FromSoftware’s games have had a profound impact on the industry, withDemon’s SoulsandDark Soulsestablishing a brand-new sub-genre of action-RPG. These “Soulslike” games all have certain things in common, though each one has its own defining characteristic to stand out from the pack. With new Soulslike gameLies of P, that defining trait is the game’s bizarre premise.Lies of Pis a twisted take on the classicPinocchiofairytale, with players taking on the role of Pinocchio himself to find their missing father Geppetto and save the survivors trapped in a town full of bloodthirsty puppets.
Lies of Pis onlyloosely based onPinocchio, of course. It features many familiar characters, like Gemini, the Jiminy Cricket-equivalent who occasionally offers advice and exposition, but it otherwise tells a mostly original story.Lies of Pborrows concepts and characters fromPinocchio, but gameplay-wise, it borrows a whole lot more from FromSoftware’s library of games, particularlyBloodborne.
Lies of Pis extremely derivative ofBloodborneand FromSoftware’s other games, to the point where it sometimes feels like it’s going by a checklist of Soulslike tropes. It has a tricky Patches-like NPC, it has secret ledges that players can reach by pushing against the walls of elevators, it has a Blighttown-style swamp area, it has bosses that are analagous to some of the famous bosses from FromSoftware games, and the list goes on. There are some quality of life featuresLies of Puses to improve on certain Soulslike mechanics, like being able to collect lost Ergo/Souls outside boss doors andrecharge Pulse Cells(the game’s Estus Flask equivalent), but it also retains some of the more annoying quirks that FromSoftware has since phased out.
For example,Lies of Pdoesn’t have a dedicated jump button likeElden Ring. Instead, players have to sprint and then click in the left stick to jump, like in old-schoolDark Souls. Another relic of classicDark SoulsinLies of Pis the need to fast-travel to the Hotel Krat hub area to level up, instead of letting players level up at any of the Stargazers/Bonfires they come across. What makes this even more head-scratching is players are able touse Stargazers to level upat first, but then the privilege is arbitrarily taken away to force players back to the hotel. This can be especially inconvenient in the earlier stages of the game when players are leveling up more frequently, as it adds an unnecessary extra step to the process.
The hotel visits become more tolerable as the game goes on. Since players don’t level up as much later in the game, they won’t find themselves having to fast travel back there quite as often, and since new NPCs are regularly added to it, players can get a lot more done with each visit. Most of the characters in the hotel provide useful services, acting as merchants or helping players out in other ways. Sometimes these NPCs have side quests for players to complete, which are helpfully marked on the fast travel points so players at least have a general idea of where to go, which is one ofLies of P’s best quality of life upgrades compared to other Soulslike games. The NPCs also have their own plot threads that are fun to follow, with different outcomes depending on choices players make in the game.
Player choice is a big deal inLies of P. Most of the decisions boil down to whether the player chooses to lie or tell the truth to the various characters they interact with in the game. While the impact of this may not be obvious at first, choosing to lie or tell the truth causes subtle changes in the game world that gradually build to more impactful consequences. There are multiple endings to seek out based on player choice, though getting to those endings is going to be a serious uphill battle for most people.
Lies of Pis absolutely brutal. It’s easily one of the most difficult Soulslike games made to date, with even some of the basic, tankier enemies providing a stiff challenge to the point where they come across like mini-boss fights. What’s worse is that some of these tanky enemies can respawn, and the game throws multiple of each one at the player as the game goes on. Many players will not want to repeat these fights once, let alone the number of times they are forced to do so over the course of the game.
EvenLies of P’s most basic enemies can be deadly, but the game’s proper boss fights are where it becomes truly unforgiving.Lies of Phas its fair share of great, memorable, and challenging boss fights, but it also has many bosses that are aggravating and tedious. This is mainly due toLies of P’s overreliance on two-phase boss fights. Two-phase boss fights are most effective when used sparingly because it’s simply not fun having to repeat the first phase of the fight dozens of times to get to the second phase. Two-phase boss battles should be reserved for a select few encounters, butLies of Puses it like a crutch to make the game obnoxiously difficult.
Unfortunately, the excessive two-phase boss fights cause the game to lose the sense of accomplishment players normally get when they overcome a Soulslike boss. Instead of a euphoric sense of victory that the best Soulslike games reward players with, overcomingLies of P’s bosses leaves players with a sense of bitterness and relief. Relief that specific fight is over, and bitterness over the knowledge another ridiculous two-phase boss battle is on the horizon.
