Lies of P is competent souls like that features great character and weapon customization, ok boss fights, and an intriguing set up. Unfortunately, other than that it is creatively bankrupt and a cheap imitation of greater games.
Let's focus on the good elements first. The weapon customization and creation is a high mark for the genre, splitting weapons in 2 and being able to fully customize weapon types, abilities and swings with handles that also have their own unique stat combinations and abilities is a great system. The customizable skill tree, fable talents, and arm abilities are well developed and fun to mix and match. Combat is good, although there are some hit registration (attacking and blocking/dodging both) issues that are unfortunate but standard for the genre. Boss encounters and designs are unique and challenging, although lacking visually and inspirationally compared to the From Software games.
My big problem is this is just too much of a Bloodborne knockoff. The setting, characters, dialogue, and design are just hard to look past. There is a fine line behind drawing inspiration from other games and completely knocking them off and I would place this directly in the knock off category. To me, the game is creatively bankrupt, with no originality to speak of beyond tweaks to deeper in game systems. The gameplay loop, weapon upgrades, setting, items, and overall experience is a direct ripoff of Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. This was bound to happen, especially with Elden Ring's massive success, but I had still hoped for some originality here. Lies of P offers nothing to an experienced player of these games other than a significantly watered down experience of the previous games.
The gameplay path is incredibly linear and the zones are very uninspiring, design wise. Take the main path, unlock shortcut, continue on, unlock 2nd shortcut, then rinse and repeat for the 10ish main zones in the game. The world is not interconnected in fun ways, there is minimal replayability and incentives to explore and revisit the zones.
Let's focus on the good elements first. The weapon customization and creation is a high mark for the genre, splitting weapons in 2 and being able to fully customize weapon types, abilities and swings with handles that also have their own unique stat combinations and abilities is a great system. The customizable skill tree, fable talents, and arm abilities are well developed and fun to mix and match. Combat is good, although there are some hit registration (attacking and blocking/dodging both) issues that are unfortunate but standard for the genre. Boss encounters and designs are unique and challenging, although lacking visually and inspirationally compared to the From Software games.
My big problem is this is just too much of a Bloodborne knockoff. The setting, characters, dialogue, and design are just hard to look past. There is a fine line behind drawing inspiration from other games and completely knocking them off and I would place this directly in the knock off category. To me, the game is creatively bankrupt, with no originality to speak of beyond tweaks to deeper in game systems. The gameplay loop, weapon upgrades, setting, items, and overall experience is a direct ripoff of Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. This was bound to happen, especially with Elden Ring's massive success, but I had still hoped for some originality here. Lies of P offers nothing to an experienced player of these games other than a significantly watered down experience of the previous games.
The gameplay path is incredibly linear and the zones are very uninspiring, design wise. Take the main path, unlock shortcut, continue on, unlock 2nd shortcut, then rinse and repeat for the 10ish main zones in the game. The world is not interconnected in fun ways, there is minimal replayability and incentives to explore and revisit the zones.