Valor Mortis Preview: A Bold First-Person Soulslike at Gamescom

Valor Mortis turned out to be one of the most surprising highlights of Gamescom, proving that the crowded soulslike genre still has room for fresh ideas.

Developed by One More Level, best known for the Ghostrunner series, the game takes players to a haunting and unexpected setting: Napoleonic Europe devastated by plague, where fallen soldiers rise again to serve a twisted empire.

Players step into the boots of William, a soldier resurrected by Napoleon’s Grande Armée to fight against a mysterious corruption spreading across the continent. This unusual backdrop alone sets the game apart, but what truly impressed during the hands-on demo was how the first-person perspective brings back the claustrophobic tension of early FromSoftware experiments like King’s Field, while still delivering the weighty, deliberate combat soulslike fans crave.

Unlike many modern attempts at the formula, Valor Mortis doesn’t flood players with endless mobs. Instead, it focuses on intense duels and small skirmishes that reward precision, timing, and awareness. The mechanics are tight, blending the deliberate heft of a soulslike with just enough speed to make fights feel alive. Blocking, dodging, parrying, and even using firearms and special abilities all felt intuitive after only a few minutes of play.

The level design shown in the Gamescom demo impressed as well. The ruined battlefield was laced with shortcuts, alternate routes, and secret areas guarded by tougher foes, making exploration as rewarding as combat. The highlight of the session came in the form of a towering corrupted soldier acting as the final boss. The two-phase battle tested every mechanic – forcing players to use guns to exploit weak points, while still keeping timing and positioning at the core of survival. Defeating it felt like a proper soulslike achievement, the kind that leaves you both exhausted and eager for more.

What’s striking is how well One More Level seems to understand the essence of the genre. Rather than mimic FromSoftware’s blueprint, Valor Mortis adapts it, carving out an identity rooted in its setting and perspective. The demo proved this is not just another cookie-cutter soulslike, but a bold attempt to refresh the formula. With a playtest coming soon ahead of the planned release on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Series S next year, Valor Mortis looks poised to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of the genre.