The Escapist Mortal Shell Hands-on Preview

[Nick Calandra]

We got some hands-on time with Mortal Shell.

Elijah's write-up.

Mortal Shell Is a Sleeker, Class-Based Dark Souls Successor - Preview

Cold Symmetry and Playstack's Mortal Shell seems to throw away some core ideas of Dark Souls in order to create a Souls-like alternative that really works.

www.escapistmagazine.com

Jack and I also got some time with it and provided our thoughts.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

If I didn’t have such a backlog I’d be more inclined to give it a try at launch, but it’ll have to wait. Plus I want to finish Sekiro first.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

I'm so done with Souls-likes, especially ones that are just clones with the near same aesthetic even. At least Dark Souls was something slightly different from the standard medieval fantasy that most RPGs are, though it wasn't too different. And all the systems and mechanics are just so similar. The whole using your old shell to get full health seems like a much more complicated version of Sekiro's resurrection.

 

[stroopwafel]

Gameplay looks actually much better than the trailers. Beautiful graphics. Good to hear the positive previews. Love these games so I'll try it when it comes out.

I'm so done with Souls-likes, especially ones that are just clones with the near same aesthetic even. At least Dark Souls was something slightly different from the standard medieval fantasy that most RPGs are, though it wasn't too different. And all the systems and mechanics are just so similar. The whole using your old shell to get full health seems like a much more complicated version of Sekiro's resurrection.

In the last few years I don't think there were many similar games with the medieval aesthetic. The last proper good one was Dark Souls 3 and that is now over four years ago.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

In the last few years I don't think there were many similar games with the medieval aesthetic. The last proper good one was Dark Souls 3 and that is now over four years ago.

There's tons of RPGs that use basic Tolkien fantasy. A lot of major franchises are that like Diablo, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age. Witcher is medieval fantasy. Even most JRPGs are set in swords and shields times. Hell, both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy were heavily influenced by DnD and had to change a few things to avoid lawsuits way back in the day. JRPGs do, for the most part, try to make more unique worlds than WRPGs though. As far as recent RPGs, there's been the Pillars of Eternity and Divinity Original Sin series. There's arguably better Diablo games than Diablo like Path of Exile for example. There's Gloomhaven based on the board game. There's Pathfinder games. There's a new Baldur's Gate close to release, I believe a new Dragon Age is on the way, I'm sure Bethesda is working on a new Elder Scrolls. If you're looking to play RPGs set in Tolkien fantasy, you'll never be at a loss for something to play.

 

[stroopwafel]

There's tons of RPGs that use basic Tolkien fantasy. A lot of major franchises are that like Diablo, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age. Witcher is medieval fantasy. Even most JRPGs are set in swords and shields times. Hell, both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy were heavily influenced by DnD and had to change a few things to avoid lawsuits way back in the day. JRPGs do, for the most part, try to make more unique worlds than WRPGs though. As far as recent RPGs, there's been the Pillars of Eternity and Divinity Original Sin series. There's arguably better Diablo games than Diablo like Path of Exile for example. There's Gloomhaven based on the board game. There's Pathfinder games. There's a new Baldur's Gate close to release, I believe a new Dragon Age is on the way, I'm sure Bethesda is working on a new Elder Scrolls. If you're looking to play RPGs set in Tolkien fantasy, you'll never be at a loss for something to play.

Yeah, but other than the occasional Dragon Quest I don't like any of those games. The only one I also recently played is DQ11 which looks more like a children's cartoon than anyhthing properly medieval. I also don't like Tolkien. Dark Souls is more derivative of '80s D&D which I absolutely love as a setting(which in itself might be derivative of Tolkien but I find it distinct enough). Mortal Shell in it's turn looks derivative of Dark Souls but atleast it's a kind of game I'd be actually interested to play.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

How does the general movement feel? It looks like it could be on the stiff side like DS2 is before you crank up the ADP stat. I’m also concerned about how connected the character feels to the environment. Like footwork needs to feel deliberate with some weight to it vs just there for animation’s sake.

Also it seems to have the same clipping issues that plagued SoulsBorne.

 

[SilentPony]

That looks like a very frustrating game

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

That looks like a very frustrating game

Perhaps, and now anyone with an appropriately spec’d PC can find find out for themselves-

Action RPG Mortal Shell opens its beta due to player demand

It's quite pretty and you can play it right now.

www.pcgamer.com

Be Forewarned though,

Our James Davenport just got a look at the game a few days ago, and here's what he had to say. "Mortal Shell is a Dark Souls concentrate, a much denser, more challenging reconfiguration of the Souls-like that jams more traps, ambushes, and intense duels into a single arena than the whole of the Undead Burg. It's a lot. Too much, sometimes."

Ps, I’ve always wondered what game your avatar is from?

 

[Silvanus]

I've been looking forward to this, and it still looks good. I'm up for a slower-moving Souls-like after Bloodborne & Nioh. The shell mechanic has the potential to make it distinct enough, though it still looks damn similar to Dark Souls.

The detail about usable items not having any info on their usage until after you've used them seems pointless and annoying.

 

[ObsidianJones]

I really, really don't know. I gotta feel the Stoneflesh mechanics.

I was never much of a blocker. I rolled through everything. I can see the purpose of this, but nothing about it is really grabbing me. I just feel gimmick everytime I see it.

But great preview. While it didn't hype me on the game, it made me measure my expectations. That's beneficial in my eyes.

 

[SilentPony]

I've been looking forward to this, and it still looks good. I'm up for a slower-moving Souls-like after Bloodborne & Nioh. The shell mechanic has the potential to make it distinct enough, though it still looks damn similar to Dark Souls.

The detail about usable items not having any info on their usage until after you've used them seems pointless and annoying.

After seeing the struggles of the gameplay, the overall design and obvious 'homage' to Bloodborne I think pointless and annoying are going to be central themes in this game

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

The game has some interesting ideas but suffers from a bit roughshod execution. I’ve played through the the first and presumably most of the second area and so far it’s mostly like a quicker version of SoulsBorne, but movement feels less weighted. The melee feels a bit more deliberate though. The focus on skill trees over stats makes sense with the shells. The two presented so far feel distinct enough even without many upgrades in place.

The hardening ability is interesting in that you can tank a hit to make up for a lack of animation cancels on offense. This makes it pretty tactical during duels or when outnumbered. It also acts like a slightly more suspenseful version of Sekiro when you get knocked out and attempt to get back into it for a second chance; usually with at least one or two aggressive enemies around. Sometimes you can race back to in before the enemy’s recovered but others requires more tact.

Progression feels more tedious than Souls because of how quickly you can die and how aggressive the enemies are, with little room to escape or run past in some areas. The combat seems to be as much about utilizing the hardening and parrying as much as dodging. I’m too tired and unfocused to finish the second stage now, and it’ll have to wait til I’m back from vacation. Pretty intriguing game though for an increasingly crowded genre. If they polish up the feel of combat and movement it could be an exceptional first outing for a new team, especially considering it’s comprised of only 15 people.

 

[BrawlMan]

Here is Seraphim17's impressions: