New first-person Soulslike divides critics: Genre hit or disappointment?

Valor Mortis comes from One More Level – the studio behind Ghostrunner – and takes players to a dark version of Europe during the Napoleonic era. Taking on the role of William, a resurrected soldier, players make their way through plague-ridden cities, devastated villages and sinister dungeons. A mysterious plague has transformed Napoleon's troops into grotesque monsters. Uncovering the truth behind it is part of the game's story.

In terms of gameplay, Valor Mortis is particularly reminiscent of Sekiro, making it a Soulslike at heart. Instead of blindly hacking away at enemies, combat relies on precise parries, well-timed dodges and carefully executed counterattacks. Unlike typical entries in the genre, however, Valor Mortis is played from a first-person rather than a third-person perspective.

Critics divided between hidden gem and disappointment

Early reviews paint a very mixed picture. Insider Gaming awards the game an impressive 9 out of 10 points, praising Valor Mortis as a breath of fresh air for the Soulslike genre. The reviewer describes it as "a generational leap forward for Souls games." The challenging combat system, unusual perspective and dark atmosphere receive particular praise. However, the limited weapon variety and rather underwhelming boss fights are points of criticism.

GamesRadar+ takes a much more critical view. While the combat is also described as enjoyable, the game reportedly lacks original ideas beyond its first-person perspective. The review concludes: "The gameplay feels more familiar to me than my own shadow." Frustrating parkour sections, some annoying boss mechanics and technical issues such as crashes and inconsistent frame rates also draw criticism.

GameStar (in German) awards Valor Mortis 80 out of 100 points. The publication describes the opening hours as rather rough, but says the first-person Soulslike really hits its stride in the second half. TechRadar also praises the combat system but criticizes the occasionally poor visibility and frustrating design decisions. Given the mixed early reviews, gamers may find it difficult to decide whether Valor Mortis is worth playing. Perhaps a look at some actual gameplay will help, which can be seen in the following video:

Release on Steam, PS5 and Xbox

Valor Mortis launched on October 13, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. A free demo is available on Steam, allowing anyone interested in the unusual Soulslike to try it before buying. Whether players will be as divided over the concept as professional critics should become clear once the first Steam reviews start coming in.