Valor Mortis Review: Death suits you so well
, by Enzo
While at first glance one might expect Valor Mortis to be just another souls-like game among many, it is in fact a far more unique and daring experience, drawing on unconventional influences that stray far from the genre’s norms. The gameplay is dynamic and versatile, featuring first-person perspective inspired by the expertise of Ghostrunner, along with firearms, special abilities, melee combat, and even parkour.
The action takes place in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in an alternate Europe, and it effortlessly explores themes such as the victims left behind and the way power corrupts people. A bit boring, you might say? Let’s find out together just how well Valor Mortis managed to bring this vision to life and deliver an astonishing experience to its players.
An immersive universe
Let’s be clear: we’re not starting with the most attractive premise there is. While many prefer medieval settings for this genre of game, here we’re leaving that behind for a deep dive into the midst of war. but not just any war: Napoleon’s. Why this choice? The desire to tell a different story, but also to offer a credible historical context rarely used in video games, to support the presence of firearms, bladed weapons, and horror. We'll be honest: they’ve passed with flying colors.
From the very first moments, our eyes and ears are swept up in an impressive sense of immersion. The environments are stunning and detailed, with remarkable models and beautiful textures. A wide variety of landscapes, each as captivating as the next, are featured, ranging from natural settings to the most human-made ones. The well-executed lighting effects make these otherwise grim settings shine, even as they’re filled with corpses, disease, and many other monsters we’ll have to face throughout our adventure—starting with humanity itself.
While we’ve come to appreciate highly dynamic environments today, with wind, lots of movement in the vegetation, and wildlife running wild, that’s not the case here. Although sumptuously rendered, nature is often frozen in place, but this feeling reinforces the atmosphere of a heavy, oppressive setting. The only exception to this bleak beauty is the stagnant water (swamps), which could have used a little extra polish.
The game’s soundtrack is also worth highlighting; it effectively accompanies both intense and calmer moments, and numerous ambient sounds help make the immersion feel authentic. The voice acting is remarkably accurate, with distinct accents for certain characters and a unique way of pronouncing words that gives them a very personal and realistic feel.
Some of you will no doubt have noticed similarities with Resident Evil Village and especially Resident Evil 4 Remake, whose atmospheres are among the studio’s sources of inspiration. Abandoned European villages ravaged by disease, underground mines with mine cars, and even several characters whose names reference these two titles will ring a bell when you see them.
A relatively accessible Soulslike experience
Before turning off players seeking a challenging experience, it’s worth noting that despite the accessibility features we’ll discuss, the core elements characteristic of Soulslike games are very much present. A demanding stamina system, campfires that respawn enemies, and resources dropped upon death… in that regard, everything checks out.
Nevertheless… the experience aims to be more unique and, at the same time, less demanding. It offers a certain level of accessibility, allowing a wider audience to give it a try. Simplified inventory and menus, no overly complex equipment stats to streamline progression, and even a very intuitive passive skill tree are all part of the package. Similarly, dying in a boss arena drops resources outside the arena to ensure they can be recovered and to avoid unnecessary frustration.
You can also fall into the void without dying—you’ll simply respawn nearby with some health lost. Too easy, you might say? Well, Valor Mortis features a strong emphasis on platforming and navigation. Time and again, you’ll need to master long jumps, precise jumps, and even the speed of your combos to overcome obstacles… and you’ll fail many times. Ultimately, this is a relatively linear game with a bit of side exploration, but its pacing and progression are perfectly balanced.
Ambidextrous gameplay: do you shoot or aim?
Or do you jump? Because yes, as we just mentioned, Valor Mortis incorporates a strong parkour element, inspired by the excellent Dishonored franchise, which helps make the overall experience very immersive. Since it’s well-executed, the result is very fluid and works particularly well. A wide variety of parkour moves are available, both during exploration and in combat. The vast majority of acrobatic maneuvers are fairly simple to perform, but some trickier sections might make you groan. Sound like something you’ve experienced? No.
Maybe we shouldn’t say this, but it’s entirely possible to use this aspect of parkour and the map’s verticality to your advantage: some enemies can’t climb obstacles or navigate narrow passages. Maybe we’ve occasionally used the heights to make a fight easier, especially against those pesky Eternal Guards, but no one has any proof of that. Oh, and be careful of the various traps, asyou might end up getting your nose broken there, too. Ooops! Oh, and watch out for enemies who are smarter than you and know how to duck to squeeze through openings smaller than they are. Of course, we’re not going to tell you which ones. What fun would be in that? You’ll have to find out the hard way on your own.
Let’s get back to the main component of the gameplay: do you shoot or aim? Both, actually, thanks to ambidexterity. That's a mouthful... Inspired not only by Dishonored but also by Lies of P, the game involves wielding not only melee weapons but also firearms or special abilities with your other hand. You’ll quickly get the hang of this aspect and even start to enjoy it.
Naturally, you’ll need to switch between parrying, dodging, and various combos as the situation demands. A stun gauge is, of course, part of the mix, and triggers satisfying execution animations once it’s full. Each of the various melee weapons offers unique characteristics for ever-more varied gameplay, with a seamless equipment wheel that pauses the game, allowing for freedom of action and unbeatable versatility.
