Long gameplay trailers have become relatively rare in the gaming world, with the introduction of mechanics and fights often being spread out over many trailers or left for the player to experience it when the game comes out. The benefits of witnessing more gameplay increase drastically with the quality of the game on display, perhaps indicating why the team behind Mortal Shell 2 put out a 11-minute trailer for the game today.

The trailer opens by ominously introducing the story and setting of the game. Afterward, an extended gameplay section begins. The player character descends down into an enemy camp and is faced with defeating an armored foe. The character makes use of stealth to break through the enemy’s defenses before inflicting massive damage with a parry into a flurry of attacks from their ax and dagger. The other enemies fall much easier, taking just a few melee hits or a single shot from the ranged weapon which the player transitions to almost instantly.

The player faces a more complicated challenge in a rolling enemy that shrugs off most of their initial attacks, forcing them to flee and encounter a waylaid traveler who needs help finding his cat. The gameplay then jumps to the player in more armor and with more weapons, facing enemies capable of parrying and countering themselves. The player is forced to weave dodges and grab moves into their attacks to defeat them. A short fight with a stronger enemy later, and the player is able to access fast travel and change their equipment. The final assault takes the player character into a cult encampment, featuring a combination of basic enemies, foes with blocks and combos, and monstrous spiders with a ranged web effect. The trailer ends with a hint towards a boss fight.

Long gameplay trailers help players narrow down what interests them in a game. Those who may want to play Mortal Shell 2 now have a place to look for an approximation of the moment-to-moment gameplay they can expect.