Souls-like is a genre that has grown over the years due to the success and popularity of games by genre creator FromSoftware. We’ve seen a fair amount of games with very similar mechanics, visual style, and even storytelling so familiar that you know it’s the developer’s intention to replicate and attempt to succeed FromSoftware’s reputation. The question is, does Lies of P meet or even exceed these high standards, or is it just another imitation. From the trailers seen, you can tell that Round8 Studio, a subsidiary of Neowiz Games, took massive influences from Bloodborne. It was definitely enough to make fans very sceptical if Lies of P was even going to be a close match or even being able to be in the same ring.

First off, as like most FromSoftware games, the narrative to Lies of P is vague, in which more of the story can be unveiled as you find items and read their descriptions. Not only that, but the interactions with various characters you meet slowly reveals the events that have taken place as well as hints to where you need to go. It’s also no secret that Lies of P is thematically based on Pinocchio, where you’ll interact with characters such as Gemini (based from Jiminy cricket), Geppetto and more. There are so many references and easter eggs which can even be seen with its load screen icon where it’s obviously a silhouette of a person (Pinocchio) in which the nose grows longer as the level loads.

Early on, it’s revealed that most people and families in the world own a robot known as a puppet to help them with their everyday life. People were thriving and life was good, until an event that took place known as the puppet frenzy. As you can guess from its name, why the puppets turned on its masters, or who might have controlled it is all a mystery, and for you to find out as you explore through the different levels and areas. Unfortunately, the creator of puppets, Geppetto, was blamed for the frenzy, in which it is your duty as not-Pinocchio to search him out to find answers. Along the way, you’ll find hired guns who hunt down puppets known as stalkers, who seem to be humans that are thematically dressed in Pinocchio character such as the fox and cat (just to name a couple).

The fight mechanics, level lay out, and boss difficulties are so similar to Souls games that you can even place a side by side comparison to Lies of P’s version of the Firelink Shrine (or Dilapidated Temple in Sekiro) known as Hotel Krat. Mentioned in the game’s landmark guide, Hotel Krat was known as one of the city’s creepiest and most mysterious buildings. It was once an isolated castle built by an aristocrat devoted to forming an occultism after receiving a revelation from a radiant tree. At one point, it was used as a mental institution, and some patients said they saw hallucinations; however no evidence or records can be found as they were destroyed during a large fire. At one point, the hotel had a reputation and rumours of it being haunted with some even stating that it has connections to an unknown hell.

Of course, all these notes are found in item guides and descriptions, So how true it is, is difficult to confirm. Going back to FromSoftware similarities, there are key characters who play the role of blacksmith (Eugenie in this instance) and similar to Elden Ring’s Melina (Sophia in Lies of P). These key characters are ones you'll constantly go back to (amongst others) to level up your stats, weapons or robotic arm which you can create and configure to use different attack attributes such as a flamethrower, harpoon and acid (to name a couple). The range of primary (and secondary) weapons can be altered in Lies of P that each comes with a handle and extension like a blade, axe, pipe wrench and more. Lies of P’s weapon system lets players mix and match and upgrade to suit each player's style. However, the game really feels as though it was made for weapons that can strike fast, opposed to the typical great-sword, which is slow and heavy, but deals high damage.

Lies of P also includes a great deal of sci-fi references such as adding in similarities to Isaac Asimov’s ‘Three Laws of Robotics’, which Puppets follow in this world. First Law: All puppets must obey their Creator’s commands. Second Law: A puppet may not harm humans. Third Law: A puppet protects and serves humans and the city of Krat. Fourth Law: A puppet cannot lie. Being a puppet, your uniqueness is that you are actually able to lie as you’re asked to answer riddles to progress the game. And as you decide whether you should lie or be honest, your physical appearance does eventually change, and become more ‘human’.

Overall, Lies of P isn’t going to be for everyone. With its vague narrative that’s told through character interactions, item descriptions and just reading between the lines, it’s as close to any FromSoftware Souls game as you can get. If you’re a Souls-like fan, this is definitely a game for you. In fact, this is probably one of the best Souls-like game coming out of not-FromSoftware. Not only did Round8 Studios do a great job, but the visuals, level design and characters you meet are refined. The only nitpicking issues that need to be called out is the difficulty on some bosses are quick tough, whereas a lot of minions and puppets lying around that you come across are ridiculously too easy that you’d ask yourself why even bother placing them there.