One More Level unveiled The Crimson Plague gameplay trailer for Valor Mortis on November 21, 2025, giving the first detailed look at nighttime combat in the developer’s brutal Napoleonic-era first-person soulslike. The 69-second trailer showcases protagonist William fighting through a plague-ravaged village, battling horrific creatures with period-appropriate weapons and supernatural powers. Publisher Lyrical Games confirmed the game launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam in 2026, building on positive feedback from the October playtest that let early players experience the complete introductory chapter.
The Crimson Plague Setting
The new trailer focuses specifically on the Crimson Plague, a supernatural disease that has transformed Napoleon’s Grande Armée soldiers into shambling monstrosities. The footage shows a once-humble village now overrun by horrific enemies, with dark atmosphere and oppressive lighting creating genuine tension as William navigates narrow streets and dilapidated buildings. Bodies hang from scaffolding while plague-infected soldiers wearing tattered 19th-century military uniforms lurch toward the player.
This represents just one section of Valor Mortis’s alternate history setting where Napoleon’s endless conquests corrupted the landscape itself. The game takes place in Eastern Europe during the Napoleonic Wars, reimagined with supernatural horror elements where a mysterious substance called Nephtoglobin grants extraordinary abilities while transforming humans into hideous creatures. The setting blends snow-covered despair, exquisite military fashion, and squelching bayonets with zombies in long underwear eagerly awaiting decapitation.
Who Is William
Players control William, a soldier from Napoleon’s Grande Armée who awakens in a mass grave surrounded by his dead comrades. The game opens with the voice of the little corporal echoing in William’s ears as he rises from death, resurrected through mysterious forces tied to Nephtoglobin corruption. This supernatural substance grants William powers that enhance his combat abilities but also connects him to the very plague destroying Europe.
The narrative explores themes of war, death, resurrection, corruption, temptation, and conspiracy as William uncovers the truth behind his unholy resurrection and the Crimson Plague’s origins. Historical figures and realities intertwine with elements of horror and the supernatural, creating a story that balances alternate history with pure nightmare fuel. Each death becomes a chance to grow stronger as William masters his corrupted powers while maintaining enough humanity to question what he’s becoming.
First-Person Soulslike Combat
Valor Mortis adapts traditional soulslike mechanics to first-person perspective, creating what One More Level describes as a fresh take on the genre. The combat system emphasizes parries, dashes, and visceral finishers across various weapons including swords, bayonets, and flintlock pistols. Players must master methodical combat where timing matters more than button mashing, with each enemy encounter demanding careful observation of attack patterns.
The supernatural abilities add complexity beyond standard melee combat. William can channel corrupted power to enhance attacks, unlock new abilities, and inflict devastating damage on plague-ridden enemies. The magic system works alongside traditional weapons, creating hybrid playstyles that reward experimentation. However, utilizing corrupted powers comes with consequences that tie into the narrative themes about succumbing to darkness versus maintaining humanity.
October Playtest Feedback
One More Level ran a pre-alpha playtest from October 6 to October 13, 2025, giving PC players access to the complete introductory chapter. The demo included a challenging main boss, a formidable mini-boss, 10 levels of player progression, and the first major section of the upgrade tree. Feedback focused heavily on combat feel, with most players praising the satisfying nature of parries, dodges, and finishers when mechanics clicked properly.
Common criticisms centered on enemy variety and visual clarity. The playtest featured mostly infantry soldiers with similar attack patterns lacking mechanical variety, though the boss fights showcased more disturbing and unique designs. Some players noted floatiness in movement for both the player character and enemies. The final boss battle lacked music, making the experience feel flat despite the grandiose arena. Several players also reported difficulty reading attack telegraphs on certain boss moves that seemed to lack proper audio and visual cues.
The developer actively engaged with community feedback on Reddit’s soulslike subreddit, demonstrating responsiveness to criticism while explaining design decisions. One More Level acknowledged the work-in-progress nature of the pre-alpha build, with significant polishing planned before the 2026 launch. Early impressions from gaming outlets like Destructoid praised the atmosphere and smart combat system while noting the same concerns about enemy variety and movement floatiness that need addressing.
Metroidvania Level Design
Beyond combat, Valor Mortis incorporates Metroidvania-inspired level design with interconnected areas, environmental secrets, and shortcuts that unlock as players gain new mobility options. The 19th-century alternate history setting features multiple regions to explore, each with distinct visual identities ranging from snowy battlefields to plague-ravaged villages to mysterious locations hiding the truth about Nephtoglobin.
The exploration emphasizes environmental storytelling with details scattered throughout levels that reveal lore about the war, the plague, and historical figures caught in supernatural events. Players must use newfound abilities to reach previously inaccessible areas, uncovering secrets that increase survival chances. The interconnected design rewards thorough exploration while maintaining the oppressive atmosphere that makes every new discovery feel earned rather than handed out freely.
From Ghostrunner to Valor Mortis
One More Level built their reputation on the Ghostrunner series, fast-paced first-person action games featuring one-hit-kill combat and cyberpunk parkour. Ghostrunner launched in 2020 to critical acclaim for its fluid movement and tight swordplay, with Ghostrunner 2 following in 2023 expanding the formula. The studio’s expertise in first-person melee combat and level design directly informs Valor Mortis, though the pacing shifts dramatically from lightning-fast parkour to methodical soulslike encounters.
