Lies of P is the latest entry into the Soulslike genre that was published by Neowiz Games and co-developed with Round8 Studio, and has been a game that I was very much looking forward to as it was clearly inspired by FromSoftware Inc.’s Bloodborne. I’ve been following for quite some time and was ecstatic to see it get more attention when it was showcased at Gamescom Opening Night Live in 2022.
Below are my latest impressions of Lies of P, I will cover my full thoughts in my future review.
The Setup Lies of P
Right away the question that’s going to be top of mind is what the P in “Lies of P” stands for, as it gives away the setting of the game. The P is short for Pinocchio who is the main character that you play as. While this character has been portrayed in a few different ways the most recent being Guillermo Del Toro’s version of Pinocchio and of course the most famous being the Disney adaptation from the 40’s, the direction that is taken with Lies of P is a much more darker one.
All the well known characters are here from Jiminy Cricket, (spelled Gemini but pronounced the same way) Gepetto, the blue fairy, and even references to donkey people all appear in Lies of P. What makes the setting stand out is the shift away from a tale about a puppet’s whimsical adventure to a dire situation. Your goal early on in the game is to play as Pinocchio who must find the source of a puppet frenzy that has led to a great massacre across the city. It’s incredibly difficult to not look at the Victorian Gothic architecture, glum streets, and tight paths that will eventually wind back into themselves and not feel like you’re back in Bloodborn’s Yharnam. The biggest difference is the steampunk aesthetic that is littered throughout the game that allows for a world that is more technology advanced.
The P Stands for Parry
While the setting in Lies of P will give you an idea of the challenges and trials that await you, it’s the combat that keeps you engaged. From side stepping enemy attacks, backstabbing unsuspecting foes, and of course parrying an oncoming attack, the combat in Lies of P feels great. Everything moves as fast or as slow as you want, depending on your build and play style, and so far the gameplay has been extremely satisfying.
I know that soulslike games and their source material are known for being obtuse when it comes to explanation, particular gameplay systems, Lies of P unfortunately follows that design philosophy. There are not as many stats to worry about or level up but I still had to do some research online to verify which stat influences which sub-stat. There are some easy comparisons like Strength and Dexterity being known as Motivity and Technique but I really would have preferred at least a cryptic description of what each stat does. Stats affects on sub-stats is something that many fans of soulslike games are used to but what threw me off was how Lies of P made strives in some areas such as side quests to provide the player with more information while restricting information in other areas. I know part of the fun of the non-FromSoft soulsborne game is piecing together what elements are original and which ones are variations but I think there could have been a little more fine tuning.
Speaking of variation, one of the unique features of Lie’s of P’s combat that I really like is the Legion Arm. It allows the player to utilize additional combat options ranging from a strong punch, a rope to pull enemies close to you, and an electric blast that does shock damage. This is not the first time a soulslike game has provided a character with a special combat arm, as there are definitely similarities to the Shinobi Prosthetic from Sekiro Shadows Die Twice. That being said, the tools that are provided to the player feel fresh and make the combat that much more fun.
I have yet to hit any walls in Lies of P when it comes to difficulty of boss fights and I believe that is due to my focus on a Technique and Vigor build which means I can use specialized weapons at faster rate with a high amount of stamina. We’ll see if that changes as I progress further into the game and if my stat choices paid off well for me in the end.
My Thoughts for Now
My impressions of Lies of P overall are pretty high. It may not be the Bloodborne 2 that many and myself are hoping to one today see but so far it is a great addition to the gargantuan list of amazing games in 2023. Each victory small or large feels just as good as it would in a FromSoft title and I think that’s saying a lot for a studio who has never produced this kind of game before.
I’m excited to see where this dark gothic adventure takes me and if I too will feel like I have no strings holding me back from having a great time.
Lies of P is available for PC via Steam, Xbox (Including GamePass), and PlayStation.
