Mortal Shell 2 Earns 84 Metacritic, Challenging Nioh 3 as 2026's Top Soulslike

3 articles · Updated · Polygon · Aug 17

Mortal Shell 2 opened to strong reviews, posting an 84 on Metacritic and 85 on OpenCritic versus the original game's 76 on both sites.
Critics say the sequel improves the formula with more distinct shell builds, free respecs and faster combat that drops stamina management, making it more approachable than 2021's slower original.
Exploration also drew praise, with reviewers highlighting Zelda-like dungeons, inventive temple settings and meaningful rewards for searching side areas.
Scores have mostly clustered around 8/10 despite complaints about camera issues, visibility problems and boss fights that some critics found too telegraphed.
The reception gives 2026's relatively quiet Soulslike slate a new standout, with some reviewers calling Mortal Shell 2 the best entry in the genre since Elden Ring.