Mortal Shell beginner’s guide: Combat, survival, and more
Here are some tips, tricks, and general information that will help you survive in Fallgrim.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Mortal Shell is the latest Soulslike to hit the market, and just like Dark Souls, Mortal Shell is defined by its refined combat system, dark fantasy setting, and intentionally-vague storytelling. Also, like Lordran in Dark Souls, Mortal Shell’s Fallgrim is a viciously dangerous place filled with enemies, traps, and challenging bosses. Don’t worry, though, because we’re here with some valuable tips and information about Mortal Shell’s combat, progression, and the overall world that will help you survive in this twisted hell.
Dark Souls, but with body takeovers
Mortal Shell is the latest Soulslike to hit the market, featuring the refined combat, dark fantasy setting, and obtuse storytelling that Souls fans have come to appreciate.
Mortal Shell: Combat basics
In Mortal Shell, combat is driven by a variety of different mechanics. As you might expect from a Soulslike, light and heavy attacks, stamina management, dodging, and parrying are all present. However, there are two mechanics unique to Mortal Shell: Hardening and Resolve.
Hardening allows you to turn your character to stone at any point — including while you’re in the middle of attacking — and tank one hit without taking any damage. Additionally, when enemies hit you in Hardened form, they will be stunned, leaving them open to attack. Hardening is on a cooldown, but it’s not that long. Therefore, you should make use of it often.
Secondly, there’s Resolve, which is represented by a series of golden bars above your health and stamina indicators. This resource is built up by attacking enemies and can be used to deliver devastating unstoppable strikes to foes. In addition, it can also be used to perform special ripostes once you’ve unlocked some new abilities for your Tarnished Seal parrying tool. To use them, press the attack button after a successful parry when you have Resolve. These ripostes can restore health to you, cause an explosion to knock your enemies back, and more depending on which one you choose.
Mortal Shell: Shells, stats, and weapons
In Mortal Shell, you don’t have stat allocations or pre-selected classes like you do in Dark Souls. Instead, you can control four different “shells” — dead bodies that you find in the world and reanimate. You can switch between the shells at your home base of Fallgrim Tower, or by using doll items that you get when you first find and take over a new shell. Additionally, as you defeat enemies, you’ll get Tar and Glimpses, both of which are used to unlock skills for each shell. Here’s an overview of each shell’s strengths and weaknesses:
If your health reaches zero, you’ll be knocked out of your shell and will be in your “naked” form. If you get hit again in this form, you’ll die for real, but if you can get back into your shell, you get a full heal. However, if you die again, you won’t get another of these second chances.
There are also four different weapons to wield in Mortal Shell, most of which you unlock by defeating a miniboss found at the start of each new area. Additionally, there’s a fifth ranged weapon that all characters can make use of. Here’s a look at all of Mortal Shell’s weapons:
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Mortal Shell: Survival tips and advice
Fallgrim is a difficult place to progress in, but it’s far from impossible. You’ll have a much better time if you learn to take advantage of your surroundings and understand how to exploit the enemy AI. Here are some tips, tricks, and strategies that will give you the edge:
Something else to keep in mind is that Mortal Shell’s version of the Dark Souls bonfire is the NPC Sester Genessa (pictured above). She allows you to fully heal and restores your ability to get back into your shell after dying the first time, and talking to her also sets your respawn point. However, be warned that this also respawns all non-boss enemies in the world. Additionally, speaking to her allows you to use your collected Tar and Glimpses to unlock skills for your shells. Keep an eye out for her as you travel the world, as the areas where she appears are few and far between.
Mortal Shell: General tips and tricks
We’re going to wrap up with a series of general tips that will help you achieve mastery over Mortal Shell’s combat and world.
Your thoughts
What do you think of the guide? Is there anything you think I missed? Let me know.
Mortal Shell is available now for $30 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Dark Souls, but with body takeovers
Mortal Shell is the latest Soulslike to hit the market, featuring the refined combat, dark fantasy setting, and obtuse storytelling that Souls fans have come to appreciate.
Xbox Series X/S
Main
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
