Tom is an expert in all things Fortnite or the latest RPG release, but is probably spending too much time on the latest EA FC game.
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At Gamescom, I went hands-on with Valor Mortis for a second time. It was an entirely different experience. Not because One More Level has changed everything, but because it introduced me to a different side of the game.
My 30 minutes with Valor Mortis at Summer Game Fest focused on learning the game’s basics. I’m not a soulslike expert, but I play a lot of first-person shooters, so not rushing into things and learning the Napoleonic enemies’ moves was a steep learning curve.
The second time I ventured into the game’s alternate history setting, I knew what to expect and how to approach things. I remembered the need to hold back pistol ammo for when I really needed it, the importance of keeping my eyes on the shadows for hiding enemies, and the timing of parrying didn’t take long to feel comfortable again.
However, what I didn’t know was how important exploration and risk-taking are in Valor Mortis. For the most part, it’s a linear action game. You’re wandering through muddy fields and along paths in the French countryside, taking on a few enemies as you come across them. There are lanterns scattered along the way so that you can save your progress, and bosses blocking the way between you and story progression. However, what I started to notice was that there are often two paths you can take as you explore. One might go off to the right to another field with a few enemies roaming around, but the other might lead up a small hill to a house. It’s obvious that the path into the field is the right one to take, but taking the risk and exploring the house is vital.
That’s because One More Level has built an interesting risk-reward system into Valor Mortis. You can choose to take on a few enemies you don’t need to in the hope that the secondary path will open up a shortcut. In one instance of me taking that risk, I cleared out a few enemies and opened up a previously locked door that became a shortcut between where I’d reached in the main path and the last lantern I’d visited. That meant I didn’t have to fight the annoying, more powerful enemy I previously had to fight every time I died and respawned… and I died a lot.
Of course, shortcuts aren’t revolutionary in action games, or even soulslikes, but Valor Mortis implements them very smartly. How tough the game is and the first-person perspective push you towards mainlining the game. Your focus is always on what’s ahead of you, so you don’t immediately consider what might be hidden elsewhere. The game essentially says to you, “This is the way you’re supposed to go, but going this way might help you in the long run.”
Shortcuts remain open after death, so taking that risk and succeeding one time will make progression easier the next, and it’s that balance of risk and reward that I enjoyed so much in my hour with Valor Mortis. While I was naturally improving as I became more comfortable with the game and leveled up, a little bit of short-term pain also led to long-term gain. It meant that dying wasn’t always frustrating, as I was able to progress beyond just the golden path.
It helps that Valor Mortis’s setting is brilliant, too. 19th-century Napoleonic Europe has seldom been explored in games, which is why One More Level went with it, and how well it blends together with creepy monsters is fascinating. With enemies often being bent over into dog-like creatures, or sporting massively glowing orbs you can shoot, you never know what to expect from an encounter, but they all sport the period-accurate blue and red uniform.
It’s also a gorgeous world to explore, which makes venturing up the hill to that house or taking on those extra enemies a treat. There’s a lot to look at, provided you can get past the horrors in your way.
Exploration is also where One More Level is able to flex their Ghostrunner-style parkour muscles. Off the beaten path, you’ll often be able to leap onto roofs and swing over branches to reach hidden areas. The game feels great at full speed, and I look forward to seeing how it’s woven into the critical path a little more.
I said before that Valor Mortis is a soulslike for people who don’t normally play soulslikes. Its first-person action feels natural, and while it often feels pretty straightforward, it’s the perfect action game if you enjoy a little bit of risk and reward as you explore.