The best non from soft souls like
yes, it's better than valorant
Gostei bastante, a historia e os personagens são muito cativantes, gosto como não é uma coisa confusa igual os jogos souls onde não da pra saber da historia sem ver vídeos de 12 horas resumindo. A gameplay é épica e bem variada, isso de montar as armas e isso mudar completamente a gameplay é a melhor inovação que esse jogo trouxe. A soundtrack é ótima também.
Another souls-like contender. People like this a lot because it's usually just find a weapon you fuck w, and then just straight combat. Levels are straightforward so its just you and the combat lies of P has. Though, for me, the combat feels stale. It's just another soulslike. Dodge and hit, dodge and hit. It's not bad by any means, I just got bored of it after a while as none of the weapon options are that fun IMO. Maybe if I feel like playing a soulslike I'll pick it up again.
Since I played it, my unpopular gaming opinion has been that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a bad game. I have tried to play it twice, with around 15 hours of play time, but, as far as I am concerned, it is simply not a fun game. It is unfortunate, because it is so widely acclaimed and loved, particularly for its parry-based combat system. I have long lamented the fact that I could not find as much enjoyment in it as others have, despite how much I tried. This is not a review of Sekiro, however, but one of Lies of P, which despite its many explicit influences, is not only a great game on its own, but I believe it to be everything that Sekiro could and should have been.
Even the premise of the game, a reimagined version of the story of Pinocchio, causes the game to stand out for its quality. This very easily could have been a cheap cash grab in the vein of the Winnie the Pooh horror film we got last year, but in this case, we were granted a glimpse into the positive effects of a well-known character entering the public domain. In many ways, these two creations are similar; dark and twisted perspectives on household children's stories. The difference is that the Winnie the Pooh film was made with the sole intention of shock factor to bring in a quick payday, whereas Round8 Studios clearly set out to use the character of Pinocchio to increase the marketability of their incredible souls-like.
That is probably a little unfair, as the studio have also clearly put a great deal of thought into how they wanted to tell the story, and although it may have some puppet-like qualities to it on its own with stiff and stilted moments, I was surprisingly invested in it and its endearing cast of characters. Not only that, but the aesthetic of the game is both unique and familiar, effortlessly bounding between dirty, rusty scrapyards and regal, elegant European architecture. The mechanic of choosing between telling the truth or a lie, while simple, remains effective. It is always pretty clear what the game considers to be the "correct" answer, but this does not detract from the experience, in fact, I believe it greatly adds to it, further distancing the game from the rest of the genre by forgoing the standard complex lore which is communicated through eight total lines of dialogue plus one random statue asset (not that that is always a bad thing, I actually also enjoy this style greatly when it works). Knowing what you are meant to be saying allows for the impact of rejecting it to be more effective, as well as keeping the primary focus on the moment-to-moment gameplay and emphasising the point the developers want to make about the morality of the children's tale they are adapting.
And boy, is that moment-to-moment gameplay good. Where (again, at least to me) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a game that seems to hate you for playing it, Lies of P seems to be built around both accommodating and challenging the player at once. The game leans further into the A side of ARPG than others, restricting your gear to basically just some charms and a sword, but this is arguably the best thing about the game. It keeps the mechanics focused, the rewards pool relevant, no matter your build, while making it possible for you to pursue a huge range of playstyles. The ability to customise your sword, combining almost any blade and handle, creating a combination that suits you, makes finding new weapons endlessly exciting and makes your weapon feel far more personal. It is nothing short of a stroke of genius, combined with the fact that the variety and style-factor of weapons was clearly given a great deal of consideration during development. The game does not just want you to have a good build, but a cool build.
The other highlight to me, and where the comparison to Sekiro really takes hold, is the game's emphasis on parrying your opponents attacks. This, combined with the way staggering works, allows you to have some incredibly cool moments, while maintaining the challenge of the combat and giving the developers the means to mess with the player. Attempting to hit the heavy attack on the boss who is currently in the middle of a crazy combo as you can see their stagger window disappearing can be the making of - or the end of - a run. It is truly a brilliantly implemented design choice. This, along with other changes such as the mechanic of your last health item recharging after you have used it, gives the player the sense that any run, no matter how scuffed, has the potential for the clutch of all clutches. It feels great to play.
I will not go into any specific bosses here, since they are undoubtedly best experienced blind, but I will mention that the game stumbled towards the end with a boss that gave me flashbacks to the "Elden Beast" in Elden Ring. Rest assured, however, that it stuck the landing, ultimately delivering one of the most satisfying, fun and memorable souls-like experiences I have ever had. Even if you have never played a souls-like before, I would strongly recommend this game to you. This is your chance to see just how much fun this genre can be.
Even the premise of the game, a reimagined version of the story of Pinocchio, causes the game to stand out for its quality. This very easily could have been a cheap cash grab in the vein of the Winnie the Pooh horror film we got last year, but in this case, we were granted a glimpse into the positive effects of a well-known character entering the public domain. In many ways, these two creations are similar; dark and twisted perspectives on household children's stories. The difference is that the Winnie the Pooh film was made with the sole intention of shock factor to bring in a quick payday, whereas Round8 Studios clearly set out to use the character of Pinocchio to increase the marketability of their incredible souls-like.
