Critics Crown New Action-RPG as 2026’s Best Soulslike

While 2026 has delivered a relentless barrage of major video game releases, the Soulslike genre has experienced a comparatively subdued calendar. Ever since Nioh 3 captured the dark-fantasy throne during its early February debut, genuine contenders have been scarce. That drought has officially broken. The initial critical consensus for Mortal Shell 2 has arrived, and reviewers overwhelmingly agree that developer Cold Symmetry has delivered a substantially refined, far more ambitious evolution of their 2021 cult hit.

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At launch, Mortal Shell 2 holds an impressive 84 score on Metacritic alongside an 85 on OpenCritic. While aggregate scores often fluctuate slightly as additional outlets chime in, this reception represents a decisive leap forward from the original title’s balanced 76 average across both aggregators.

What fuels this newfound praise? A comprehensive overhaul of player progression sits at the heart of the sequel. In an 8/10 review for IGN, critic Jarrett Green praised the refined shell mechanics, observing that individual character vessels now behave as distinct archetypes rather than basic vessels with varying health pools. Outfitted with expanded passive traits and impactful active abilities, the shells provide genuine tactical variety.

“This is a gratifying step up from the original, and made actively switching between shells to try new combat tricks a rewarding experience, made all the easier since any points spent to enhance specific shells can be refunded and reallocated for free as many times as you want.”

— Jarrett Green, IGN

Exploration has received an equally dramatic facelift. Writing for GameSpot, Richard Wakeling awarded the game an 8/10, highlighting its atmospheric, Zelda-esque subterranean temples as the undisputed centerpiece of the journey, even if some overworld corridors can feel somewhat barren.

“Each temple is markedly different from the others and provides some gorgeous, inventive locales to fight through, including a deep, icy cave, a flaming crypt, and a twisted obsidian tower that would be right at home in a game like Control or Destiny 2,” Wakeling observed. “Each location feels specific to the challenges within, and exploring them is a treat as you’re rewarded with lore and weapon upgrades for checking every corner.”

The gameplay velocity has also undergone an unapologetic transformation. In a glowing 4-star assessment for GamesRadar+, Abbie Stone went so far as to label the follow-up the most compelling Soulslike since Elden Ring, largely crediting its fluid responsiveness and the bold decision to eliminate stamina penalties during traversal and evasion.

“This sequel makes inspired changes immediately. In the original Mortal Shell you moved at a pace that would embarrass snails,” Stone explained. “Now, you might as well be playing as a Ferrari. Stamina management has also been nixed entirely. You can dodge, attack, and – praise the gaming gods – sprint as much as you like. Soulslike purists may be spitting blood right now, but it gives Mortal Shell 2 its own speedy flavor that’s heavenly after the wading-through-molasses slowpokery of the original.”

The experience is not without its minor technical blemishes. Reviewers noted recurring camera tracking issues in tight corridors, occasional visual noise during chaotic encounters, and heavily telegraphed boss windups. Nonetheless, none of these flaws undermine what is fundamentally an exhilarating adventure. With top marks from outlets like Giant Bomb, Game Rant, and Hardcore Gamer, Mortal Shell 2 establishes itself as this year’s premier dark action-RPG.