Valor Mortis Redefines the Soulslike Genre With a Grave New World
Valor Mortis, a first-person action game that boldly plants its flag in the soulslike genre, was recently announced by the developers at One More Level.
With this announcement, the team must meet certain expectations and is fully aware that calling a game a soulslike is a significant promise to make. How exactly does a first-person perspective change the familiar formula this series is known for following?
Inside the Madness of Valor Mortis
Game director Radosław Ratusznik isn’t only determined to deliver an authentic experience but also committed to this unique viewpoint. Notably, the studio is known for the excellent cyberpunk slasher Ghostrunner, which was used as a training ground.
Ultimately, the team consists of dedicated Soulslike fans seeking to earn their stripes before tackling their dream genre. This experience would lead to the creation of Valor Mortis; its gameplay blends brutal melee combat, period-accurate firearms, and bizarre mutant powers.
Funny enough, it was an accident how the Valor Mortis’s alt-history Napoleonic setting emerged, with its lead concept artist, who also happens to be a history buff, being the catalyst. Furthermore, the core premise centers on a monstrous Napoleon commanding an army of undead mutants, bringing a unique twist to the era.
Although that time period is often remembered for silly hats and tight pants, this change of history suddenly makes the game incredibly compelling and fresh.
Mutant Powers Meet Historical Warfare
In Valor Mortis, players take control of a character named William, a British soldier disillusioned after being seduced by Napoleon’s false promises of liberation.
Williams, unlike his comrades, can manipulate the mutative substance called nephtoglobin. With this ability, he’s able to retain his sanity while wielding its grotesque powers.
On the gruesome, war-torn battlefields of a twisted Europe, this ability will be an absolute necessity to survive. As horror is the central theme of Valor Mortis, players don’t just battle monsters but the grim reality of war itself, where there are no true victors.
Whether William’s unique control over the mutation offers a glimmer of hope will only be known by playing, as it’s possible that it could merely be a different kind of curse. So, what exactly is the story that’s being told?
A foreign soldier fighting in a foreign army finds himself in a universal story about the horrors of conflict set against a nightmarish version of Eastern Europe. As the name suggests, players will see if they can retain their humanity while surrounded by the courage of death.
