you enjoy a challenge and are willing to put effort and patience into this beautiful master piece then I emplore you to try it out, it's one of the most mysterious, challenging and enthralling games I've had the pleasure to experience within the past decade. Mortal Shell is a work of art.    … Expand
  46. PuriSpeedwagon
    Aug 25, 2020
    9
    This is by far the best game of 2020 for me so far, we still have Cyberpunk coming up. As a souls fan since Demon Soul's, this is the best Soul's-like game I have played. I hope they add more to the game through DLC in the near future because I need more.
  47. Hectic
    Aug 25, 2020
    9
    Excellent artistic vision & implementation coupled with frantic combat. Many design choices, like very few checkpoints and very large maps, makes gameplay even more anxious and unforgiving compared to most soulslike games. Combat includes usual lot of attacks, combos, weapon skills, parry & riposte, plus a unique, recharging one-hit-invulnerability ability. Four classes with distinctExcellent artistic vision & implementation coupled with frantic combat. Many design choices, like very few checkpoints and very large maps, makes gameplay even more anxious and unforgiving compared to most soulslike games. Combat includes usual lot of attacks, combos, weapon skills, parry & riposte, plus a unique, recharging one-hit-invulnerability ability. Four classes with distinct abilities and skills provides even more variety. Overall, Mortal Shell is a surprisingly good AAA game from an indie studio.… Expand
  48. divine_skolix
    Aug 26, 2020
    7
    A true must for the souls-like addict!
    Certainly flawed with some areas being bugged making the framerate drop even in medium settings.
    Definitely more forgiving than DS/Bloodborne. Very few bosses. Could use some more sub bosses as well. Overall great deal for 30Euros/Dollars They should fix the floor in some areas. I was winning the final boss till i dropped in the abyss. If the    A true must for the souls-like addict!
    Certainly flawed with some areas being bugged making the framerate drop even in medium settings.
    Definitely more forgiving than DS/Bloodborne.
    Very few bosses. Could use some more sub bosses as well.
    Overall great deal for 30Euros/Dollars
    They should fix the floor in some areas. I was winning the final boss till i dropped in the abyss.
    If the game gets patched, i think it will be a much better experience. But a job well done!    … Expand
  49. lessacebola
    Dec 10, 2020
    8
    Não sou muito fã de souls like, então isso acaba influenciando um pouco na análise, mas o jogo tem uma atmosfera bem interessante, algumas animações são um pouco bugadas. Se você gosta de souls like o jogo é bastante recomendável.
  50. scarymanplays
    Sep 9, 2020
    5
    This is a great example of interesting ideas executed poorly. I like the concept of quickly recovering your shell to give life another shot, but it doesn't make up for a nearly non existent healing system. Some of the boss fights are interesting, one of the levels has a memorable design and the combat system is pretty good. The combat system is the reason for the average score. I like theThis is a great example of interesting ideas executed poorly. I like the concept of quickly recovering your shell to give life another shot, but it doesn't make up for a nearly non existent healing system. Some of the boss fights are interesting, one of the levels has a memorable design and the combat system is pretty good. The combat system is the reason for the average score. I like the combat.

    Pros:

    + Combat is responsive and engaging. I have seen others on here say otherwise, but I didn't experience bad hitboxes.

    + Shell recovery system is interesting. Being able to use the shell as a free heal when you return to where you died was fun, and made me pick it up more strategically than just making a quick "soul run."

    + 2-3 good boss designs and 1-2 good level designs.

    Cons:

    -TERRIBLE FINAL BOSS - There is a "water/wave" mechanic that just simply does not work. It is borderline unavoidable, and can leave you skating around the map, unable to escape, attack or defend yourself. Boss is easy AF otherwise.

    -Extremely lazy padding to make the game longer than it actually is. Where Dark Souls excels most is world design. When you beat a boss in Dark Souls, there is a quick way out or a path to a new world. There is NONE of that here. NONE. In Mortal Shell, the world turns pitch black after you beat a boss, you get a small red light around you, and now you have to find your way BACK OUT OF THE LEVEL in the DARK, because they didn't design shortcuts back to the main hub. Not only is it dark, but now all of the enemies have turned into the most annoying enemies in the game who seem to only know how to do grab attacks. Some of the worst world design choices I have ever seen.