It’s in between the boss fights whereLies of Pshines. Krat is a gorgeous city full of secrets to discover, creative cosmetics to find, and interesting, varied locations to explore, from foggy stone streets to rural areas infested with monsters. When players think they’ve seen it all,Lies of Psurprises them by opening the world up even further. It’s rewarding to make runs from one Stargazer to the next, figuring out where the shortcuts are located, hunting down helpful loot, and killing all the enemies that stand in Pinocchio’s way.
One thingLies of Pdoes a fantastic job with is enemy variety. Each area has its own enemy types, all with their own unique attacks that force players to react differently from one encounter to the next. MasteringLies of P’s parry-based combat systemis crucial to surviving against all the different enemies players come across in the game. Memorizing enemy attack patterns and hitting those Perfect Guards/parries can be immensely satisfying, though the combat system will also be a roadblock that keeps even some dedicated Soulslike fans from enjoyingLies of Pto its fullest.
Lies of P’s combat system seems at odd with itself at times. The game clearly wants players to be aggressive, as enemies regenerate their health if not regularly hit with attacks, plus there are very small windows to hit enemies with charged attacks to stagger them. Yet at the same time,Lies of Ppunishes players for going on the offensive. Certain bosses have move sets that leave virtually no time to do anything besides block and attempt to parry, and even performing a Perfect Guard doesn’t always result in any kind of significant advantage.
Lies of Pplayers can guard almost indefinitely against regular attacks if they have the stamina for it, and then regain their health by landing successful strikes before taking damage themselves.Fury Attacksare mixed in that force players to not only guard, but perform a Perfect Guard. Failure to do so is devastating P’s health, not to mention the durability of whatever weapon players have equipped at the time. Successful Perfect Guards reduce weapon durability reduction and make enemies get staggered faster, but having to juggle those, Fury Attacks, and always needing to land hits to make sure enemies don’t regenerate their health can be flat-out overwhelming, especially in the game’s more complex boss fights. Players can get certain equipment and upgrades that make it all easier, but it would have been nice if the game supported more varied play styles. There are some gamers who aren’t interested in parrying and would rather do the tried-and-true dodging fromDark Souls, but parrying is really the only strategy that’s viable inLies of P.
Lies of Pforces players to play defensively, while at the same time encouraging them to be aggressive, which can be hard to get used to. Things will start to click for those who dedicate the time to masterLies of P’s combat, but it requires a significant investment. And while players may feel shoehorned into playing the game a specific way, the good news is that they at least have plenty of weapon variety.
The game features a unique weapon system where players are able to mix and match blades with different handles. Players also get grinders that allow them to imbue their weapons with elemental properties like fire and acid, which can make a massive difference against certain enemies. And sinceLies of Pweapon upgradesare so cheap, it’s easy for players to get new weapons to the level they need to be and experiment. While everything still revolves around parrying,Lies of Pdoes deserve credit for giving players a lot of choice when it comes to their builds.
But even with the best gear equipped,Lies of Pplayers can expect to hit serious roadblockswhen it comes to certain bosses in the game. At that point, there’s not much they can do besides attempt to master the parrying or grind for XP, which is somewhat tedious due to a lack of enemy density in most areas. Those who want extra help can summon a specter, though the specter AI is stupid, to put it mildly. Players can enhance the specter with certain items later, but it has a death wish, always charging recklessly at bosses and getting hit. Really, the specters inLies of Pare only good as momentary distractions for the bosses and not much else.
Co-op support like in other Soulslike games would have putLies of Pover the top, but even without it, the game will still greatly appeal to Soulslike fans. It has a lot going for it, and from a technical standpoint, it’s basically perfect. It runs smooth as butter, looks fantastic, and has no glitches that we discovered. And while the writing can be clunky at times, the ending is legitimately wild and worth suffering through the worst bosses to reach. It’s true thatLies of Pgives in to some of the worst Soulslike instinctsat times, but it can be extremely fun when the combat clicks. Just expect a significant time investment and a lot of frustration before that happens.
Lies of P
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Lies of P is a thrilling soulslike that takes the story of Pinocchio, turns it on its head, and sets it against the darkly elegant backdrop of the Belle Epoque era.You are a puppet created by Geppetto who’s caught in a web of lies with unimaginable monsters and untrustworthy figures standing between you and the events that have befallen the world of Lies of P.You are awakened by a mysterious voice that guides you through the plagued city of Krat - a once lively place that has been poisoned by madness and bloodlust. In our soulslike, you must adapt yourself and your weapons to face untold horrors, untangle the unfathomable secrets of the city’s elites and choose whether to confront predicaments with the truth or weave lies to overcome them on the journey to find yourself.
Lies of Plaunches September 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided with an Xbox Series X code for this review.
