Alright Mate, Can a First-Person Soulslike Actually... Work? Valor Mortis Playtest Invites You to Cast Your Verdict.
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Valor Mortis, a first-person Soulslike, is opening up a playtest from October 6-13, letting curious gamers see if this genre-bending concept actually works, or if it's just a wild experiment. With devs from *Ghostrunner* at the helm, it's a chance to personally explore if the immersion outweighs the tactical challenges of a new perspective in a beloved, brutal genre.
You know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, sending ripples through reality and leaving you wondering if you've discovered something brilliant or just opened a portal to pure chaos? Well, that's pretty much where my head's at with the idea of a first-person Soulslike, and a game called *Valor Mortis* is about to give us all a chance to figure it out for ourselves.
Fair dinkum, the Soulslike genre has exploded in recent years, hasn't it? It feels like every other day, a new studio is pitching their 'brutally challenging, deliberate combat, intricate world' take on the formula. And while I'm all for innovation and expanding on a good thing – Lord knows I spent far too many hours getting my backside handed to me in *Lies of P*, and loving every minute of it – I'm also a bit knackered by how many games just slap 'Soulslike' on the tin without truly understanding the secret sauce. It's not just about difficulty, mate. It's about atmospheric storytelling, carefully crafted combat loops, and that delicious sense of overcoming insurmountable odds in a world that often doesn't give a damn about you.
So, when the news started trickling in about *Valor Mortis*, a first-person Soulslike, my inner digital wizard did a double-take. First-person? In a genre where spatial awareness, precise dodge-rolls, and keeping an eye on multiple threats simultaneously are absolutely paramount? My initial reaction was a mix of 'bloody hell, that sounds like a nightmare' and '...but what if it's a *brilliant* nightmare?' It's a bit like trying to juggle fireballs while blindfolded – potentially spectacular, potentially a trip to the burn ward. The good folks over at Rock Paper Shotgun had their own James go hands-on, reporting that it's potentially 'worth keeping an eye on,' which, coming from a journo, is high praise indeed. But what does that *feel* like for us, the actual players? That's the million-dollar question.
This is where *you* and *I* come in, my fellow curious gamers. Turns out, we don't have to just sit around wondering if this reality-bending concept can actually hold up. The developers behind *Valor Mortis*, One More Level (who, you might recall, crafted the incredibly slick and unforgiving *Ghostrunner* – more on that in a sec), are throwing open the gates for a playtest. From October 6th to October 13th, you can sign up for a chance to dive into the game's first chapter. We're talking a mini-boss, a proper boss, and a taste of the upgrade tree and level progression. It’s not guaranteed that everyone who signs up will get in – that'd be a logistical nightmare, wouldn't it? – but if you're even remotely intrigued by this genre-mashing idea, it's absolutely worth taking a punt.
Now, let's talk about those developers, One More Level. *Ghostrunner* was an absolute masterclass in first-person parkour combat, a lightning-fast, one-hit-kill ballet of death and precision. The sheer *speed* and spatial awareness required in *Ghostrunner* were off the charts. So, the idea that the same minds are now tackling the deliberate, often slow-burn brutality of a Soulslike in the first-person perspective is… fascinating. Will *Valor Mortis* inherit *Ghostrunner*'s sense of razor-sharp precision? Or will it lean into a more grounded, weighty combat feel, where every swing and parry feels impactful and dangerous? Imagine the environmental storytelling potential, the sheer immersion of a terrifying boss filling your entire field of view, or the panic of a mob closing in with no clear peripheral vision. It could either be incredibly immersive, making every encounter feel personal and terrifying, or it could be an absolute control-scheme nightmare, leaving us flailing like a wizard who forgot the incantation for 'dodge roll.'
My gentle skepticism (and my perpetually singed eyebrows from past gaming experiments) always kicks in when something sounds too good, or too wild, to be true. The industry is rife with buzzwords and 'revolutionary' claims that often boil down to minor tweaks. But this isn't just a minor tweak; it's a fundamental shift in perspective for a genre built on third-person observation. This playtest isn't just about experiencing a new game; it's about seeing if a core tenet of the Soulslike experience – the tactical overview, the ability to read a boss's entire body language from a slight distance – can translate effectively when you're nose-to-gimlet-eyed-monster.
What would a curious gamer like us *really* want to know? We want to know if the combat feels good. If the world is intriguing. If the 'Soulslike' elements are genuinely there in spirit and not just borrowed difficulty. We want to know if the first-person perspective enhances the terror and challenge, or if it simply adds frustration. This playtest gives us a direct line to answer those questions ourselves, rather than just relying on marketing speak or even a single preview. It's a chance to peek behind the curtain of this potentially chaotic reality-shift.
*Valor Mortis* is aiming for a 2026 release, which, in this delay-riddled era we live in, feels like a magical prophecy whispered by a slightly tipsy oracle. But hey, if the playtest gives us a solid glimpse of what's to come, perhaps the wait will be worth it. So, if you're anything like me – a bit of a digital mad scientist, always wondering 'what happens if...' – then signing up for that *Valor Mortis* playtest is probably a no-brainer. Let's find out together if this first-person Soulslike is a stroke of genius, or if it's just a spell that needs a bit more brewing.
Original reporting by Oisin Kuhnke for Rock Paper Shotgun.
Tags: Soulslike, First-Person, Playtest, Indie Game, Gaming Innovation
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun