Mortal Shell Release Date Revealed in New Trailer that Features Medieval Bazooka

The Soulslike genre is one that always gets me fired up. I have so many memories of incredible moments in these types of games and if it wasn’t for titles like Bloodborne and the original Dark Souls being absolutely stellar I don’t think I would have stuck with any game that is fundamentally challenging for long. One of the most exciting Soulslike games of the year, Mortal Shell from Playstack and Cold Symmetry has just gotten a new trailer that shows that the game’s release on PS4, Xbox One, and the Epic Store (Steam in 2021) is right around the corner.

Mortal Shell drops on August 18th and we could not be more excited about it. The game features a unique shell system where players become a wraith-like creature and enter the bodies of fallen heroes. There’s a lot to unpack in the trailer for those that have been keeping up with every nugget of information shared but one of the most standout moments was when the hero loads that weird crossbow bazooka thing; can’t wait to give that a go.

There was a recent beta period where we got to play some of the game and it showed a ton of promise then. The world is bleak, menacing, yet full of bizarre beauty. The action is engaging and the moves and options were plentiful. Plus, there’s a harden mechanic that allows one to turn to stone to block incoming attacks and interrupt animations which has some really incredible utility for a game like this. Needless to say, Soulslike masters and speedrunners may find a lot to chew on.

Now, the developers have said in interviews with IGN that this isn’t a massive world on the scale of some of the biggest games in the genre. This means that Mortal Shell is predicted to be a much more focused approach and honestly that sounds fantastic to me personally. Even games like Bloodborne has systems that I just didn’t interact with because they were obtuse or felt like they were there for little purpose. I am always in favor of trimming the fat in games and with a genre already known for sticking to a particular set of mechanics and themes that could make Mortal Shell a standout.

It’s important to note though that making a Soulslike game appears to be super challenging and many of them release to less than stellar receptions. Provided that bugs have been combed through and that the game’s performance doesn’t falter much, Mortal Shell could be a slam dunk with players and critics alike but if there are lots of technical problems that could mean a slow start. Regardless, this is one that fans of the genre should keep an eye on, and because of the limited scope, I think that newcomers should take a look as well. The fact that the game is releasing for 30 bucks though is a plus.

Mortal Shell is available for pre-order now on the Epic Store for $29.99 USD with PS4 and Xbox One pre-orders likely to be available soon. More information can be found on the official website.

For earlier Mortal Shell coverage, check out my reactions to the reveal trailer. For something cut from the same cloth as Dark Souls but way more cute, check out our review of the Cute-Souls game Skellboy.