Fans of Mortal Shell finally know when they will be able to play the sequel. Mortal Shell II will launch on August 20, giving one of 2020’s more overlooked Soulslike games a second chance to reach a much bigger audience.
The sequel is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam. Players who buy the Devout Edition can start up to 72 hours early, which moves the first playable date to August 17 for the most dedicated fans.
The first game found its audience through a grim world, heavy combat, and its strange Shell system. Mortal Shell II is now trying to grow those ideas into something larger without losing the cold, harsh mood that made the original stand out.
The first Mortal Shell worked partly because it was compact. It did not try to match the size of the biggest action RPGs, and that smaller scale helped its world feel tight, lonely, and dangerous.
Mortal Shell II is bringing bigger changes than the first game. The sequel is built around an interconnected open world with hidden paths, temples, frozen graves, forests, and strange ruins for players to explore.
This is a bold decision by Cold Symmetry that could bring great rewards if it works well. A bigger world can make the sequel feel more ambitious, but it still needs to keep the same pressure and mystery that made the first game memorable.
Shells are still the main idea
The Shell system is returning, and it remains the clearest thing that separates Mortal Shell from other Soulslike games. Instead of picking a normal class, players possess fallen warriors and use their bodies in combat.
The sequel will include eight playable Shells, with each one built around its own style and role. The Devout Edition also includes Obsidian skins for all eight, which gives a small look at how important these forms will be.
This system gives Mortal Shell II a solid foundation for its gameplay and future updates. The sequel needs each Shell to feel different enough that players want to swap, test, and build around them instead of finding one safe option and never moving on.
Mortal Shell II still looks brutal, but it also seems quicker and less stiff than the first game. The sequel removes stamina limits, which should let players push harder during fights. It also adds posture breaks, critical strikes, sidearms, and more upgrade options, giving combat a wider range than before.
That could help answer one of the main complaints about the original. Mortal Shell had a strong mood and good ideas, but some players felt the movement and combat were too heavy in the wrong way.
The August 20 release date puts Mortal Shell II in a decent place before the busiest part of the year. It avoids some of the bigger fall releases and gives Soulslike fans a clear new game to watch late in the summer.
After its reveal, players no longer have to sit with a vague 2026 window or guess when Cold Symmetry will be ready. Pre-orders are already live, and the early access option gives returning fans a simple reason to lock in early. The wider question is whether new players will be willing to jump in after missing the first game.
It has a bigger world, more shells, faster combat, and a clear release date. The hard part is making all of that feel better together. More size will only help if exploration stays tense, fights feel clean, and the Shell system gives players real reasons to change how they play.
On August 20, Mortal Shell II has to prove that the underrated Soulslike can grow without losing the strange, bleak edge that made people remember it.