That is probably a little unfair, as the studio have also clearly put a great deal of thought into how they wanted to tell the story, and although it may have some puppet-like qualities to it on its own with stiff and stilted moments, I was surprisingly invested in it and its endearing cast of characters. Not only that, but the aesthetic of the game is both unique and familiar, effortlessly bounding between dirty, rusty scrapyards and regal, elegant European architecture. The mechanic of choosing between telling the truth or a lie, while simple, remains effective. It is always pretty clear what the game considers to be the "correct" answer, but this does not detract from the experience, in fact, I believe it greatly adds to it, further distancing the game from the rest of the genre by forgoing the standard complex lore which is communicated through eight total lines of dialogue plus one random statue asset (not that that is always a bad thing, I actually also enjoy this style greatly when it works). Knowing what you are meant to be saying allows for the impact of rejecting it to be more effective, as well as keeping the primary focus on the moment-to-moment gameplay and emphasising the point the developers want to make about the morality of the children's tale they are adapting.
And boy, is that moment-to-moment gameplay good. Where (again, at least to me) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a game that seems to hate you for playing it, Lies of P seems to be built around both accommodating and challenging the player at once. The game leans further into the A side of ARPG than others, restricting your gear to basically just some charms and a sword, but this is arguably the best thing about the game. It keeps the mechanics focused, the rewards pool relevant, no matter your build, while making it possible for you to pursue a huge range of playstyles. The ability to customise your sword, combining almost any blade and handle, creating a combination that suits you, makes finding new weapons endlessly exciting and makes your weapon feel far more personal. It is nothing short of a stroke of genius, combined with the fact that the variety and style-factor of weapons was clearly given a great deal of consideration during development. The game does not just want you to have a good build, but a cool build.
The other highlight to me, and where the comparison to Sekiro really takes hold, is the game's emphasis on parrying your opponents attacks. This, combined with the way staggering works, allows you to have some incredibly cool moments, while maintaining the challenge of the combat and giving the developers the means to mess with the player. Attempting to hit the heavy attack on the boss who is currently in the middle of a crazy combo as you can see their stagger window disappearing can be the making of - or the end of - a run. It is truly a brilliantly implemented design choice. This, along with other changes such as the mechanic of your last health item recharging after you have used it, gives the player the sense that any run, no matter how scuffed, has the potential for the clutch of all clutches. It feels great to play.
I will not go into any specific bosses here, since they are undoubtedly best experienced blind, but I will mention that the game stumbled towards the end with a boss that gave me flashbacks to the "Elden Beast" in Elden Ring. Rest assured, however, that it stuck the landing, ultimately delivering one of the most satisfying, fun and memorable souls-like experiences I have ever had. Even if you have never played a souls-like before, I would strongly recommend this game to you. This is your chance to see just how much fun this genre can be.
Pinocchio and Dark Souls? It’s not Bloodborne, but it’s close enough.
Lies of P is just that perfect game for a person like me, it checks off every mark in a list of necessities I never knew I needed for a game:
FromSoft gameplay elements in a steampunk / Victorian setting?
Level scaling that makes sense and doesn’t shy away from letting you respec?
Weapon customization and total control over your own playstyle?
Actually unique and exciting enemy types that won’t drive you insane?
Well, save for that last point, Lies of P has an excellent feel for when it comes to controlling itself.
If you’re a Soulslike fan, you already know the gameplay loop: kill enemies for “souls”, level into your weapon class, defeat increasingly harder bosses, and try not to die. Lies of P does most of that well enough, but misses the mark on some minor points.
For the base gameplay, Lies of P feels great and controls like butter. If you know, butter controlled like DS3. For a 2023 soulslike, the running, the hitstun, the weapon weight, it all feels incredibly natural, like a dance I've danced a thousand times. It feels like I played this all before, except last time, it was called Elden Ring. You are limited in that old Dark Souls movement, however. No jumping unless it’s out of a sprint, and no fancy footwork unless you’re light on your weight.
To separate itself from its counterparts, Lies of P introduces a few mechanics to keep the player on their toes. Firstly, the weapon's durability. Not anything you need to spend souls, or “ergo” to repair, but an in-combat procedure. Using your left arm prosthetic, you can grind the blade (or edge) of your weapon and keep yourself in the fight, dealing max damage where applicable. Over the course of battle, your weapon will wear down, and start dealing less and less damage, so you kind of need to be on top of this to make sure you’re doing the most. You can also use this method to apply burning, electricity, and acid damage, each with their own unique debuff to the enemy. Of course, there’s more to it, but I don’t want to spoil all the fun.
Then there’s arguably what sets Lies of P apart from most soulslikes: weapon combination. Like how one weapon swings, but want the punch of another? Disassemble the handle from the blade and get to splicing! There’s a surprisingly menial amount of weapons in the game, and even fewer special weapons (of which cannot be disassembled), but with combinations, there’s seemingly endless possibilities to how you can decide to play your game.
