Lies Of P’s take on the Souls formula is still great

Since FromSoftware released the action RPG Demonic souls In 2009, the rest of the video game industry copied it (with love). Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as the saying goes. Among a wealth of solid takes about the genre, last year’s dark fantasy title Lies of P stands out as one of the best. Not only does it expertly emulate what fans love about the Souls genre, it also repeats the formula in exciting ways. While a year after its release, what I find most charming about Lies of P is how fascinating the absurd premise actually is.

I guarantee you that if you only know one thing about Lies of P it’s that the game is “dark Pinocchio.” That was all anyone could talk about in the run-up to its 2023 release – well, that and how much the main character is on Timothée ChalametBut after reviews came out and people got their hands on the game, it turned out that Lies of P was not just a discount Bloodborne (FromSoftware’s 2015 masterpiece), but it was actually…good.

A lot of that has to do with the game’s iterations on ideas often considered core to the Soulslike genre. One example is Lies of P‘s guarding, which is an expression of parrying in FromSoftware games. In Lies of PGuarding feels like an essential skill to learn on your journey, but not one that is absurdly difficult to master. However, it shines in its innovation. This is best exemplified by the weapon crafting system. Sure, in a Souls game you’re likely to collect a number of weapons, some of which can even have multiple forms. But Lies of P takes that idea to the extreme. Every weapon in the game consists of two parts: a handle and a blade. The ability to mix and match your weapon components makes for a fascinating customizable gameplay loop with incredible depth.

But the greatest joy of Lies of P enters his world, which is a shockingly impressive retelling of the Pinocchio story. The game transforms the familiar story into a gothic horror story about identity and free will. Pinocchio is still a puppet, but in the world of Lies of PThis story explores how the ability to choose our fate makes us human. Everything about the world, from the grim versions of the Blue Fairy and Geppetto to the murderous automatons, is utterly silly out of context. But Lies of P weaves a compelling story with all these pieces.

It’s one of the reasons I can’t wait for the sequel which, as the game suggests, The Wizard of Oz. I’m already sold.

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