Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 85 | 140 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 76% | 71 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 83 | 145 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 75% | 70 | 3000 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 29, 2026) · 1026 reviews sampled · 6159 total reviews in window · weighted 802.8 up / 138.8 down · computed 35m ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (91)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“Mortal Shell II is an overly ambitious soulslike with an excess of mechanics and features that collide with one another, lacking cohesion and not quite grasping what makes the punishing genre satisfying to conquer in the first place. When it all comes together in a satisfying way, the experience shines, but getting to that point doesn't happen as often as it should.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Mortal Shell II turned out to be a benchmark work of fixing the mistakes of its predecessor. The world exploration is engaging, and the player is rewarded for their curiosity. The weapons and shells offer plenty of room for experimentation. Of course, Cold Symmetry won't escape the label of "yet another Dark Souls clone," but the studio has done a lot to appeal to players who consciously avoid this genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Mortal Shell II posed a bracing challenge at the time of review, toeing the line between a character-action game and Elden Ring.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Mortal Shell 2 deconstructs familiar souls-like mechanics in genuinely exciting ways, with dynamic stamina-free combat and deep build variety across Shells, Seals, and Tarstones, even if some fall damage frustrations and predictable mini-bosses hold it back from greatness.”
read full review ↗ - 95
““Mortal Shell 2” is more than a great follow up, it is an exceptional example of how to make a sequel by taking into account the previous title shortcomings whilst also keeping its core identity intact, expanding in a multitude of ways, providing flexibility in builds, a fantastic world to explore and also being friendly to newcomers of the genre. A must have RPG / souls-like fans.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Taking all the right lessons, Mortal Shell II is a relentless soulslike and an unrecognizably better sequel.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“After a more straightforward opening stretch, Mortal Shell II steps into the comfortable shoes of a solid, familiar soulslike. It’s at its best when it’s allowing for thorough customization of your build on the fly as you come across specific challenges. By always providing you multiple avenues to get stronger when you come across a sizable challenge, it’s easy to get stuck into throwing yourself at the open world to find more stuff. This success does come at a cost, though. In Mortal Shell II’s case this manifests in a game world that settles for being just serviceable with a rather limited variety of enemies per area and a difficulty that struggles to keep up with the player as the playthrough gets longer in the tooth. Encounter design does offset this to a certain degree with surprising moments and interesting visuals, but they’re still issues that can’t be ignored in a game of this type.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Mortal Shell 2 hits hardest when its brutal combat and inventive weapon arsenal click into place, but a string of nasty bugs, including one that forced a full restart mid-playthrough, keep undercutting an otherwise gripping souls-like.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Mortal Shell 2 is a superb sequel that reimagines and refines every idea from its predecessor while sidestepping many of the pitfalls that often hold the soulslike genre back.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Mortal Shell 2 is a worthy step up from its predecessor, boasting a large, cleverly interconnected sandbox world, greater build variety, refined gameplay and a visually arresting dark fantasy presentation.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“A solid soulslike that does almost everything right. But Mortal Shell 2 is at its best when it strives to be different. More of that, please.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Mortal Shell II is a fun game that managed to satisfy my lifelong craving for quality soulslikes. The game also builds upon the solid foundations of its predecessor, albeit simplifying certain aspects, and is certainly worth checking out.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
Slant Magazine
Videogiocare.it
Hu3br
Seasoned Gaming
Gamer Escape
EvelonGames
The Nerd Stash
Nexus Hub
Gamer Guides
Pizza Fria…and 79 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- The Week 1 Update is Available NowAug 29, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Update on the Mortal Shell II PC BetaFeb 25, 2026