The phrase “like Dark Souls” has long been synonymous with ruthless complexity and tests of strength. FromSoftware has firmly established itself among the legendary studios – its discoveries in the souls-like genre have been inspiring developers around the world for many years. The company Neowiz decided not just to be inspired, but to literally collect mechanics from several games by Japanese masters. But instead of an homage, the result was not an elegant hybrid, but rather a clumsy Frankenstein monster that lacks its own soul.

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Let’s start with the most important thing that really catches your eye – and your soul. The character that we all internally call Malvina has a very closed outfit. No hint of light flirting, no opportunity to invite her for a glass of tart red somewhere in a cozy corner of the Cross of Despair. No windy romance, not even the “charm with charisma” function. How so? We are in the 21st century, and in our hearts – the nineties, when characters could fall in love simply because you selected the right line in the menu. But no – everything is strict here: Malvina is out of reach, and her name is not Malvina at all. This, of course, undermines all motivation for completing Lies of P.

Let’s add to this that the player is not allowed to inherit Papa Carlo’s closet and build his own oligarchic doll future. There is no way to become a rich kid so that Malvina herself falls for you. The script doesn’t give you any loopholes or chances – sadness, melancholy and despair.

But here’s the irony: instead of a romantic line, you, as a player, are left to do something – sharpen your sword by hand, knocking out sheaves of sparks in the semi-darkness of Gothic streets. And then comes the epiphany. This is not just a gameplay mechanic – it is an act of internal purification. The character sharpens his weapon himself, as if sharpening his will. Symbolic, metaphorical, almost like Chekhov. I believe you, comrades developers. Honestly – it gives me a lump in my throat. Thus, the lack of a normal “bonded” romance with Malvina, unexpectedly, turns into one of the key advantages of Lies of P. This game is not about easy falling in love – it is about loneliness, cold metal and a path without looking back.

Although… let’s not lose hope. Perhaps in one of the future DLCs we will still get an updated wardrobe for “the one”, more freedom of choice in dialogues and, finally, find out that her name is Malvina, and not something else. And now that the most heartbreaking part is over, we can move on to other aspects of the game – less soulful, but also worthy of attention.

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Analysis of the plot and gameplay of Lies of P – everything you need to know

When Neowiz first started sharing trailers for Lies of P, viewers rightly thought, “Oh, this is probably a dark Pinocchio for adults.” A wooden boy in a gothic setting, with an automatic body and a tragic fate – sounds intriguing. But in fact, there are about as many connections to Carlo Collodi’s book here as there are to Little Red Riding Hood in Bloodborne. Yes, the names are similar. Yes, the game constantly raises themes of humanity and free will. But if you are expecting a fairy tale, you will be disappointed. This is not a rethinking of the classics, but an original, sometimes absurd story, in which the original is used more as a wrapper.

The main character is the automaton Pinocchio. He wakes up in the ruined and maddened city of Krat, which was once a technocratic paradise. Here, everything was done by machines: they cleaned the streets, served people, even treated them. But as often happens in such stories, something went wrong. The puppets — that’s what the robots are called here — went crazy and started killing their creators. And on top of this apocalypse, a mysterious “stone disease” fell upon the city, twisting bodies and turning people into living sculptures. Pinocchio sets off on his journey — and not because he wants to become a real boy, like in the fairy tale. He just needs to find answers. Who is he? Why did everything collapse? And is there a chance to save the remains of the city?

The Lies of P scenario unfolds gradually, almost according to the FromSoftware template. You are not given a ready-made story. The story is scattered across dialogues with characters, notes, descriptions of weapons, even the architecture of the world. This requires thoughtfulness, but, unfortunately, the rewards for attention are not always worth the effort. A big plot twist happens in the middle of the game, and then the plot seems to lose inertia, although it should be the other way around.

Particular hopes were placed on the lie system. The developers promised that the choice between truth and lies would affect the plot, the world, and even Pinocchio himself. In practice, it’s not that deep. Yes, you can lie to a character, console him, or promise something you don’t intend to do. But the consequences are minimal. The endings vary, but the choice between lies and truth feels more decorative than truly important.