One major, major concern with the gameplay comes pretty fast out the gate however, and it’s a pretty crucial one: parrying / perfect parrying. Blocking an attack is one thing, taking small bits of damage to deflect a blow isn’t a coward's move, and most strength builds will utilize that ideology over dodging any day. But parrying is a large part of Lies of P, and if you’re running a Dex build like me, blocking isn’t as well-off an option compared to our tank-ier cousin class. Some bosses and enemy types require you parry to get that opening for most damage, and because the timing window is so infinitesimal, it can be really, really hard to get it right. There’s areas for practice in the main hub, but most enemies aren’t going to telegraph their attacks the same way, so like I said, it’s all a dance.
The only other concern I’ve heard is the base difficulty. Like any good single-player game, it’s a fixed difficulty, so no Bethesda sliders here. This can be good at times where you’re breezing through the city streets, slaying puppet after puppet, but this doesn’t last for long. You’ll come across mini-bosses, small compartmentalized areas, anything that might get in your way and you will get stuck. Whether it’s a boss or a damage type you can’t seem to master, there’s going to be stopping points that will make you put your controller down. For me, this was both the Chapel boss and the Bridge boss nearing the end of the game. If it ever seems unfair, recognize that it probably is, and move on. To be fair, soulslikes aren’t known for being walks in the park, but you should recognize that if a part is fairing to be more than you can handle, then maybe it’s better to come back to it after a bit of tinkering.
But enough about the gameplay, what of the world? The atmosphere is cold and uninviting, damp and unclean. From the very start you’re plummeting into the aftermath of a puppet uprising that’s slain the whole city, and it’s up to only you to find out what went awry and fix the wrongs of your world. The city streets of Krat are littered with the corpses of those killed, shops and apartments are torn apart, ravaged by the massacre. Just outside the city, the nearby workshops and slums aren’t so kind themselves. Puppets and infected are all out to get you, leaking pus and oil, screaming unintelligible roars of rage and confusion.
But there’s still hope in the reflection of what’s yet been lost. The Hotel Krat stands a proud haven for survivors, and encampments of those lucky enough to be far away from danger still stand a testament to humanity's survival. This is where the soundtrack of the game truly shines. If the battle themes and distance ambiences of the world weren’t enough ear candy, secret records found through side quests and all about the game can be played and heard for brief respite, and it’s here in these moments of music that pieces like “Feel” and “Why” really bring that moody feeling out of the dark and into the light.
Plus, we haven’t even mentioned the characters yet. An all-around voice cast plays the roles of familiar characters, like Gemini (your cricket of conscience), and Gepetto, your father. There’s other, newer roles to the classic Pinocchio story too, but they moreso serve as a means to an end in the long run of the story, such as your blacksmith or shopkeep. The voice acting is… well there’s more to be desired from some roles. Gepetto and Gemini, two of the most prominent characters, can unfortunately sound both too uninterested and too ecstatic respectively for what the game offers. Because this is a soulslike, dialogue is far and few between, so when you have those moments of conversation, you’d expect a little more of a performance from those closest to the main character.
And as far as the game is concerned, that’s all there is to say. Lies of P is nothing short of charmful, witty and well-spoken, with a story that’s genuinely encapsulating and gameplay that keeps me coming back to my second, maybe third and fourth playthroughs. If you’re considering buying this, I say wait until a sale or if you can get a better deal. For buying at the full price tag, however, I’d say it was worth every penny.
Lies of P is just that perfect game for a person like me, it checks off every mark in a list of necessities I never knew I needed for a game:
FromSoft gameplay elements in a steampunk / Victorian setting?
Level scaling that makes sense and doesn’t shy away from letting you respec?
Weapon customization and total control over your own playstyle?
Actually unique and exciting enemy types that won’t drive you insane?
Well, save for that last point, Lies of P has an excellent feel for when it comes to controlling itself.
If you’re a Soulslike fan, you already know the gameplay loop: kill enemies for “souls”, level into your weapon class, defeat increasingly harder bosses, and try not to die. Lies of P does most of that well enough, but misses the mark on some minor points.
For the base gameplay, Lies of P feels great and controls like butter. If you know, butter controlled like DS3. For a 2023 soulslike, the running, the hitstun, the weapon weight, it all feels incredibly natural, like a dance I've danced a thousand times. It feels like I played this all before, except last time, it was called Elden Ring. You are limited in that old Dark Souls movement, however. No jumping unless it’s out of a sprint, and no fancy footwork unless you’re light on your weight.
To separate itself from its counterparts, Lies of P introduces a few mechanics to keep the player on their toes. Firstly, the weapon's durability. Not anything you need to spend souls, or “ergo” to repair, but an in-combat procedure. Using your left arm prosthetic, you can grind the blade (or edge) of your weapon and keep yourself in the fight, dealing max damage where applicable. Over the course of battle, your weapon will wear down, and start dealing less and less damage, so you kind of need to be on top of this to make sure you’re doing the most. You can also use this method to apply burning, electricity, and acid damage, each with their own unique debuff to the enemy. Of course, there’s more to it, but I don’t want to spoil all the fun.
Then there’s arguably what sets Lies of P apart from most soulslikes: weapon combination. Like how one weapon swings, but want the punch of another? Disassemble the handle from the blade and get to splicing! There’s a surprisingly menial amount of weapons in the game, and even fewer special weapons (of which cannot be disassembled), but with combinations, there’s seemingly endless possibilities to how you can decide to play your game.
