{"id":12150,"date":"2026-11-11T18:55:30","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T16:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/?p=12150"},"modified":"2026-11-11T18:55:30","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T16:55:30","slug":"interview-with-michal-azarewicz-from-one-more-level-about-valor-mortis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/2026\/11\/11\/interview-with-michal-azarewicz-from-one-more-level-about-valor-mortis\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Micha\u0142 Azarewicz from One More Level about Valor Mortis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I am genuinely thrilled about today’s interview, as I had the opportunity to sit down with the Brand Manager of One More Level. The Polish developers recently launched their latest title, Valor Mortis, which draws players in with a unique blend of alternate history set during the Napoleonic Wars, fast-paced parkour, and unforgiving hardcore gameplay. In our conversation, we dive into the development process itself, break down the core gameplay mechanics, discuss the biggest challenges the team had to overcome, and explore the creators‘ immediate thoughts following the game’s official release.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valor Mortis combines the first-person soulslike genre with a very specific historical setting – the Napoleonic Wars with dark fantasy elements. How did this unique idea come to life, and what was the biggest challenge in merging history with fantasy mechanics?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When the team was thinking about a game that later became \u201cValor Mortis\u201d, the first thing we were researching was the setting. We decided to take a gamble of sorts, because the Napoleonic era is not used often in games, and it is mostly associated with strategies. We also didn\u2019t want to make a historically accurate game. We are using history as a starting point, but by using the alternative history trope, we have a lot of freedom in designing the world in every aspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the gameplay side, we knew that the game would be FPP – after the \u201cGhostrunner\u201d series, we knew that the first-person camera was a part of our studio DNA and that we wanted to keep it. What is interesting is that Valor Mortis was not a soulslike game at the start. We always wanted to make one, so a decision was made at some point to change the genre – because if not now, then when?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

First-person perspective soulslike games are quite rare and difficult to balance properly when it comes to combat systems (distance, parrying, hit registration). How much did the design team have to iterate on the mechanics to make close – quarters combat with bayonets and sabers feel satisfying in first person?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was a lot! As I mentioned before, melee combat was something we were familiar with as a team after the \u201cGhostrunner\u201d series, but in \u201cValor Mortis\u201d, the team needed to switch from super fast-paced combat to a slower, more methodical one. It is not an easy task. Such a change created many problems that needed to be addressed and that the team was initially not aware of. For instance, big bosses. How do you make a fight with a big enemy work without constantly looking at the enemy\u2019s lower part when the player approaches them to fight with a saber?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designers needed to come up with many small and big mechanics, happening under the hood, to make the combat feel right. Players will not be aware of them, but they are there, and those small things are the result of many hours of work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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How did the designers approach balancing the difficulty? Traditional soulslike games rely heavily on dodging and watching the enemy’s entire body from a third-person view. How did the design team handle this limitation of the field of view?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The team was aware that changing the camera view would have consequences. Our goal was to bring something new to the genre and change the rules a bit. We wanted players to feel familiar with the gameplay, but also to learn new things and new ways of thinking when playing \u201cValor Mortis\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team knew that this would need a lot of work to make sure that players were aware of their surroundings. Visual and sound effects for enemy attacks, level design, etc. Of course, we wanted players to be less hasty when moving forward, to check corners, and so on. This was an FPP game after all, so there might be situations when you are surprised by a hidden enemy or forget that there is a wall behind you. But to be honest, I think this only enhances the immersion.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Napoleonic era is famous for its colorful uniforms, but Valor Mortis leans heavily into dark fantasy. How did the art director and concept artists manage to combine the historical accuracy of uniforms and weapons with a bleak, almost horror-like aesthetic?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the main themes of the game is \u201cHorrors of War\u201d. That is why the aesthetic is grim and bleak. We put the colorful time of the beginning of Napoleon’s rule together with the corruption of power and war. I think this contrast is something we can clearly see in the intro to the game. The art team didn\u2019t want to abandon the colors fully, so they are present in the art style; however, they are heavily suppressed by much darker tones. The idea was to show, in a glimpse, what the world could be and how it is changing because of war, corruption, and plague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also use a lot of body horror elements, and those can be quite \u2026 colorful, and fleshed out (pun intended).