    - No healing system. Sure, yes, you can buy these really sh*tty healing items, but they are so slow, and they heal so little that they really aren't relevant. I HATE ONLY HAVING CONSUMABLE HEALING ITEMS. If you're going to copy Dark Souls, why abandon such a great healing system?

    I cannot really recommend this game, unless available for about $10. Maybe they can turn it around if they decide to make a second game. Not the worst game I have ever played, but if you want a "souls-like," look elsewhere.    … Expand
  51. ErayTellezi
    Dec 31, 2022
    7
    Soulslike oyunlara getirdiği bazı yenilikler olsa da combat'taki tekrar eden yapısı, düşman çeşitliliğindeki eksiklik, boss'ların çok az hareketinin olması, combat keskinliğinin düşük olması gibi nedenlerle o kadar da beğenmedim. Dar alanlarda üzerine çok sayıda gönderilen düşmanlar bence oyunun ritmine ve hızına uygun olmamış.

    Sertleşme muhabbeti ilginç. Kalkan gibi ama tekrar    Soulslike oyunlara getirdiği bazı yenilikler olsa da combat'taki tekrar eden yapısı, düşman çeşitliliğindeki eksiklik, boss'ların çok az hareketinin olması, combat keskinliğinin düşük olması gibi nedenlerle o kadar da beğenmedim. Dar alanlarda üzerine çok sayıda gönderilen düşmanlar bence oyunun ritmine ve hızına uygun olmamış.

    Sertleşme muhabbeti ilginç. Kalkan gibi ama tekrar kullanmak için bir kaç saniye beklemek gerekiyor. Kabuk denilen cesetleri bulup artık o karakter olarak oynama fikri de ilginç olmuş. İstediğiniz zaman oyun stiliniz tamamen değiştirebiliyorsunuz. Ama bir ritim tutturduktan sonra her düşmanı ve hatta her boss'u aynı taktikle kesiyorsun zaten. Başta alışması zor oldu ama sonunda oynadığım en kolay soulslike oyundu.

    Item'ları bir kez kullanmadan ne işe yaradığını bilemiyorsunuz. İlk kullanış genelde boşa gidiyor yani, beğenmedim. Bir de item'lıar belli bir sayıda kullanınca aşinalık kazanıp daha çok verim alıyorsunuz, iyi bir özellik.

    Haritası bu kadar karmaşık bir oyun görmedim. Bir de ana boss'ları kesip bir item alınca aynı yolu siste ve karanlıkta dönme fikri çok saçma olmuş.

    Neticede iyi veya kötü olmayan ortalama bir iş. Souls açlığı çekenler faydasını görür ama beklenti düşük olmalı.    … Expand
  52. Buttcheeks69
    Sep 18, 2020
    7
    For 30 dollars, you get a good game. It's not dark souls, but I take it as the creators wanted to pay homage to it.
  53. apokalipto
    Aug 28, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  54. matee75
    Mar 7, 2021
    8
    A good DS clone. The combat system is a well-made mechanic. I really like the hardening defence system in the game and there is also the dodge. Great game from a small team.
  55. Kjloch
    Nov 14, 2020
    4
    Game feels terrible,little content,movement is clunky,bad dodge frames.People forgive the game because of it being an indie title ,however there have been many great indie titles and even better games that drew inspiration from dark souls. such as nioh ,code vein ,or remnant from the ashes.
  56. RockerKR
    Nov 19, 2020
    8
    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Good Game IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
  57. Grisha228
    Nov 24, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SPOILER!!! The best game in the world , you spawn like a dead Lenin body and you want to make russia great again , but on your way is standing Grisha (putin) , also he is the most intresting , sexy , incredeble creature in universe . I'd like to become Grisha one day , and to defend my own fork by cost of my life . Its the best allegory on situasion in world . In one word the best of the best of the best (i played for 60 mins)… Expand
  58. vova22379
    Mar 8, 2023
    2
    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  59. Wiezzel
    Aug 29, 2023
    2
    I tried to play it on Computer, the movement with Keyboard and mouse is utterly garbage.
    When you press A or D the camera AGRESSIVELLY turns and if you are FORCED to counter act with your mouse, many times it just ignore it and turns even more. It can quickly turn into a spiral camera turning around because the design is just plain trash and there is really no defense for how bad it is.    I tried to play it on Computer, the movement with Keyboard and mouse is utterly garbage.
    When you press A or D the camera AGRESSIVELLY turns and if you are FORCED to counter act with your mouse, many times it just ignore it and turns even more. It can quickly turn into a spiral camera turning around because the design is just plain trash and there is really no defense for how bad it is.
    Since the camera is really the the gate to play the game and without visibility there is not much that can be done, this game deserves a 1.

