Mortal Shell 2 Review: The Underdog Grows Fangs

What it is

Six years ago Mortal Shell was the soulslike that punched far above its budget, carried by one properly original idea: you are a fragile wanderer possessing the "shells" of dead warriors, each one effectively a different character. Mortal Shell 2, out today, August 20, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC for $49.99 / €49.99 (a $59.99 Devout Edition offered 72 hours of advance access from August 17), takes that idea and finally gives it a game big enough to live in. There are eight shells now, double the original - from the shadowy thief Tiel to Sester Genessa, who summons clones of herself.

How it plays

The boldest call Cold Symmetry made: the stamina bar is gone. Entirely. Combat becomes a game of spacing and timing instead of resource babysitting, and it is dramatically more aggressive for it - weighty, meaty, and still punishing. The signature Harden ability returns, now tied to specific Seals, so freezing yourself into stone mid-combo remains the series' best panic button. The arsenal has exploded: greatswords, scythes, pikes, dual weapons, even crossbows and creature-based sidearms, with Tarstones layering passive and active augments on top. Instead of chasing open-world bloat, the sequel builds a compact, tightly interconnected map with over 60 dungeons full of verticality, puzzles and secrets. Checkpoint Beacons are deliberately sparse, and the tension of the first game survives intact. Expect 30-40 hours, more if you like experimenting with builds - and this game truly rewards it.

The lows

Upgrade materials and currency are too scarce, which makes the fragile early hours lean toward running past enemies rather than fighting them. Ledges are the deadliest boss in the game: knockbacks and falls will kill you more often than any monster, and that is bad level-design comedy, not challenge. There are camera and animation bugs, a few bosses lean too hard on unblockable spam, and enemy variety plateaus in the back third.

Who it's for

Soulslike veterans who found the first game too small get exactly the sequel they wanted. Newcomers should know this is a harsh, oppressive, Lovecraftian grinder - fair, but never gentle. At €49.99 here it undercuts full-price AAA by a third while offering more game than most of them, which makes the value case easy.

Verdict

Mortal Shell 2 is what happens when a small team refines instead of inflates: every system from the original returns sharper, the stamina-free combat is a genuine genre statement, and the world is dense where others are merely wide. Rough edges and cruel ledges keep it off the very top shelf - but not by much.

Score: 8/10

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