Valor Mortis Launches With a First-Person Soulslike Gamble
The Ghostrunner studio swaps speedrunning spectacle for supernatural warfare and demanding close combat.
Valor Mortis launches on October 13, and its most interesting gamble is right in front of your face. One More Level, the studio behind Ghostrunner, is bringing demanding Soulslike combat into a first-person view. That changes more than where the camera sits: it changes how much information you have when something enormous starts swinging.
According to the developer’s official announcements, you play William Dowsett, a resurrected soldier in a supernatural version of Napoleonic Europe. Swords, firearms and magic form the combat toolkit, while exploration includes secrets, shortcuts and side quests. Xbox also lists the game for October 13 on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
The camera is the real challenge
A third-person camera lets you see your character, the enemy and some of the space around both. First person makes that relationship more immediate, but it also removes information. A blow arriving from outside your view can feel unfair if the game has not given you enough warning. The appeal of this approach depends on how clearly it communicates danger.
One More Level says it uses dynamic field-of-view scaling to help players read large bosses. The studio has also discussed work on combat readability, hitboxes and the difficulty curve following its demo. Those are developer-reported changes, rather than proof that every concern has been solved.
Napoleon’s army takes a very wrong turn
The historical setting gives this game a different starting point from another ruined medieval kingdom. Its announced premise mixes warfare with a spreading plague and supernatural corruption. That combination opens a useful question: when the power keeping a soldier alive comes from the same horror destroying the world around him, what does survival actually mean?
For players, the more immediate question is how the weapons work together. A firearm should offer a different decision from a sword, and magic should complicate that choice. A long equipment list means little if one option makes everything else unnecessary. The combat needs reasons to switch tactics, especially when the limited view already demands close attention.
What is coming after launch?
The developer has announced a free New Game Plus mode for later this year, with tougher enemies and additional surprises. A separate story expansion is planned for next year as part of the Deluxe Edition. Neither should be confused with content available in the base game on launch day.
Valor Mortis has a clear idea worth following. Whether it becomes a great Soulslike will depend on how well the full game teaches players to understand its fights. The promising part is the risk it takes with perspective; the test is whether that risk produces tension that feels earned.
For more of this month’s releases, see WASABI’s October games roundup.
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