Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition

 PlayStation 5
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 76
  3. Negative: 20 out of 76
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  1. PaleNielsen
    Mar 25, 2022
    7
    The ability to turn to stone is quite unique and its like a parry or something and quite satisfying to do. the game is not bad but not that good either. story is quite forgettable but you play this kind of game not because of the story but the gameplay. I like this game because of the combat. Some weapons are quite hard to use. It's an okay game probably not at full price.
  2. knur
    Mar 28, 2021
    3
    Way too clunky to recommend. Absolute chore of a game. Don't fall for saying that you'll like it if you liked Dark Souls - replaying any of the DS is way more fun than playing this.
  3. Nanashi95
    May 12, 2021
    4
    The game looks amazing, you have to give it so much credit. Not only the graphics alone, but also the overall design is a real treat fo the eyes.
    But that's were the positive points end for me. Gameplay wise, it's just a chore to play. The game just feels so incredibly slow and clunky. Every action you do feels like they happen with a noticeable delay. What wouldn't be that much of a    The game looks amazing, you have to give it so much credit. Not only the graphics alone, but also the overall design is a real treat fo the eyes.
    But that's were the positive points end for me. Gameplay wise, it's just a chore to play. The game just feels so incredibly slow and clunky. Every action you do feels like they happen with a noticeable delay. What wouldn't be that much of a problem, if you could skill your character. Your character is too slow? Just level up in points that make him move faster. But no, Mortal Shell doesn't feature a skill system, like basically all other Souls-like games. You can only buy predefined abilities.
    So in the end, if faster Souls-likes like Bloodborne are more your thing, like for me, then this game is almost unplayable.    … Expand
  4. sivrisnake4
    Jul 7, 2021
    0
    dark souls with no teleportation, 1/20 save, no heal. yea so fun you can be sure. because searching somewhere or going to start point for 20 hours for nothing is fun.
  5. Tony_1983
    Mar 11, 2021
    10
    An awesome, compact but very dense game that you can clearly see was made with love to the genre. Highly recommend if you want to get into a soulslike games!
  6. Artexmonkey
    Mar 11, 2021
    9
    Great little game, one of the best souls like games I’ve played, but it certainly has its own identity too. It is a little on the short side, taking around 22 hours to platinum, but it has a price tag to match the length. It doesn’t take long to fully upgrade your shell/weapon but every enemy can kill you quickly if you take your eye off the ball.
    Could do with more weapons and more    Great little game, one of the best souls like games I’ve played, but it certainly has its own identity too. It is a little on the short side, taking around 22 hours to platinum, but it has a price tag to match the length. It doesn’t take long to fully upgrade your shell/weapon but every enemy can kill you quickly if you take your eye off the ball.
    Could do with more weapons and more shells but I’m excited to see what happens with this franchise next! For £30 it’s an essential for any souls game fan.    … Expand
  7. AndrewEvolution
    Dec 9, 2021
    0
    Just another Dark Souls copy generic thing, nothing new and a lot of weird mechanics ! Game have 6 weapons and 4 playable character skins in TOTAL... it´s just A BAD JOKE, everything it´s dark and evil even your playable dude feels like a vilan, the devs that made this should be like depressive and satanic sad PP... i did not buyed , it came with PS Plus and boy, i want better games thanJust another Dark Souls copy generic thing, nothing new and a lot of weird mechanics ! Game have 6 weapons and 4 playable character skins in TOTAL... it´s just A BAD JOKE, everything it´s dark and evil even your playable dude feels like a vilan, the devs that made this should be like depressive and satanic sad PP... i did not buyed , it came with PS Plus and boy, i want better games than this from PS Plus since i pay for this service !… Expand
  8. TielTheAcolyte
    Mar 11, 2021
    10
    Fantastik next-gen release for a great game!! Combat in 60fps is a game changer! Little details like purring cat with dual sense or accentuated hardening, is really great details and I enjoyed every minute of it.
  9. Gkaltsidis
    Mar 17, 2021
    10
    Just finished the game! Here are my thoughts:

    I tried this game on my friend's pc at launch and it felt very hard I gave up. Yesterday I bought the game on PS5 and gave it another try, I am glad I did because this was one on my best gaming experiences I had!! Please STOP saying its a souls like.. because it has roll mechanic and some similar UI that doesn't make it souls like. I    Just finished the game! Here are my thoughts:

    I tried this game on my friend's pc at launch and it felt very hard I gave up. Yesterday I bought the game on PS5 and gave it another try, I am glad I did because this was one on my best gaming experiences I had!!

