Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIf Valor Mortis runs badly, begin with checks that are reversible: confirm that Windows and your hardware meet the current store requirements, install the game on an SSD with enough free space, allow any first-run shader or PSO compilation to finish, and check available memory before changing advanced settings. Earlier pre-alpha builds were explicitly described as having performance and optimization problems, but the available evidence does not establish a universal fix or confirm the state of the launch build.
What to do first
Do not start by buying a graphics card, deleting shader caches, editing configuration files, or installing a third-party optimizer. None of those actions is established as a general Valor Mortis fix. Work through the following order instead:
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- Compare your PC with the current Steam requirements, including Windows 11, 16 GB of RAM, DirectX 12, an SSD installation and 50 GB of storage.
- Check that the game is actually installed on an SSD and that the drive has comfortable free space beyond the listed requirement.
- If the game was just installed or updated, let the first loading and shader/PSO compilation process complete, then compare a later run.
- Check available memory and close unusually heavy background applications as a diagnostic.
- Record your hardware, settings and exact symptom before reporting the problem through the current official support route.
These steps separate an under-specced system, first-run compilation, memory pressure and a possible game defect without making an irreversible change.
Check which requirements apply to your copy
The most important qualification is that the published requirements are not perfectly consistent between official pages, and Steam says its specifications may change. The Steam listing observed on October 13, 2026 shows Windows 11, DirectX 12, 16 GB of RAM, 50 GB of storage and an SSD requirement. It lists an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel Core i7-11700 as the minimum processor class, and an AMD Radeon RX 6700 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super as the minimum graphics class. See the Valor Mortis Steam listing for the live wording.
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AMD’s Valor Mortis game page shows a Ryzen 7 3700X and Radeon RX 6700 minimum profile, plus a Ryzen 7 7700 and Radeon RX 7900 GRE recommended profile. The AMD page does not establish a separate operating-system, DirectX, memory or storage value in the material available here, so do not treat a blank value as an unstated recommendation.
| Profile | Operating system | CPU | GPU | RAM | DirectX | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam listing, minimum | Windows 11 | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel Core i7-11700 | AMD Radeon RX 6700 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super | 16 GB | DirectX 12 | 50 GB; SSD required |
| AMD game page, minimum | Not stated on that page | Ryzen 7 3700X | Radeon RX 6700 | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| AMD game page, recommended | Not stated on that page | Ryzen 7 7700 | Radeon RX 7900 GRE | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Use the Steam values as the broader checklist because they include the platform, memory, API and storage conditions, but note which page you are quoting when you discuss a CPU or GPU profile. Meeting a listed minimum does not promise a particular frame rate; it only means the system is in the published hardware class.
Do not confuse the old playtest target with the current requirement
One More Level’s October 6, 2025 playtest announcement described a separate pre-alpha configuration: Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-8600K, RTX 2070 or RX 5700 XT, 8 GB of RAM, an SSD, low settings and 1080p, with an expected 60 FPS average. The announcement also said that performance and optimization were not yet good. That 60 FPS figure was an expected target for that particular playtest build, not an independently measured benchmark, a current minimum requirement or a promise for the released game. The announcement is available at One More Level’s playtest notice.
Comparing that older profile directly with the later store requirements can make a computer appear to meet the wrong standard. Use the dated playtest information only to understand what the developer was testing in 2025.
Step 1: verify the SSD and free-space condition
Steam’s current listing requires an SSD and 50 GB of storage. An SSD requirement is not the same as having 50 GB free somewhere on the PC: the game files must be on the SSD, and the drive needs enough working room for updates, temporary files and shader data.
- In Steam, open Library, right-click Valor Mortis, choose Manage, then Browse local files. The resulting path shows which drive contains the installation.
- In File Explorer, right-click that drive and select Properties. Check the available space rather than only the drive’s total capacity.
- If the game is on a mechanical hard drive, move it using Steam’s storage-management option to an SSD with sufficient free space. Do not assume that moving unrelated files to an SSD helps if the game itself remains on the hard drive.
- After moving the installation, reproduce the same scene or activity and record whether the symptom changes. A change is useful diagnostic information, not proof that storage was the sole cause.
The published 50 GB value is a store-listing figure observed on October 13, 2026, and Steam labels specifications as subject to change.
