Ever since I sold my plasma to buy a copy of Bloodborne back in 2015 (college — wild times!), I’ve been a big Soulslike guy. The challenge, the triumph, the opacity, the bounty of “OH SHIT” moments — I can’t get enough of them. Yet, until the recently released Valor Mortis, I’ve never played a Soulslike in first-person point of view, which is usually associated with a subsection of shooters.

Now that I’ve spent some time fighting the plagued soldiers of Napoleon’s army in Valor Mortis, I’m not sold on its first-person Soulslike bona fides. The difficulty is there, as is the annoying “lose your XP on death” mechanic. But it doesn’t quite translate that distinct combat experience to first-person, and instead shows the limitations of such an endeavor.

Most Soulslikes are played in third-person, a janky camera positioned behind your character. Combat typically involves hacking at opponents with a melee weapon while dodge-rolling to avoid their blows. Sometimes magic or a robot arm, like in Lies of P, offers variety and new ways of tackling opponents.

There’s also a spatial awareness necessary to Soulslike combat that Valor Mortis just can’t capture in first-person. Picture it: You’re wandering through the dusty halls of a Dark Souls castle when you’re overrun by a group of skeletons, any of whom could easily send you back to a bonfire. You dodge-roll out of their way to get into an advantageous position, where you have a clear line of sight on enemies.

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