Mortal Shell II reviews are broadly positive, with critics describing it as a significant improvement over the original. The core praise centers on the expanded combat, the more meaningful Shell system, and the dense open world.
Most reviews run 25-30 hours. The consensus is that the sequel keeps the Souls-like foundation while fixing the first game's biggest weaknesses.
What critics liked
Reviewers highlight the Shell system's new active abilities as the biggest upgrade. Each Shell now has distinct actives on top of a larger passive skill tree, and points are refundable, which makes swapping builds feel rewarding.
The removal of stamina in favor of the Resolve meter also drew praise, as it pushes aggressive melee combat. The open world, a reimagining of Fallgrim with six gates and many small dungeons, was called seductive and engrossing.
What critics flagged
Common criticisms include rough technical edges, some balance issues toward the end of the quest, finicky stick-click actions like running and auto-targeting, and a world that can be confusing to navigate early on.
The verdict
The consensus is that Mortal Shell II is a successful expansion into a larger action RPG. Its new ideas, especially active Shell abilities and the open world, are widely considered great ones, with the caveat that a few technical rough edges remain. For numbers, see the Metacritic breakdown, and for what you get, the Devout Edition.