Step 2: compare Windows, memory, CPU and GPU
Open Settings > System > About to see the Windows edition, processor and installed RAM. Open Task Manager > Performance to identify the CPU, GPU and memory currently available. For the graphics model and driver, Settings > System > Display > Advanced display provides the active display information; the vendor’s control panel can show the installed driver version.
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- Windows: the Steam listing specifies Windows 11. An older Windows version is outside that published condition.
- Memory: compare installed and available RAM with the listed 16 GB. Installed RAM can be technically sufficient while available memory is low because other programs are using it.
- Processor and graphics: compare the exact model, not just a family name such as “Ryzen 7” or “RTX.” Different generations and power limits can perform very differently.
- Graphics API: the Steam listing specifies DirectX 12. Ensure Windows and the installed driver support the required API rather than relying on an older compatibility mode.
- Storage: verify the game’s drive type separately; an SSD elsewhere in the computer does not satisfy the condition if the installation is on a hard drive.
If a component falls below the listed class, poor performance may simply be a requirements mismatch. If every condition is met, continue with the diagnostic steps instead of assuming that one component is defective.
Step 3: allow the first-run compilation to finish
The October 2025 playtest announcement warned that shader compiling and PSO compilation could cause poor performance on the first boot. It also said hardware auto-detection could fail, meaning the game’s automatically selected preset might need manual adjustment. Those are documented issues in a historical pre-alpha build; the available sources do not prove that they persist in the current build.
- Launch the game after installation or a major update and wait through all visible loading, compiling or preparation stages.
- Avoid judging performance from the first few seconds after entering a level. Let the same area load fully, then play long enough to observe whether traversal and camera movement settle.
- Exit normally and launch again. Compare the second run with the first using the same resolution, preset and location.
- If the game has selected an unexpectedly high or low preset, check the graphics menu manually. Auto-detection is not guaranteed by the old playtest notes.
Waiting can help distinguish first-boot compilation from persistent stutter, but it is not a promise that all hitching will disappear.
Step 4: check available memory and background programs
Steam’s general Windows guidance explains that insufficient available memory can cause swapping and repeated frame hitches. This is a general diagnostic principle, not proof that memory pressure causes a particular Valor Mortis problem.
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- Start the game, use Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, and watch the Memory graph while the hitch occurs. Note total use, available memory and whether disk activity rises at the same time.
- Repeat once with the same scene after closing the background programs. Record whether the symptom changes.
- Do not disable security software or random Windows services as a first response. If a background process is clearly consuming resources, identify it and close it normally.
Steam’s explanation is at Troubleshooting Game Performance Issues – Hardware. The page supports checking memory availability; it does not diagnose your machine remotely.
Step 5: make reversible graphics changes as a test
No reviewed source establishes a universal Valor Mortis settings recipe by GPU tier. You can still use the in-game menu to isolate a workload, provided you change one variable at a time and keep a record.
- Write down the current resolution, display mode, quality preset, texture quality, shadows, effects, anti-aliasing and any upscaling option shown by your build.
- Run the same scene with the preset lowered one step. If the game has a separate resolution or upscaling control, test that independently rather than changing every option at once.
- Apply the change, reload the same area and observe frame rate, hitch frequency and frame pacing for a consistent period.
- Restore the previous value if image quality suffers without a meaningful performance change. A setting that helps one GPU or scene is not a confirmed fix for every PC.
Manual testing is especially relevant because the old developer notice said hardware detection could select an unsuitable preset. Treat the result as evidence about your system, not as a recommendation that can be generalized to other players.
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Identify the symptom before choosing a remedy
Low average frame rate
Check whether lowering resolution or the overall preset changes the frame rate substantially. A large improvement suggests that the graphics workload matters; little change suggests that the limitation may be elsewhere, such as CPU work, streaming, compilation or a game-side problem. This observation does not identify a definitive bottleneck by itself.
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Note whether the hitch is concentrated in the first run, occurs when entering new areas, coincides with low available memory or continues in later sessions. The historical shader/PSO warning makes first-run timing relevant, while Steam’s memory guidance makes available RAM worth checking.
