Valor Mortis Reviews
Valor Mortis may struggle with its slow opening and underdeveloped story, but One More Level delivers an incredibly satisfying first-person soulslike experience. Brutal combat, rewarding exploration, and stunning level design make this nightmarish adventure increasingly difficult to put down.
Valor Mortis is yet another centerpiece from One More Level, a software house that has demonstrated its ability to handle action games and that with this project confirms that it can also handle souls-like games very well.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Valor Mortis has taken only some of those design elements and spliced in more than its share of unique ideas.
Valor Mortis is a bold and refreshing take on the Soulslike genre, proving that first-person combat can work exceptionally well. Its fast-paced, brutal combat, fluid parkour, and semi-linear level design infused with Metroidvania elements create an outstanding exploration experience. A memorable game that dares to innovate rather than repeat familiar ideas, making it stand out in a crowded release window.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Valor Mortis makes a strong impression with its plague-ravaged take on Napoleonic Europe, where nightmarish creatures and the sounds of battle make every encounter feel unsettling. Its first-person take on Soulslike combat adds a distinctive challenge, rewarding patience and careful timing even when fights get hectic. However, repetitive enemies, an underdeveloped story, and technical issues chip away at the experience. A fascinating world lies beneath the carnage, but not every part of the journey does it justice. Despite its rough edges, Valor Mortis remains a memorable spin on the genre, even if its horrors leave a stronger impression than the adventure itself.
Valor Mortis is a very successful debut for One More Level in the soulslike genre. The satisfying combat system, which combines swordplay, firearms, and supernatural powers, works great from a first-person perspective, and the lore built through notes and visions from the past is more engaging than the story itself. However, the game lacks freedom in exploration, the controls take some getting used to, and the graphics don’t quite live up to what you’d expect from a game released in 2026. If you’re a fan of soulslikes and are looking for something fresh, this title is definitely worth a try, especially at such an affordable price.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Valor Mortis feels like a promising first attempt at something different. One More Level has demonstrated that a first-person Soulslike can work, even if the execution isn't always as successful as the concept itself. With some additional polish and a little more variety, this could have been a genuinely excellent addition to the genre.
A great soulslike with a distinct identity that combines first-person combat with Napoleonic horror, despite uneven balancing and narrative shortcomings.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It’s a testament to the creatives at One More Level that Valor Mortis impresses despite its uneven parts. During its best moments — a terrific boss battle, an exhilarating platforming sequence, a tense shootout in an enemy outpost — the game truly shines. Likewise, I enjoyed William’s story even if the game’s peripheral characters and ending felt tragically undercooked. As a cohesive experience, however, Valor Mortis gets in its way too many times to walk away unscathed. The combat, thrilling as it can be, suffers from an identity crisis. Is it an action game? Is it an RPG? It’s tough to say. Consider also that Valor Mortis continues to suffer from technical issues and bugs — even after a massive day-one patch — and it’s tough to recommend this trip to Europe without quite a few qualifiers.
If you want a game that’ll bust your balls, Valor Mortis has to be the game for you. It is a Souls-like experience where accuracy, patience, and a little luck go an awful long way. However, it is sadly laced with countless bugs, and that prevents it from excelling. If you think of a first-person Lies of P, then you kind of get the idea. One More Level has developed this single-player, first-person experience. It is gritty, dark, and pretty gruesome. However, the biggest stomach-churning twist is the immersion-breaking bugs. Some of these problems have been ironed out, but I experienced countless black screens, flashing lights, and crashes to the dashboard. This is unfortunate, as this Game Pass subscription service game shows plenty of promise. Valor Mortis offers a familiar tale. The idea of rising from the dead and observing a cursed, apocalyptic landscape is not new. Valor Mortis uses this idea in a Napoleonic setting. You play the role of William, a soldier from the Grande Armée. Your goal is to explore the plague-ridden world, discover why you have risen, and destroy every monster you encounter. The story is unfortunately light on detail, even though the setting is impressive, oppressive, and wonderfully dark. Moreover, the use of slow-down animation, decapitation, and a brilliantly sinister soundscape helps to create an uncomfortable and gruesome world to explore. A world of combat and magic. Valor Mortis utilises many core Souls mechanics to create a standard and tough game. This won’t be for everyone, as the parry and dodge windows are small, and the hitboxes are brutally accurate. However, if you enjoy testing yourself and you like a bit of guts and gore, this will be right up your street. The blend of supernatural abilities, melee weapons, and firepower was great. These combine perfectly with the posture and parry system that the developer has incorporated. Time your parry perfectly and break your opponent’s posture, and death is all but assured. Yet, the same applies to you. If you hack away like a maniac, you’ll lose your stamina and composure, and you’ll fall to your death! The character upgrade system and save points are key mechanics of the title. In genre fashion, the save points are your beacons of light. However, using one respawns every minor monster. Accordingly, you must use them sparingly unless you wish to face never-ending enemies. Huge bosses and secrets. The 10 boss encounters are often very tough, and this puts your skills to the test. With multi-stage combat, different approaches, and a test of your resolve, this may break you. There is a vast difference between these fights and the smaller