Immersive Dark Fantasy
Takes on the Souls-style of game are often hit-or-miss endeavors. Titles such as Lords of the Fallen shows how uninspired and niche a take can be, where Remnant: From Ashes can be seen as a different spin on a fan-favorite formula. Mortal Shell by Cold Symmetry from publisher Playstack is an eclectic and compelling title, whose aesthetic and gameplay offer a robust and accessible look at the Souls-like genre. The dark and haunting aesthetic The combination of immersive and inspired mechanics will have you coming back for more, even if it’s a bit under polished.
A Rude Awakening
Bordering on unnerving, your hideous form is reminiscent of the figures in early TOOL music videos with an intro experience just as jarring. After obtaining your weapon and getting used to your controls, you are thrust from this dreamscape into the world, forced to crawl from your underground hovel into the land of Fallgrim. After emerging into the world you are met with the attention of a fallen warrior and claim the lifeless husk as your own. During your quest you will find more bodies to inhabit and more weapons to use, each of them with their own unique feel and play styles. Bodies and weapons can be upgraded by collecting the common Tar and the more rare Glimpses, along with other specific items to give other weapons you find special abilities. In addition to your Stamina bar, which drains whenever you swing your weapon, sprint or dodge roll, you will have HP and Resolve. Resolve is used to perform special moves from both your weapons and is also used when you activate a special ability from your Parry.
The thing that ties all of these mechanics together is the ability to petrify yourself, becoming a stone statue by holding the L2 button on the Playstation 4. Acting as a sort of universal block, your stone form is the perfect strategic advantage both on-the-fly and when you know your enemy as you can activate it whenever you please. Need to react to a surprise attack? Stone form. Enemy about to use a devastating attack which is hard to roll away from? Stone form is there. This ability cannot be spammed as it has a cooldown, but is the perfect tactical compliment to your arsenal of defensive options. Combining these mechanics makes the difference in situations that feel impossible, which leads to some satisfying edge-of-your-seat skirmishes. Each weapon is easy to grasp and can be used effectively after a short time to getting used to it, which makes the skill lie in understanding your defensive options and using the powers of each of your Mortal Shells.
The Harmony of Darkness
The aesthetic of Mortal Shell is a haunting one. From start to finish, nothing is as it seems in this dreary world. From the unnerving human fanatics, to the ravenous beasts, to the grotesque monstrosities within each dungeon; the world of Mortal Shell has an atmosphere that will make you wince with the disturbing behavior of its inhabitants. This dark fantasy aesthetic permeates every facet of Mortal Shell, even intertwining in the storytelling and character growth to create moments that shock and entrance you with their unsettling imagery. Items become more effective the more you use them, but some are dubious such as a Tar Spore and will harm you before you learn how it helps you. Learning how to use a new weapon comes in the form of returning to the dream-state from the beginning of the tale, brought on by the venom of a spider born from forcefully ripping a page out of a tome. A bewildering mental image, to be sure.
This dark tone does not always reflect the visuals of the game, however. There are some beautiful landscapes in the world of Mortal Shell, along with some fantastic character designs. The icy whiteness of snowy slopes compliments dreary forests and dark crypts, along with other locales that serve to show off the detailed designs. Each enemy has their own behaviors, with some even able to attack their own ranks, making knowing how each fights the key to victory. Whether it be recklessly swinging brawlers or leaping undead, each enemy’s behavior is not only worth understanding but is also always beautifully animated. These elements, along with some extra cosmetic goodies, give Mortal Shell a personality that feels right at home with its contemporaries. You will find yourself easily lost in the strange beauty on display in this title.
Hideous and Perfect
Mortal Shell offers a great take on the Souls-style action-RPG formula. The robust defensive options streamlines the rigid and skill-based combat system, allowing both strategic depth for fans of the genre and a nice spread of panic options for the newcomer. This is a nice breath of fresh air for this style of game, along with an item and upgrade system that doesn’t feel wedged in or overly-important. The atmosphere is dynamic and always keeps its dark fantasy edge, with the world changing over time as you complete various tasks. While there are frame drops and a few strange visual bugs, these criticisms are nitpicks at best and do not take away from the fantastic experience Mortal Shell offers.
