Despite all of the competition and innovation from other developers, FromSoftware is still the king of the Soulslike genre they invented. Many games have utilized elements of that genre and been exceedingly successful, like Jedi: Fallen Order and Nioh, but even they can’t hold a candle to FromSoft’s best.
While other developers continue to do their best to capture the unfathomable success of Elden Ring one developer NEOWIZ seeks to dethrone FromSoftonce and for all. Their game, Lies of P looks like it combines some of the best elements of their games while taking place in an entirely unique setting and narrative.
You see, even though it is gritty, brutal combat and plenty of dingy back alleys that feel reminiscent of Bloodborne, Lies of P is based on Pinocchio. Not the cute and colorful Disney animated version (or the upcoming live-action remake of that classic), but a dark retelling of the original 1883 story.
Ditching Disney and going straight to the source gives NEOWIZ plenty of content to work with and leeway with how it is presented.
The original announcement trailer that was released in mid-2021 definitely displayed that fact, as it had enough style and stage presence to create an instant following of fans looking for the next big Soulslikeexperience. Much of that likely had to do with the awesome mechanoid/robot protagonist and enemies.
And again at Gamescom 2022, Lies of P has made another big splash. It has taken home several awards from the show including Best Role-Playing Game. A playable demo was made available on the Gamescom show floor in addition to a brand-new trailer that shows plenty of gameplay, and the developers have even been gracious enough to discuss many of the game’s mechanics at length.
In case you haven’t seen them via major media outlets already, here’s some art of the enemies you’ll encounter early in the game.
Meanwhile, We’ve been busy answering some of the fundamental questions asked after our alpha gameplay reveal- we’ll be sharing them with you soon! pic.twitter.com/Po6cOL0DaM
— Lies of P (@Liesofp) November 25, 2021
One of those mechanics is a customizable prosthetic arm, not dissimilar from the one FromSoft created for Sekiro that opened up radically creative combat options thanks to the many tools for it. Lies of P look like it is attempting to accomplish the same thing.
Pinocchio’s arm, called the “Slave Arm” for a reason that hasn’t yet been revealed, will have access to eight different tools over the course of the game. These tools include a grappling hook and an old-fashioned pistol, among others.
Another interesting mechanic that was present in the playable demo is the weapon system that allows you to mix and match the handles and heads of every weapon you obtain. Both pieces of every weapon have a special perk or ability, and mixing and matching these abilities seems like it will play a big part in combat strategy throughout the game. If Lies of P keeps true to the Souls formula, there will be dozens of weapons to use in this system.
Outside of the arm, combat seems more akin to Bloodborne than other Souls games. Rather than keeping a safe distance and playing defensively, Lies of P seems to encourage players to get aggressive and fight enemies at close range. The grappling hook, for example, can be used to pull enemies toward you for devastating combos and finishers.
You can find the answer to this question in our gameplay trailer!
— Lies of P (@Liesofp) November 26, 2021
Lies of P is still at least six months away and isn’t expected to launch until the beginning of 2023 at the very earliest. But, considering how excellent the game already looks in its current state, we certainly have nothing to worry about. The game appears to be in good, capable hands, and as soon as Lies of P is available, you’ll be able to find the best deal for it on GameCamp.gg.