Pixel Sundays: Mortal Shell – From a Small Soulslike to a Big Sequel
Mortal Shell originally released on August 18, 2020. The game was developed by Cold Symmetry and published by PlayStack. At the time, the core team consisted of just 15 developers, and their goal was to create an ambitious Soulslike that stood out from the crowd. During early development, the project was known as Dungeonhaven and drew heavy inspiration from Dark Souls and other games in the genre.
Summary
- From Small Indie Project to Dark Soulslike
- Four Bodies, Four Playstyles – The Shell System
- Hardening Instead of Blocking – Mortal Shell’s Unique Combat Mechanics
- Fallgrim – A Small but Merciless World
- More Than the Base Game – DLCs and New Editions
- Mortal Shell II – Larger, More Open, and Highly Ambitious
- Conclusion: From Soulslike Hidden Gem to Established Franchise
The twist is that you do not select a traditional character class, but rather possess the body of a fallen warrior. This is where the name “Shells” originates. Equally critical is the Harden mechanic, allowing you to turn your body to stone mid-combat. This small indie title eventually evolved into a successful franchise, and now, Mortal Shell II stands on the brink of its August 20, 2026 release as a vastly expanded sequel.
From Small Indie Project to Dark Soulslike
Cold Symmetry was founded in 2017. This newly formed team included several developers with AAA experience. They shared a desire to spearhead their own project, launching it with a significantly smaller crew of merely 15 developers. Thus, they began work on Dungeonhaven, which was only later rebranded as Mortal Shell. Despite the small team, the game boasted ambitious visuals made possible by Unreal Engine 4. The title features a dark fantasy aesthetic with ruined landscapes, grotesque monstrosities, and towering bosses.
The primary inspiration was clearly Dark Souls, particularly regarding its punishing melee combat. However, the developers deliberately chose against creating a massive, sprawling game, offering instead a more condensed experience with fewer regions and weapons. Due to the core Shell mechanic, there were also far fewer character classes. The initial gameplay reveals garnered significant attention prior to release, largely due to the graphical fidelity. Many assumed the game was the product of a major studio. It officially launched on August 18, 2020, for PC, PS4, and Xbox One at a highly accessible price point of €25. This low barrier to entry allowed many players to discover the game.
Four Bodies, Four Playstyles – The Shell System
At the beginning of Mortal Shell, you start without a standard human body. You are a mysterious entity known as a Foundling. However, you possess the ability to inhabit the corpses of fallen warriors. These bodies are called Shells and serve as the game’s central mechanic, replacing classic character classes. Initially, there are four primary Shells, each featuring unique stats, varying HP, stamina, and special abilities. The four characters are:
- Harros – An all-rounder with balanced stats, perfectly suited for beginners.
- Tiel – Boasts high agility and stamina but possesses low HP, designed for a fast-paced combat style.
- Solomon – Strongly focused on utilizing special abilities.
- Eredim – A tank built for maximum resilience and high HP, offset by lower stamina.
The Shells can be upgraded. Over time, you unlock new abilities by gathering the required resources. Therefore, there is no traditional leveling system akin to Dark Souls. You can also swap Shells throughout the game, allowing for entirely different approaches to combat. Upon dying, you are ejected from your Shell and are granted one opportunity to reclaim the body. Only if you fail this attempt do you face true death. This system provides a second chance following minor mistakes—a feature rarely seen in other Soulslikes.
Hardening Instead of Blocking – Mortal Shell’s Unique Combat Mechanics
The second major core mechanic in Mortal Shell is Hardening. You can harden your body, turning the character to solid stone for a brief duration. This allows you to absorb enemy strikes. While the feature functions similarly to blocking, it is significantly more flexible, as it can be deployed mid-attack. Your own attack animation is not even interrupted. For example, you can initiate a heavy attack, use Harden midway through, absorb the enemy’s hit, and then seamlessly follow through with your own strike.
This feature creates a highly unconventional combat rhythm. You are not forced to dodge every attack; rather, you must perfectly time your Harden. The ability operates on a cooldown and cannot be used perpetually, requiring careful planning in its deployment. It proves exceptionally potent against formidable foes and, naturally, bosses. The mechanic is deeply engaging because it can be utilized both offensively and defensively. It enables aggressive maneuvers by allowing you to briefly pause your strikes mid-swing.
In addition to Hardening, players can still dodge and parry, meaning you simply have one more defensive option compared to other Soulslikes. Different weapons alter the rhythm of Hardening, though it synergizes most effectively with heavy weaponry. You can deliberately wind up an attack to bait enemies into striking, then deploy Harden to deliver a devastating counter. The more experienced you become, the more tactical this feature feels, and mastering this learning curve is a core component of the game.
Fallgrim – A Small but Merciless World
Fallgrim serves as the central hub in the world of Mortal Shell. It is a swampy, decaying landscape dripping with a constantly grim atmosphere. Ruins are scattered everywhere, offering barely any safe havens as enemies relentlessly patrol the grounds. Acting as a nexus, several paths branch out from Fallgrim leading to various temples and expansive zones, each featuring its own unique enemy types and boss encounters.
