The analysis of Mortal Shell places us in front of a game with a strong inspiration in Dark Souls. However, it adds its own elements that make it unique in its kind, and that helps to understand its complexity. In this analysis, we tell you everything.
Welcome, traveler. I suppose, at this point, you will be exhausted from the worlds created by FromSoftware in the Dark Souls saga, right? Well, in case it doesn’t and you’re looking for something new, but reminiscent of the games that started this genre, you’d better welcome Mortal Shell; before he attacks first.
But first of all, what exactly is Mortal Shell? This is the debut in the gaming industry of Cold Symmetry, an independent studio founded in 2017 by just four people. Although in these three years until the launch of the game, it has been nurtured by veterans in AAA titles with a great passion for making games with their own personality.
____Waking Up From Lack Of Energy?
Already in the early stages of the game, Mortal Shell presents us with a unique mechanic. Our character this time there is no editor, he is a “naked” hero is capable of hardening himself. Broadly speaking, this mechanic translates into the hero’s ability to transform into stone, thus resisting enemy attacks. Something that is essential, considering that in this world everything will want to end us.
Still, his most amazing ability is the ability to get into the bodies of fallen warriors; we can “own” them and enjoy their different statistics as if they were a kind of armor. The game offers different Receptacles, all warriors, but each with different statistics.
This is what the name of the game, Mortal Shell, refers to as the premise is to occupy these Receptacles and use them to advance. The ones you can find are scattered throughout Fallgrim the game world and the place where the opening bars take place, but what happens if they eliminate us from the game?
___The world, boy, watch out for the world
The world, boy watch out for the world
In Mortal Shell, being weakened does not mean dying. After taking our first steps and dispatching the first enemies, one of the paths leads us to a pantheon where one of the Genessa Sisters awaits. She will be our spirit guide, so to speak, and will help us improve our Vessel; incidentally, it also has the role of a bonfire -speaking in Dark Souls- since we can return back to it in case of death.
After exploring different regions of the map, you can only get four Receptacles, all in this initial region of Fallgrim, and from there continue to advance After exploring different regions of the map, you can only get four Receptacles, all in this initial region of Fallgrim and from there continue to advance through the rest of the world. When you know where they are, go and get into them, but they will not be able to change with each other.
Although the weapons can be improved in one way or another, as you can see above. One of the objects, for example, is this one that you can see and which is called soothing acid, when applied to the weapon it will increase its strength; a curious thing that what calms you makes you stronger.
_____Ok, am I ready to fight?
Yes, but you will have to explore some somewhat confusing maps to advance. They are labyrinthine, everything leads anywhere and we get lost in an easy thing: forks, holes in walls, cliffs. There is an enemy at every corner and everyone will want to kill you.
If you remember correctly, Sister Genessa is a point of return back to the world without penalty, you can find a route and then explore the map calmly. The design is harrowing, as well as a wonderful soundtrack. It is a compendium of the good thing about mystery games, coupled with a medieval atmosphere that seems to prevent you from moving forward.
____Well, now is the time to die?
More or less, yes. Just kidding, but in general, once we have everything mastered, some matches will become relatively easy. Note that Harden has a somewhat short cooldown, just 6 seconds and that you can see in the lower-left corner. This means that we can fool the enemy by attacking, turning into a rock, and then making a combo.
The Parrys help, but sometimes they are complicated. To make one, we need to get an Imbued Seal and activate it right at the moment they attack. You must have the determination bar loaded to do so, it is won by attacking and is represented by a series of five small bars located above our life
Another thing that has been a very notable detail is the Indie Mode. By doing so, the entire Mortal Shell will appear with pixel graphics as if the game were a classic or indie game with this style of graphics. Isn’t it a nice thing.