Uneven frame pacing
A displayed frame-rate number can look acceptable while delivery between frames feels irregular. Record the perceived pacing separately from the average number. Player reports in the demo-era discussion described frame pacing that felt worse than the displayed FPS, but those reports were not controlled tests and cannot establish a universal cause.
Crashes or returns to desktop
Record the exact point of failure: launch, loading screen, entering a level, changing a setting or after a specific duration. Include whether the crash repeats after a normal restart and whether it occurs on the first run only. Do not infer a CPU or GPU fault from one crash report.
Dark or incorrect image after lowering quality
The 2025 playtest announcement noted that its low visual-quality preset could look darker than intended. If your build shows that behavior, record the preset and screenshot the result rather than assuming the display or monitor is faulty. The note applies to the historical playtest and does not establish that the current build has the same rendering issue.
Build a useful performance report
When the basic checks do not resolve the problem, a reproducible report is more useful than “it runs badly.” Capture the following before contacting support:
- Windows version and edition.
- Exact CPU model, GPU model and installed RAM.
- Whether the game is on an SSD, plus the approximate free space on that drive.
- Display resolution, refresh rate, graphics preset and individual settings you changed.
- Driver version and the date you installed or updated it.
- Whether the problem occurs on the first run, later runs, or both.
- The symptom: low frame rate, hitching, uneven pacing, crash, freeze or visual error.
- The location or action that reliably reproduces it, and whether another application shows similar behavior.
Use the game’s current official support channel or the support link shown on its live store page. Older Steam discussions are useful historical context, but the available material does not verify a launch-build reporting route.
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What the developer has acknowledged
In a June 8 Steam discussion, the developer account OML_Krzysiek acknowledged reports and described the demo as an alpha build while fixes were being worked on:
"Hey all! We know about the performance issues, and we’ll working hard on some fixes. Please take into consideration that the demo is alpha build, and a lot of things will be changed before full release."
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The original wording, including its grammatical error, appears in the Steam discussion. It confirms that the team knew about demo issues at that time; it does not specify what was fixed later.
Players in the June 7–8 discussion reported stutter, crashes, low frame rates and poor frame pacing. These are individual demo-era reports, not a controlled benchmark. They show that some users encountered problems, but they cannot establish how common a symptom is or which component caused it.
Actions that are not established fixes
- Buying hardware immediately: a purchase is not justified by an anecdote or by a single low frame-rate reading. First compare the exact model with the current requirements and document the symptom.
- Deleting shader caches: the sources mention first-boot shader/PSO compilation, not cache deletion as a remedy. Removing caches can force another compilation cycle.
- Editing obscure configuration files: no supplied source verifies a configuration-file tweak for the current build.
- Using a third-party optimizer: no evidence here shows that an optimizer corrects Valor Mortis stutter or crashes.
- Treating a forum post as a benchmark: a player’s “barely hitting 60fps at 1080p” statement is a report from one system, not a performance statistic for the game.
Prefer changes that can be reversed and that produce a clear comparison.
Why the launch status still matters
The Steam listing observed on October 13, 2026 displayed an October 13, 2026 planned release date while still indicating that the game was not yet available. That combination leaves the launch-day state uncertain. The reviewed sources do not verify a launch patch, a current known-issues list, recommended settings for specific GPU tiers or a repeatable fix for crashes and stuttering.
For that reason, avoid promises such as “this driver fixes it” or “these settings guarantee 60 FPS.” The most defensible approach is to establish whether your PC meets the current requirements, separate first-run behavior from later runs, check memory and storage conditions, and send a detailed report if the issue persists.
A compact decision path
- Below a published requirement? Treat the result as a requirements mismatch first; do not expect a guaranteed frame rate.
- Installed on a hard drive or nearly full drive? Move the game to an SSD with adequate free space and retest.
- Only the first run is poor? Let loading and compilation finish, then compare a later run.
- Memory becomes nearly full during a hitch? Close unusually heavy programs and retest the same scene.
- Auto-detected settings look inappropriate? Set them manually and change one option at a time.
- Still stuttering, crashing or pacing unevenly? Capture the complete configuration and reproduction steps, then contact the current official support channel.
This path cannot guarantee a fix when the underlying issue is in the game, but it prevents common diagnostic mistakes and gives the developers information they can act on.
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