> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://regionfree.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Valor Mortis is a daring spin on the Soulslike formula - URL: https://regionfree.net/valor-mortis-review-soulslike-reinvention/ - Published: 2026-10-12T13:03:43.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-12T13:03:43.000Z - Description: Valor Mortis feels like the next frontier for the Soulslike genre. It is a massive undertaking to rewrite the language we use to understand these games, and One More Level succeeds in stamping its mark on it. - Author: Joonatan Itkonen - Tags: Gaming, Game Reviews, #gamereview, #developer-One-More-Level, #score-4 ### The Verdict **What works** - • Grandiose and beautiful world and enemy design. - • Challenging but never unfair. - • Fun traversal and combat mechanics. **What doesn't work** - • Parry mechanics still need some work. - • Some boss and mob encounters are frustrating. Region Free Rating ★★★★★ 4/5 🕹️ ****Platform:** PC (Steam) ****Version:** Digital retail review code provided by the distributor ****Independence & Ethics** Region Free is entirely reader-supported and maintains full editorial independence. For more on my scoring and standards, see the [****Review Guide**](https://regionfree.net/review-guide/). Valor Mortis attempts to marry the fast-paced maneuverability of the Ghostrunner series with the deliberate, punishing combat of the Soulslike genre. For the most part, it succeeds, and despite some immensely frustrating stumbles, Valor Mortis is an inventive whirlwind that thrills and delights at every turn. Set in an alternate history during the Napoleonic Wars, endless battle has unleashed a supernatural plague upon the land, where the dead walk and bulbous pustules grow from both tree and limb. Our hero, William, is a British soldier who is killed in battle. His resurrection comes at the hands of Napoleon himself, while his former friends turn into hulking monstrosities hell-bent on destruction. As the world turns upside down, William sets off across the desolation to find answers, only to discover deeper and darker secrets he bargained for. It's a fantastic story, simply told and with memorable characters, and even if it doesn't surprise, Valor Mortis delivers where it counts. The adventure plays out like a dark fable liberally seasoned with French and Northern European folklore, which gives it an unnervingly tantalizing tone I can't quite put my finger on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/0c/47/0c4798b4-e19d-4d8f-8475-ae0910a66a04/content/images/2026/10/valor-mortis-general-legion.webp) The gameplay loop is equally familiar, but with just enough of a fresh spin to stand out. Developer One More Level previously worked on the fantastic Ghostrunner titles, and their DNA for fast-paced parkour antics thrives in Valor Mortis. At first, the emphasis on agility took a moment to settle in. It's a mental thing, I'm sure: the mind expects a Dark Souls-style experience, which means deliberate, often slow movement firmly on the ground. Instead, Valor Mortis goes in the other direction, introducing jumping, sliding, and swinging within moments, expanding into even wilder territory from there. By the third major boss battle, I no longer questioned the approach. It won't be for everyone, but Valor Mortis feels like the next frontier for the Soulslike genre. It is a massive undertaking to rewrite the language we use to understand these games, and One More Level succeeds in stamping its mark on it. Other elements, like souls for level-ups, tried-and-tested skill trees, and light RPG mechanics for weapon upgrades, are all still here. They're not as deep as in Elden Ring, but Valor Mortis offers a compelling enough mix of styles and approaches that make every run feel like your own. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/0c/47/0c4798b4-e19d-4d8f-8475-ae0910a66a04/content/images/2026/10/valor-mortis-battlefield-fight.webp) Granted, not everything works. Some growing pains are notable and frustrating, especially when it comes to Valor Mortis' prevalent parrying mechanics. Even after a major update during the review period, the game still struggles to indicate depth and distance properly, and some attacks, especially from larger enemies, land when they appear much farther away. Similarly, mob battles are a pain in the royal keester for the same reasons. Regular attacks, like those with swords and axes, are relatively easy to figure out. But try and tell me the exact point where a charging pitchfork has a parry point, and you'll have my deepest gratitude. Some of this goes away with familiarity, and like the best Soulslike games, Valor Mortis is as rewarding as it is punishing. But compared to others, especially its third-person cousins, I found parts of this adventure annoying for all the wrong reasons far more often than with others. Luckily, there's so much to love elsewhere that even the occasional combat hiccups can't diminish Valor Mortis' grand ambitions. First off, this is a *gorgeous* game that, according to One More Level, is handcrafted from beginning to end. It beautifully blends Belle Époque paintings with the absurdist fantasies of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillermo del Toro into a dazzling theater of the macabre you won't find elsewhere. Character animations are lush and intricate, boss designs are wildly imaginative, and there's an impish playfulness that helps even the bleakest turns go down smoothly. Valor Mortis understands that misery is easy; balancing the big spectacle with sorrow is challenging. To its credit, it somehow makes it look easy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/0c/47/0c4798b4-e19d-4d8f-8475-ae0910a66a04/content/images/2026/10/valor-mortis-desolated-village.webp) I knew Valor Mortis had won me over relatively early in the review process. I spent about three hours getting my ass kicked by a particularly annoying boss fight, yet I didn't want to give up. I knew that once this was over, I could explore another area of this depressingly beautiful world, and any tribulations now were worth it. That's the sign of a good game, and Valor Mortis is occasionally a great one. Don't sleep on this one; I think it's the beginning of something special.