Mortal Shell

 Xbox One
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. Gaming Nexus
    Sep 4, 2020
    88
    Mortal Shell embraces the Souls-like moniker with open arms. They welcomed comparisons, and, for the most part, delivered. What's more impressive is that a team of only 15 people created it. Mortal Shell will make you to rethink your ideas around patience and frustration. You will love this game for all the same reasons that you hate it.
  2. Generación Xbox
    Aug 17, 2020
    86
    Mortal Shell wants you to know that if you like Dark Souls, you don't always have to resort to From Software. A brutal ARPG with good ideas.
  3. RPG Site
    Aug 26, 2020
    80
    Mortal Shell doesn’t just replicate what other games in the genre have done before. Instead, it takes that formula, sharpens it and adds enough to make it a completely different feeling, but equally satisfying blade. Fallgrim is a world I’d be happy to struggle through again.
  5. GamingTrend
    Aug 24, 2020
    80
    Mortal Shell is an action RPG that uses the sleeve of the soulslike genre to create something unique enough to stand on its own two feet. Though its campaign is short and predictable, the beautiful world, interesting body-swapping mechanics, and strong technical performance more than make up for how liberally it borrows from other games.
  6. TheXboxHub
    Aug 23, 2020
    80
    Mortal Shell on Xbox One has delivered a hugely enjoyable and frustratingly, pad bitingly, hard experience. I love the gameplay, the lore and the general ambience, though the difficulty could be a little toned down if I'm honest. But then it is that which acts as a spur to keep you pushing on.
  7. Xbox Achievements
    Aug 17, 2020
    80
    Mortal Shell pays homage to FromSoftware's greats, offering its own unique gameplay wrinkles and an excellent combat system. With only three major dungeons and four weapons, this is a streamlined experience, and if you can push past the slightly frustrating opening hours then you'll find a wonderfully rewarding Souls-like that will keep you coming back for more.
  8. SomosXbox
    Aug 28, 2020
    76
    Mortal Shell follows the path started by Dark Souls and prints his personal stamp with fresh ideas. However, the slowness of its gameplay (especially in its first hours) weighs on the final result.
  9. CD-Action
    Nov 16, 2020
    75
    I respect the Cold Symmetry team for their courage to put their own twist on the soulslike formula. In Mortal Shell almost nothing works how you would expect it to and even if the game doesn’t always benefit from that, it feels fresh and is definitely worth checking out. [11/2020, p.36]
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  10. TrueGaming
    Aug 25, 2020
    75
    Mortal Shell sticks to the fundamentals of the Souls-like genre while adding it's own ideas to come up with a fresh yet familiar experience that is fun for hardened veterans and appropriately challenging for newcomers.
  11. Jeuxvideo.com
    Aug 17, 2020
    75
    Without fundamentally upsetting the codes inherent in Souls Like, Mortal Shell knows how to adorn itself with a personality of its own, as much thanks to its system of discovery of objects as of combat, which manages to largely compensate for the absence of parry posture with mechanics of hardening, determination and counter-perfect perfectly interwoven.
  12. DualShockers
    Sep 11, 2020
    70
    Mortal Shell will certainly scratch your Soulslike itch, but it won't necessarily win points for originality in presentation.
  13. Games.cz
    Sep 2, 2020
    70
    This is a solid debut for a small studio, despite quite a few reservations that have emerged during my time with the game. If you like the soulslike genre, by all means, try this one out, but I’d recommend waiting for a discount.
  14. Game Rant
    Aug 17, 2020
    70
    Mortal Shell offers an experience that longtime Dark Souls fans will likely cling to. Its early hours can be painfully slow, and there are a smattering of issues with the world design, but it's not enough to ruin the experience. Once players find their groove with the right loadout, Mortal Shell's biggest problems evaporate, and its offering of new additions to the Souls-like formula makes it stand out in an increasingly crowded genre.
  15. Video Chums
    Aug 20, 2020
    62
    Mortal Shell may offer a solid experience but as I played it, I couldn't help but want to dive into the Souls series again as the amount of variety and excitement in FromSoftware's games makes this feel like a hollow shell in comparison.
  16. GameSpew
    Aug 17, 2020
    60
    There’s some good to be found in Mortal Shell; its world is interesting and generally well designed, it looks lovely, and some of its boss fights really are exhilarating. But there are just so many aspects of it that will leave you frustrated, underwhelmed or disappointed. It’s a shorter, more focused Souls-like experience that demands you go toe-to-toe with your aggressors, but its combat and surrounding systems just aren’t good enough for you to feel wholly fulfilled by it all. It’ll no doubt have its fans, but Mortal Shell could have been so much better with more polish and some tweaks here and there.

