REVIEW – Cold Symmetry’s game is also a Souls clone, but it has managed to stand out in the genre thanks to its gameplay, just as Lies of P did in its day. However, it must be noted that it’s not easy, though this remains true to a greater extent until you learn how to overcome the challenges in the game. It launched on the day of the fireworks display, a mistake that the more expensive version had previously made.

Yes, even here, players who purchased the more expensive version were able to start the game three days earlier. If anything, this is what needs to be eliminated.

Harbinger Possesses Shells

Our protagonist, the Harbinger, differs from the others in that he can possess the bodies, or Shells, of fallen warriors. If he takes too much damage – and this can easily happen, since even basic enemies can chip away about a third of his HP – he’ll be forced out. Our faceless character will then need a new host body in the world of Undermethyr, which is a nice touch since the location isn’t habitable after being mined for resources. Our character sets out on an egg hunt – not as the Easter Bunny, but to defeat grotesque bosses and prevent the further corruption of this beautifully decaying world. The visuals are great, with muted colours that make the creature designs stand out. All the while, the game punishes you mercilessly: as soon as you step out of the tutorial area, a boss is waiting to show you that you’d better be prepared to die a few times. If you don’t want to fight the smaller enemies, they’ll often chase you and hit you. There are even preliminary bosses guarding the game’s major gates before the main bosses, so it’s no wonder you’ll find yourself trying to track down hidden resources throughout the world.

Compared to the first game, the budget is bigger, as reflected in the playthrough time of about 17–18 hours. Along the way, grinding for gold saved from deaths or gloom left behind didn’t seem worthwhile. However, we gradually get the hang of it as we explore the dungeons, purchase maps, which mark the locations of new weapons, and discover the locations of the new Shells.

The gameplay loop is simple: new area, struggle, stumble upon a new upgrade, move on. Speaking of HP bars, the Harbinger has one too, but it only offers false hope. The Harbinger can use both melee and ranged weapons, but that’s it. Leveling up felt like this too. Dealing damage to an opponent with a melee weapon increases the revival percentage of the currently active Shell, and once it reaches 100%, you can fight again. The stronger your bond with the Shell, the more health it has when it revives and the fewer hits it needs. MSII aims to prevent players from experimenting excessively, though it must be acknowledged that you will need to do so initially, as we did, to find your feet. This is perhaps understandable.

An Unsealed Fate

You can use up to four seals to parry incoming attacks. However, if you parry with only one seal, you’ll be stunned after one or two hits. Parrying at the right moment reduces your opponent’s stamina, enabling you to land a critical hit after enough successful parries. Using another seal enables you to parry attacks, but you’ll need to master the timing. There is also a seal that hardens your body, eliminating vulnerability. With good timing, you can throw your opponent off balance. However, you must be careful: when attacks flash red, you must either stay completely out of the way or jump. There’s also a seal that makes the game easier, but it disables achievements/trophies.

But once you figure out the trick, everything changes. You can allocate skill points to the nodes, there are 40 in total, and you can reset them at rest points or transfer them to another Shell. You can only fully unlock the skill tree by maxing out the bond. Genessa spawns clones of herself when attacking, Smert freezes time, and the Tarstones further expand the combinations, and you can also equip multiple copies of these. Upgrading the gem that boosts burst damage or equipping the gem that grants a dual dagger/axe attack on Smert makes the game a breeze. It’s possible that Cold Symmetry will release patches later on, perhaps by the official release date, to tweak a few things. For now, though, you can put together some pretty brutal builds, which makes this game, which isn’t easy to begin with, a bit more manageable. So it’s worth experimenting in this area!

Rating It Is Also Not That Easy

Ultimately, Mortal Shell II won’t receive a particularly glowing review. Many will quickly turn away from it, but the game’s world and design are excellent, and it’s great for experimentation. However, let’s be honest: this game is only recommended for masochists. If you found Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree too easy and Nioh 3 didn’t pose much of a challenge, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

-Gergely Herpai „BadSector”-

Developer: Cold Symmetry
Publisher: Playstack
Release Date: August 17/20, 2026
Genre: Souls clone