Lies of P Reviews
An instant must-play for Soulslikers, with fantastic flexibility in its combat and old fashioned rigidity in its challenges.
I love Lies of P until I don’t, but those less adoring moments are always followed by something that ropes me right back in. A slickly directed, beautifully presented game that takes the absurd concept of marrying Bloodborne to Pinocchio and commits so earnestly that it transcends the silly and just plain works. Difficulty spikes and dodgy pacing undermine it at key points, and some systems aren’t as useful as they should be, but none of that takes away from the high quality and the amount of imagination poured into what could’ve been just another Soulslike.
Co-op support like in other Soulslike games would have put Lies of P over 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 that Lies of P gives in to some of the worst Soulslike instincts at 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 is a gorgeous, bloody, unforgiving game which builds off the well-tread souls template to create a wholly original adventure that never ceases being a joy to explore and experience. With top tier combat, fantastic enemy and boss designs, and intricate and often interweaving areas to explore, the game remains fresh despite the 30+ hours required for a first playthrough. I may be a sucker for these types of games, but Lies of P hit absolutely every note needed to draw me into its often grotesque yet surprisingly emotional world. Lies of P may be based on a well-known and over told fairy tale, but watching it unfold in a mature setting with a likable cast of characters and dire stakes made the story that much more enthralling.
This hack-and-slasher clings to its Soulsborne heritage too tightly, but does creative things that no other Soulslike until now has managed to pull off
Lies of P had me hooked from the get-go, and it never let up. The combat system has a ton of layers of complexity, the bosses are fiercely difficult but provide immense catharsis once you have beaten them, the character customization systems are addictive and the story was an entertaining, dark reimagining of Pinocchio. If you’re a fan of Soulslikes or challenging action-RPGs with a grim setting, then I highly recommend grabbing this title when you get the chance.
Lies of P is an addictive Soulslike with a unique take on the genre and is certainly one not to be missed (especially if you have Game Pass).
Lies of P comes across as the ‘Bloodbourne we have at home’ from its gothic architecture and dark and gritty themes it feels very much like the Bloodbourne fans have been craving at 60fps. But Lies of P does enough to cut the strings that may be attaching it to Sony’s Bloodborne. Round8 and the team have carved out just enough to make this genre their own, from the tweaks to health and combat to the way recovering lost ergo works; Lies of P has become managed to indeed become a real boy.
Lies Of P is one of the best Soulslike games to enter the genre, and on multiple occasions builds on the games that inspired it, adding refinements that result in a better gameplay experience. However it emulates its influences a little too closely, and fails to hit the same highs as the games that it has clearly used as a skeleton, inviting comparisons that aren't always flattering. Along with an incredibly disruptive difficulty spike, Lies Of P stands as a game that is very nearly great, and will scratch the right itch for fans of the genre to stick with it.
Quote nLies of P plays well enough with a world that's reasonably captivating but it struggles to find an identity for itself and follows in the footsteps of Dark Souls and Bloodborne without managing to step out from their shadow.ot yet available
Lies of P makes absolutely no secret of being inspired by From Software's games, but the end result is a videogame that feels great to play, offers many memorable boss fights, and provides interesting gameplay options in the form of being able to assemble your own weapon. Definitely a convincing effort from the Bless Unleashed developers, and a soulslike that fans of the genre should not skip.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Calling Lies of P derivative is both obvious and misses the point. It’s is a love letter to FromSoftware, but one that quite often matches or even exceeds its inspiration. Lies of P doesn’t quite attain the elegance of Dark Souls, Elden Ring, or Bloodborne’s best level designs, but its art, graphics, and combat are possibly the best of any Soulslike not developed by Miyazaki and company. Lies of P is addictive, challenging, and rewarding, and a must-play for fans of action RPGs.
Not even attempting to hide the massive influence Bloodborne has had on it, Lies of P is a solid imitation of the game developed by FromSoftware. While it lacks the same combat and world design finesse of its illustrious inspiration, the action role-playing game by NEOWIZ is among the most accomplished soulslike game released this year, thanks to its dark retelling of the story of Pinocchio, combat and character customization tweaks and great enemy design.
Lies of P suffers from a slow start with boring levels and uninspired enemies. Thankfully, later down the line game gives you much more interesting things to play with, including different weapons, unique gameplay systems and so on, turning itself into a pretty good addition to the genre.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Lies of P feels like the result of a developer having already taken multiple stabs at the Souls-like genre, so it's impressive that Round8 Studio has accomplished so much on its first attempt. By fully embracing its dark take on the Pinocchio story, it sets itself apart from anything else available. Elevating it above other games are quality combat and extensive, satisfying customisation, turning Lies of P into a first-class experience for FromSoftware fanatics.
When it comes to soulslike, it seems that the criticism is a little harsher than usual. Hardcore users often criticize all inspirations for not being difficult enough or being copies enough to be considered good games. Lies of P is a strange game, we can not qualify it as a copy as it is, it has its own ideas and has given something to talk about on its own merits, which already indicates that we have a great game in hand.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
On the other hand, Lies of P’s refusal to dish out any significant discomfort lowers the stakes considerably, so that you’re never pushed to engage with the game’s mechanical limits. As a result, everything from its level layouts to its boss fights to its jump scares don’t get seared into your brain out of repetition or necessity. It’s why, unlike Dark Souls, Lies of P is so easy to stick with. But it’s also why, unlike Dark Souls, you might forget it in a year.
There are a few things that I think could be improved in Lies of P, like the dodge issues I mentioned earlier as well as the parry window timing and difficulty spikes, but overall this is just an excellent game. It brings so many brilliant elements together and creates its own identity with them.
Lies of P is a product that has been able to convince us from almost every point of view.
Review in Italian | Read full review