Mortal Shell 2 is the newest souls-like to hit the market from Playstack, and as the clock struck the 0 hour to get my request in, through a weird twist of fate over on Twitter (yes, I still refuse to call it X), I ran into Playstack’s very own Charlotte, who worked I don’t want to know how many hours the weeks leading up to release to get review codes out to slobs like me. So thank you, Playstack, and a special thank you, Charlotte; you did not go unnoticed.
If you never played a Mortal Shell game, you play as a hero in Mortal Shell 2, the Harbinger sent on a quest to collect the Ova (of which you are a surviving one of) and save the world from evil. You can inhabit what are known as Shells; each has its own abilities to help you fight. Tiel, for example, is more stealth- and speed-based, while Proxima is made to take advantage of her lightning to essentially stunlock enemies. There are 8 in total to choose from once you find them all.
I am going to get the bad out of the way before I gush over the game, because admittedly it has some issues. Far more so if you play on PC; luckily, I know a few others who played through side by side. It is very unoptimized on PC currently, with people falling through the floor on the final boss, enemies doing extremely weird things like running away for no reason, and frequent crashes. The game is playable, but there are some decent issues.
On PlayStation 5, I did not have a single crash in at least 50 hours. However, I loved the lute as a side arm, and I did die a couple of times when attempting to run because my character would simply sit down and play the lute. See if you have the lute out and hit the run button; he plays it. This should not be an issue, but currently there is a weird glitch where he will occasionally sit down and play his main weapon like the lute. I won’t say it is rare; I have seen it at least 10 times. But it also isn’t common, considering that in my 50 hours I probably had the loot for 40 of them.
Once, while trying to sit next to a random guy with a bag on his head, I suddenly found myself in the sky. Also, while getting the Tiel Shell, I walked through a door instead of opening it. Both soft-locked the game, and I had to quit out and restart. Nothing major, but it was annoying.
Now, on to the good. First, the game is beautiful; it is better looking than some AAA titles I have played. Second, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the lack of stamina in combat, which is becoming more common nut Mortal Shell 2 nails it. Dodging and light attacks being infinite sounds like it would make the game easier, but it is easy to get caught up and then be punished. A new level of patience is now required for some enemies, not just bosses.
Another thing I love is the exploration; while I wish beacons were a bit better proportioned, discovering a new dungeon or beacon feels like an accomplishment. It reminded me of Elden Ring in many ways. Stumbling on a new weapon or tarstone was always a treat.
There are so many good things to say about Mortal Shell 2; I actually can’t say them all in one review without this thing going even longer than it already has. Expect to see me talk about this one again. While I love this game and I wish I could give it a higher score, the technical issues can’t be ignored. For now, it is an 8/10 because, to me, the fun I had can’t be ignored. But to go higher would be dishonest. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
- Mortal Shell 2 PlayStation 5 Review
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Savior Gaming 