    Please STOP saying its a souls like.. because it has roll mechanic and some similar UI that doesn't make it souls like. I finished the game without much using roll, I approached this game by using enemy distance to my advantage + getting the most out of the "harden" mechanic. I played all the fromsoftware games and I can tell that when playing mortal shell I felt like a baby, it was an original experience! I could not use the same combat mindset from other games into this.

    What I really loved about this game is the atmosphere! It fantastic, it is rich, very rich.

    It took me 10hours and 52 minutes to finish this game, I spent alot of time in the beginning because I was dying constantly, if you know where are you going and what are you doing you can finish the game very quickly, but this is a good thing, because the developers choose to make quality over quantity!

    I do not regret buying this game, I would buy it even if it would cost 60$.

    Please make Mortal Shell 2!!    … Expand
  10. doodlerman
    Jan 12, 2022
    7
    Once it clicks, Mortal Shell has some of the best combat and atmosphere of the best 3D soulslikes out there. The hardening mechanic is awesome. Unfortunately, the level design, while appropriate for the atmosphere, is confusing as hell. I was two-thirds through the game before I ever found the game's hub, from which you learn of what your quest is supposed to be. I found the weird lady,Once it clicks, Mortal Shell has some of the best combat and atmosphere of the best 3D soulslikes out there. The hardening mechanic is awesome. Unfortunately, the level design, while appropriate for the atmosphere, is confusing as hell. I was two-thirds through the game before I ever found the game's hub, from which you learn of what your quest is supposed to be. I found the weird lady, "Sester" something, and she acted like she already knew me, so I just assumed the game was taking Dark Souls' under-the-surface method of storytelling to a new level, but nope. When I found Fallgrim Tower two-thirds in, the game acted as though we never met and I then learned why I had been ripping organs from two of the three big bosses: to help some giant naked bird 'ascend.' Very vague, but whatever. Also at Fallgrim Tower is a tool that allows you to parry; a tool, which in other words, makes the game a joke. Up until then, I was sort of digging Mortal Shell's seemingly meticulous combat style, but once I finally found the parrying skill, the game became almost too easy.

    One of Mortal Shell's more unique aspects is its approach to consumable items. Essentially, you have no idea what each item does until you actually use it. The more you use items, the more 'familiar' you get with them, and when you max out your familiarity the items gain new abilities. The most notable of which is making mushrooms that initially poison you into making you immune to poison. It's a neat mechanic, but it can be nerve-wracking, especially when you find a rare consumable and you have no clue when you should use it.