Throughout the world, you can discover new weapons and hidden Shells. Resources are scattered generously, rewarding thorough exploration. Initially, navigating the map proves challenging due to the absence of a traditional minimap. You must learn to rely on environmental landmarks, which can be disorienting at first. The world is deliberately shrouded in mystery, and the narrative is rarely handed to you directly. Much of the lore is concealed within item descriptions, NPC dialogue, and the memories tied to the Shells. This delivers a classic Soulslike storytelling experience, requiring you to piece the narrative together yourself.
Religion also plays a pivotal role in Mortal Shell, highlighted by fanatical followers and mysterious cults. The world feels as though it has been ruined for ages, leaving little room for hope. This establishes a deeply immersive atmosphere within a relatively compact map. However, the environment is densely packed, ensuring short travel distances between key locations. Fallgrim remains the central focus for a large portion of the game, with its surroundings only undergoing minor shifts later on. Naturally, the enemies grow increasingly dangerous. The deliberate sense of alienation and discomfort heavily defines the game’s unique identity.
Beyond the Base Game – DLCs and New Editions
Cold Symmetry continued to support Mortal Shell well after its launch. Several free updates were released, starting with the major Rotting Autumn update in 2020. This introduced additional Shell skins, minor content additions, new quests, and a photo mode. It also featured an alternative soundtrack by the band Rotting Christ—an unconventional collaboration that perfectly matched the game’s dark tone. In 2021, the Enhanced Edition followed, bringing technical upgrades such as higher resolutions, improved performance, and shorter load times.
This dedicated support demonstrated long-term success, paving the way for the release of The Virtuous Cycle DLC in August 2021. Priced at just €7 (currently available for under €4), this expansion introduced a Roguelike/Roguelite mode. Every run feels fresh, offering different enemies and rewards. It added numerous new abilities and over 100 potential upgrades, ensuring diverse builds for every attempt. Hadern, previously a crucial NPC, became a playable Shell, accompanied by the Axatana—a versatile new weapon that seamlessly shifts between an axe and a katana. This provided fresh combat styles and massive replayability. Later, the Complete Edition arrived, alongside a Nintendo Switch port, keeping Mortal Shell relevant for years.
Mortal Shell II – Bigger, More Open, and Highly Ambitious
After several years, Mortal Shell II is set to launch on August 20, 2026. Once again developed by Cold Symmetry in partnership with PlayStack, this highly anticipated sequel features a significantly larger development team of nearly 30 members. While the core concept of the Shells remains intact, many underlying systems have been vastly expanded. This time, there are more playable Shells—eight in total—allowing for a wider variety of playstyles. The weapon arsenal has also grown, offering deeper customization and upgrade paths. Furthermore, sidearms have been introduced, adding ranged combat options to complement melee engagements.
The world is significantly larger than its predecessor, shifting to a seamless open world with fewer restrictive pathways. However, this is not a sprawling, bloated map; the environment remains compact while granting more freedom for exploration. You have the agency to decide what to tackle and in what order. Expect new regions, an expanded enemy roster, and more intense boss battles. Combat in the sequel is faster, heavily rewarding an aggressive playstyle. The entire stamina system has been overhauled, meaning attacks are no longer as severely restricted by stamina consumption. Instead, the focus shifts to breaking enemy posture to deliver devastating critical strikes.
Additionally, the world features over 60 confirmed dungeons scattered across the map. Each dungeon presents unique challenges that will test your weapons, Shells, and abilities. From ruined temples and forbidden forests to icy tombs and citadels forged from bone, the variety of locations is immense. The game launches on August 20 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. At €49.99, Mortal Shell 2 is priced higher than the original, but the expanded scope justifies the cost. Furthermore, the Devout Edition grants up to 72 hours of Early Access.
Conclusion: From Soulslike Hidden Gem to Established Franchise
Mortal Shell proved that a small development team could create a compelling Soulslike without merely cloning Dark Souls. The innovative Shell system and the Harden mechanic gave the game a distinct identity, ensuring combat felt entirely unique. Coupled with the compact, grim world of Fallgrim, the game delivered a dense, oppressive atmosphere despite being smaller than its genre competitors.
Through consistent updates, the Enhanced Edition, and The Virtuous Cycle, Mortal Shell expanded significantly post-launch. Now, Cold Symmetry is taking its biggest leap yet with Mortal Shell II. Featuring eight Shells, an expanded arsenal, a more open world, and over 60 dungeons, the sequel is undeniably more ambitious while preserving the core pillars of the original.
Over the course of six years, a modest indie project crafted by just 15 developers has evolved into an established Soulslike franchise. Whether Mortal Shell II successfully executes this massive leap forward is something we will discover starting August 20.
Hey, I’m Kilian, but online you’ll probably know me as “Tux1243.” I've been part of the team for almost two years now, always trying to keep you in the loop with the latest and coolest gaming news. I also have a huge passion for doing deep dives and detailed analyses of entire game series and franchises. I love getting to the bottom of things and exploring the little details and backstories that make game worlds so fascinating.
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Comments (1)
Going from €25 to €49.99 is a big jump, but if the open world and combat overhaul actually deliver, it’s fair enough. I just hope the expanded scope doesn't lose that tight, atmospheric focus that made Fallgrim so special in the original.