Lies of P (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): September 18, 2023
- Publisher: NEOWIZ
- Developer: Round8 Studio
- Genres: Action RPG
- Also For: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Game Features:
In "Lies of P," you, as Pinocchio, must embark on a quest through the destroyed city of Krat to end the puppet rebellion and discover why it came to be in the first place. As the name of the game suggests, you are a unique puppet capable of telling lies. This city is not yet dead and buried; you will often come across regular people and survivors seeking to destroy the rogue puppets. You may choose to embrace your humanity or carry on as a puppet should.
"Lies of P" primarily takes place during the Belle Epoque era in various locations throughout Krat, a massive and once prosperous city, and the surrounding areas. Utilizing a power known as "ergo," Krat was able to prosper heavily thanks to the invention and mass production of incredibly advanced autonomous puppets. Unfortunately, one day they all simultaneously went rogue, wiping out much of life in the city. However, plenty still remain, hoping for the day the puppets can be stopped.
This is a wonderful game with an enchanting setting. I found myself constantly pushing further and further solely to learn more about Krat, its people, and the fate they have suffered. Although this is a soulslike, it has a heavy focus on the overall narrative. While it won't often pull you out of the action for exposition, it constantly inserts dialogue and information as you play, slowly building an idea of the survivors in Krat and what exactly has gone on in the city.
Accompanying this enticing story is a wonderful soundtrack that consistently delivers throughout the game. Anytime I found myself with a new record to play, I would run back to the Hotel Krat to listen to it. It's not often a game can hand me a record as a quest reward, and I actively enjoy and anticipate receiving more.
I found it much easier to relate to and understand many of the humans in "Lies of P." In a game like Dark Souls, it feels as though every NPC has simply given in to the despair and hopelessness of the world around them. In "Lies of P," there's a much broader mixture. When a survivor attacks you for being a puppet, it doesn't feel like they're a villain. They all have a reason for doing what they do, and I can appreciate that there is often nuance surrounding many of the fights you find yourself in. Everyone hasn't simply gone mad, and that's their sole motivation. It isn't just the humans either. You will meet several puppets and learn that they aren't as mindless as they may first appear.
As for gameplay, "Lies of P" doesn't really reinvent the wheel. While many may hold that against them, I firmly believe not every game NEEDS to push boundaries. There's enough here to differentiate itself from similar titles and keep things interesting. Akin to games like Sekiro, “Lies of P” heavily favors the player parrying as a primary source of defense, though it’s much more satisfying in this case. You do have a dodge roll, but it starts out somewhat mediocre and needs to be upgraded to become more viable. There really is nothing better than learning a boss so well you combo parry it to death like it's nothing, ignoring the fact it took you 50 deaths to get there.
Bosses in "Lies of P" are quite difficult. Without spoiling anything, I will say that once you see the name Fuoco pop up on your screen, prepare your cheeks. They're about to get clapped. Amusingly, I assume numerous outlets, likely the ones giving low scores, ended their reviews at this (quite early) boss. It takes a fair amount of dedication to overcome some bosses in this game, but it is extremely satisfying, as I've said. None of the bosses feel unfair; they each have a set of moves they can do, and you simply need to learn what they are. The further into the game you get, the more options you have for dealing with bosses. But I will emphasize again that this absolutely is a very difficult game, and while grinding can help brute force encounters, you still may struggle with bosses.
This isn’t like Nioh where everything feels poorly balanced, it’s simply that Lies of P expects you to learn and understand each boss. They aren’t simple bumps in the road, they are a powerful obstacle you need to overcome. You ARE given the ability to summon a spectre to help you in the fight, and you can even buff it later on. However this has limited usefulness depending on the boss, and you’ll still likely need to best a boss toe to toe by yourself in the end. As someone who enjoys a challenge, i’ve adored the bosses in “Lies of P” far more than any other Soulslike. An aspect I always found lacking in Dark Souls is that I often beat bosses on my first try, and rarely learned their mechanics. They were far too easy to simply overwhelm. That is absolutely not an issue here.
As you progress, you gain items to create and upgrade various Legion Arms. These are, as one might expect, different arms Pinocchio can equip to aid him in combat, much like in Sekiro. Though in this case, Legion Arms are much more useful. You start with a grapple that allows you to pull enemies towards you. Eventually, you will get things like a flamethrower, a cannon, or even a shield. Each arm scales with different stats, so your build choice does indeed matter.
Along with Legion Arms, you'll also find quartz, which allows you to upgrade Pinocchio in various ways. You're able to give various small upgrades, as well as larger ones such as increasing fable slots or increasing the efficacy of your dodge. Anyone who is more comfortable playing with dodges should certainly focus on getting as much quartz as possible because your dodge is useless without a couple of these upgrades.
The strongest and honestly most interesting system is that virtually all weapons come in two parts. You will receive a blade and a handle. These can be interchanged at will when resting at a Stargazer. The handle determines the attack pattern and damage scaling, while the blade affects the damage types, attack speed, and reach. You can freely attach a massive pickaxe head to a dagger handle, but of course, it won't always be a good idea. Different blades are good at either stabbing or slashing, and different handles may favor stabbing OR slashing. This system allows for tons of experimentation, and if you find an attack pattern you enjoy, it's relatively simple to equip the handle with different blades to progress. You also only upgrade the blades, so you can easily switch handles at will. Unlike a game like Dark Souls, each weapon feels entirely unique. Each has its own attack pattern, and even if you don't want the handle, the blade might be useful. It's a great system, and I've enjoyed playing with it. If that’s not your thing, you do also get a medley of boss weapons that are all incredibly powerful in their own way, and they cannot be disassembled.
Although the game takes place in a single city and its surrounding areas, "Lies of P" offers a pretty wide range of areas to explore. The game is entirely linear, and you'll progress from one level to the next, but within each area, there is plenty to explore and find. Lots of little nooks and crannies and hidden items. Each area feels fairly unique and offers a good variety of enemies to take down, with a generous sprinkling of big things to ruin your day and eventually cough up a nice item drop. And as I've said, each boss is a fun and satisfying encounter that feels unique.
I only really have minor gripes with the game. It explains very little to you, especially in regards to what each stat does. It's not terribly difficult to figure out, especially if you're a soulslike veteran, but it still feels bad when you're wondering what a specific stat does, and there's no way to find the information in-game.
"Lies of P" is a very strong title, and even though it may borrow a fair bit of its foundation from things like Dark Souls, it does plenty enough to differentiate itself. With a tough but fair and satisfying combat system, an incredible world full of interesting characters and a lovely range of music, there's a lot to love about "Lies of P," and I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Frankly, I didn't want to stop playing to even write this review. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a solid soulslike. Lies of P is easily the closest a soulslike has ever come to emulating an actual Souls game. If I didn’t look like K-Pop Pinocchio, you could probably convince me it was made by FromSoft. It’s a very polished and delightful experience, with a thoughtfully made world and interesting characters.
Verdict
- Boss fights are fun and unique, and very challenging
- The weapon system
- Cool setting
- Doesn't explain its own mechanics very well
