Mortal Shell 2 PC Fixes, Crashes & Steam Deck

Do this first

1. Update to the Week 1 Update on PC. Balance Patch 1 is not the current crash pass.
2. If frame generation broke after the patch: remove mods, make sure engine.ini is not read-only, then verify Steam files. That is Cold Symmetry's written recommendation.
3. GPU: set Shader Cache Size to Unlimited (NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Software). Week 1 moved remaining shader work into the menu, but first visits can still hitch.
4. Turn Frame Generation off and retest before changing anything else. Launch and post-launch crash reports still cluster on FG.
5. If the game still will not boot, delete the local shader cache and let it rebuild on the next launch.

Zmey: weapons disappear mid-fight

• Cosmic Disease is a separate status. Seedbearer's Scripture (Night Mode route) mitigates it and can eject you from a Shell if the meter fills.
• If weapons vanish, you often cannot attack until the attempt is abandoned. Quit and retry without the remnant.
• Some players also reported item use during phase two as a trigger. If the remnant is already off and it still happens, avoid the active-item button for that attempt.

Other launch issues

• Crashes: still reported after Patch 1 on some PCs. Lower upscaling quality, disable extra overlay software, and try a borderless window.
• Save / teleport bugs: X posts on August 23 describe saves breaking after a teleport. Keep a spare manual save if the platform allows it.
• Stuck in geometry: quit to title and continue; you return to the last Beacon.
• Lazlo + Monolith crash: at least one player reported switching off Lazlo stopped a Monolith crash. Treat as unverified but cheap to test.

Steam Deck

Steam Deck HQ's launch test: the game is playable. A locked 30 FPS is smoother than chasing 40–60 in crowded fights. Use Medium or Low, TSR Balanced, and the SteamDeck=0 %command% launch option if the in-game settings menu is hidden.

Expect hitching when a new area compiles shaders. That usually calms down after the first visit. Week 1 also added Switch Pro / Pro 2 glyphs and better Steam Deck detection.

FPS starting point

Full option names live on settings. If the game is playable but ugly-stuttery, this is the first custom pass most launch write-ups agree on:

• Cap the framerate (60 is the usual first cap) and try VSync only if the cap is not enough.
• FSR or TSR on Performance / Balanced. Frame Generation off until the build is stable.
• Global Illumination and Shadows to Low. Motion Blur and Vignette off.
• Textures Medium if VRAM allows, Low if it does not.