Mortal Shell II: Cold Symmetry’s stamina-free soulslike, sourced analysis
Mortal Shell II is the standalone sequel to the soulslike Mortal Shell, developed by Cold Symmetry and published by Playstack. It launched on August 20, 2026, on PC (Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. This analysis draws on three scored reviews of the PC version, not a hands-on test by our staff.
Game trailer
The premise: warrior Shells
As in the first game, you possess the Shells of fallen warriors. According to Steam, eight Shells are scattered across the world, each with its own abilities and story. The Games Machine finds that they offer genuinely different approaches, and CGMagazine says the system finally has emotional stakes.
Combat without a stamina bar
The game removes stamina to encourage aggression and offers upgrades for melee and ranged weapons (Steam). The Games Machine says this makes combat faster and more aggressive without losing its tactical side. The same review notes a camera that can be awkward in tight spaces and occasionally imprecise hit registration.
A compact open world
The Steam page describes a compact, interconnected open world. Shacknews praises a richer world, more to do, more bosses and greater build variety. CGMagazine finds the world purposeful rather than padded, but struggled in a frozen region where a few hits freeze you solid while archers pick you off.
PC performance
The Games Machine tested the game on PC (Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Radeon RX 7800 XT, 32 GB of RAM). It found it generally solid, with impressive lighting, but notes some rough edges in animation, camera and technical polish.
What critics say
Shacknews (9/10) calls it one of the best follow-up sequels in a long time. CGMagazine (8.5/10) ranks it among the better soulslikes it has played. The Games Machine (8.2/10) calls it the sequel the series needed, flaws included.
Editions, languages and prices
The standard game costs €49.99 and the Devout Edition €59.99 (Playstack, Steam). On November 11, 2026, Steam and the PlayStation Store list it at €37.49 on sale; the Xbox Store lists €49.99. Steam offers French text and English voices.
Who is it for?
Mortal Shell II is aimed at fans of demanding soulslikes who prefer an aggressive pace and enjoy switching playstyles, provided they can live with a sometimes unruly camera.
What to know
Based on three PC reviews, Mortal Shell II is a far more ambitious sequel than the first game, driven by its Shells and stamina-free combat. The camera and polish still leave room for improvement.
Strengths
- Eight Shells with distinct playstyles (Steam, The Games Machine)
- Fast, stamina-free combat (The Games Machine)
- Richer world, more bosses and builds (Shacknews)
- French text available (Steam)
Things to consider
- Awkward camera in tight spaces (The Games Machine)
- Occasionally imprecise hit registration (The Games Machine)
- Frustrating frozen region (CGMagazine)
- English voices only (Steam)
Sources and credits
- Steam : fiche du jeu (37,49 € au lieu de 49,99 € jusqu’au 16/11/2026 ; vérifiée le 11/11/2026) ↗
- PlayStation Store France : fiche PS5 (vérifiée le 11/11/2026) ↗
- Xbox Store France : fiche Xbox Series X|S (vérifiée le 11/11/2026) ↗
- Playstack : annonce de la date de sortie (08/07/2026) ↗
- Playstack : annonce du lancement sur PC, PS5 et Xbox Series X|S ↗
- Shacknews, test PC de Sam Chandler, 17/08/2026 : 9/10 ↗
- CGMagazine, test PC, 17/08/2026 : 8,5/10 ↗
- The Games Machine, test PC d’Alessandro Alosi, 01/09/2026 : 8,2/10 ↗
- Bande-annonce officielle de lancement (chaîne YouTube Playstack) ↗
- Cover image source ↗
Game gallery
4 images
Game details
- Developer
- Cold Symmetry
- Publisher
- Playstack
- Release
- Aug 20, 2026
- Genres
- Action · RPG
- Game website
- Official website ↗
Where to buy
Compare by platform, region and format. Prices were observed on the dates shown.
| Retailer | Edition and platform | Price | Checked | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation StoreFranceDigital game | Édition standard (PS5) – promotion -25 % (prix habituel 49,99 €)PlayStation 5 | 37.49 EUR Check shipping | Nov 11, 2026 Ends Nov 21, 2026 Source ↗ | View offer ↗ |
| SteamFranceDigital game | Édition standard (PC) – offre de mi-semaine -25 % (prix habituel 49,99 €)PC | 37.49 EUR Check shipping | Nov 11, 2026 Ends Nov 16, 2026 Source ↗ | View offer ↗ |
| Xbox StoreFranceDigital game | Édition standard (Xbox Series X|S)Xbox Series X|S | 49.99 EUR Check shipping | Nov 11, 2026 End date unknown Source ↗ | View offer ↗ |
Player reviews
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