One major, major concern with the gameplay comes pretty fast out the gate however, and it’s a pretty crucial one: parrying / perfect parrying. Blocking an attack is one thing, taking small bits of damage to deflect a blow isn’t a coward's move, and most strength builds will utilize that ideology over dodging any day. But parrying is a large part of Lies of P, and if you’re running a Dex build like me, blocking isn’t as well-off an option compared to our tank-ier cousin class. Some bosses and enemy types require you parry to get that opening for most damage, and because the timing window is so infinitesimal, it can be really, really hard to get it right. There’s areas for practice in the main hub, but most enemies aren’t going to telegraph their attacks the same way, so like I said, it’s all a dance.
The only other concern I’ve heard is the base difficulty. Like any good single-player game, it’s a fixed difficulty, so no Bethesda sliders here. This can be good at times where you’re breezing through the city streets, slaying puppet after puppet, but this doesn’t last for long. You’ll come across mini-bosses, small compartmentalized areas, anything that might get in your way and you will get stuck. Whether it’s a boss or a damage type you can’t seem to master, there’s going to be stopping points that will make you put your controller down. For me, this was both the Chapel boss and the Bridge boss nearing the end of the game. If it ever seems unfair, recognize that it probably is, and move on. To be fair, soulslikes aren’t known for being walks in the park, but you should recognize that if a part is fairing to be more than you can handle, then maybe it’s better to come back to it after a bit of tinkering.
But enough about the gameplay, what of the world? The atmosphere is cold and uninviting, damp and unclean. From the very start you’re plummeting into the aftermath of a puppet uprising that’s slain the whole city, and it’s up to only you to find out what went awry and fix the wrongs of your world. The city streets of Krat are littered with the corpses of those killed, shops and apartments are torn apart, ravaged by the massacre. Just outside the city, the nearby workshops and slums aren’t so kind themselves. Puppets and infected are all out to get you, leaking pus and oil, screaming unintelligible roars of rage and confusion.
But there’s still hope in the reflection of what’s yet been lost. The Hotel Krat stands a proud haven for survivors, and encampments of those lucky enough to be far away from danger still stand a testament to humanity's survival. This is where the soundtrack of the game truly shines. If the battle themes and distance ambiences of the world weren’t enough ear candy, secret records found through side quests and all about the game can be played and heard for brief respite, and it’s here in these moments of music that pieces like “Feel” and “Why” really bring that moody feeling out of the dark and into the light.
Plus, we haven’t even mentioned the characters yet. An all-around voice cast plays the roles of familiar characters, like Gemini (your cricket of conscience), and Gepetto, your father. There’s other, newer roles to the classic Pinocchio story too, but they moreso serve as a means to an end in the long run of the story, such as your blacksmith or shopkeep. The voice acting is… well there’s more to be desired from some roles. Gepetto and Gemini, two of the most prominent characters, can unfortunately sound both too uninterested and too ecstatic respectively for what the game offers. Because this is a soulslike, dialogue is far and few between, so when you have those moments of conversation, you’d expect a little more of a performance from those closest to the main character.
And as far as the game is concerned, that’s all there is to say. Lies of P is nothing short of charmful, witty and well-spoken, with a story that’s genuinely encapsulating and gameplay that keeps me coming back to my second, maybe third and fourth playthroughs. If you’re considering buying this, I say wait until a sale or if you can get a better deal. For buying at the full price tag, however, I’d say it was worth every penny.
DUDE. This game is AWESOME. Great gameplay, awesome atmosphere, great visuals, great music, memorable characters, amazing quality of life features, incredible performance, great level design. I had an excellent time with Lies of P and I highly recommend it to any fan of hardcore action games.
Lies of P is a real treat for Souls fans, especially Bloodborne. Fantastic atmosphere, wonderful visuals, cool bosses and an intriguing plot layer, slowly discovered while exploring subsequent locations. Truly satisfying gameplay!
mlk eu fiquei jogando durante 10 horas seguidas pra matar a malenia
Femboy bloodborne rules
GooeyScale: 8/10
GooeyScale: 8/10
This review contains spoilers
This game is better than all of FromSoftware's souls games.
Lies of P is a soulslike where you play as the character of "Pinocchio" as you try and uncover the mysteries of the puppet frenzy. This game was a pleasure to play, I enjoyed practically every combat encounter in the game with the combat itself taking the best aspects of Sekiro with the parrying and the Fromsoft souls game with the dodge rolls which made for a very entertaining combat system. The game is visually stunning at practically all times with the boss "Simon manus the arm of god/Awakened god" where it is a delight to simply watch the fight unfold. I personally think there isn't a single bad boss fight in this game and they are all comparable to some of the greats of Fromsoft's line-up. I recommend this game to anyone who enjoys the FromSoftware titles or if in general you want to have a great gaming experience
Lies of P is a soulslike where you play as the character of "Pinocchio" as you try and uncover the mysteries of the puppet frenzy. This game was a pleasure to play, I enjoyed practically every combat encounter in the game with the combat itself taking the best aspects of Sekiro with the parrying and the Fromsoft souls game with the dodge rolls which made for a very entertaining combat system. The game is visually stunning at practically all times with the boss "Simon manus the arm of god/Awakened god" where it is a delight to simply watch the fight unfold. I personally think there isn't a single bad boss fight in this game and they are all comparable to some of the greats of Fromsoft's line-up. I recommend this game to anyone who enjoys the FromSoftware titles or if in general you want to have a great gaming experience
Pinocchio is hot
Posiblemente es el mejor souls-like que no sea desarrollado por From Software, pero sus horas finales terminan por dejarme un horrible sabor en la boca al dispararse por completo la dificultad, al punto de sentirse injusto.
It’s kind of like they made the any mod any weapon mod for fallout 4 into a real game
They nailed the Bloodborne atmosphere and Soulslike recursive level design, but oh my fucking god are the bosses in the 2nd half of the game (from the swamp onwards) just unbelievably brutal to the point where I'm not having fun with the game anymore. I genuinely do not know how you are expected to solo any of these goddamn bosses, so I tip my hat to anyone that speedruns this game.
This game transcends FromSoftware's Souls genre in ways I didn't think anyone else could, honestly. Beyond unbelievable.
platinei e sou extremamente obcecado por esse game, faria de tudo para ter a mesma sensação que eu tive jogando isso pela primeira fez
no inicio tava bom, disse que ia mudar ainda pra melhor, não tava muito bom, tava meio ruim tbm, tava ruim, agora parece que piorou!!
La cabra de los souls.
This game made me realise that souls games are not my type of game.
It is still a great game tho
It is still a great game tho
What an S tier souls like. A definite spiritual successor to bloodborne.
TWINK DRESS-UP SIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LIES OF P : THIS IS WHAT P LIED FOR
Lies of P did not take the world by storm in 2023. Lies of P does border on plagiarism with the games it plunders (Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice). Lies of P also has dog enemies.
But it's still a hell of a game.
Honestly, it took me by complete surprise. I remember playing the demo and thinking, "Wow they literally just copy/pasted 90% of Bloodborne and Sekiro gameplay even down to the UI and the "Pretty Lady That Levels You Up". Except this time she's blue! Y'know...like the blue fairy! Except wait. Hold on. Why is she absolutely the best of these "level-up ladies" from any of the "Soulsborne" games (minus Emerald Herald)?
Look, I understand there are a lot of folks who think it's in poor taste to overly compare Lies of P with the "Soulsborne" games. And trust me, Lies of P certainly has its own identity in many ways. But the developers did this to themselves. It's not my fault I'm about to literally just compare them when they literally made a 90% FromSoftware game. So let's just get this out of the way.
THE TRUTHS
-Lies of P is a different style of storytelling. It's more direct, with more cutscenes and much more NPC interaction. But it still asks you to kindly consider its item descriptions and collectible journal-type things. And I've got to say...the NPCs are comparable...or honestly maybe even more engaging than in FromSoftware games. Again, it's totally different, but I grew much more attached to and was more compelled by characters like Red Fox/Black Cat, Sophia, and Alidoro (to name a few). Yes, the FromSoftware games have their heavy hitters...but there was something really nice about really being able to communicate with these NPCs. It felt more HUMAN (more on that in a bit). And it was genuinely pretty refreshing for most of them to not have overly-anime backgrounds and arcs. They feel like real people.
-Lies of P cannot transcend the Trick Weapons of Bloodborne. But the ability to deconstruct your weapons and put handles on different blades is novel and a joy to play around with. They also give you a...mechanical arm (Sekiro Prosthetic Arm) that has unique abilities which also encourages experimenting with your style of combat. Overall, you can make a lot of fun builds in this game. Lies of P is a very, very naughty boy though in how it directly steals BOTH the rally and stance systems from Bloodborne and Sekiro, respectively. That being said...it's actually executed pretty damn well. It demands you at least be competent with both mechanics enough to know when one style might be a better option for certain enemies and bosses. In fact, I would go as far to say it absolutely clears Elden Ring in this regard (having multiple viable styles of mechanical gameplay).
-The boss DESIGNS are incredible. They certainly have that Berserk/Dark Souls maximalist philosophy (no "just a big red salamander" here), and this includes the various humanoid furries (Stalkers) you fight along the way. But how are they? Well, mostly pretty fun. I would say it comes close to rivaling Bloodborne at times. But other times it takes bad inspiration from Elden Ring with relentless enemies that have unlimited stamina and unjustifiably hit like a freight train. But the real issue is that WAY TOO MANY of them have second phases with a new, full health bar. And that's annoying. I have never "loved" this approach to bosses, but it can work out incredibly well when used sparingly for the best designed fights. Think Sword Saint Isshin and Sister Friede. But despite there being too many multiphase fights, I overall found the bosses to be pretty thrilling and fun. As a little final note...the Black Rabbit Brotherhood is a top 3 gank fight for sure. Excellently designed!
-Krat is no Yharnam. But it's definitely better than Lothric (minus Irithyll). The level designs are pretty wonderful visually and offer a pretty good amount of variety that kept me interested in what the next level would treat me to. An opera house, the seedy slums, a puppet factory, a literal landfill...none of the levels dropped below average which is pretty amazing. That being said, they lack the intricate geometry, enemy placement, and hazards of FromSoftware titles. But dear reader...I think that Krat Hotel may be my favorite hub, only rivaled by Majula. Seriously, the ambiance, the look, the NPCs, THE FUCKING MUSIC. Oh my god, the records you collect for the player at your base are unbelievably good. "Quixotic" and "Feel" are officially on my Spotify rotation. Absolutely gorgeous pieces of music.
-Rapid fire truths: the music in general slaps so hard. P as a protagonist is pretty compelling and I even dare say, more engaging on an emotional level than Wolf from Sekiro. There are a healthy amount of fun puzzles along the way (think treasure maps and riddles). I love Gemini--it's really nice to have a lil buddy to keep you company is this dreary, lonesome world. And the drip game is solid.
THE LIES
-Lies of P has "okay" enemy variety. There's definitely more on the puppet side of things. But the cadavers really blend in together, especially the big brutes. There's more to be desired here.
-The "Lie" mechanic is an interesting concept that isn't fully realized. Throughout the game you are given dialogue choices essentially to either lie or tell the truth. From(soft) what I've seen, there don't seem to be many varying outcomes depending on which you pick, with a few exceptions. In fact, in many instances the rewards are even the same.
-While it isn't that far off...Lies of P really just doesn't have the same gamefeel of "Soulsborne" games. Particularly the two it's taking so much from. There's a noticeable lack of tactile motion--P skates along the ground a bit, his feet not quite connecting with the ground as his animations are faster than the amount of ground he's covering. And man there's a big lack of physics in clothing and fabric. Bloodborne really spoiled us in that regard and Lies of P's various wardrobe options seem to stiffly fall behind P like he just got done drying them in the freezer.
-Oh boy. And here it is: the last level is a fucking SLOG. It's far too long, especially because the visual elements are perhaps the most generic and underwhelming when compared to literally every other level. I grew so tired of the same enemies being shoved at me over and over again that I ended up just running past them and skipping an entire section. Every time I got to a new Stargazer (bonfire), I thought "Surely that was it, right?" Meanwhile little did naive me know that I was only halfway through.
Not only this, but a VERY sour taste was poured down my throat when I reached the end of one of my favorite NPC's arcs. But the final outcome-determining factor that would either lead to me murdering them or them getting to leave and try to have a better life came down to this: a currency I very rarely collected because I had little use for it. When I spoke to this NPC...I had zero in my pockets. I ended up having to kill two of my favorite NPCs, thus getting their VERY BAD ending because I didn't happen to have a specific currency item with me right there on the spot. This put me in an even more bad mood than I already was.
Etcetera, etcetera...and then the end finally came. And by golly...I had a reverse Elden Ring experience. Despite absolutely loathing this final mission, I finished the game really happy. The final boss even kind of sucked! How can this be? Well, allow me to explain. The thing that gives Lies of P its own identity was something I alluded to earlier. Its story.
Upon watching the reveal trailer for this game, I mocked it. "A Pinocchio inspired Bloodborne? What the absolute fuck were these freaks thinking?" Well I'm happy to say they really nailed it. There may be some silly plot points, a not-so-great big bad, and unnecessary loose ends. But holy shit this is absolutely a gold standard example of taking a previously existing thing and adapting it into something wholly unique that simultaneously sticks to the source material. I won't go into spoilers but the side stories of the Blue Fairy, the Fox and the Black Cat, and Geppetto himself are not only captivating, emotional, and fit perfectly into this little world of Krat..but they also fulfill the identical plots of these characters from the original story in very creative and novel ways. It also sticks the themes very well in regard to humanity and lies. I know that the lying system wasn't perfectly executed, but it was really interesting how the lies you tell to become more human were multi-faceted. Lying is not always the "bad option". Sometimes the lie is for self-preservation. Sometimes the lie is to help someone you care about realize something about themselves. Sometimes the lie is to protect that someone from a truth that would only serve to bring them pain.
Lies of P is a human story. The people feel grounded in this reality, and I genuinely cared about them and how their stories were going to unravel. The message is not exactly revolutionary and sometimes used less than elegant visual metaphor. But it's really cool to see the narrative designers really dedicate themselves to a theme and really explore it in a way that aligns with the gameplay.
So yeah, while the last level is total of BS aside from a couple cool bosses and storylines, I ended feeling really satisfied and even emotional. And that, to me, makes Lies of P one of those games that provides an experience you can only have in a video game
Lies of P did not take the world by storm in 2023. Lies of P does border on plagiarism with the games it plunders (Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice). Lies of P also has dog enemies.
But it's still a hell of a game.
Honestly, it took me by complete surprise. I remember playing the demo and thinking, "Wow they literally just copy/pasted 90% of Bloodborne and Sekiro gameplay even down to the UI and the "Pretty Lady That Levels You Up". Except this time she's blue! Y'know...like the blue fairy! Except wait. Hold on. Why is she absolutely the best of these "level-up ladies" from any of the "Soulsborne" games (minus Emerald Herald)?
Look, I understand there are a lot of folks who think it's in poor taste to overly compare Lies of P with the "Soulsborne" games. And trust me, Lies of P certainly has its own identity in many ways. But the developers did this to themselves. It's not my fault I'm about to literally just compare them when they literally made a 90% FromSoftware game. So let's just get this out of the way.