    I gave 1 extra for the graphics. They seemed nice, not mind blowing, and lacking detail, but they fit in the environment ( that is poorly designed to fight in) it is really nice to only* walk around.

    There is a mind blowing amount of unstoppable cut scenes that are garbage as well. Like after the tutorial, the character SLOWLY gets out of the water taking all the time of the world and you slowly walk forward and then they make you press E to enter a tunnel as cinematic animation like, where you then press W for like 3 min straights while you crawl through a quiet ugly dumb tunnel.
    Just so the devs Ego can present you "Mortal Shell" on the bottom black banner .... as if anything so far was impressive. Maybe for kids under 10 that do not know any better.

    The tutorial is also made abnormally slow. Too many waste of times part.

    Now that all and all you wasted 80% of your time the first 1h doing utterly nothing but staring and waiting and pressing 1 button at a time, you can start walking around fighting the camera automatic adjustment mainly. You will never get used to it, I uninstalled the game after another 30 min as it was mind blowing stupid how there is no setting to change that.

    After all of this, there is some fighting. Fighting is VERY easy and you will just die early on for random things you are just not aware of ( there is no intro to new enemies ) you just going to die and repeat the last 10 min gameplay, Really a design around wasting your time, not giving fun.

    The fighting itself is boring, very simple, not crazy or nice action.
    Regular Dodge and slash and dodge and spamm slash and your enemy cant do anything or do the Hardened thing any time. I am really not a good player and never play soul like, but this was piss easy and I tried Dark souls 1 and I actually quit this one because it was hard not trash like Mortal shell.

