Mortal Shell 2 Open Beta Explodes With 250,000 Downloads As Soulslike Fans Rejoice

The dark fantasy gaming landscape is about to get a lot more brutal. Cold Symmetry recently dropped the open beta for Mortal Shell 2, and the gaming community wasted absolutely no time diving into the grim world. Over the weekend alone, the highly anticipated action RPG sequel racked up a staggering 250,000 downloads.

Published by Playstack, this massive demo offers players a generous slice of what is to come later this year. It includes the game’s prologue alongside an early section of a brand-new open world. Be prepared to clear some hard drive space though, because this hefty slice of gameplay weighs in at a massive 55GB.

Here is what you need to know about the ongoing beta:

• The beta is still live and free to download right now on Steam.
• It features a substantial 55GB download containing the prologue and early open-world zones.
• Developer Cold Symmetry is already patching bugs and tuning gameplay based on active community feedback.
• The full game is currently scheduled to launch sometime later this year.

While the original 2020 cult hit divided Steam players with its esoteric mechanics, the sequel seems to be uniting them. Early impressions across Reddit and Steam are overwhelmingly positive, with many noting that the combat feels significantly smoother this time around. Even gamers who bounced off the original are praising the refined movement and enhanced responsiveness.

The Nerd Bureau Take:
Making a successful Soulslike is incredibly difficult, but Cold Symmetry seems to have cracked the code for this sequel. By taking fan feedback to heart and opening up the world, they are turning skeptics into believers. If this massive 250,000-download weekend is any indication, Mortal Shell 2 might just be one of the biggest action RPG hits of the year.