THE TRUTHS
-Lies of P is a different style of storytelling. It's more direct, with more cutscenes and much more NPC interaction. But it still asks you to kindly consider its item descriptions and collectible journal-type things. And I've got to say...the NPCs are comparable...or honestly maybe even more engaging than in FromSoftware games. Again, it's totally different, but I grew much more attached to and was more compelled by characters like Red Fox/Black Cat, Sophia, and Alidoro (to name a few). Yes, the FromSoftware games have their heavy hitters...but there was something really nice about really being able to communicate with these NPCs. It felt more HUMAN (more on that in a bit). And it was genuinely pretty refreshing for most of them to not have overly-anime backgrounds and arcs. They feel like real people.
-Lies of P cannot transcend the Trick Weapons of Bloodborne. But the ability to deconstruct your weapons and put handles on different blades is novel and a joy to play around with. They also give you a...mechanical arm (Sekiro Prosthetic Arm) that has unique abilities which also encourages experimenting with your style of combat. Overall, you can make a lot of fun builds in this game. Lies of P is a very, very naughty boy though in how it directly steals BOTH the rally and stance systems from Bloodborne and Sekiro, respectively. That being said...it's actually executed pretty damn well. It demands you at least be competent with both mechanics enough to know when one style might be a better option for certain enemies and bosses. In fact, I would go as far to say it absolutely clears Elden Ring in this regard (having multiple viable styles of mechanical gameplay).
-The boss DESIGNS are incredible. They certainly have that Berserk/Dark Souls maximalist philosophy (no "just a big red salamander" here), and this includes the various humanoid furries (Stalkers) you fight along the way. But how are they? Well, mostly pretty fun. I would say it comes close to rivaling Bloodborne at times. But other times it takes bad inspiration from Elden Ring with relentless enemies that have unlimited stamina and unjustifiably hit like a freight train. But the real issue is that WAY TOO MANY of them have second phases with a new, full health bar. And that's annoying. I have never "loved" this approach to bosses, but it can work out incredibly well when used sparingly for the best designed fights. Think Sword Saint Isshin and Sister Friede. But despite there being too many multiphase fights, I overall found the bosses to be pretty thrilling and fun. As a little final note...the Black Rabbit Brotherhood is a top 3 gank fight for sure. Excellently designed!
-Krat is no Yharnam. But it's definitely better than Lothric (minus Irithyll). The level designs are pretty wonderful visually and offer a pretty good amount of variety that kept me interested in what the next level would treat me to. An opera house, the seedy slums, a puppet factory, a literal landfill...none of the levels dropped below average which is pretty amazing. That being said, they lack the intricate geometry, enemy placement, and hazards of FromSoftware titles. But dear reader...I think that Krat Hotel may be my favorite hub, only rivaled by Majula. Seriously, the ambiance, the look, the NPCs, THE FUCKING MUSIC. Oh my god, the records you collect for the player at your base are unbelievably good. "Quixotic" and "Feel" are officially on my Spotify rotation. Absolutely gorgeous pieces of music.
-Rapid fire truths: the music in general slaps so hard. P as a protagonist is pretty compelling and I even dare say, more engaging on an emotional level than Wolf from Sekiro. There are a healthy amount of fun puzzles along the way (think treasure maps and riddles). I love Gemini--it's really nice to have a lil buddy to keep you company is this dreary, lonesome world. And the drip game is solid.
THE LIES
-Lies of P has "okay" enemy variety. There's definitely more on the puppet side of things. But the cadavers really blend in together, especially the big brutes. There's more to be desired here.
-The "Lie" mechanic is an interesting concept that isn't fully realized. Throughout the game you are given dialogue choices essentially to either lie or tell the truth. From(soft) what I've seen, there don't seem to be many varying outcomes depending on which you pick, with a few exceptions. In fact, in many instances the rewards are even the same.
-While it isn't that far off...Lies of P really just doesn't have the same gamefeel of "Soulsborne" games. Particularly the two it's taking so much from. There's a noticeable lack of tactile motion--P skates along the ground a bit, his feet not quite connecting with the ground as his animations are faster than the amount of ground he's covering. And man there's a big lack of physics in clothing and fabric. Bloodborne really spoiled us in that regard and Lies of P's various wardrobe options seem to stiffly fall behind P like he just got done drying them in the freezer.
-Oh boy. And here it is: the last level is a fucking SLOG. It's far too long, especially because the visual elements are perhaps the most generic and underwhelming when compared to literally every other level. I grew so tired of the same enemies being shoved at me over and over again that I ended up just running past them and skipping an entire section. Every time I got to a new Stargazer (bonfire), I thought "Surely that was it, right?" Meanwhile little did naive me know that I was only halfway through.
Not only this, but a VERY sour taste was poured down my throat when I reached the end of one of my favorite NPC's arcs. But the final outcome-determining factor that would either lead to me murdering them or them getting to leave and try to have a better life came down to this: a currency I very rarely collected because I had little use for it. When I spoke to this NPC...I had zero in my pockets. I ended up having to kill two of my favorite NPCs, thus getting their VERY BAD ending because I didn't happen to have a specific currency item with me right there on the spot. This put me in an even more bad mood than I already was.
Etcetera, etcetera...and then the end finally came. And by golly...I had a reverse Elden Ring experience. Despite absolutely loathing this final mission, I finished the game really happy. The final boss even kind of sucked! How can this be? Well, allow me to explain. The thing that gives Lies of P its own identity was something I alluded to earlier. Its story.