    While I ultimately enjoyed Mortal Shell, there were a few annoying glitches. At one point, for some reason, my character just stopped being able to dodge-roll. I fixed this by quitting the game and restarting it, so it wasn't a huge deal. For some reason when I was battling the final boss, the screen started flickering like wild if I looked in a certain direction. Fortunately, this stopped after dying, but it was really annoying.    … Expand
  11. Steyraus
    Dec 7, 2021
    3
    This game is bleed, ugly and depressing. Tries to be Dark souls and fails...There no beautifully Gothic scrapers or sweeping landscapes like the souls games, just ugly grey swamp..The combat is a fail, it's clunky and not optimised well, instead of block there some awkward body hardening thing..
    The game feels cheep and is cheap..The first enemies you encounter 1 hit kill, even souls games    This game is bleed, ugly and depressing. Tries to be Dark souls and fails...There no beautifully Gothic scrapers or sweeping landscapes like the souls games, just ugly grey swamp..The combat is a fail, it's clunky and not optimised well, instead of block there some awkward body hardening thing..
    The game feels cheep and is cheap..The first enemies you encounter 1 hit kill, even souls games don't gang you like that, sure there was a one hit kick boss but not grunts.    … Expand
  12. getrwuegyweh
    Dec 9, 2021
    0
    Feels and looks like a really poorly made ps2 game from 2003. Graphics are beyond terrible by todays standards, controls are clunky, combat is as basic as you could possibly get. Got this for ps plus and still feel scammed
  13. LeoChross
    Apr 9, 2021
    8
    Really entertaining and good game.
    Förhoppningsvis kommer det mer i samma stil från denna spelstudeå.
  14. Manatee97
    Apr 12, 2021
    8
    Enjoyed the game very much . Runs very smooth and has very nice graphics. I like the idea of different shells and the hardening mechanic. My only gripe is with combat which feels a little clunky. Overall good game especially if you enjoy dark souls.
  15. Bonfera
    Nov 12, 2021
    2
    Decent idea, but an insanely clunky game. Every single action that you do is clunky, the enemies are clunky, the bosses are clunky. Didn't liked it at all. Don't ever call this a "souls like"
  16. Casjamin
    Mar 15, 2021
    10
    Such an underrated gem! Its a short game, but very Well executed. Playing it on the PS5 and it runs so incredibly smooth. Have to say i appreciate a game like This which borrows a lot of elements from the Dark souls games, but still manages to make the combat more interesting imo. Hoping they make a sequel cause i need one!
  17. MegaloDon11
    Mar 11, 2021
    10
    The PS5 version of this game is the best vesion I've played so far! The dualsense features are le'mazing, the graphics are eye melting, and the gameplay is silky smoof - you won't have ragrats!
  18. rozyv
    Dec 9, 2021
    0
    FPS locked behind an "enhanced edition" paywall. I bought ps plus and cannot play the game unless I pay second time for something I already "bought". Shame on you
  19. gobletoffire
    Mar 12, 2021
    10
    wow that was amazing. Finished it last night and it's basically as good as Dark Souls with less poo in the room. Going to try and plat this.
  20. ArturoLirio
    Apr 5, 2021
    8
    Si te gusta la saga souls este juego es un must play para ti, aunque no es tan desafiante como los souls o sekiro sigue siendo un buen representante del género que hizo famoso from software.
  21. Koopa505
    Nov 20, 2021
    8
    Mortal Shell. The game created by a 15 man team, is incredible for what it is. The idea of a spectre inhabiting different Shells is magnificent. The lack of armor customization is not a flaw but an entirely different way of doing things. It may not have as much depth as some souls borne games but its got the guts. It runs smoothly on PS5 and looks spectacular. A game any true Souls fanMortal Shell. The game created by a 15 man team, is incredible for what it is. The idea of a spectre inhabiting different Shells is magnificent. The lack of armor customization is not a flaw but an entirely different way of doing things. It may not have as much depth as some souls borne games but its got the guts. It runs smoothly on PS5 and looks spectacular. A game any true Souls fan should play.… Expand
  22. RadiantDuck
    Jun 26, 2021
    9
    Like in bloodborne the game rewards aggression with the parry mechanic actually rewarding the player with extra hp, but unlike bloodborne it gives you a second chance if you time it wrong by introducing a new blocking skill 'harden' that you can pop out at anytime. The game also borrows a similar second life mechanic from sekiro. Technically the game is onpar with fromsoft games and looksLike in bloodborne the game rewards aggression with the parry mechanic actually rewarding the player with extra hp, but unlike bloodborne it gives you a second chance if you time it wrong by introducing a new blocking skill 'harden' that you can pop out at anytime. The game also borrows a similar second life mechanic from sekiro. Technically the game is onpar with fromsoft games and looks really good.
    Combat is fun and harder enemies can be easily ran past.
    I got the game on sale for 20-25€ and it was well worth the money.    … Expand
  23. Mroczny
    Jul 4, 2021
    6
    Mortal Shell feels like a mixed bag of good, bad and unpolished stuff. I've liked the combat system - it has some nice ideas, like replacing blocking with "hardening" that makes you invulnerable for a short while. Graphic design seems quite original, reminding of "Beksinski" paintings, but it also makes the game feel a bit empty. Instead of levelling up or collecting gear, in this game youMortal Shell feels like a mixed bag of good, bad and unpolished stuff. I've liked the combat system - it has some nice ideas, like replacing blocking with "hardening" that makes you invulnerable for a short while. Graphic design seems quite original, reminding of "Beksinski" paintings, but it also makes the game feel a bit empty. Instead of levelling up or collecting gear, in this game you have "shells". Shells are departed bodies of people that you can find, inhabit and control. But don't be fooled - it is still a soulslike game. You can upgrade weapons and shells with collected resources on similar rules that are in all soulslike games.

