Mortal Shell 2 might just be the best Soulslike since Elden Ring

While most sequels are iterative, often just having one or two new features to differentiate them from their predecessors, from time to time you get one that feels like a major step up. Mortal Shell 2 is one of those games. The original Mortal Shell was a good Soulslike, sure, but it also felt quite compact and streamlined. Those are words you definitely can’t use to describe Mortal Shell 2, which introduces a myriad of new systems while also presenting players with a stunning-looking open world.

Unsurprisingly, some things here are unchanged from the original Mortal Shell. Its story is quite mysterious, for example, relying on you delving into the world’s lore. There’s also a general sense of mystery everywhere you go. The key thing that remains the same, however, is the fact you play as a husk. As the Harbinger, you’re more than capable of exploring the world and dealing with fearsome enemies. If you want to maximise your potential, though, you’ll want to find what are known as Shells throughout the world. Each one embellishes your abilities in some capacity, and provides a unique range of abilities to make use of.

It’s the ways in which Mortal Shell 2 deviates from its predecessor that make it such an ambitious and impressive sequel. The open world, for example, is not only a treat to explore thanks to its picturesque views, but it’s also meticulously crafted to reward exploration at every turn. No matter which direction you go in, there’s something to see or do, whether it’s discovering a map to make charting your way through the world easier, or discovering a dungeon in which there’s valuable loot to be found. Beacons found along the way help you move around the world in an efficient manner, too, with you soon unlocking the ability to fast travel between them.

The Shell system has been considerably revamped, too. You’re now given much more freedom with regards to what weapons you equip and other items you equip, allowing you to further define your own playstyle. You’re also able to customise each Shell, using points to unlock and upgrade various perks which enhance their abilities. Along with other tweaks, the Shell system in Mortal Shell 2 feels much deeper, and more rewarding as a result.

Being a Soulslike, you’ll need all the upgrades you can get if you want to survive. You can, of course, upgrade your weapons here, and it’s a mercy that your upgrades are applied to all weapons that you discover. To further enhance your abilities, you’re also able to level up and equip a number of Tarstones, each one providing sone kind of ability or perk. There are offensive Tarstones that allow you to perform charged standard and heavy attacks, for example, while support Tarstones might passively improve things such as your critical hit chance. With a large number of Tarstones to discover, there’s a lot of scope for experimentation.

If making progress in Mortal Shell 2 proves to be too much of an ordeal, you can even make use of an item called the Slayer Seal to essentially enable easy mode. Equipping the Slayer Seal gives you access to numerous abilities that give you a considerable boost, allowing you to push through the game with less friction. It comes with a caveat, though, in that equipping the Slayer Seal disables the ability to earn achievements/trophies on your save file. It’s somewhat understandable, but perhaps disappointing for those who need a helping hand.

In any case, it’s worth persisting with Mortal Shell 2, because playing it is simply a joy. The controls are tight and responsive, and you can tell a lot of work has been put into the animations of both the Harbinger and the many enemies you encounter. This, along with all the tools at your disposal, results in every bout of combat being wonderfully thrilling and dynamic as you dodge, parry or harden to counter enemy attacks before unleashing your own assaults.

After hours of play I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of Mortal Shell 2, so I’ll be putting in many more hours before delivering my final verdict, but one thing is clear: this is the best Soulslike since 2022’s Elden Ring. Whether you’ve played the original Mortal Shell or not, if you’re after a game that lets you explore a mysterious and engrossing world while doing battle with challenging enemies, Mortal Shell 2 has you covered. This is a seriously impressive sequel from Cold Symmetry.

Mortal Shell 2 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.