“We ended up kind of cornered there”: Mortal Shell 2 devs say they didn’t intend to “lock everybody out” by disabling achievements for Slayer Seal “easy mode” users
Mortal Shell 2, a fantasy soulslike game, has sparked controversy among players regarding achievement accessibility. The game features the Slayer Seal, an in-game item marketed as an “easy mode” that significantly boosts player power by providing enhanced melee damage and enabling ranged weapons to deal Break damage.
The controversy arose when players discovered that equipping the Slayer Seal disables Steam achievements. More frustratingly, achievements remain locked even after unequipping the item, permanently preventing players who used the Seal from earning achievements for the rest of their playthrough.
Developers have responded to criticism, explaining they “ended up kind of cornered” by the decision and didn’t intend to “lock everybody out.” According to their statement, the achievement restrictions stem from practical challenges associated with selling the game on physical media (discs), though the specific connection remains unclear from available information.
This design decision reflects an ongoing tension in game development between accessibility options like difficulty modes and progression systems like achievement tracking. While easy modes are intended to make games more accessible, tying them to achievement restrictions may discourage players from using these features or create frustration among those who do.