One More Level's first-person Soulslike takes players on a gruelling journey through a world where every discovery raises new questions.
There's something fascinating about a game that makes you want to keep going, even when it's putting you through an absolutely miserable time. Valor Mortis is one such experience, combining a grim, plague-ravaged world with challenging combat, grotesque enemies, and enough mysteries to keep you wondering what happened to this place.
It certainly wasn't an easy journey to unravel those mysteries. Between the difficult encounters and an atmosphere so unsettling that one particular creature made me stop playing for the night, Valor Mortis had its fair share of moments that tested my patience and nerves. Yet its intriguing premise, fascinating worldbuilding, and creative gameplay kept me hooked for more than 20 hours. Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed uncovering its mysteries, reaching the end was nowhere near as satisfying as the journey itself.
Developed by Polish studio One More Level, the team behind the Ghostrunner series, Valor Mortis is a first-person action Soulslike that combines challenging combat, supernatural horror, and exploration in an alternate version of 19th-century Europe during the Napoleonic Wars.
The game follows William Dowsett, a British soldier who served in Napoleon Bonaparte's Grande Armée before meeting his death on the battlefield. However, William mysteriously awakens with fragmented memories and strange supernatural powers, only to discover that Europe has been ravaged by the Crimson Plague, which has transformed soldiers and civilians into grotesque monsters.
Guided by Napoleon's voice in his head, William sets out to uncover the truth behind his resurrection and the mysterious plague. Along the way, players must fight through hordes of enemies using a combination of melee weapons, firearms, and supernatural abilities, with combat built around parrying, dodging, and carefully timing attacks. Outside of combat, exploration and platforming play a significant role, with hidden paths, secrets, and environmental puzzles scattered throughout the world.
Valor Mortis
Release date: 13 October 2026
Platforms: PC (via Steam), Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Developer: One More Level
Valor Mortis visuals, environment, and level design
Valor Mortis is grimy, dark, and downright gruesome. It does a great job of depicting grotesque and depressing environments, with most of the characters appearing mysterious, miserable, or both.
But one of the most creative aspects of the game is its level design, particularly how it incorporates different environmental elements into some genuinely innovative and entertaining platforming sequences, often combining them with combat. The first-person perspective also adds to the experience, making certain sections feel even more nerve-wracking, especially when navigating narrow ledges with a steep drop below.
In fact, I wish there were more of these platforming sequences throughout the game. Sections like the tracks in the mining caves are just loads of fun to traverse, and I would have loved to see more of that creativity elsewhere.
Valor Mortis gameplay and combat
There's going to be quite a learning curve if you're used to playing Soulslikes in third person. After all, Valor Mortis is one of the first games to bring the modern Soulslike formula fully into a first-person perspective.
One of the most engaging aspects of combat is how your arsenal expands as you progress, giving you access to more powers, weapons, and upgrades that you can use to your advantage. You're also given the chance to upgrade some abilities along the way. The combination of ranged and melee weapons, alongside your supernatural abilities, allows for some genuinely fun and creative combat without necessarily making encounters much easier. However, as enjoyable as these mechanics can be, certain issues become more apparent during tougher fights, particularly when it comes to enemy hitboxes and attack patterns.
For starters, some encounters with regular enemies suffer from inconsistent hitboxes. There are moments when an attack looks like it completely missed you, yet you somehow take damage anyway. On top of that, certain regular but powerful enemies seem to have unnecessary input reading, or at least that's how it feels sometimes. The Eternal Guard is a particularly frustrating example, as fighting them requires precision and leaves very little room for mistakes. Give them an opening, and they can easily bombard you with attacks and back you into a corner.
Enemy behaviour can also be rather inconsistent, particularly in one specific prison area. In most locations, even the slightest movement can alert nearby guards. Yet the ones stationed in the prison seem unusually daft, barely reacting to anything unless you attack them directly. It's a strange contrast to the heightened awareness of enemies elsewhere, and it does break the immersion somewhat.
Speaking of encounters, while Valor Mortis doesn't have a particularly large number of bosses, the variety of regular enemies already makes the game challenging enough. That said, there are a couple of memorable boss fights, particularly the Slaughtermill, which draws inspiration from the adventures of Don Quixote.
In this fight, you're essentially fighting a literal, life-sized windmill that has been corrupted by the Crimson Plague. What makes this encounter especially entertaining is how it encourages you to get creative, using platforming and even opening parts of the surrounding house to find ways to counter its attacks. It's probably the only boss fight in the game that really lets you make use of almost your entire arsenal, from your different gun types and supernatural abilities to the environment itself. Rather than relying primarily on parrying and memorising attack patterns, you're constantly finding different ways to approach the fight. It's by far the most entertaining boss encounter in Valor Mortis, and I wish more of the bosses had offered that same level of creativity.
Unfortunately, I can't say the same for most of the other bosses. While they have different movesets and attack patterns, once you've learned how to deal with them, almost every encounter eventually turns into just another generic parry fest. That's not to say these fights are easy by any means, but they simply aren't as memorable or as fun as the Slaughtermill, which gives you far more freedom to experiment with your arsenal and surroundings.