CEO Szymon Bryla explained the studio wanted to try something new and original after Ghostrunner, creating a darker experience while maintaining their commitment to demanding games for hardcore players. The foundation of first-person melee combat remained, but applying it to the soulslike genre required completely rethinking enemy design, encounter pacing, and player progression. Bryla emphasized showing that One More Level has grown beyond the Ghostrunner formula into more ambitious projects.
The Soulslike Credentials Debate
One More Level actively engaged with debates about whether Valor Mortis qualifies as a true soulslike given its first-person perspective. The studio dared fans to question the game’s credentials after playing it, confident that core soulslike elements shine through despite the unconventional viewpoint. The game features checkpoint lanterns that restore fallen enemies, healing flasks, backstab mechanics, stamina management, and the punishing difficulty curve that defines the genre.
However, the first-person view does sacrifice some combat complexity compared to third-person soulslikes. Players can’t see their character’s full body movements or read enemy positioning behind them as easily. The camera perspective feels more like Ghostrunner’s action-slasher combat adapted for slower, more methodical encounters. Some preview coverage noted this led to less intricate combat than expected from a soulslike, though the magic system and weapon variety add layers that the brief demo didn’t fully showcase.
2026 Release Window
Valor Mortis targets a 2026 release across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam with no specific month announced. The October playtest positioned the game roughly 14 to 16 months from potential launch assuming late 2026, giving One More Level substantial time to address feedback about enemy variety, movement feel, and combat clarity. The team emphasized making a demanding game for hardcore players rather than rushing to market with an unpolished experience.
Publisher Lyrical Games handles distribution and marketing, allowing One More Level to focus purely on development. The partnership gives Valor Mortis a stronger promotional platform than many indie projects, with trailers appearing during major gaming events like Gamescom and consistent coverage from outlets like IGN. The Steam page already has thousands of wishlists tracking interest, a critical metric for indie game visibility at launch.
Standing Out in the Soulslike Market
The soulslike genre faces oversaturation with dozens of titles releasing annually, many struggling to differentiate themselves from Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and other FromSoftware classics. Valor Mortis distinguishes itself through the unique Napoleonic horror setting, first-person perspective, and One More Level’s pedigree from Ghostrunner. The combination creates a specific niche targeting players who want soulslike challenge with more active, immersive combat than traditional third-person entries provide.
The historical-supernatural fusion also sets Valor Mortis apart from fantasy or sci-fi soulslikes dominating the market. The period weaponry, military uniforms, and European landscapes grounded in recognizable history before twisting into nightmare create a distinctive aesthetic. Whether these differences prove enough to capture mainstream attention or remain a cult favorite among hardcore soulslike fans depends on execution quality and how effectively One More Level translates Ghostrunner’s combat mastery to this slower, more methodical genre.
FAQs
When does Valor Mortis release?
Valor Mortis launches in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. No specific month has been announced, with mid to late 2026 appearing most likely based on the October 2025 playtest timing.
Who is developing Valor Mortis?
One More Level, the studio behind Ghostrunner and Ghostrunner 2, is developing Valor Mortis. Publisher Lyrical Games handles distribution and marketing for the project.
What type of game is Valor Mortis?
Valor Mortis is a first-person soulslike combining brutal methodical combat, Metroidvania-inspired level design, and a horror narrative set in an alternate Napoleonic Wars where supernatural plague has corrupted Napoleon’s army into monstrosities.
What is the Crimson Plague?
The Crimson Plague is a supernatural disease that transforms soldiers into horrific creatures. The plague stems from Nephtoglobin, a mysterious substance that grants powers while corrupting humanity, serving as both gameplay mechanic and narrative driver.
Was there a Valor Mortis demo?
Yes, One More Level ran a pre-alpha playtest from October 6-13, 2025 on PC featuring the complete introductory chapter, a main boss, mini-boss, and 10 levels of progression. The demo received mostly positive feedback with notes about needed polish.
What platforms will Valor Mortis support?
Valor Mortis launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. No announcements about other platforms like Nintendo Switch 2 have been made.
Who do you play as in Valor Mortis?
Players control William, a soldier from Napoleon’s Grande Armée who awakens from death in a mass grave. William possesses supernatural powers from Nephtoglobin corruption that enhance combat while connecting him to the plague destroying Europe.
Is Valor Mortis really a soulslike?
Yes, despite the first-person perspective, Valor Mortis features core soulslike elements including checkpoint lanterns that respawn enemies, healing flasks, stamina management, parrying mechanics, backstabs, and punishing difficulty requiring pattern recognition and careful combat.
Conclusion
The Crimson Plague gameplay trailer demonstrates One More Level’s commitment to creating an atmospheric, challenging first-person soulslike that respects genre conventions while carving its own identity through the Napoleonic horror setting. The October playtest revealed solid combat foundations with room for polish in enemy variety, movement feel, and visual clarity before the 2026 launch. Whether Valor Mortis successfully adapts soulslike design to first-person perspective or gets overshadowed by traditional third-person entries depends on how effectively the team addresses feedback while maintaining their vision of bringing players face-to-face with horror on the battlefield. For fans of both Ghostrunner’s first-person melee combat and Dark Souls’ methodical challenge, Valor Mortis represents an intriguing fusion worth watching as development progresses toward full release.