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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The game launched on October 13th. Looking back after a few weeks, how would you evaluate the launch? What surprised you the most about the reactions from the gaming community and reviewers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Well, from my perspective, it was a very emotional evening. We were watching streams and people’s reactions to the game. And we were really excited that people liked it so much and that they were excited to try it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, the biggest surprise was that so many content creators played the game at launch. We were really high in the Twitch directory, so I was not prepared to watch so many streams at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The community was genuinely excited and curious about \u201cValor Mortis\u201d, which was one of the highlights of the launch. I was really happy that we were able to create a concept that drew the attention of players in this demanding time, packed with so many premieres.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The market is extremely crowded with games nowadays. How difficult is it for a mid-sized studio to capture a global audience, and what role did community playtesting (like the demos at PAX East or Steam) play in the marketing strategy for Valor Mortis?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Well, it is challenging to showcase games nowadays when you do not have enormous marketing budgets. And that is why we wanted to present the game to players during physical events, like Gamescom or PAX. This gives you direct contact with players – you can hear their feedback and what their expectations are. You can meet with media and content creators so you stay on the radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our approach was to showcase the game as often as possible, either at physical events or through playtests and demos. This lets us see how players resonate with the title and what we should pay attention to. When the studio needs to min\/max its efforts and outcomes, you need to mix old-school physical events with an online presence and demo availability for a wider audience. Of course, everything depends on the budget and how big the game and the team are.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You have been navigating the gaming industry since 2017 and have witnessed many shifts. If you could go back in time to the beginning of your career, what single piece of advice regarding game marketing would you give to your younger self?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hah! That is a good one! To be honest, I do not know, as when I started, I needed to learn a lot about the industry and how to work with games in every possible aspect. And this learning process needs to be filled with wins and losses. I know this sounds like a cheap clich\u00e9, but it worked for me. I would not be the person I am today without this experience.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You regularly speak at conferences like Digital Dragons or GIC, and you teach future developers at the university. In your opinion, what is the most common mistake young creators make when trying to pitch or sell their first project?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That one is quite easy: do your research, prepare budgets and production timelines, know what kind of game you want to make, and be ready to make difficult decisions along the way. Your first game should not be AAA; it might not sell millions of copies (I wish this for everyone, but let us be realistic here). Start small, learn from mistakes, and grow with every next project.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Many fans are wondering about the future of your most famous cyber-ninja. Ghostrunner 2 wrapped up Jack’s story nicely with the destruction of the Dharma Tower and his departure into the Outside, but it definitely left the door open for more. Can we ever expect a Ghostrunner 3, or is that universe fully put to rest for you guys?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As creators of the Ghostrunner series, we feel a deep connection to the franchise that we love and respect. But (there is always one, right?) \u2013 this is a question for 505 Games, which owns the IP.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

On a personal note, Valor Mortis, Blood of the Dawnwalker, and MOUSE: P.I. for Hire are officially among my absolute favorite games and biggest surprises of this year. Coincidentally, all three are iconic titles made by Polish studios. Be honest – do you guys have some secret gaming ingredient in the Polish water, or did you all just make a collective pact with a Slavic demon for game-making talent? \ud83d\ude42<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I do not have any knowledge about demon pacts taking place in Polish gamedev. I just think we love to make games, and we want to express ourselves through this medium. A few years ago, I was thinking that we were still catching up after the communist period in Poland, but now we are already here. We all love games, and I think at one point we started to acknowledge that we are good at making them! The artistic, technical, and musical aspects – it does not matter; we are still genuinely happy and excited when we are finishing and launching a game.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Thank you so much for your time and for sharing these insights! To wrap things up, is there anything special you and the team would like to say to your fans and the community?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thank you so much for the reception of \u201cValor Mortis\u201d! For your criticism and positive feedback. For your pure enjoyment of the game we created. This is really important to us as a team and gives us the energy to be better and constantly challenge ourselves. Thank you<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am genuinely thrilled about today’s interview, as I had the opportunity to sit down…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":12122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_somgeek_review_score":0,"_somgeek_review_verdict":"","_somgeek_review_pros":"","_somgeek_review_cons":"","footnotes":"","somgeek_article_title_size":"small","somgeek_article_title_font":"roboto-condensed","somgeek_article_body_font":"default"},"categories":[1],"tags":[692],"class_list":["post-12150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-valor-mortis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12150"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12157,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12150\/revisions\/12157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somgeek.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}