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best Xbox One Game of 2020
38
#38 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 52
  3. Negative: 10 out of 52
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Aug 20, 2020
    7
    Mortal Shell is an action role-playing video game developed by Cold Symmetry and published by Playstack. It has been compared to the SoulsMortal Shell is an action role-playing video game developed by Cold Symmetry and published by Playstack. It has been compared to the Souls series and released on 18 August 2020 Xbox One. Epic games shared Mortal Shell for free for a little time and this was one of the biggest gift they gave us this year because game has amazing mechanics and atmosphere. Mortal Shell got a lot more enjoyable once I got to where I could explore again. The moral of the story? Be sure you're fully prepared before you jump down any three-foot ledges with no visible way to get back up. The ledge will end up feeling like a mountain, and Mortal Shell has no pity on you if you go too far too quickly. Mortal Shell can be a brutally hard game, but I'm glad it draws inspiration from Sekiro by granting you a second chance of sorts. If an enemy "kills" you, you get knocked out of whatever shell you were wearing and end up in your weak shell-less form; if you can get back to your shell, though, you're instantly boosted back to full health and stamina. If you get knocked out a second time, though, it's back to the bonfire — or, ahem, Sister Genessa, an enigmatic lady brimming with unsettling commentary about the bodies you wear. Ultimately, Mortal Shell will make you want to headbutt your monitor out of sheer frustration. The puzzling nature of the map, the repetitive placement of enemies,the lack of options all coalesce into a big arm that holds the game back from being really good, to just good. No matter times I try and swat it away with thoughts of the meaty combat, that arm simply won’t budge.… Full Review »
  2. GamerGuysNGals
    Aug 20, 2020
    8
    It’s no mystery how big of a Dark Souls fan I am. I’ve prob finished the first one over 50 times, so i was excited to see Mortal Shell finallyIt’s no mystery how big of a Dark Souls fan I am. I’ve prob finished the first one over 50 times, so i was excited to see Mortal Shell finally pop up in my email. Spoiler alert for this review’s final score from the very start, but I loved it. I feel it might be the closest we have got so far to feeling that need for a Souls 4. Don’t get me wrong I really , really enjoyed “Hellpoint” but it was something totally different overall. It was like a “Souls” meets “Dead Space” experience. Mortal Shell emulates the original a lot better. Even the menus have the same feeling. It isn’t exact though it does one major thing different. Hardening instead of using of shield play. You can turn into stone and absorb one attack. You can do this mid attack, and even in the air so it lends to some really interesting attack play. It also some times lends to a repetitive attack style as well though. You will find some people double attack, harden, attack over and over. If you don’t get your self stuck in that routine though, you will find yourself doing some really cool maneuvers.

    You play as a mysterious wraith type creature who is very weak and can only take on shot. So you must find human warriors or shells as they are called to possess. That also lends to an original mechanic where you lose all your health , and are knocked out of the body. You have to get back into it with out being hit. if you can you get a full health bar. You can do this once per life. I know this might make this sound easy, but it truly isn’t. To be honest this can feel like more of a struggle than actual Souls at first. The game can be Hell, but finding the right character and upgrades can really help. I recommend just trying everything out your first play through. As a Souls fan I like to encourage exploring, but if you feel like giving up certainly try a walk through first. It’s worth experiencing it all, and hate to see people give up on it. There are a lot of excellent vids out there, that will help you find essential items that will make it so much easier.

    The 4 characters are so different and encourage different play styles. They have different upgrades that will be so useful as well. There is a huge Knight with a giant health bar I recommend finding if you are new to Souls Like games and are struggling. He can take a lot of punishment. There is a character that doesn’t lose stamina while running, and can lose Stamina on contact instead of Health. This is one of my favorites. The first one you find Horrus is also good for beginners. He is a completely balanced build, and his upgrade focus is on hardening. All 4 are fun to use, and learn though. The only thing is upgrades are important so you might want to find which you like first instead of trying to upgrade all four. There are also four different weapons as well. You have to defeat a secondary boss using that weapon to get these.The weapons and Shells are all stored in the first tower you come to. So you can change any time you want. There are even items that will let you change characters in mid battle. Like the upgrading with Shells you might want to pick the weapon you like as well to get it fully upgraded. You can actually get one really strongly upgraded before even facing the first boss.

    These Bosses are a real struggle. You will think you got them after a tough battle just to realize they all have 2 phases, and health bars. So you have to beat them twice pretty much while they do a totally different and more aggressive attack pattern the second time. The good thing though the lady who saves and upgrades you is right at that boss battle so you don’t have to grind out the level over and over. If you have to leave to upgrade a weapon or something you also open up short cuts where you could with ease just sprint right back there. I really enjoyed the differences in the Bosses, and learning their attacks. I got my ass kicked a few times I won’t lie. Like I said it can be a challenge until you discover the weapons and shells you prefer.    … Full Review »
  3. 1forAll
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    Very fun game. Runs spectacular on one x. The fluidity and the combat is very responsive. Great enemy variety and difficulty. The fact thatVery fun game. Runs spectacular on one x. The fluidity and the combat is very responsive. Great enemy variety and difficulty. The fact that this game is only 40$ makes even that more sweet.… Full Review »
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