Lies of P demo impressions

Lies of P might end up being one of the best soulslikes in years.

June 20, 2023

Lies of P finally received a set release date – September 19 – and surprised eager players with a demo last week. It’s short, being just the opening area of the game, but that truncated time tells players all they need to know: Lies of P is shaping up to be steampunk Bloodborne starring Pinocchio, and I am all for it.

Lies of P borrows heavily from the elements that make a soulslike a soulslike. You have hard-hitting enemies with distinguished attack patterns, bosses with multiple phases, shortcuts to open up areas, the need to retrieve your fallen experience upon death (ugh), and opaque storytelling.

The story is actually more accessible than a FromSoftware story while still not offering much. Pinocchio wakes and sets out to rescue Geppetto, the father of all puppets. Pinocchio exits a rail station to a horrific scene – bodies, both human and horse, are strewn about amongst overturned carriages. Violent and creepy puppets attack Pinocchio, and you gather this world has been overrun by Geppetto’s creations. It’s an intriguing premise, and I look forward to discovering what paths the story takes.

The Bloodborne vibes are strong.

In terms of gameplay, Lies of P certainly delivers. We obviously don’t get to try out much of Pinocchio’s arsenal in the demo, but the weapons we do all feel good and balanced. I used the pointy pointy, stabby stabby rapier first and its quick hits felt good, but once I switched to the slashing saber I started to feel a lot more comfortable slicing away enemies. You’ll eventually be able to mix and match weapon parts, and I can only imagine the gameplay possibilities this will open up.

I can’t wait to see what attachments and gadgets for Pinocchio’s prosthetic arm we’ll be able to gain access to. In the demo it’s used just to deliver a walloping blow to enemies or to pull them toward you Scorpion-style, but all signs point to it being a multi-faceted tool of engagement in the full game.

One mechanic I think will take some getting used to is P’s perfect guarding/parrying. Not that parrying hasn’t been done before in a soulslike; rather, the game looks and feels so much like Bloodborne I want to dodge every attack instead of blocking/parrying. However, Pinocchio isn’t as quick or responsive as I’d like him to be, meaning parrying might be your best option in combat. I also struggled to get the timing and/or positioning right for backstabs – they’re such an essential part of these games, yet you have to position Pinocchio just right or else you’ll miss your chance and deliver a regular R1 attack.

The demo includes three boss fights, and they each feel different enough, though they’re not unlike anything you’ve already faced before in a soulslike. The Parade Master is big and cumbersome, the Mad Donkey is a quick-hitting human, and the Scrapped Watchman is a tough electric-powered oversized puppet. I’m glad to see Lies of P will include offline summons; you can recruit a helpful NPC for the Scrapped Watchman fight.

We only catch a glimpse of this substance in the demo, and I’m curious to see how it plays into the game’s story.

We receive only a tantalizing taste of the lying mechanic that makes Lies of P unique like its titular puppet. Pinocchio is a special puppet in that he can lie where other puppets can’t. I only found two instances where Pinocchio could lie in the demo. The first is to further the level and gain access to the Hotel Krat (a base of operations). The second was much more interesting, however.

You’ll meet a weeping woman who’s losing her eyesight. She tasks Pinocchio with finding her baby, but he only finds a puppet. Upon returning the “baby,” Pinocchio can either tell the truth or lie and tell the woman what she wants to hear. Lying grants Pinocchio an item, and I’m curious if lying will alway reap rewards and what the consequences will be for dishonesty.

Overall, Lies of P looks to be one of the most promising soulslike we’ve had in years. Am I biased because of my love for Bloodborne and this is the closest we might get to something resembling a sequel? Yes, but that doesn’t mean Lies of P ain’t gonna be great. Check it out for yourself – the Lies of P demo is available now for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.