Indie games are often relegated to a description of, “Oh it’s just [existing game] but…” Mortal Shell certainly isn’t avoiding that shorthand by way of the Soulsborne series, but studio Cold Symmetry’s combination of polish, tweaks to an existing formula, and thoughtful presentation make their debut game truly stand out in the sea of aspiring Souls-like indies.
Mortal Shell has all the components a fan of the sub-genre would expect–checkpoints, high-damage mobs quick to overwhelm in numbers, and spongy bosses just begging to be studied for attack patterns. The key differences can all be described as more arcade-like in comparison to their obvious inspiration. Rather than a single interconnected playspace demanding dozens or hundreds of hours of engagement to complete, Mortal Shell consists of a hub and 3 dungeons–my playtime was around 15 hours for a single playthrough. Instead of a deep RPG-system dedicated to crafting a unique character one stat at a time, Mortal Shell offers players four “classes” in the form of the titular shells their character can inhabit. The same streamlined sensibilities are at work in the different weapons, upgrades, and enemies in the game. While a trimming of fat for ease of development alone is a detriment to many Souls-like indies, Mortal Shell presents these changes with purpose. Each shell and weapon is distinct enough to offer a notable variety in playstyle, the shell system itself can be forgone for a sort of hardcore mode, and the “harden” mechanic replacing a traditional block entirely is a unique and notable addition.
In all, Mortal Shell is no Dark Souls 4, but it doesn’t seek to be. It’s a thoughtfully-crafted hors d'oeuvre of Dark Souls with just enough the same and just enough different.
Mortal Shell has all the components a fan of the sub-genre would expect–checkpoints, high-damage mobs quick to overwhelm in numbers, and spongy bosses just begging to be studied for attack patterns. The key differences can all be described as more arcade-like in comparison to their obvious inspiration. Rather than a single interconnected playspace demanding dozens or hundreds of hours of engagement to complete, Mortal Shell consists of a hub and 3 dungeons–my playtime was around 15 hours for a single playthrough. Instead of a deep RPG-system dedicated to crafting a unique character one stat at a time, Mortal Shell offers players four “classes” in the form of the titular shells their character can inhabit. The same streamlined sensibilities are at work in the different weapons, upgrades, and enemies in the game. While a trimming of fat for ease of development alone is a detriment to many Souls-like indies, Mortal Shell presents these changes with purpose. Each shell and weapon is distinct enough to offer a notable variety in playstyle, the shell system itself can be forgone for a sort of hardcore mode, and the “harden” mechanic replacing a traditional block entirely is a unique and notable addition.
In all, Mortal Shell is no Dark Souls 4, but it doesn’t seek to be. It’s a thoughtfully-crafted hors d'oeuvre of Dark Souls with just enough the same and just enough different.