Each weapon and ability acquired throughout the adventure can be upgraded in a dedicated menu, offering not only increased damage but also interesting bonus properties. In addition, players can develop their character through the passive skill tree, which is also very intuitive. Combining the two allows for the creation of several specializations. One minor drawback is that ammunition for firearms is a bit too limited, with a somewhat meager supply, which may lead players to use them sparingly. This aspect is understandable, however, given the game’s context and the decision not to make firearms the primary source of damage.
The first boss battle: a trial by fire
The difficulty of Valor Mortis is designed to be more accessible than the average Soulslike; the first few hours will pass without too much anxiety, allowing you to discover and get the hang of the various mechanics on offer. Then, sooner or later, you’ll face your very first boss. A few pointers won’t hurt anyone and will help everyone understand what’s to come.
The battle against the first real boss is significantly more difficult than anything you’ve experienced so far, and that’s perfectly normal. As in other similar titles, it serves as a sort of baptism by fire: a test to see if the player has mastered the basics. If that’s the case, a few tries will suffice… otherwise, you might end up needing more attempts than for all the other bosses in the game combined. While its difficulty isn’t exorbitant compared to other games in the genre, it may seem surprising for Valor Mortis. There are several factors to consider.
First and foremost, playing a challenging game in first-person perspective can sometimes make it a bit difficult to follow the animations. You’re no longer dealing with a small enemy on the screen that you have to scrutinize from a high camera angle, but rather a boss that takes up half the screen or more when you’re close to it. Naturally, there’s a lot of movement on the screen, and that will take a little getting used to. Arm yourself with a bit of patience because, trust us, the rest of the game seems much more forgiving once you’ve defeated this bad guy, thoughwith a few exceptions.
Interesting storytelling, though not fully realized
Here we’re tackling an aspect that isn’t typically emphasized in Souls-like games: storytelling, but which remains interesting in Valor Mortis. The historical context and the game’s world play a major role in this feeling: you play as a soldier raised from the dead, largely suffering from amnesia, who hears the voice of his emperor, Napoleon, dictating his intentions for revenge.
Although somewhat relegated to the background, the story unfolds and is gradually revealed throughout the epic, through a few mental interventions by Napoleon, as well as a variety of echoes from the past, accompanied by the traditional notes and letters scattered here and there. In our opinion, a greater presence of the emperor in the narrative would have elevated it to a much higher level, as there is plenty of potential here.
The hero will also be presented with choices that have minor consequences for the adventure, sometimes testing morality and the understanding of a situation laden with meaning. These elements evoke feelings that are quite uncommon in Soulslike experiences such as this, somewhat in the vein of the title Banishers: Ghost of New Eden, which makes you hesitate over whether or not to carry out dark actions.
Finally, the side quests deserve a paragraph all to themselves. Interesting and plentiful enough in the game, they’re sometimes quite enigmatic and tend to pile up and accumulate. As a result, it’s hard to tell exactly when they’ll be completed. Sometimes they’re wrapped up nearby, and other times they require progressing through several chapters before returning to them; as a result, they can quickly be set aside, even though they could really enhance this universe.
Areas for Improvement
At this point in the review, it’s clear to everyone that Valor Mortis is a favorite of ours and has provided us with a memorable experience. Nevertheless, the game isn’t without a few minor flaws or various aspects that could benefit from adjustments or improvements.
To put it simply, a few visual or audio glitches popped up from time to time, and the optimization isn’t always top-notch. On top of that, the game’s default controls are terrible. In the studio’s defense, you’ll need to configure practical, easily accessible buttons to attack, block, sprint, jump, and dodge, andsometimes all within a single second. Not to mention, of course, healing, weapon switching, and consumables. Our best advice: figure out what works for you.
The exploration might lack a bit of flair. It’s simple and effective, but a little lackluster. We would have appreciated a few more secrets or truly hidden elements to discover—not just side paths—even though the level design as a whole remains very good. Also, a whole batch of consumables is stored in a fictional stockpile that we can’t access, but which holds all our surplus items. A mechanic that seems simple on the surface, but isn’t explained in concrete terms. Finally, it’s impossible to tell what type of ammunition you’re looking at while exploring, which prevents you from wisely choosing which weapon to use to fire it before reloading with the loot you’ve found.
Tested on PC. See our rating policy here.
9.5/10
Valor Mortis is a unique experience entrenched in the ever popular Soulslike genre. One More Level has managed to draw on the expertise it gained from Ghostrunner, coupled with unconventional inspirations, to craft an interesting, original, and very well-executed game. There’s nothing purely revolutionary on paper here, but the various elements, assembled coherently and with precision, offer an adventure that left a lasting impression on us and brilliantly immersed us in its believable historical universe.
- + Top-notch art direction and immersion
- + Original world and environments, all brilliantly modeled
- + High-quality voice acting
- + Original and polished gameplay
- + Parkour and acrobatics seamlessly integrated into the game
- + Respectable playtime
- - The difficulty curve is all over the place
- - The game could help some more story, and side quests are a bit too crammed in