    At no point waste your MONEY and even less your time on this game.
    Devs need to learn how to design basic before doing this.    … Expand
  60. Chrislzrks
    Jan 8, 2022
    2
    It's an insult to call this souls like game. Do your self a favou and kindly Avoid.
  61. Flowie
    May 14, 2021
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bad. Just.....bad. Play Dark Souls don't waste ur time here because you will be disappointed.… Expand
  62. 1Shorzz
    May 26, 2023
    8
    SHORZZ / Mortal Shell: One of the most enjoyable and diverse soul-like games I've ever played.
    There are a lot of animations in the game, sometimes it causes you to die as a result of your wrong moves, so it is a game that requires a lot of attention. Each character and weapon has its own unique feature. As you get used to the game, making combos with these weapons and defeating your    SHORZZ / Mortal Shell: One of the most enjoyable and diverse soul-like games I've ever played.
    There are a lot of animations in the game, sometimes it causes you to die as a result of your wrong moves, so it is a game that requires a lot of attention. Each character and weapon has its own unique feature. As you get used to the game, making combos with these weapons and defeating your opponents becomes more enjoyable. The only thing that sometimes reduces the difficulty of the bosses in the game is to dodge all the damage by getting petrified. There are no maps in the game, so you will have to explore and memorize the environment. I recommend a game that everyone who loves souls-like should try.    … Expand
  63. SIXPATHSJAY
    Jul 10, 2021
    4
    Very dissapointed, the game has a lot of potential, with great story lore and atmosphere. But the combat **** sucks, it’s unresponsive clunky and the hardening mechanic feels like a cheap get away free card, combat aside the game is nice but the combat ruined it for me
  64. Vishal99
    Jan 1, 2022
    10
    This is my first souls game, I played it because it was on gamepass, and I. LOVED. IT. its not a long game (I wish it was) and story is also not that fascinating but my god the gameplay is so good. I did check few videos of combat as well because at start i was dying so many times but eventually I got it. Also LEARN PARRY, its the most rewarding part of the game and extremely satisfying asThis is my first souls game, I played it because it was on gamepass, and I. LOVED. IT. its not a long game (I wish it was) and story is also not that fascinating but my god the gameplay is so good. I did check few videos of combat as well because at start i was dying so many times but eventually I got it. Also LEARN PARRY, its the most rewarding part of the game and extremely satisfying as well. Deserves no less than 10… Expand
  65. Zeneko90
    Jun 2, 2022
    7
    Nettes. Spiel es hat echt viel Spaß gemacht. Mehr davon! Nicht zu lang, nicht zu kurz. Genau richtig.
  66. ukidas89
    Dec 8, 2021
    0
    Dark souls fan here was quite excited when mortal shell got announced as a ps plus game for December.
    Oh, wait,it looks awful and plays at 30 fps only cause someone is greedy.
  67. Felozity
    Dec 19, 2021
    5
    One of the same. Got bored after 10 minutes. Control are bad and unresponsive. Takes ages to register what i press. I like the graphics and the atmosphere but thats all
  68. LUKSlion
    Dec 16, 2021
    1
    bem sem graça a história, os gráficos são legais e só isso salva, a jogabilidade é travada e desbalanceada ...
  69. VDS9
    Dec 10, 2021
    3
    Jogo legal, porém muito travado. Dependendo do que vc quer fazer ou mudar vc tem que viajar um mundo inteiro pra pode fazer.

    Mas o que estraga mesmo é ser travadão
  70. Zeon1982
    Jan 19, 2022
    0
    I love Dark Souls and Bloodborne and i really wanted to like this game too, but the gameplay just doesnt do it. Slow and sluggish controls and a poorly done healing system makes this game a boring and tedious slog. **** this game.
  71. oOMcLovinItOo
    Jan 26, 2022
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This Game is absolute trash, the weapon wind up takes too long, all of the enemies can land 3-4 hits whereas you will be lucky if you land a quick attack. There is no instruction to the game, Dark Souls 3 by From Software at least had the courtesy to tell you all of the controls before you attempt Iudex Gundyr. I wandered around for two hours before I found a Giant that grants a pointless cutscene, oh! It also gives you the parry ability. (No it not included) now I’m sure you’re thinking oh I have a Parry this game is going to be way easier, you would be wrong. The parry has to charge, except we’re not really quite sure what makes it charge. Oh and you can’t land it perfectly every single time you will fail the Parry it’s programmed into the game. But wait there is more, aside from that it is a literal rip off of Dark Souls, even the menus and the text are the same style and font. A love letter game is a tribute this is basically plagiarism with a different name. Now let’s talk the bosses, have you ever fought a boss that has an extremely unpredictable move set that randomly changes, oh and the break between attacks is .000001 of a second. Yeah me neither.

    Several people have made comments saying this game is so easy and they beat it in two hours, well those are the same people it find it funny to tell you there’s treasure at the bottom of the abyss. There trolls and half of them don’t know what they’re talking about, I doubt they even made it through the game.

    I give this game 3 out of ten and that’s being generous, because for the most part it looks like they did at least attempt to make a decent game, they failed miserably but they tried. Hopefully their next game is better if they have a next game.    … Expand
  72. ErnestC
    Feb 24, 2022
    9
    Es un juego digno del género soulslike, algo soso en algunos aspectos pero muy bueno y una dificultad apropiada para el género. El apartado artístico es soberbio.

