Elden Ring-style RPG launches, free 3-hour prologue is a must-play this weekend

You can play the first three hours of Mortal Shell II for free, giving Dark Souls and Elden Ring fans the chance to try the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed 2020 action RPG Mortal Shell before you buy.

When Mortal Shell launched in 2020, however, it’s fair to say that it didn’t completely blow the soulslike community away.

The game developed a dedicated following and proved to be a commercial success, selling more than one million copies worldwide within three years of launch. Critically, however, it was received as a solid but somewhat uneven soulslike rather than a genre-defining classic, earning a 76 critic score and 6.2 user score on Metacritic.

Download the Mortal Shell II demo today

Six years have passed since the launch of the original game, and Mortal Shell II is now available across multiple platforms. In June 2026, a playable beta went live that allowed you to play the first three hours, essentially a prologue. That prologue is still available at launch, which is basically an extended demo.

The Mortal Shell II beta/demo is available on PC via Steam, PlayStation Store and the Xbox Marketplace.

Will Mortal Shell II progress carry over into the full game?

Sort of. Your actual save data won’t carry over into the full game. But when you boot up Mortal Shell II, you will be given the option to skip the prologue. What’s more, for completing the demo/prologue, players will be rewarded with the ‘The Flayed Harbinger’ cosmetic outfit.

READ MORE: Elden Ring player discovers hidden item four years after launch

Mortal Shell II looks like a major upgrade over the original

Mortal Shell II has not only vastly improved in the visuals department, but the developers have heavily focused on improving the combat, exploration, character class build options, weapon customisation and more. It also looks to have faster-paced action, which perhaps separates it from Dark Souls comparisons.

Moreover, at the time of writing, its Metacritic score currently sits at 8.4, an improvement on the original score of 7.7. On Steam, it’s rated as “Very Positive” from over 1,700 user reviews.

“This game lets you possess a seven-foot armoured muscle mommy to steamroll enemies without stamina management holding you back. Absolute peak soulslike, 10/10,” wrote Steam user MobiusBlack.

“The game is a clear evolution from the first one; combat is much better, and the movement doesn’t feel sluggish,” explained Jessica.

“The only downside is that regular enemies deal way more damage than necessary, to the point where it’s comparable to boss damage, which creates a very artificial difficulty for the game. I also can’t leave out the best part of the game, which made me a little jealous: Proxima’s design. She got cake.”

What’s the story of Mortal Shell II?

“Mortal Shell II is a standalone sequel to Mortal Shell that significantly expands on the original with unrestricted, adrenaline-charged combat, extensive weapon upgrades, and free exploration,” reads the synopsis of the game.

“The forgotten Shells of eight lost warriors are scattered throughout Mortal Shell II’s ravaged world. Seek and possess these Shells, unleash their innate abilities, and discover the story of each by unravelling their secrets.”

Mortal Shell II is out now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.