Valor Mortis story and ending
As the story of Valor Mortis unfolds, it becomes increasingly easy to see where things are heading, although uncovering the story's mysteries is quite a journey in and of itself. The game does a great job of making you feel the weight of every discovery, particularly as you learn about the lives and communities disrupted or destroyed by the Crimson Plague.
In fact, some of the most intriguing parts of the story come from the worldbuilding rather than the main narrative. Through scattered letters, artefacts, and fragments of memories left behind by other people, you gradually piece together what happened to those who lived in these communities. The side stories are mostly tragic, revealing the fates of people who crossed William's path, including many who didn't survive. These smaller discoveries make exploring the world all the more interesting, even when the direction of the main story becomes increasingly obvious.
And that's what makes the main narrative's shortcomings such a shame. The writing itself is great, particularly when it comes to the smaller stories and the people affected by the plague. Yet somehow, the most important part, which is bringing the central story together and giving its mysteries a satisfying payoff, feels like it was forgotten.
There were several segments of the story that outright didn't make much sense to me, though perhaps I simply didn't understand them well enough. Despite the many discoveries along the way, I still found myself wanting answers about the true nature of certain characters, William's condition, the Shrike, and the Crimson Plague itself.
While I managed to piece together some parts of the story, the ending did little to answer those lingering questions. There was no real "aha!" moment for me, not at all. Instead, the conclusion felt incomplete and unsatisfactory, especially considering how much more intriguing the smaller stories scattered throughout the world had been.
What makes this particularly disappointing is the lack of payoff after spending more than 20 hours fighting through difficult encounters, overcoming bosses, and slowly uncovering the mysteries surrounding William. After everything the game puts you through, surely there should be some sense of satisfaction when you finally reach the end? I'm sure leaving certain mysteries unresolved was a deliberate decision, but that doesn't make the conclusion any more rewarding.
After going through so many horrendous trials, surely there's some light at the end of the tunnel? Well, there is, but not exactly? It felt like sitting through a movie filled with stomach-churning events, only to be left hanging at the end. That sick feeling in your stomach never truly goes away, and after more than 20 hours of playing, all you're left thinking is, "That's it?"
Verdict
Valor Mortis offers great gameplay with a steep learning curve that certainly won't be for everyone, but those who enjoy challenging combat will find plenty to appreciate. While some aspects of gameplay could still use a bit of polishing, there's plenty of creativity and enjoyment to be found in its combat system.
Its worldbuilding is equally impressive, with an intriguing setting and plenty of stories worth uncovering. Unfortunately, its biggest downfall is the main narrative, which fails to capitalise on such a promising premise and ultimately leaves the experience feeling unsatisfying.
Too many crucial questions are left unanswered, leaving players to wonder about mysteries that the game spent more than 20 hours building up. Perhaps a sequel or DLC will eventually provide some much-needed answers, but there's no guarantee of that. And even if one does arrive, I'm not convinced everyone will be willing to wait for it just to get a satisfying conclusion to a story they've already spent so much time playing through.
Valor Mortis launched on 13 October, 2026, on PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. We received a copy of the game for this review.
Valor Mortis frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What platforms is Valor Mortis available on?
Valor Mortis is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The game was released on 13 October 2026.
How much does Valor Mortis cost?
Valor Mortis is priced at US$39.99 for the Standard Edition and US$59.99 for the Deluxe Edition. Prices may vary depending on the platform and region.
Does Valor Mortis have accessibility options?
Valor Mortis has limited accessibility options, including adjustable camera shake, field of view, subtitle size, and control settings. However, the game does not have a dedicated accessibility menu or adjustable difficulty levels.
Who are the voice actors in Valor Mortis?
Valor Mortis features a voice cast led by James Alexander as William Dowsett, Vincent Cassel as Napoleon Bonaparte, and Jennifer English as the Shrike. Other cast members include Adam "Nergal" Darski as Captain Raphael, Mars Lipowski as Lucjan Skawiński, Will de Renzy-Martin as James Stewart, and Yvan Chamoiseau as Louis Moreau.
How long does it take to finish Valor Mortis?
Valor Mortis takes approximately 20 hours to complete, although playtime will vary depending on the player's experience with Soulslikes, exploration, and the difficulty of encounters.
Does Valor Mortis have an easy mode?
No, Valor Mortis does not have an easy mode or adjustable difficulty settings. All players experience the same difficulty, although certain gameplay and control settings can be adjusted.
Does Valor Mortis have New Game Plus?
For now, New Game Plus is not yet available, altho devs shared that it should arrive as a free post-launch content update in late 2026 or early 2027.
Can you still roam around after finishing the main story in Valor Mortis?
You can continue playing and exploring the world after finishing the main storyline.
Is Valor Mortis available on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, Valor Mortis launched on Xbox Game Pass on 13 October 2026, allowing eligible subscribers to play the game without purchasing it separately.