    Game has some really cool moments, few nice bosses, but overall the downsides are just too much:

    - areas and opponents seem to be recycled a lot
    - shells do not have enough upgrades, only few of them are actually useful
    - not enough of difference between shells
    - after upgrading one shell with most interesting upgrades there doesn't seem to be a point in killing anything. You can just run past enemies (except bosses)
    - I had a feeling that weapon system was limiting me a lot. After upgrading damage in one weapon, switching to another would be punishing myself due to much lower damage (and damage upgrades are a rare thing)
    - most of items seems useless. The only one I've really used was a healing mushroom...
    - no magic at all...
    - exploration doesn't seem to be rewarding
    - extremely limited ranged combat options

    So what is wrong with this game? It seems like it has a plenty of unpolished things and systems, lacks proper rewarding and content. I can't admit it is not fun at times, but Sekiro/Souls/Nioh/Bloodborne just have much more better game design than Mortal Shell.

    PS5 version is quite nice. Works great and looks good. It is great that devs decided to bring their game to PS5. I hope that experience they have gathered by doing Mortal Shell will let them create a much better soulslike games in the future.    … Expand
  24. mitsarakos
    Oct 27, 2022
    7
    It's a good game, but too short. It should last 50 hours more, at least. But ok for 30 euros that I paid, I think there should not be a complain
  25. ihearthawthats
    Nov 10, 2021
    8
    Hours Played: 16 Hours
    Trophy Completion: 26/26 PLATINUM
    Worth My Time: Yes, at least once. Worth My Money: Yes, it's not a full price game. What I Like: Highly rewarding gameplay. Combat is weighty and satisfying. Graphics are surprisingly impressive for an indie. Atmosphere and tone achieves what it sets out to do. What I Dislike: Load times and transitions are slow and    Hours Played: 16 Hours
    Trophy Completion: 26/26 PLATINUM

    Worth My Time: Yes, at least once.
    Worth My Money: Yes, it's not a full price game.

    What I Like: Highly rewarding gameplay. Combat is weighty and satisfying. Graphics are surprisingly impressive for an indie. Atmosphere and tone achieves what it sets out to do.

    What I Dislike: Load times and transitions are slow and annoying. Sound engineering is not good at all. Bosses are underwhelming.

    How It Stacks Up: One of the only Souls-like that recaptured what it felt like to play Dark Souls for the first time. It's hard and intense, so not for the feint at heart. PS5 port is not that great, but I'll take 60FPS whenever I can. Highly looking forward to a sequel.    … Expand
  26. Sussybakaballz
    Dec 21, 2021
    6
    Press ○+R2 to beat the whole game. Not sure what else to say just hitting min char.
  27. popqazgirl
    Jan 15, 2022
    0
    Another Paywall for a 60fps patch. Disappointing practices by both Sony and whoever this studio is.
  28. Zeon1982
    Mar 3, 2023
    2
    Why play this mediocre attempt of a Soulslike when you can just go and play the real thing. I played it for an hour and thought it was a pile of crap.
  29. Balzari
    Feb 24, 2022
    7
    Visuals: 7 - Audio: 7 - Fun: 6 - Longevity: 7 - Engagement: 6 - Overall Score: 7
    'Mortal Shell' is so heavily influenced by the 'Dark Souls' games it's almost a homage.
    'Mortal Shell' can best be described as a simplified 'Dark Souls' however it does have it's own unique selling point in the 'shell system' which is quite interesting and gives it its own identity. 'Mortal Shell' does a    Visuals: 7 - Audio: 7 - Fun: 6 - Longevity: 7 - Engagement: 6 - Overall Score: 7
    'Mortal Shell' is so heavily influenced by the 'Dark Souls' games it's almost a homage.
    'Mortal Shell' can best be described as a simplified 'Dark Souls' however it does have it's own unique selling point in the 'shell system' which is quite interesting and gives it its own identity.
    'Mortal Shell' does a good job of capturing the 'Dark Souls' games sense of dread and hopelessness unfortunately it's just not very fun or exciting.
    Where the 'Dark Souls' games would have you eagerly coming back for more misery and punishment I kind of had to force myself to complete 'Mortal Shell', which took me about 24 hours and once completed I didn't feel like doing it again on NG+.
    Ultimately 'Mortal Shell' is an average game in all aspects that I can only recommend if you have a really strong urge to play a 'Dark Souls' type game.    … Expand
  30. Solidsnake69
    Dec 28, 2022
    3
    Just go play dark souls or elden ring again. You don't want this mess. Something that so many developers get wrong is the annoyance level. From soft games are not annoying. This is very annoying
  31. EvanIllinoisBoy
    Jun 2, 2023
    9
    This is an absolute gem and severely underrated soulslike. I have played DS1, Bloodborne, DS3, Elden Ring, Code Vein, Nioh, and Nioh 2, as well as Mortal Shell of course. Mortal Shell was my first soulslike that wasn’t a Soulsborne game. Easily one of the best entry points for any newcomers to the souls genre. I picked this up on sale about a year ago and just became engulfed. With all theThis is an absolute gem and severely underrated soulslike. I have played DS1, Bloodborne, DS3, Elden Ring, Code Vein, Nioh, and Nioh 2, as well as Mortal Shell of course. Mortal Shell was my first soulslike that wasn’t a Soulsborne game. Easily one of the best entry points for any newcomers to the souls genre. I picked this up on sale about a year ago and just became engulfed. With all the souls games I mentioned, ignoring nostalgia, my opinionated list goes: 1. DS3
    2. Bloodborne
    3. Code Vein
    4. Mortal Shell
    5. DS1

