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In 2021, Cold Symmetry delivered us the action RPG Mortal Shell and five years on, its long-awaited sequel is yours to sample.
Mortal Shell II is coming to PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S later this year, but PC users can actually give it a whirl right now.
That’s courtesy of a new free beta which has launched on Steam - and you don’t need to have played Mortal Shell to appreciate it.
That’s because Mortal Shell II has been designed to be a standalone sequel, so you don’t actually require any prior knowledge.
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“Mortal Shell II is a standalone sequel to Mortal Shell that significantly expands on the original with unrestricted, adrenaline-charged combat, deeper weapon design with extensive upgrade options, and an emphasis on free exploration,” the game’s description reads.
In this open-world title, players will traverse their way across “twisted landscapes” and “hidden structures” as they put a stop to deadly “forgotten warriors”.
The basic lore of the Mortal Shell universe is that mankind tapped into a powerful magic called the Void in a bid to try to control life itself.
Of course, that went horribly wrong, creating nightmarish “unborn” creatures.
In Mortal Shell II, you’ll step into the shoes of the Harbinger, “a being prophesied to reclaim the blessed Undermether’s stolen Ova from the daunting creatures that ruthlessly guard her unborn”.
“Mortal Shell II’s compact open-world connects over winding footpaths guarded by the desperate and fanatical.
“Those who wander are rewarded with new story elements, Shells, powerful and strange weaponry, upgrades, curiosities and more.”
Players will travel through lost temples of ancient deities, forbidden forests, citadels carved from bone, and icy graveyards as they attempt to complete more than 60 dungeons, each with its own foes.
The free beta is accessible via its own Steam listing and grants you access to the opening several hours of Mortal Shell II, which includes exploring the first region.
“Players will begin the Harbinger’s journey by possessing fallen Shells and venturing into an early section of the open world,” devs note.
“Along the way, you can cleanse beacons, explore optional dungeons, take on hidden mini-bosses and challenges, then press onward toward Magdalena, the Lady of the Woods.”
This is, of course, a build that remains in-development so don’t judge the devs too harshly if there are a couple of bugs or performance issues.
In fact, that’s the whole point of a beta: to iron out those issues.
If you do partake in the beta, you’ll unlock The Flayed Harbinger cosmetic reward, which you’ll be able to claim when the game launches in full.
If you progress beyond the Marrow Keep, players will also be able to skip the prologue on Mortal Shell II’s launch day.
That being said, full save progress will not carry over to maintain balance, so shells, collectables, and other items will reset.
The shell featured in this beta is Tiel, the acolyte, which is one of Mortal Shell II’s eight playable shells.
“Seek his remains, possess his flesh, awaken his innate abilities, and uncover the secrets buried within him.”
The beta is currently sitting at a ‘Very Positive’ rating of 92% on Steam, so it’s off to an excellent start (correct at the time of writing).
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