Lies of P [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Yes, we know – we’re late to the Lies of P party, with the game originally launching back in 2023. However, with the ‘Overture’ DLC just around the corner, it felt like the perfect time to revisit this twisted take on the Pinocchio fable and put a review out that lets you know how we feel. And you know what? We just so happen to love the game.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Lies of P wastes no time in setting the tone, with players awakening as Pinocchio – not the charming marionette of childhood memory that has no strings to hold him down, but rather a brooding, humanoid puppet that is left to navigate the desolate and eerie city of Krat. The once-thriving steampunk metropolis has descended into chaos following the so-called Puppet Frenzy – a mysterious, murderous uprising led by the machine-like puppets, so you’re left to pick up the pieces. Your mission? To find your creator, Geppetto, and uncover the truth behind the city’s fall.

At first glance, the game’s gothic aesthetic is unmistakably evocative of FromSoftware’s Bloodborne, which I still believe is the best release seen in the Souls-like genre. However, Lies of P confidently carves out its own identity through a richly imagined world, beautifully ruined environments, and a combat system that evolves as you do. This is not a derivative experience, but instead a refined and rewarding release in the genre that easily stands tall amongst any release from the team at FromSoftware.

As a Souls-like, Lies of P shares familiar DNA with its inspirations, meaning you can expect tough-as-nails enemies, punishing bosses, and a constant balancing act of risk and reward as you venture through each locale. Combat is fluid and satisfying, built around a simple but deep setup: light and heavy attacks, dodging, blocking, and precise parrying. It’s something that’ll feel familiar to players for the most part, but what sets it apart are the mechanics that help build upon the basics of combat.

One of the standout mechanics is the weapon crafting system. Players can dismantle and reassemble weapons by mixing different blades and handles, allowing them to put together their own contraptions that bring with them varying pros and cons. This adds layers of experimentation and personalization that go beyond basic stat comparisons, and finding the right combination for your playstyle is both mechanically meaningful and creatively engaging. You’ll continually find new tools to tinker around with, allowing players to genuinely alter how combat feels from start to end.

“Lies of P pulls all of the right strings, delivering gripping combat, a hauntingly beautiful world, and enough originality to step out from the shadows of its influences.”

Complementing this is the Legion Arm system, which lets Pinocchio swap out his mechanical left arm for various tools of destruction. With abilities including the likes of grappling hooks, electric shocks, laying landmines, or landing a walloping punch, each arm brings unique tactical options that always give you an additional trick up your (left) sleeve. They end up feeling integral to the combat experience, and they can genuinely change how you approach encounters with the varying enemy types.

Like similar Souls-like releases, Lies of P rewards patience and observation. Many enemies have deceptive attack timings or feints that demand careful planning from the player, with the learning curve steep but fair. This is especially evident in the boss battles, which can be tough as nails, but always offer openings for players to exploit and weaknesses to take advantage of. Each success against a boss feels well-earned, and with each pushing players to master the game’s mechanics and ensure that their chosen loadout can deal with the threat, they’re ALWAYS a treat to conquer.

The bosses are a visual highlight in themselves, with gigantic automatons and monstrous hybrids to face off against that deliver both spectacle in their design and substance in their mechanics. However, the jump in difficulty between standard enemies and these titanic foes can sometimes feel jarring. I know, I know, it’s something you expect of the Souls-like genre, but the contrast here can be particularly sharp and definitely caught me out on more than a few occasions. The clearest stumbling blocks I faced for progress came in the boss encounters, and I don’t want to admit how long it took to defeat some of the game’s trickier foes (and the less said about The Nameless Puppet the better).

Scattered throughout Lies of P are narrative choices that allow Pinocchio to lie or tell the truth, with these decisions subtly affecting character interactions, influencing some of the enemies you face off against, and determining which ending you receive. While the concept is intriguing – especially considering the source material and how heavily it plays into the themes of honesty – its execution can feel a little underwhelming. Beyond the endgame consequences, the moment-to-moment impact of your humanity level feels minimal as you progress through the game. Don’t get me wrong, it makes for some interesting encounters with NPCs, but it’s hard not to feel like it could have taken some deeper (and arguably more interesting) twists that really upped the stakes.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Visually,Krat is breathtaking. Cobblestone streets soaked in blood, flickering lamplight casting long shadows, and grand buildings collapsing under the weight of mechanical decay… believe me, it’s a city with a hell of a lot of character. The semi-linear level design encourages careful exploration, and with shortcuts and hidden areas that reward your curiosity, it always feels worth venturing off the obvious path. Just be warned: whilst this may lead to some gorgeous vistas, it can also often lead to a dangerous mob of enemies that’ll swiftly mop the floor with you and send you to the last checkpoint.

What elevates Lies of P is how confidently it embraces the Souls-like formula while still introducing its own unique ideas that prove it’s not some mere copycat. From the moment you wake during the intro to the final boss encounter, it maintains a sense of purpose and polish that similar titles have never quite managed to match. The combat is tight, the world is immersive, and the systems work together to create a compellingly cohesive experience that’s simply a joy to play.

Developer: Neowiz
Publisher: Neowiz
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://www.liesofp.com/