It’s hard to separate talking about Mortal Shell from discussing the Souls games–Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice–because developer Cold Symmetry has obviously created a love letter to From Software’s work. But Mortal Shell isn’t a simple retread. It adds ideas and mechanics that shift your way of thinking about its duelist-style combat. Mortal Shell is a small-scale Souls-like game, demanding less of an investment of time and frustration. It feels tuned for more casual players–people who have been interested in this brand of experience, but who maybe struggled in the twitch reactions department–while still striking all the same essential nerves.