Mortal Shell II (beta). A quick overview

This game has a lot of potential. However, it also has quite a few flaws that I would like to point out.

1. The music is the biggest flaw of all. What I mean is that Mortal Shell II is clearly a souls-like, with a great deal of resemblance in terms of game mechanics, art, movement, style of play, etc.

That's not a criticism—I'm just saying it's extremely inspired by the Souls games in general. So I would have liked music that draws from that inspiration, because currently the music is either nonexistent or completely out of sync with the atmosphere intended by the game and its environment. The music sounds like something from a trucking game (like Roadcraft) or a hunting game, but definitely not from a souls-like or a game that aims to be dark fantasy. It would be more interesting to have cold, dark music (music made with real instruments, not an old piece of software).

That would be a huge boost for the game and its audience, because it would give the game an identity (like the music in Dark Souls III or Elden Ring), which are extremely recognizable and very beautiful.

2. The dialogues/voice acting are another very negative point for me. The dialogues are very generic, with no real substance (they sound like dialogues from a triple-A Ubisoft or Bethesda game). The worst part of all is the use of AI. I heard it when we first arrived in the game. It was right at the beginning, when we were in ritual garb and there was an old man about to be killed—he was 100% an AI voice, disgusting.

Personally, I will not play a game that prefers to use AI voices rather than real people who have this profession (it's very disrespectful to players and shows a great lack of investment in the project). Might as well go play Souls games again, which respect consumers and aren't lazy.

In general, the dialogues should be more mystical, not like the lines of a 16-year-old kid.

3. Bosses or enemies sometimes miss my character, but, God only knows why, they teleport their attack in front of me, even though they had already launched it and missed behind me.

Positive points:

1. The visuals are beautiful and the game has a bit of soul, unlike many triple-A games that think having the best graphics in the world makes a game beautiful (they're stupid). That's not at all the case. Graphics are just one factor. Look at Elden Ring, or Source 1 (GMod, TF2), or more recently Rising Storm 2: Vietnam and Hell Let Loose. Hell Let Loose only has good graphics, but it has no soul or visual art that makes you feel immersed in the Vietnamese jungles (unlike Rising Storm 2: Vietnam).

All this to say that graphics have recently taken the forefront, but that is by no means a mark of success (far from it)!

2. The animations are not bad, but there should be a few more. Personally, I find they look a bit robotic and very pre-defined (in any case, it's more noticeable in this game).

3. The design of the monsters or characters is really not bad, and they are very unique.

In conclusion: I would say there is a lot of potential and you should continue like this, but don't go down the wrong path with off-topic music or AI voices! Otherwise, if you respect the consumer and give body and soul to your project, maybe one day you could equal (in your own style) the Souls games.