Since Elden Ring launched Soulsborne games into the mainstream, many new players have become fans of the genre. FromSoft's action RPGs, and those that mimic their style, are famous for their difficulty. Regular enemies can easily prove fatal for unprepared players, who must then attempt the level again from the last checkpoint, having dropped their earned XP at the spot of their death. What's more, players are faced with hugely intimidating boss fights in epic arenas and force players to learn attack patterns and improve their skills to succeed.
Soulslikes' trademark difficulty and the resulting satisfaction from overcoming it are a huge part of their appeal. But many gamers have their reservations. Some are put off by the difficulty, others don't have the time to invest in "getting good" despite enjoying the overall gameplay. Neowiz Games' and Round8 Studios' new Pinochio-themed Lies of P is the perfect title for these players, as it can slowly ease them into the genre while still offering the same, exciting core experience.
Lies of P Is a Darker Interpretation of the Famous Pinocchio Tale
Lies of P has drawn numerous comparisons with FromSoftware's fan-favorite Bloodborne due to both its gameplay and its setting. The gothic-Victorian city of Krat and its cobblestoned, blood-stained, and rat-infested streets host a dark re-telling of Pinocchio, putting players in control of the famous doll as he uncovers the story's secrets. It also introduces an intriguing new lying system where players can choose whether Pinocchio tells the truth, as a regular doll would, or lies, as a human can.
In addition to being a new challenge for Soulsborne fans, Lies of P seems ideal for those that don't like the difficulty cranked all the way up. It includes the regular staples of the genre -- the adrenaline-fuelled action, difficult enemies, respawn checkpoints, limited healing vessels, dropped XP, and stamina management to name a few -- without being overly harsh.
Lies of P’s Gameplay Is Less Punishing Than Many Other Soulslikes
Lies of P's gameplay as a whole is generally less punishing than FromSoftware's famous titles, with regular enemies dealing less damage and taking fewer hits to defeat. Although they can catch the player off guard by jumping out from crevices, they're still unlikely to deal enough damage to kill the player in one hit. There are tougher enemies scattered throughout, but they can often be faced one-on-one and provide good practice for boss fights.
In fact, the game's opening few levels don't overwhelm the player with swarms of enemies at all. Pinocchio rarely has to face more than one or two at a time, making them easier to pick off. The variety of enemy types and their respective attack patterns are also slightly limited. Although this fact is a little disappointing from a gameplay perspective, it does make mastering the enemies' movesets easier as they're far more predictable. As a result, completing levels and making it to the next boss fight is rarely too much of a challenge, especially if players choose to repeat these cycles to level up quickly.
Lies of P Includes Several Small Gameplay Adjustments to Help Ease the Difficulty
While the game's regular enemies are comparatively easy, Lies of P's boss fights still offer a major challenge. Despite their toughness, the game does provide the player with several helpful new features. Perhaps the most noticeable difference between Lies of P and other Soulsborne games is that when players are defeated by a boss, their lost Ergos -- the game's name for XP -- are dropped outside the boss arena. This means players can easily pick them back up and use them toward leveling up to make the fight easier. It's a small change, but it makes a huge difference.
In addition, players can also summon NPC helpers for boss battles. Although they don't deal much damage themselves, they can help distract the boss, allowing the player to get in numerous free hits. They also have a decent amount of health, meaning players can often use them to get the boss all the way to half health and sometimes even lower before they're killed.
Star Fragments, which are the item required to summon these NPCs, are fairly common, meaning players can generally use them as much as they like. There are also training dummies and training arenas near these fights that often mimic some of the boss' moves, allowing players to practice before facing the real thing.
Finally, Lies of P's healing mechanic is also less punishing and finite than Dark Souls' famous Estus Flasks. Pulse Cells work similarly to Estus Flasks, with players being limited to just three at the start of the game. However, this number can quickly be upgraded to five by the end of the demo.
The real twist comes with the fact that players can actually restore a Pulse Cell's use once all three have been depleted. This recovery is achieved by landing hits on enemies. Not only does this feature promote a more thrilling, front-foot style of gameplay, but it also makes it easier to stay alive throughout each level. As a result, players can sustain longer runs each life, which will appeal hugely to those who are put off by repeatedly dying and redoing the same thing.
Lies of P Feels Respectful of the Player’s Time
Soulslike games almost always require players to restart levels from certain checkpoints when they die. Many people find this fact frustrating and even eventually boring, especially given the usual frequency of death. Lies of P's helpful new features mean that players will likely complete levels more quickly, but it also does a great job of making each run feel worthwhile.
Lies of P's levels are well designed for players to open up shortcuts once they pass an area. This is nothing new to Soulslikes -- Bloodborne did much the same -- but it helps make the game a lot more accessible. These can come in the form of unlocking locked doors, fixing broken elevators, or lowering ladders. If the player dies and returns to the start of the level, they can quickly skip sections by taking these now-open shortcuts. Not only does this mean players spend less time repeating the same fights and getting frustrated or bored, but it also means that more runs feel worthwhile. Even if the player dies, they've still made tangible progress in the game if they've opened up a new shortcut.
These factors all combine to give the player the vital feeling that their time is being respected. They're not repeatedly facing the same, overly punishing enemies without making any real progress. Instead, the reduced difficulty and helpful new features make Lies of P ideal for players who enjoy the combat, world, and gameplay of Soulslikes, but who are otherwise put off by their difficulty, duration, and repetitiveness.
Lies of P releases on September 19, 2023. A demo is currently available to download and play.