: Valor Mortis PAX East 2026 Preview: Why You Need This First-Person Soulslike

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I’m a big fan of the Ghostrunner games from One More Level (released in 2020 and 2023), so I was really looking forward to their new project, Valor Mortis. While a release date hasn’t been announced yet, it’s currently planned for 2026. Valor Mortis takes some inspiration from Ghostrunner, but is primarily a unique first-person soulslike experience where you play as a former soldier from Napoleon’s army, set in the early 1800s.

I recently got to play Valor Mortis at PAX East 2026 in Boston, and I spent around 30 minutes with the very beginning of the game. Honestly, after just that short time, I was completely hooked and immediately wanted to jump back in and play more!

Satisfying First-Person Soulslike

Valor Mortis shares some similarities with Ghostrunner as a fast-paced, first-person game. However, instead of controlling a cyborg who can grapple and wall-run, you play as a soldier who’s come back to life with new abilities, like shooting fire from your hands. You begin with a sword that allows you to block and deflect attacks, and you can choose between quick, light attacks or slower, more powerful strikes.

The game seems to guide you through fairly straightforward areas where you’ll battle enemies and collect items to improve your character. You’ll find save points – similar to those in Dark Souls – where you can restore health, replenish healing potions, enhance your abilities, and equip items for bonuses. Be aware that resting at a save point will cause all the enemies you’ve defeated to reappear.

Metroidvania-Esque

The first level was fairly straightforward, but the game’s levels are designed with inspiration from ‘Metroidvania’ games, which makes sense. Throughout the level, I encountered blocked paths with glowing red obstacles that clearly needed to be shot. Since I didn’t have a weapon at first, I knew I’d need to return later. Once you unlock new abilities and weapons, like a gun, you can go back and revisit those blocked areas, opening them up to discover hidden items and learn more about the game’s story.

I found a side path with a tough mini-boss that had unpredictable attacks. I died quickly the first time, so I decided to stick to the main path to make the most of my demo time. There was a chest hidden behind the boss, and I tried to get to it without fighting, but couldn’t. I probably could have gotten the extra item in the chest with a few more attempts, but I wasn’t sure if it was worth the effort.

Parrying Is Key

The boss has a challenging attack style, and early in the game, you can lose health quickly if you don’t block and parry effectively. You don’t need to be an expert like in games such as Clair Obscur or Sekiro, but perfectly timed parries can defeat most enemies in Valor Mortis with a single hit. If you’re not comfortable with parrying, you can still succeed by blocking and using your dash to carefully move around enemies.

The game features a stamina bar, so constantly dodging isn’t a good strategy. It’s smarter to lock onto enemies and block, carefully watching for their attacks. Even a basic enemy can defeat you quickly if you’re overconfident, making each fight tense and challenging.

Early in the game, most enemies fight just like you, using only swords. But once you get a gun, you’ll start encountering enemies with guns too, which can be frustrating. I often found myself fighting someone with a sword while getting shot at by a sniper on a higher platform. To take them out, you need to either rush in quickly, hoping to avoid getting hit, or carefully sneak behind cover until you have a clear shot.

After getting your first gun – and it seems like you’ll find more – you’ll hold it in your left hand and a sword in your right. This lets you shoot with the left trigger and swing the sword with your right. You can switch between weapons and abilities using a weapon wheel, and while I only had three available at first, it looks like there are around seven or eight total.

We also had a fire attack that launched flames, quickly damaging several enemies at once. It doesn’t instantly defeat them, but it sets them on fire for a few seconds, which is really effective against groups. So far, the sword is the only weapon that doesn’t require any resources to use. The gun needs bullets, and the fire attack needs fuel you collect from the environment.

Tough Bosses That Demand Attention

At the end of the demo, I faced a challenging boss: a severely mutated Napoleon soldier with extra arms and three guns. He mostly attacked with ranged projectiles that I had to dodge, but he also switched to close combat with a sword. I was too nervous to try blocking the sword attacks, so I kept my distance, shooting glowing orbs at him with my gun. When he was stunned, I’d quickly dash in to slash at him with my own weapon.

It’s frustrating, but I lost to the boss three times during my demo, and the time ran out at the 30-minute mark. I almost had him on my final attempt! I usually rush into battles, but I think I could have won if I’d been more patient and learned his attacks. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until Valor Mortis is released later this year to try again and finish the fight.

Overall, Valor Mortis feels as good as, or even better than, Ghostrunner. The combat is incredibly rewarding, with a parrying system that’s both intuitive and satisfying. It’s challenging, but not frustratingly so, and the hidden areas and collectibles encourage exploration. Of all the games I tried at PAX East this year, Valor Mortis has stuck with me the most. Seriously, if you haven’t played Ghostrunner yet, you’re missing out!

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2026-03-30 19:39