Mortal Shell is yet another noteworthy Soulslike that manages to stand out from its peers, thanks to unique gameplay mechanics and striking art direction.
In contrast to the vibrant and minimalist art style in Ashen, Mortal Shell matches FromSoftware’s sense of twisted dark fantasy and intricate details. Mortal Shell takes place in a gloomy world of swamps, dungeons, and otherworldly ruins. Brutally tough enemies and giant boss monsters stalk the land, guarding secrets, shortcuts, and special items. And, of course, there’s plenty of lore to piece together. In short, it’s every Souls fan’s dream (nightmare?).
Mortal Shell also features a novel interaction on the methodically-paced combat and character building that defines the games it takes inspiration from. Rather than creating your own unique character, players inhabit “shells” of fallen heroes you slowly unlock throughout the game. Each shell can equip its own weapons, stats, and movesets, but they all share a special “harden” ability, which freezes the player in place while making them fully immune to all incoming attacks for a short period of time. This small addition gives Mortal Shell’s otherwise standard Soulslike combat much more strategic depth.
Available on: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
