Lyrical Games has released an in-depth gameplay overview trailer for Valor Mortis, the upcoming first-person Soulslike created by Ghostrunner developer One More Level. Guided by James Alexander, who portrays protagonist William Dowsett, the footage details the title's core mechanics, narrative premise, and diverse battlegrounds. The adventure is scheduled to release on October 13 across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S for $39.99, while also joining Xbox Game Pass on launch day. If you want ongoing content, a $59.99 Deluxe Edition provides access to future cosmetic bundles and an upcoming major story expansion, supplemented by a roadmap of free post-launch updates.
Throughout the showcase, you get a closer look at the game's high-tempo, punishing combat loop, which demands precise stamina management alongside calculated light strikes, heavy blows, parries, and counterattacks. You can adapt your approach using varied equipment, from two-handed claymores to hard-hitting muskets designed to punish specific adversary archetypes. In your off-hand, you channel mystical abilities known as Transmutations to ignite foes with fire, absorb incoming damage to unleash kinetic shockwaves through shields, or scale environments via grappling points. Defeating adversaries yields Catalysts to upgrade core attributes like health and parry efficiency at resting lanterns, while discoverable Ambers allow you to fine-tune your personal combat build.
Lyrical Games today released the Gameplay Overview trailer for Valor Mortis, the first-person Soulslike from Ghostrunner creators One More Level. Narrated by James Alexander, the voice of protagonist William Dowsett, the trailer explains the game's features, systems, and background lore, with extended gameplay clips that reveal new levels and environments. Valor Mortis launches October 13 on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and Steam for $39.99 | €39.99 | 149.99 zł, and arrives day one on Xbox Game Pass. Valor Mortis will also be available in a Deluxe Edition for $59.99 | €59.99 | 199.99 zł. The Deluxe Edition includes a Major Story DLC launching next year, plus several cosmetic packs releasing between now and then. Multiple free updates are also planned that will add more ways to enjoy Valor Mortis in the weeks and months ahead.
Watch the Gameplay Overview trailer here. A press kit with assets for Valor Mortis, One More Level, and Lyrical Games can be found here, raw trailer files can be found here.
In the trailer, Alexander walks through Valor Mortis' swift, violent combat, from stamina management and light and heavy attacks to parrying and counterattacks. He also walks through weapon variety, including the Claymore, a slow, two-handed blade with very high impact, and the Musket, a two-handed firearm with more range and power than William's pistol. Alexander further explains how matching the right weapon to the right enemy rewards a thoughtful approach to combat.
The trailer also shows Transmutations, which William wields in his left hand to buff himself, debuff enemies, deal damage, and traverse the environment. These include Fire, which can set enemies burning; Shield, which absorbs damage and then releases a shockwave; and Grapple, which lets William traverse the environment using grapple points. Players can fight however they like.
Catalysts, the game's upgrade currency, are spent at Lanterns to improve stats such as health, stamina, and parry, and are dropped where William falls when he dies. Ambers, found throughout the game and equipped at Lanterns as William levels up, enhance and personalize his build to suit each player's playstyle. Together, these systems capture the essence of Soulslike games, blended with Valor Mortis' high-flying first-person combat.
The trailer follows Monday's cast reveal, which confirmed Jennifer English as the voice of The Shrike and James Alexander as William Dowsett. They star alongside César Award-winning actor Vincent Cassel, who voices Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
Valor Mortis Key Characters:
William Dowsett (James Alexander): The player character, William, is a young and bold Englishman, disillusioned with the monarchy. William volunteered to fight for Napoleon, inspired by his ideal of a unified Europe. The story begins with William waking up on a grim battlefield, seemingly the only soldier left standing with his mind intact. With little to no memory of his life before that moment, players will choose whether to trust the remaining survivors who claim to be his former comrades. Will he stay loyal to his Emperor or follow The Shrike in the shadows?
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Vincent Cassel): The Emperor stands at the head of the largest army known to Europe. William and Napoleon are bound by a mysterious bond, resulting in William hearing him as a voice in his own head. His victory at Waterloo opened the way east, but the French army has since halted in Eastern Europe. Napoleon’s ambition drives the campaign as he fights to stay in control of a war that has shifted into something unnatural.
The Shrike (Jennifer English): A rebel fighter who moves through occupied Eastern Europe with strength no ordinary soldier possesses. She answers to no authority; she fights for the people living under the Empire’s occupation, and she has her own plans for William. Partway through the story, her voice joins Napoleon’s inside his head.
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