A standalone sequel with a bigger world and sharper combat
Mortal Shell II is a standalone sequel action-RPG from Cold Symmetry that builds significantly on the original, expanding combat, weapon depth, and exploration into a connected open world.You play as the Harbinger, a being prophesied to reclaim the stolen Ova of the Undermether from the creatures that guard them, which gives the game a clear mythological throughline without overexplaining itself.
Possessing Shells and uncovering their histories
Dormant warrior Shells are scattered across the world, and finding one lets you possess it, inheriting its unique abilities and innate strengths.Each Shell also carries lost memories that unravel as you play, so the lore comes through discovery rather than cutscenes.Swapping between Shells is how you shape your combat style, making character progression feel like a set of distinct builds rather than a single leveling path.
Stamina-free combat built around posture and critical strikes
Combat drops the stamina bar entirely, letting you chain attacks and tactics freely while still requiring you to shatter enemy posture before landing critical hits.The design is described as agile but grounded, which in practice means the pace is faster than the original without losing the weight that made the first game feel deliberate.
A compact open world with over 80 dungeons
The open world is deliberately compact, connected by winding paths guarded by desperate and fanatical enemies, with rewards for players who stray off the main route.Environments include derelict temples, forbidden forests, icy graves, and citadels carved from bone.Spread across the world are more than 80 dungeons, each designed to test the weapons and skills you have built up to that point.
- Derelict temples of ancient deities
- Forbidden forests and icy graves
- Citadels carved from bone
- More than 80 dungeons scattered throughout
Weapon variety and upgrade depth
Weapon design gets a meaningful overhaul in the sequel, with deeper upgrade options and a wider variety of powerful and strange armaments to find while exploring.New weapons, Shells, upgrades, and curiosities are the rewards for wandering, giving exploration a tangible payoff beyond story beats.
Platforms and development
Mortal Shell II is available on Windows PC via Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.The game is developed by Cold Symmetry and published by Playstack.
Release Information
The listed release date is 20 August 2026.
System Requirements
Minimum PC requirements: Minimum: OS: Windows 10 / 11 Processor: Intel Core i7-10700K @ 3.8 GHz or better or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 @ 3.6 GHz or better Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6600 8 GB DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 70 GB available space Additional Notes: SSD required.