    It is a game worthy of the soulslike genre, somewhat bland in some respects but very good and a difficulty appropriate for the genre. The artistic section is great.
  73. DarkwingSchmuck
    Mar 14, 2022
    6
    Mortal Shell is another in a slew of indie games to borrow heavily from Dark Souls, though it manages to be one of the better imitators. It's not quite as challenging, which also makes Mortal Shell a fairly solid entry point for newcomers into Souls-like games.
  74. LeonardTheThird
    Mar 11, 2022
    2
    Game combat relies entirely on the parry system. Parry system is like the Parry System in Dark Souls which is to say... miserable. Actually, it's worse than in Dark Souls. It's awful.
    Copy/pasted enemies everywhere, over and over again.
    Mazelike level design that makes my head ache, without enough notable landmarks to find your way around. Lousy and slow progression. Cheap boss    Game combat relies entirely on the parry system. Parry system is like the Parry System in Dark Souls which is to say... miserable. Actually, it's worse than in Dark Souls. It's awful.
    Copy/pasted enemies everywhere, over and over again.
    Mazelike level design that makes my head ache, without enough notable landmarks to find your way around.
    Lousy and slow progression.
    Cheap boss mechanics.
    I rarely buy games but I bought this as a bit of a treat for myself when I was in a souls-like mood. What a waste of money. Absolutely avoid this.
    Made this account just to review this game. How I wish I had used my usual foresight and watched some gameplay beforehand. What an overwhelming disappointment.    … Expand
  75. DrSpace
    Mar 23, 2022
    4
    I had a high expectation for the game. As a standalone it is decent, but it comes nowhere near games from Fromsoftware. I compare it to Souls games, because almost everything in the game was influenced by Fromsoftware, so the devs actively made the choice to make it souls-like.
    However, most things that make DS great are missing in Mortal Shell. No real customization, no real skill tree,    I had a high expectation for the game. As a standalone it is decent, but it comes nowhere near games from Fromsoftware. I compare it to Souls games, because almost everything in the game was influenced by Fromsoftware, so the devs actively made the choice to make it souls-like.
    However, most things that make DS great are missing in Mortal Shell. No real customization, no real skill tree, no real boss music and no real lore, from what I've seen so far. The world feels simply empty and many details feel like bad design. But even so, the game comes off as incomplete, and finished hastily, as there are many wacky animations, bugs and no proper cinematics.
    I like the idea of the game, but the execution is poor. After first area, it became boring. Bought the game at a discount for $15 and it was hardly worth it.
    For time comparison: Souls game easily take me 20 hours on a casual playthrough, 40+ on first attempt. Even though I tried most things in Mortal Shell, it was finished in 14 hrs. Went back out of curiosity and finished it for a second time in 3. So much for length of the game and learning curve of combat. Cannot recommend buying.    … Expand
  76. Flopjokdang
    Apr 25, 2022
    8
    The soulslike Mortal Shell is quite similar to well known games of the genre, but feels completely different. With a beautifully grim and gloomy atmosphere, it tempts you to explore it's maze-like surroundings. With interesting dialogue, mechanics and lore: lovers of the souls genre will be captivated by this interesting 12 hour adventure.
  77. Docent1995
    Aug 28, 2022
    5
    Game is pretty bad besides pretty cool atmosphere and decent graphics I cant really find any positives. Mechanic of harden is too OP and it makes little to no sense to play skillfully if you are better to just wait for harden attack enemy and then run, repeat. Very inconsistent poise system, if there is any at all, which once again takes away skill aspect, sometimes enemy gets staggered byGame is pretty bad besides pretty cool atmosphere and decent graphics I cant really find any positives. Mechanic of harden is too OP and it makes little to no sense to play skillfully if you are better to just wait for harden attack enemy and then run, repeat. Very inconsistent poise system, if there is any at all, which once again takes away skill aspect, sometimes enemy gets staggered by heavy attack then you use 2x heavy and 2x light on same enemy and they wont budge one bit. Also optimization is really sh1t and your PC is burning.… Expand
  78. PenetratorGod
    Aug 20, 2023
    5
    Mortal Shell's fantasy universe is not a land of colorful elves or dwarves, but a dark world filled with fear, where only remnants of human civilization and fragile memories remain. Mortal Shell uses the classic Dark Souls-like system. Gameplay is from a third-person perspective. Every enemy is a threat and we often have to face multiple opponents at once. Reflexes are not enough to emergeMortal Shell's fantasy universe is not a land of colorful elves or dwarves, but a dark world filled with fear, where only remnants of human civilization and fragile memories remain. Mortal Shell uses the classic Dark Souls-like system. Gameplay is from a third-person perspective. Every enemy is a threat and we often have to face multiple opponents at once. Reflexes are not enough to emerge victorious from these challenges. You need to be careful in the battles. What makes Mortal Shell different from other games is an unusual development system. The character we control has no body, and instead we take control of the dead warriors we encounter. Each body is unique in terms of the abilities and specializations we can use once we have possession of it. As the hero progresses through a particular body, more abilities and upgrades are unlocked, making him even more dangerous in battle. We have both a huge arsenal of weapons and a large number of attack spells. Mortal Shell is designed for single player adventure. There is no multiplayer support. The story is non-linear and gives us the freedom to choose our next objective. Mortal Shell graphics are similar to other Dark Souls-like games. The graphic design is kept in a dark tone, emphasizing the gloomy and scary character of the game world. The visual effects of the various attacks and spells in the fights are quite detailed. It has an average gameplay of 10-13 hours.… Expand
  79. Bsbbe
    Nov 17, 2022
    6
    Alright game to be honest as the combat is fair, gameplay is mostly okay and have enough content
  80. Lorran2k
    Jan 5, 2023
    7
    É um bom jogo para iniciar em jogos estilo souls, as batalhas contra chefes não são tão desafiadoras...
  81. Pmstz
    Jan 30, 2023
    5
    Average/ok game.
    Dark Souls clone.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  82. Jebuss
    Feb 1, 2023
    8
    The game is skeletal and not very fleshed out but still is fun.

