Microsoft's hot streak when it comes to exciting additions to Xbox Game Pass has rather unsurprisingly continued into its November offerings. Alongside a pair of day-one debuts courtesy of charming indie games Before We Leave and DEEEER Simulator, subscribers to the service will also receive access to Cold Symmetry's excellent Mortal Shell this month. Fans of challenging action-RPGs who happen to own an Xbox Series X/S or PC should have the game on their radar for a number of intriguing reasons.

While there's a natural tendency in gaming to compare titles to their influences, drawing comparisons between Mortal Shell and the iconic games that have informed its DNA is something that's almost impossible to avoid. Between developer comments and the formula that runs through the core of the game, it's almost instantly apparent how much FromSoftware's Dark Souls titles inspired the small team when developing the studio's debut adventure. Unlike some of the Souls-like clones that have popped up in the wake of the series' rise to stardom though, Mortal Shell has enough unique twists and wrinkles to justify players giving it a shot.

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The Mortal Shell Formula

mortal shell duel

Any Xbox Game Pass subscriber who's played one of the entries in FromSoftware's aforementioned Souls series will almost feel instantly at home in Mortal Shell. Shrouded in darkness from both a physical and exposition standpoint, Cold Symmetry has really gone to town when it comes to creating an atmospheric and foreboding universe.

Instead of throwing concepts right into the player's face, a lot of the best lore of the roughly 12 hour campaign is trickled out rewardingly through notes and occasional interactions with NPCs. From a combat perspective, an emphasis on visceral third person melee combat, that's often a step above the difficulty of most franchises in the genre, will also feel familiar to FromSoftware veterans.

Describing Mortal Shell as a simple love letter to the Souls games risks undermining the readily apparent efforts that Cold Symmetry has gone through to take its game in a bold new direction.

One of the first clues that the studio's debut title is more than just a clone can actually be observed in the composition of its name. Both of those words have deeply significant meanings. Instead of building out a character to fit their own playstyle for example, players get the chance to possess four distinct shell-like classes, thanks to some murky necromancy-based shenanigans. Each of these characters naturally offers unique combat styles that can be fun to experiment with. An item available later in the game also eventually allows players to shift between the party on the fly, further adding to the sense that Mortal Shell is trying to be a pioneer in the genre.

While an emphasis has been placed on players having a limited number of healing items, which often forces a Bloodborne-esque playstyle reliant on parry-regenerating tactics, the way in which Cold Symmetry has tackled the topic of death is truly unique. When players succumb to one of the game's diverse array of enemies, instead of dying outright and immediately losing all of their progress, they're instead ejected from their body.

In these scenarios there's a desperate fleeting window where players can re-possess their shell and continue the fight with full health. Mechanics such as this, in combination with a rewarding upgrade system, and a hardening ability that allows players to tank a hit, really help to make Mortal Shell feel more like a power fantasy than other Souls-inspired games. While still by no means as accessible as most other non-Souls action-RPGs, Mortal Shell is one of the easier entries in the brutal sub-genre.

Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition Benefits

playing the simple lute in mortal shell

Owners of Microsoft's next generation consoles are in for an added treat when it comes to Mortal Shell, as Game Pass subscribers on the Xbox Series X/S and PC will get access to the Enhanced Edition of the action-RPG automatically. Released back in March on the PS5 and the aforementioned platforms, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition features some impressive technical upgrades, like a stable 60 FPS framerate, 4K visuals, and a range of high-quality textures. All in all, the remastered upgrades to the formula have further cemented the game as something of a cult favorite.

If that wasn't enough, Cold Symmetry looks set to have a big month when it comes to promoting Mortal Shell, thanks to the fact that recent credible leaks point to Mortal Shell also landing on Sony's PlayStation Plus in December. What's intriguing, based on the unconfirmed information, is that it appears as though the base edition of the Souls-like is specifically making its way over instead of the remastered one. Due to the inconsistent way in which next-generation upgrades have worked within Sony's ecosystem, it remains to be seen if PS5 owners will be entitled to the shiny new version like their Xbox Game Pass cousins.

Mortal Shell is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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