    For me, Mortal Shell even beat out the likes of Nioh, Elden Ring (which is due to my distaste for the world in ER), DS1, and Nioh 2. Those are some of the most renowned games in the world and yet it made the top 5 and bested all four of those for me! This game is truly something special and while the story may not be much to write home about, oh boy the gameplay truly is. The hardening mechanic really makes it one of the most forgiving Soulslikes while still remaining true to the brutal nature! The gloomy atmosphere is only expanded by the sense of loneliness that I have not felt in many other Soulslikes or even Soulsborne itself for that matter. To believe that this game was made by an extremely small team is not only unbelievable but really shows the talent and love! I am really looking forward to either a sequel or just another beautiful game from these guys. If you can pick it up on sale, pick it up, you won’t regret it. Me personally, I would’ve paid full price and it’s easily worth that, but it goes on sale quite often. I can’t thank these developers enough for such a Lovecrafted game! (Quick Tip: Do not hoard tar on your journey, use it when you can and when you find value, dying with a load of tar will make you destroy your controller. This goes for all souls games.)    … Expand
  32. onfire1229
    Aug 29, 2021
    9
    I was very skeptical at first. I bought it when it came out, played it for 30 minutes, and wasnt feeling the vibe. I recently decided to pick it up again after they enhanced it for PS5 and I can genuinely say im sorry I didnt give the game more of a chance. Everything about the game is just very visceral and weighty. It takes a bit to get used to when you come from the Souls games whereI was very skeptical at first. I bought it when it came out, played it for 30 minutes, and wasnt feeling the vibe. I recently decided to pick it up again after they enhanced it for PS5 and I can genuinely say im sorry I didnt give the game more of a chance. Everything about the game is just very visceral and weighty. It takes a bit to get used to when you come from the Souls games where actions dont have as much weight behind them, but once you get used to the ebb and flow of combat, you will find the charm in this game. I do find the healing mechanics need refinement though. That would be my one gripe about the game. If you are not really skilled, it can become very inaccessible since you dont have the idea of an estus flask to fall back on. Overall, I highly recommend the game and encourage everyone to give it a fair chance.… Expand
  33. edgyusername
    Dec 22, 2022
    10
    Maybe the closest thing to a good Souls “copy”, but it absolutely does its’ own thing. The mechanics are quite different, and while the controls aren’t the best, the aesthetic, music, and world are great. Some really beautiful armor sets in this. Loved the game.
  34. klausfiedler8
    Mar 15, 2023
    8
    indiezinho bem bacana, mas um pouco repetitivo. nota 7,7....................

Awards & Rankings

70
#70 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2021
54
#54 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Worth Playing
    Aug 31, 2021
    80
    Overall, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition succeeds on several levels. It's an excellent update to a surprise indie hit that is still mighty enjoyable for anyone interested in the Soulslike genre. While difficulty and pacing get in the way, Mortal Shell is a short, sweet, and most importantly, challenging game to tide you over to the next main Souls offering.
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  2. Pure Playstation
    Apr 27, 2021
    80
    Mortal Shell Enhanced Edition might be a little light on next-gen upgrades, but the ones that matter are there and they are game-changing. 60FPS is the main attraction but a nice 4K is welcome, too. For returning fans, it’s a nice free update. For newcomers looking to get punished, it’s a cheap and, well, not cheerful game, but it is its own brand of fun – if you can call it that.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Apr 6, 2021
    60
    Thanks to an increased, stabilised framerate, and clever use of the DualSense, PS5 offers the definitive version of Mortal Shell. Just remember it’s no Demon’s Souls. [Issue#187, p.84]
See all critic reviews »