Valor Mortis Creator Challenges Fans to Test the Game’s Soulslike Credibility: ‘If You’re Unsure, Prove It’
Step into an alternate history with “Valor Mortis,” a gripping first-person action game set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. Announced at this year’s Gamescom Opening Night Live, Valor Mortis has captured attention with its unique setting and soulslike gameplay. The game is being developed by One More Level, the same team that brought us the highly acclaimed Ghostrunner in 2020. Drawing inspiration from the Souls series, Valor Mortis aims to deliver a challenging and immersive experience.
Crafting a Soulslike in a New Era
The creative minds at One More Level, led by game director Radosław Ratusznik, are fans of the Souls genre and have set out to create a game that stays true to its core elements while offering a fresh perspective. The game’s setting during the Napoleonic Wars emerged from a desire to mix melee combat and firearms with magical abilities, capitalizing on the lead concept artist’s historical expertise. This resulted in a world where a monstrous Napoleon raises an undead army, providing a fantastical twist to a historical era that players can explore and conquer.
Players will step into the boots of William, a British soldier initially captivated by Napoleon’s vision of a free Europe. As William, players will navigate the horrors of war, wielding the power of nephtoglobin, a mutation-inducing substance, to maintain sanity and harness supernatural abilities. The theme of horror is central to the gameplay, as players will face not just monstrous foes but also the grim reality of conflict where there are no true victors.
Gameplay Mechanics and Challenges
Valor Mortis offers a blend of familiar soulslike mechanics with its own unique twists. Players will manage stamina, break enemy poise with strategic attacks, and retrieve lost currency after dying, all while navigating through checkpoints represented by lanterns. The game is known for its difficulty, demanding precision and strategy from players, especially during intense boss battles. Ratusznik emphasizes that while the first-person perspective presents challenges, it also offers opportunities to innovate in the genre, making each combat encounter a dynamic experience.
The Road Ahead for Valor Mortis
As Valor Mortis gears up for a 2026 release on PC, PS5, and Xbox, the development team is focused on optimizing the game for a wide range of platforms. Ratusznik expresses a particular fondness for the Xbox Series S, noting the benefits of optimizing for this console as it leads to better performance on other platforms as well. While there’s no official announcement yet, there’s hope within the team to bring this ambitious project to the Nintendo Switch 2 in the future, broadening its reach to even more players.
The conversation around Valor Mortis continues as the development team considers adding an easy mode while maintaining the core challenge of the game. Stay tuned for more updates and insights from the creators as they bring this exciting vision to life.