Mortal Shell II on Metacritic
Where Mortal Shell II stands on Metacritic, what the critic consensus focuses on, and where to check the current score yourself.
Where to check the Metacritic score
Mortal Shell II has an official Metacritic page at metacritic.com/game/mortal-shell-ii/, which tracks critic reviews and user scores for both the PC and PS5 releases. Because scores update as reviews come in — and this site doesn't paste numbers we can't verify — the Metacritic page itself is the authoritative place to check the current rating.
What critics are actually saying
While individual scores vary by outlet, the critical conversation around the August 20, 2026 launch has clear themes, consistent across major early reviews:
What gets praised:
- The shell possession system as the series' signature hook, now with more distinct playstyles
- Open-world exploration with dense secrets, illusory walls, and hand-placed finds
- The art direction — heavy metal, gothic, and H.R. Giger-inspired otherworldliness
- Genre accessibility: no stamina meter, forgiving parries, open-ended progression
What draws criticism:
- Melee combat depth — light/heavy combos stay simple over long sessions
- Enemy variety that feels similar in engagement despite good numbers
- Uneven pacing in some world regions and shrine placement
For the detailed breakdown behind these themes, see our review roundup, which quotes gameranx's full Before You Buy impressions (551K+ views) alongside other creator takes like Fextralife's "The BEST SOULSLIKE of ALL TIME ???" review.
Context: Mortal Shell's review history
The first Mortal Shell (2020) was received as an "underrated, kind of experimental soulslike" — solid scores with recognition for its harden mechanic and shell system, and some criticism for brevity. Mortal Shell II's bigger open-world swing is precisely the response to that foundation, and it shapes what reviewers reward: ambition and world design over technical perfection.
Where else to track reception
- Steam player reviews — store.steampowered.com/app/2584270 (aggregate user verdicts and recent-review trend)
- OpenCritic — outlet-by-outlet scores and review quotes
- YouTube reviews in full — FightinCowboy, gameranx, Fextralife, and NorZZa's "Brutally Honest Opinion After 35+ Hours" all offer long-form verdicts beyond a number