minions you find on your journey. Although the combat system is the same and you often use a combination of ranged and close-quarters combat to break defensive stances and find weaknesses, the sheer difficulty is often soul-destroying. This offers a highly rewarding outcome, but the mountain to climb is often far too challenging. Despite the brutal design, I loved each boss battle. The ability to study movement patterns, observe weaknesses, and use trial and error to find a solution was great. This is what this genre is about, and Valor Mortis will appeal to hardcore fans. Searching the vast world for secrets, resources, and other key elements was fantastic. The gaming arena feels massive, and there are some gated areas where new abilities open pathways. This leads to segments of lore and challenging mini-bosses. Although it wasn’t always necessary, I enjoyed taking my time and exploring the grim alternative Napoleonic setting. Valor Mortis is immersive until it isn’t. Valor Mortis is brilliantly immersive. The world is large, oppressive, and a disgusting joy to explore. The gruesome combat will turn your stomach, and I love the detailed decapitation. But I cannot overlook the visual issues and bugs. Until they are resolved, this will never hit the right notes. The audio is fantastic and atmospheric. The use of minor tones and heavy tunes creates a sense of drama and despair. Additionally, the blend of sound effects fits the horrific fantasy theme. The control system is as tough as I expected. Hitboxes are remarkably small, and the parry window is annoyingly short. This is a deliberate choice and something that makes the game unbelievably tough to play. If you are familiar with the genre, you won’t mind this. Newcomers, however, won’t know what hit them. Replay value and longevity are a mixed bag. If you like the gameplay and the exploration, you’ll play this for hours. Those who despise the lack of balance and the bugs will uninstall it immediately. Valor Mortis needs more polish. I think this is a great example of the genre. Yes, I’d have enjoyed a bigger and more intense story, but that wasn’t to be. Furthermore, had the bugs been ironed out before release, things would have been much smoother. Yet, this didn’t happen, and we have a partially broken game to deal with. Once the problems are resolved, this will be amazing, despite its tough ways. Consequently, I think it’s worth your time, and you should grab a copy from the Xbox Store!
Valor Mortis does an excellent job of bringing the soulslike genre into a first-person perspective, and its dark Napoleonic atmosphere immediately draws you in. Its excellent and addictive combat system, packed with parrying, is unfortunately let down by poor optimization, frustrating checkpoints, and repetitive enemies. Despite these flaws, it remains an incredibly original and intense action game that fans of challenging games shouldn't miss.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Valor Mortis is a very good game that shines in many areas—such as its writing, setting, and gameplay—but it falls short on the technical side, which suffers from several issues.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Valor Mortis dares to do something different by bringing the soulslike genre into first-person perspective. The setting, visuals, and animations are excellent, the level design is fun thanks to its many shortcuts, and performance is generally smooth aside from the usual shader stutters. However, the combat relies too heavily on passive parrying, enemy variety wears thin quickly, the parkour is more annoying than enjoyable, and the story could have made better use of its compelling setting. Still, fans of soulslikes looking for a genuine challenge will find a fresh and demanding experience here.
Review in German | Read full review
Valor Mortis is an excellent fusion of first-person action and Soulslike design, and while it might not be story-heavy, Ghostrunner fans will find a lot to love about this new spin on an old formula.
Valor Mortis is strongest when it focuses on the basics of a demanding action game. Its first-person perspective gives familiar Soulslike combat a different feel, the parry system rewards patience and timing, and the Napoleonic horror setting offers a change from the genre's more common fantasy worlds. Boss fights can be satisfying, exploration has enough secrets and shortcuts to reward curiosity, and character progression gives you practical reasons to search the levels carefully.
Valor Mortis delivers a solid and innovative experience within one of the most competitive genres in the market today: the soulslike. With first-person gameplay that mixes melee weapons, magic, and firearms, the game is likely to please fans of the genre, though at certain points it ends up bumping into its budget limitations.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
One More Level has shown that it’s possible to make an enjoyable soulslike that pays homage to the genre’s traditions while bringing plenty of fresh ideas to the table. It’s a much-needed breath of fresh air for this type of game.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Valor Mortis delivers an intriguing first-person take on the soulslike formula, with satisfying combat and a distinctive Napoleonic horror setting. Unfortunately, repetitive enemies, uneven pacing and underdeveloped mechanics hold back its promising ideas.
Review in Italian | Read full review
One More Level has managed to surprise us with a game that blends two seemingly different genres—soulslike and FPS—which, however, coexist very well. It’s a title dedicated to punishing action that must be thoroughly mastered; a treat for fans of the genre but not suitable for newcomers. The story isn’t particularly original, but the historical setting and storytelling more than make up for it. The technical aspects are impressive in terms of visuals and sound, though they aren’t without a few issues.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Valor Mortis is a largely successful blend of the soulslike genre and first-person action. The story becomes the player's main drive, featuring an intriguing, mysterious plot set in an uncharted time period. Its linear world design goes well with the Metroidvania exploration and gameplay mechanics, as it never feels stale on a first run. A simple skill tree and weapons/Transmutations upgrade path diminish any replay value, something that buyers should know before acquiring it.