Bloody Hell, Valor Mortis! Ghostrunner Devs Are Cooking Up a Dishonored-Soulslike Mashup That Just Might Work
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
One More Level, the maestros behind *Ghostrunner*, are stirring up a deliciously brutal first-person RPG called *Valor Mortis*, which, despite its Soulslike trappings, feels more like a nimble, aggressive cousin to *Dishonored*—and it managed to completely hijack a jaded journo’s Gamescom schedule. It’s shaping up to be a compelling, high-stakes hybrid that truly gets its hooks in, rewarding agility and aggressive play over defensive turtling.
Right, so you know that feeling when Gamescom hits, and suddenly every game demo blurs into a single, overwhelming cascade of explosions and marketing jargon? It’s like someone cast a 'Temporal Displacement' spell on your brain and every appointment feels simultaneously 30 minutes and three years long. Well, apparently, One More Level—those absolute wizards behind the razor-sharp *Ghostrunner*—have managed to conjure something so compelling, so *sticky*, that it made one veteran journo completely forget their schedule. We’re talking about *Valor Mortis*, and if the early word is anything to go by, it’s not just another blurry-eyed demo. This gem of an insight comes courtesy of Dom Peppiatt over at Eurogamer, who penned the original deep dive into this fascinating beast.
Dom, bless his cotton socks, admitted he packs his Gamescom schedule tighter than a dragon’s treasure chest, often skipping meals just to squeeze in another peek. So, for him to stay glued to a demo station, long past his allotted time, just to slay a boss? Mate, that’s practically a five-star Michelin rating in game journalism. It suggests *Valor Mortis* has that elusive *thing*, that spark that makes you forget the outside world and just *play*. That, more than any trailer or press release, is what truly piqued my interest. What arcane alchemy did One More Level brew up to achieve such a feat?
Now, let's address the elephant in the (mass) grave, shall we? You awake in a mass grave, sabre in hand, pistol at your hip, and magic crackling in your palm—very *Bioshock*, very *Dishonored*. And yes, *Valor Mortis* does rock some undeniably 'Soulslike' trappings: you drop your currency on death, you have limited health potions, light and heavy attacks, a dedicated dodge, and bosses with more health bars than a multi-level dungeon. You'll probably need to learn to parry like a boss, too. But here’s where my gentle skepticism kicks in, because while those ingredients are certainly in the pot, the flavour seems... different. Dom reckons (and I’m inclined to agree) that calling it a straight-up Soulslike feels a bit off. Why? Because this isn't about slowly pecking away at a gargantuan foe while hiding behind a shield. This is *first-person*, for starters—a pretty massive shift in feel. But more profoundly, the flow of combat, the way you dart, jump, and plunge your blade into enemies, feels less like a methodical *Chosen Undead* and more like a high-octane *Ghostrunner* or a stealthy *Corvo Attano* gone loud.
It’s clear the beating heart of *Ghostrunner* is still thrumming beneath *Valor Mortis*'s muddy, Napoleonic exterior. The game wants you to be deft, svelte, and aggressively acrobatic, tearing through possessed footsoldiers and mutated dogs in the blasted trenches. One More Level has even baked this agility into the core mechanics: blocking still dings your health, which means parrying becomes the preferred dance move, and if that’s not an option, you’re dodging like a madman before countering. You could be uncharitable and call it a glorified game of rock, paper, scissors—and in a way, it is—but apparently, it all feels 'so damn good.' And 'damn good' is pretty high praise when you’re talking about splitting digital bones.
Your hero here is William, a bloke who’s certainly hardier than a cyborg ninja, but still just... a bloke. Yet, he’s empowered enough to carve his way through the madness. And while the regular grunts might become 'feckless drones' once you've learned their tells, it’s the bosses where *Valor Mortis* promises to truly shine—and where Dom got utterly hooked. He describes the first boss, General Lothaire (aka The Eagle Bearer), starting out simply enough: pistol weak points, stamina depletion, big 'poise attack' damage. By the end, Dom was breezing through phase one without a single potion. Nice, mate! But then comes phase two, and suddenly, Cronenberg threw up on a historical general. Lothaire mutates into a multi-armed beast, pulling dead souls from the battlefield, swinging a huge flagstaff, and one hit can leave you gasping for air. It transforms the fight from offensive to a desperate, stamina-depleting scramble. It took Dom ten deaths, but that feeling of finally 'ripping the monster’s bones apart'? That’s the payoff. That's the wizard's touch, where the magic truly connects.
That 'need to overcome' is the signature spell of a truly addictive game, isn't it? It’s what makes us stay up 'til 3 AM, muttering 'just one more try' to an empty room. And if One More Level can consistently deliver that level of compelling, gratifying challenge with *Valor Mortis*, then fair dinkum, they might just pull off this hard-as-nails, Dishonored-meets-Soulslike-meets-Ghostrunner hybrid. It sounds like a chaotic brew, but honestly, given their track record for delivering exhilarating, high-stakes first-person combat, I’m cautiously optimistic. They’ve proven they know how to make fragility feel powerful, and speed feel like a weapon. Let's just hope they keep stirring that pot just right. Because what a curious gamer really wants to know is: how deep does this rabbit hole go, and what glorious monstrosities await us at the bottom?
Tags: Valor Mortis, Ghostrunner, Soulslike, Immersive Sim, Action RPG
Original article: Eurogamer