    Don't expect to want to play all the time but is a really good first-time playthrough and should last 6-10 hours. It is fun to revisit and is worth it if you're ok with not playing a ton. The game is a bit of a maze if you just wander so use the visions or you might want to look up a quick playthrough. The biomes are    The game is skeletal and not very fleshed out but still is fun.

    Don't expect to want to play all the time but is a really good first-time playthrough and should last 6-10 hours. It is fun to revisit and is worth it if you're ok with not playing a ton.

    The game is a bit of a maze if you just wander so use the visions or you might want to look up a quick playthrough.

    The biomes are great and are designed so that you don't spend too much time in them so they don't get repetitive too quickly.

    Everything that isn't a boss isn't as fun to fight though. Mechanics are fun but I try to avoid using the hardening ability to make it feel less choppy.

    The lore is interesting but there isn't a lot to it when playing through unless you dig for it. If you want lore, playthrough, and level as Solomon.

    Music is good enough and sets the tone of the game.    … Expand
  83. saplign
    Feb 2, 2023
    5
    boring‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
  84. ZackH25
    Jun 20, 2023
    6
    It is nowhere near as good as any of the souls game but it is a bit fun at times. The open world is quite bland as most of it looks the same as it is the forest. There is not many weapons to use. The weapons that are there are satisfying and the combat is goodish. The turning into stone part is interesting but makes the game so much easier. The bosses were okay and still somewhat fun. TheIt is nowhere near as good as any of the souls game but it is a bit fun at times. The open world is quite bland as most of it looks the same as it is the forest. There is not many weapons to use. The weapons that are there are satisfying and the combat is goodish. The turning into stone part is interesting but makes the game so much easier. The bosses were okay and still somewhat fun. The dungeons were also nothing special but still somewhat fun. The best one by far was the snow area as it was somewhat mazelike and had more of a natural level design. Overall a medieocre soulslike that is a bit fun- wouldn't replay it though.… Expand
  85. Naked_Snakee
    Apr 7, 2023
    5
    Just text (crutch) to save the game to the list. Such things. Maybe I'll do a review later.
  86. EduCLSS
    Sep 6, 2023
    3
    Una copia muy mal hecha de los Souls (que ya de por sí tienen defectos notorios). En este caso nos encontramos con un juego con un sonido ambiental insoportable, el cual es un zumbido que te deja con dolor de cabeza. Las animaciones de combate son totalmente defectuosas, en muchos casos se bugea la esquiva de golpes y te deja totalmente vulnerable al ataque del enemigo (pasa muyUna copia muy mal hecha de los Souls (que ya de por sí tienen defectos notorios). En este caso nos encontramos con un juego con un sonido ambiental insoportable, el cual es un zumbido que te deja con dolor de cabeza. Las animaciones de combate son totalmente defectuosas, en muchos casos se bugea la esquiva de golpes y te deja totalmente vulnerable al ataque del enemigo (pasa muy frecuentemente). Respecto de la historia, totalmente ausente, no tiene sentido alguno. En la parte técnica está súper mal optimizado y hasta el día de hoy no logra funcionar decentemente por sobre los 30 fps. El entorno y los enemigos son sosos y repetitivos. En fin, un juego que en su tiempo tenía potencial, pero que terminó siendo decepcionante.… Expand
  87. DUCKMANBILL
    May 31, 2023
    3
