Valor Mortis Launches Today From the Creators of Ghostrunner

Today, October 13, Valor Mortis launches on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The first-person soulslike comes from Polish studio One More Level, best known for the Ghostrunner duology. The review embargo is already up: critics praise the unusual 19th-century Napoleonic European setting and combat system, while criticizing the story, limited enemy variety, and PC performance. On Metacritic, the game currently ranges from 77 on PC to 82 on PS5.Valor Mortis follows William, a soldier in Napoleon's army who dies on the battlefield and is brought back to life by a mysterious substance. After his resurrection, he discovers that Europe has changed: a supernatural plague is spreading across the continent, while the voice of Bonaparte himself speaks inside his head. Critics have described the formula as a mix of Dark Souls and BioShock. Combat favors Bloodborne-style aggression and precise Sekiro-like parries. There are no difficulty settings at launch because the studio considers challenge part of the genre's philosophy.At the time of publication, Metacritic had around 45 Valor Mortis reviews, with averages ranging from 77 on PC to 82 on PS5. OpenCritic showed an average score of 80 from 34 reviews, with 82% of critics recommending the game. The original Ghostrunner launched with Metacritic scores between 76 and 81, while Ghostrunner 2 landed between 79 and 81. Valor Mortis is therefore performing roughly in line with One More Level's previous games.Reviewers specifically highlight the flexible combat system, well-integrated platforming elements, thoughtful level design, and responsive controls.The main criticisms mentioned in reviews are:

• Weak story.
• Limited enemy variety.
• Checkpoints placed too generously.
• The game can feel drawn out, with combat becoming tiring toward the end.
• Difficulty balance issues.
• PC performance problems.

Even during the preview period, Game Informer called uneven difficulty the biggest threat to the overall experience, especially in chapters that end with boss fights. Read our Valor Mortis beginner guide.