Mortal Shell review (PC) - Some ups, lots of downs
Okay—first off, Mortal Shell is an admittedly impressive project given that it's made by a 15-person development team. Aping Dark Souls right down to From Software's trademark screen blurring/chromatic aberration is dangerous because inviting comparisons to something everyone already loves risks your project being seen as a lesser version of it, but Mortal Shell draws from Dark Souls fearlessly. I also love the shell mechanic that allows you to choose a playstyle early on rather than having to spec into it slowly, and the hardening mechanic that serves as a block of sorts can be rewarding to fit into your combos. However, the things I appreciate about Mortal Shell are vastly outweighed by near-constant irritations. I never got over how often I'd get stuck next to an instant-death pit (of which there are entirely too many) and find myself unable to scale one step to safety thanks to the complete absence of a jump outside of certain weapon attacks. The enemies who can leap on top of your back from seemingly any distance were also a constant thorn in my side, as were the ghosts who can become invisible and hit you out of nowhere. Many of the mechanics here could lead to an incredible sequel, but more often than not, Mortal Shell feels as lifeless and hollow as the corpses your playable character inhabits. Read the full article