How Mortal Shell 2 Rebuilds Trust With Gamers

The anticipated sequel to the 2020 release of Mortal Shell hasn't even launched yet, and fans are already praising it. A quick look at the Steam reviews shows the changes Cold Symmetry made are resonating with players. At the time of this writing, it has earned a ‘Very Positive’ review status from 1,400+ reviews. Maybe there’s something here the industry as a whole can learn.

The Sequel’s Evolution

Building upon the first game, Mortal Shell 2 refines what they did right and redesigns what they did wrong. Most importantly, they listened to the feedback on combat. It has been vastly improved from the clunky, slow fighting of the previous title. It now feels much more fluid and fast-paced, with users praising the improvement to speed and easier controls. The animation improvements help sell how enjoyable it has become, making it all feel much more refined.

Depending on the Shell you are using, you will have a distinct ability that changes how you approach fights: from a Shell that turns you invisible to one that shoulder charges toward enemies. The variety is there, and having to search the open world to explore hidden areas to find them makes the discovery and gameplay of each Shell rewarding. They have increased the diversity of the Shells as well; there are now eight in total. They have doubled what players had access to in the first game, which had only four Shells to find and use.

Matching the increase in Shells, they have also increased the number of weapons offered: eight melee and eight ranged sidearms. This was another critique from the previous title.

The additions show they heard the fans and are aiming for more impressive and varied gameplay. Despite this, some vocal players still wish for more variety, especially when compared to the Dark Souls series.

However, combined with the increase in Shells, abilities, weapons, and the overall feel of combat, paired with the fluid animations, the entire package is much more enjoyable to play. Built with Unreal Engine 5, the improved visuals and environments now stand out on their own, making the dark fantasy aesthetic feel much more interesting.

Overall, this is a great improvement on the first entry and is well worth a look for anyone who craves a souls-like, and they have given players the chance to test it first before they buy.

The Demo of Proof

Cold Symmetry did what more game developers should be doing. Release a demo before the official release date.

Why?

Would you rather watch a scripted video on YouTube from a developer? What about a YouTuber who was invited to an event behind closed doors or given a key to play early? Or would you rather play a demo firsthand, so you can get a feel for it before you decide to spend your money on a pre-order?

I don't have to be a psychic to know the answer. Most gamers, given the chance to test a game before they buy, would take that opportunity.

That said, I know some games may not be able to develop a demo or release a beta. If that is the case, it's understandable why they may not release one. Yet developers who are able will benefit from it. Especially since storefronts like Steam have made it even easier to get a demo in front of players. It gives them a chance to see if they enjoy playing firsthand, without the risk of spending money.

Mortal Shell 2 and Cold Symmetry have done it, so why not the major players in the industry? A demo isn’t just marketing. It is a way for developers to show accountability, to prove their promises to players, and to build trust between the two.

So let players be the judges.

A Lesson for the Industry

If you are still hesitant about the importance of demos and betas, ask gamers how much trust they have in game developers and publishers today. Then ask them how likely they are to pre-order or even buy in the first week of a new release. The trend over the past few years of publishers under-delivering on promises has cost the players any trust they once had.

Pre-ordering games has become harder to justify, especially with the increasing price tag that has become the standard. So the trust required for players looking to get in early and spend their money is even more important to earn. After so many games have been released broken or unfinished, players have become even more cautious.

If publishers want to regain the trust of players, they should do all they can to rebuild it.

The players want to buy their games. They want to play with their friends on the newest games sweeping the internet. So give them a way to see firsthand why they should buy it. A demo can give players a much more accurate view of the final product. Trust built through demos and playtests can do much more of the marketing than the traditional routes.

Mortal Shell 2’s demo has given players something that a video walk-through could never do: it’s given them a chance to decide for themselves.

It got the players excited and willing to pay the price.

Mortal Shell 2 is a lovingly crafted and improved sequel to a loved yet flawed first game. Yet it isn’t perfect either. They can still improve on the variety of weapons, difficulty scaling, and the overall balance of enemies.

Through all that, Cold Symmetry has still done a great job listening to those who played their first entry. They aren’t only selling a game; they are rebuilding some of that trust that's been lost across the industry.

They can’t fix it as a whole themselves, but rebuilding it doesn’t need every developer to change overnight.

It can start with a single developer, and that’s what the industry needs.