    Piece of **** game made artificially longer by clunky and occasionally unusable mechanics which have not been thought out in the slightest. Healing is absolutely terrible, the only way you can really heal is by parrying which in itself is terrible because parrying has a windup animation making it slow and incredibly difficult to use.
    It has a great tone and the character and boss designs    Piece of **** game made artificially longer by clunky and occasionally unusable mechanics which have not been thought out in the slightest. Healing is absolutely terrible, the only way you can really heal is by parrying which in itself is terrible because parrying has a windup animation making it slow and incredibly difficult to use.
    It has a great tone and the character and boss designs look fantastic, but I can't honestly recommend this considering that the gameplay does not hold up in the slightest.
    Just another Dark Souls clone that does not have enough budget, talent or whatever it may be to pull it off.    … Expand
  88. Quazder
    Aug 22, 2023
    0
    Most boring soul game i have ever played. Not worth ur time honestly. Dont play it
  89. Husseinqahtan
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    This masterpiece .



    This is a legend a truly perfect legend The first game i was really obsessed with it
  90. ManHoof
    Jul 29, 2023
    4
    A weak game. Among the advantages, I can only highlight interesting game mechanics.
    The game design of the locations is low, everything is monotonous. Fortunately, the mobs are different, but the design quality is terrible. The game itself is very easy, regardless of the level of pumping, the game mechanics allow you to do cheating. Also, unfortunately, there are many bugs in the combat system.
  91. Mikez023
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    Mi primer souls. Y si bien tiene defectos como un mapa confuso y una historia inentendible; eso no significa que no sea un buen juego con mecánicas interesantes.
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Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Worth Playing
    Jan 8, 2021
    80
    Mortal Shell is an enjoyable title for those who are already fans of the SoulsBorne sub-genre, and it has more positives than it has flaws. The swamp hub world is bland and confusing, but the different biomes you eventually reach are gorgeous, even if they're relatively familiar. The lack of a deep leveling system has a very good replacement in the shell system, which ends up providing more versatility in your character build and the attack system. The relatively shorter length makes it great for newcomers, while genre veterans will find it to be a great debut effort from a small development team.
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 7, 2020
    80
    If Dark Souls wasn’t sufficiently dark and difficult, this is just the thing for you. Taking the souls-like genre a step further, Mortal Shell provides a satisfying combat system enveloped in a creatively unique narrative. Well worth the suffering. [Issue#305]
  3. RPGamer
    Sep 18, 2020
    70
    Mortal Shell may be a modest product, but it surprised at nearly every turn with regularity. The lack of variety in the environments, weapons, and classes are more than made up by never overstaying its welcome. Whenever it feels as though its about to become stale, players will stumble across something new to try out. The lack of depth isn’t too much of a detriment as the game is short enough to ever feel tired. Better yet, what is there is good, a foundation with easy room to be expanded upon and a strong demonstration of Cold Symmetry’s understanding of core concepts that are the strength of the genre. Mortal Shell is a exemplary use of limited resources to make a tight, fun game, even if it only takes a weekend to beat.
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