Mortal Shell is the debut project of Cold Symmetry studio. It is a soulslike production, an action RPG in the style of the Dark Souls series. The title began life in 2018 under the name Dungeonhaven as a project of three developers who worked, among others on the Call of Duty series and Ghost Of Tsushima. Mortal Shell is set in a fantasy universe. However, this is not a colorful land of elves or dwarves, but a dark world full of horror, in which only ruins and faint memories remain of human civilization. This does not please the mysterious entity known as the Dark Father.

It is he who orders the main character – an empty vessel without a form – to go in search of the lost shrines of the faithful, where he will have to face enormous challenges. Mortal Shell uses the classic soulslike production scheme. We observe the action from the third person perspective (TPP). The fight is very dexterous, but there is no chaotic pressing of buttons or joyfully waving a sword (or other white weapon) like in typical slashers.

Each enemy is a threat to us, and we are often forced to face several opponents at once. Efficient fingers and quick reflexes are not enough to emerge victorious from these clashes. It is also necessary to conduct the fight carefully and use common sense so that the hastily delivered blow is not our last. What distinguishes Mortal Shell from other productions is the unusual character development system. The character we lead does not have a body shell, but instead takes control of the remains of dead warriors. Each of them during their lifetime was distinguished by their abilities and specialization, which we can use after taking over their corpses.

As the hero deepens his understanding of a given shell, new skills and upgrades are unlocked, making us even more dangerous in combat. We have at our disposal both a large arsenal of weapons and a large number of offensive spells. Mortal Shell was prepared with a single player adventure in mind, so there is no multiplayer mode.

The story campaign is non-linear, giving us the freedom to choose our next target. The visual setting of Mortal Shell brings to mind other soulslike productions, although it is closest to the style known from the production of From Software studio.

The graphics are kept in dark tones, emphasizing the gloomy and sometimes terrifying nature of the game world. The clashes are accompanied by various visual effects of attacks and spells.