Lies of P

Lies of P is as slick and well-done as it is dark and mysterious. With weighty combat, cool weapons and tools, and some exquisite - though very creepy - enemy design, it’ll scratch the ‘souls’ itch for many, despite a few blemishes.

Lies of P's greatest strength is how it rewards and empowers you at every turn to venture further through this twisted tale of puppetry and monstrous humanity, despite its oppressive world and formidable enemies. I struggled to pull myself away from Lies of P, even when it had me fuming. It delicately balances the fun of a Soulslike with the challenge the genre demands and only falters a few times.

Smooth combat, seamless exploration and a set of well-executed mechanics makes Lies of P an excellent Soulslike. When you add in the gorgeous visuals, desolate world design, stark sound design and engrossing story, it raises the experience above a lot of its contemporaries. All in all, although Lies of P is essentially Bloodborne featuring Timothée Chalamet, it does more than enough to mark itself out as a unique title worth your time – and I’m not lying.

Lies of P is a staggering achievement for Neowiz, and one of the very best "non-FromSoft" Soulslikes I've ever played.

There’s some enjoyment to be found in Lies of P. Its action is competent, but lacks the polish and stir of its contemporaries. Its atmosphere can be engrossing, but it’s a hodgepodge of themes and aesthetics you’ve seen before that never rises above the familiar. I was never impressed by it, and I never stopped questioning the point of the entire endeavour throughout my time with it.

At times, Lies of P is clumsy and frustrating, but there’s a solid core of Soulslike fun to be had and a few glimmers of greatness. It leaves me hoping that the team has the confidence to step out of From Software’s shadow with their next game. To push the cover band analogy further, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be able to beat the originals at their own game, but the talent and passion to make their own material something special is clearly present, if only they tapped into it a little more.

I didn't start the year expecting to be compelled by the connections between Pinocchio's origins, the puppet frenzy, a cursed miracle fuel, and wishing on stars, but here we are. Crickets lead you to strange places.

Neowiz's Lies of P is a Soulslike based on Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio. Set in Krat, the eponymous puppet finds themselves going up against a range of mechanical enemies that now roam this city's once lively streets. Lies of P has multiple endings, a crafting system, and a wide range of weapon types.