Mortal Shell is an action-RPG “Souls-like” from Cold Symmetry, an indie studio of industry veterans, and publisher Playstack.
You will be playing as an “empty vessel,” a ghostly white empty shell in a shattered, distorted world in which humanity is slowly decaying away. You will follow the mysterious orders and wishes of “The Father,” who is desperate for your help to find the “sacred glands.” To do that, you’ll face formidable foes and form your own, non-linear path.
Mortal Shell is built around the ruthless, action-oriented, stamina-based combat of the Souls-like genre. But this isn’t just another Dark Souls clone. The game boasts a unique feature – the possession system.
You can possess fallen warriors – the titular “Mortal Shells.” You can take control of their remains and explore their combat style and unique abilities. Each shell will support its own fighting style, so you can pick-and-choose which one suits you best. Depending on how many Mortal Shells there are in the game, this mechanic can either offer diverse combat styles or stick to a small pool of archetypes.
With the diversity in playstyles between shells, you can expect another level of the tactical view of the fighting scene. These different shells and different playstyles raise a lot of questions. What will you do if you encounter a newer, stronger shell right before a boss fight? Will you stay with the one you have been leveling for the past few hours, or try out the new one? Are specific shells better against particular bosses? The possession system has the potential to encourage players to experiment and explore.
The trailer shows a very morbid and dark atmosphere and setting, so all you Souls-veterans will feel right at home in this new world. It also features many huge, grotesque and gruesome enemies and bosses that fit right into the Souls-like formula.
Mortal Shell is scheduled for a Q3 2020 release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. You can read more about it on the game’s official site.