Upon watching the reveal trailer for this game, I mocked it. "A Pinocchio inspired Bloodborne? What the absolute fuck were these freaks thinking?" Well I'm happy to say they really nailed it. There may be some silly plot points, a not-so-great big bad, and unnecessary loose ends. But holy shit this is absolutely a gold standard example of taking a previously existing thing and adapting it into something wholly unique that simultaneously sticks to the source material. I won't go into spoilers but the side stories of the Blue Fairy, the Fox and the Black Cat, and Geppetto himself are not only captivating, emotional, and fit perfectly into this little world of Krat..but they also fulfill the identical plots of these characters from the original story in very creative and novel ways. It also sticks the themes very well in regard to humanity and lies. I know that the lying system wasn't perfectly executed, but it was really interesting how the lies you tell to become more human were multi-faceted. Lying is not always the "bad option". Sometimes the lie is for self-preservation. Sometimes the lie is to help someone you care about realize something about themselves. Sometimes the lie is to protect that someone from a truth that would only serve to bring them pain.
Lies of P is a human story. The people feel grounded in this reality, and I genuinely cared about them and how their stories were going to unravel. The message is not exactly revolutionary and sometimes used less than elegant visual metaphor. But it's really cool to see the narrative designers really dedicate themselves to a theme and really explore it in a way that aligns with the gameplay.
So yeah, while the last level is total of BS aside from a couple cool bosses and storylines, I ended feeling really satisfied and even emotional. And that, to me, makes Lies of P one of those games that provides an experience you can only have in a video game
tbh it's the only souls-like that actually "gets it" and you can definitely tell the devs loved what they were making here.
Without a Doubt, an Amazingly Polished Souls-Like from a company other than Fromsoft.
i miss my friend romeo
It does well the things that Souls usually does well, but it misses the mark quite a bit on the things that Souls typically struggles with.
Beautiful to look at and thoroughly enjoyable to play, Lies of P is practically a copy of Souls' ideas and manages to be a very competent copy. I find the level design impressive, for example, so interesting, area after area. Overall, it must have the most tolerable poison swamps in these games as well, which is a great achievement.
The gameplay is quite fluid, and I think the game offers a good variety of weapons, even more so than the base game of Bloodborne, for example, and visually, the game is very appealing. The effort to maintain thematic consistency is also highly commendable.
That said, as mentioned, it's a game that falls short in the same areas where Souls games usually falter. Combat on stairs is problematic, the game has a weird input buffer, the camera is a nightmare against large enemies and near walls, and the parry should feel better for a game this fast-paced with unavoidable attacks. I have the feeling that many of the deaths I experienced in the game are unfair, which for a game of this type is a cardinal sin. The bosses also gradually become more challenging with larger HP pools and some of them just turns as really tiresome battles.
I really want to see a sequel with a more polished technical aspect and more variety, but still maintaining the solid combat weight and level design. However, as is customary with these games, I imagine a sequel even more "hardcore" simply for the sake of being "hardcore." It's a shame, because these games generally have much more to offer as games than just "impossible bosses," "git gud," etc. And Lies of P is a good example of that.
Beautiful to look at and thoroughly enjoyable to play, Lies of P is practically a copy of Souls' ideas and manages to be a very competent copy. I find the level design impressive, for example, so interesting, area after area. Overall, it must have the most tolerable poison swamps in these games as well, which is a great achievement.
The gameplay is quite fluid, and I think the game offers a good variety of weapons, even more so than the base game of Bloodborne, for example, and visually, the game is very appealing. The effort to maintain thematic consistency is also highly commendable.
That said, as mentioned, it's a game that falls short in the same areas where Souls games usually falter. Combat on stairs is problematic, the game has a weird input buffer, the camera is a nightmare against large enemies and near walls, and the parry should feel better for a game this fast-paced with unavoidable attacks. I have the feeling that many of the deaths I experienced in the game are unfair, which for a game of this type is a cardinal sin. The bosses also gradually become more challenging with larger HP pools and some of them just turns as really tiresome battles.
I really want to see a sequel with a more polished technical aspect and more variety, but still maintaining the solid combat weight and level design. However, as is customary with these games, I imagine a sequel even more "hardcore" simply for the sake of being "hardcore." It's a shame, because these games generally have much more to offer as games than just "impossible bosses," "git gud," etc. And Lies of P is a good example of that.
Por poco y lo abandono, soy medio estúpido y tarde en agarrarle la onda pero en cuanto lo hice tuve una experiencia gratificante (eso hasta que llegue a la marioneta sin nombre). Quede tan fascinado que empecé un NG+ inmediatamente, al terminar hice lo mismo, otro NG+. De mis favoritos del 2023.
scratched that soulsborne itch
I think I liked this better than any dark souls game, and slightly behind bloodborne. The setting, developments in the story and the gameplay were all really interesting. A lot of boss fights felt slightly too easy though, but there were a handful later on that gave me exactly what I wanted, with some really punishing dances to learn parry timings and it was insanely satisfying to master them. Only negative I really have is having to go back to the main hub to level up and weapons having durability for some reason when you always have access to a portable grindstone to repair it at no cost. Overall an absolute must play especially with how cheap you can play it with xbox game pass