However, Lies of P doesn’t sink thanks to the gameplay. The combat system, the basis of the entire game, keeps the player in suspense. Everything here is inspired by soulslikes, primarily Bloodborne. The atmosphere, enemy design, weapons, and the animation itself — everything evokes associations. It’s not surprising if you catch yourself thinking a couple of times: “Wait, isn’t that from there?” Especially with the appearance of a mechanical hand with gadgets, like in Sekiro. One of the bosses even looks like a direct reference to Lady Maria from The Old Hunters. But being inspired doesn’t mean blindly copying. And here Neowiz went a bit overboard. It lacks uniqueness: too often it feels like you’re playing a familiar game, only with a different sauce. And it would be fine if that were all.

Lies of P has serious problems with the technical part of the battles. The most painful are the “hitboxes”. The character clearly dodges the attack, rolls to the side – but the damage still goes through. As if the game decided: “Let him get it, for prevention.” This is especially annoying in battles with mobile bosses, like Fallen Archbishop Andreas or the Green Swamp Thing. They move chaotically, hit with a sweeping and fast blow. It’s not so much difficult to dodge them, as… pointless. The blow will still catch up.

It’s a shame, because the bosses are otherwise made with imagination. Each has its own fighting style, unique phases, spectacular attacks. And in the first half of the game, the balance is quite precise – the game does not press, but requires attention. However, closer to the middle, everything changes. After the battle with the Puppet King, the difficulty skyrockets. And if earlier mistakes were forgiven, now every wrong move is a ticket to the respawn menu.

Lies of P: An Overview of Combat Mechanics, Weapons, and Unique Features

Lies of P has a lot of interesting finds, but not everything in the game works as smoothly as we would like. Take, for example, Pinocchio’s mechanical arm – an analogue of the prosthesis from Sekiro, here it is called the “Legion arm”. Obviously, the developers put a lot of effort into it: visually, it is designed with a bang, and is conceived as an important part of the combat system. But in reality, most of these arms are simply useless.

Of the eight available options, only three are truly combat-ready: “Flamberg”, “Lightning” and “Hell’s Lair”. The rest are either too situational or do negligible damage. It is much wiser to invest in upgrading regular weapons – the damage from them is much higher, and you can complete the game practically without using the prosthesis at all, except for occasionally repairing the blade with the built-in tool.

But it is worth praising the interesting mechanics of the “Heart-P” – this is Pinocchio’s artificial heart, which grants passive improvements such as accelerated regeneration or increased enemy stunning time after parrying. The heart is improved with a rare resource – quartz, which is hidden in chests and drops from some bosses. But even with a thorough walkthrough, you will not be able to fully upgrade it in one go – there are always slightly fewer resources than you would like.

The most original thing that Lies of P offers is the ability to combine parts of weapons. Want to put a heavy club on a dagger handle? Why not. The system gives complete freedom for experimentation: the game almost does not limit combinations, and sometimes even encourages the craziest combinations. But most of all, the game hooks you with its atmosphere. The city of Krat is not just a background for battles, it is almost a living character. From an elegant train station to an abandoned factory, from a terrifying abbey to stinking swamps where defective automatons are dumped, each location breathes its own history and style. The artistic elaboration is truly at its best.

It’s a pity that, despite all the beauty, the game remains rigidly linear. Forget about free routes and exploration – from the first to the last location, Pinocchio follows a strictly set path, without the possibility of turning off. And yet, if you like atmospheric, dark adventures with a twist, Lies of P may well surprise you.

Is Lies of P Worth Playing: A Review of Its Strengths and Weaknesses

Although Lies of P borrows many ideas from FromSoftware — sometimes almost verbatim — the game still has its own identity. It has several really interesting mechanics that do not simply copy, but try to develop the genre. It is thanks to these elements that Lies of P stands out from other “soulslikes” and may even surprise those who have completed all of Miyazaki’s games.

This is a solid adventure that can captivate fans of a dark atmosphere and hardcore battles. However, it is important to understand that not everything here is brought to perfection: in the second half, a sharp jump in difficulty is noticeable, and the hitbox system is frankly disappointing at times. Some may be confused by the feeling of being secondary — especially if you have completed the entire Soulsborne line. But for most players, Lies of P will leave a pleasant impression.

Pros:

• Great soun track
• Cozy and gloomy atmosphere
• Beautiful visual design
• Interesting system for pumping Pinocchio’s heart
• The ability to collect weapons in parts and experiment
• Some bosses and enemies are memorable for a long time

Cons:

• The Legion’s hand is used too limitedly
• Hitboxes are sometimes incorrect
• The second half of the game becomes noticeably more difficult without a smooth transition
• The game is built on a fairly linear scenario

Lies of P System Requirements

How to play Lies of P for free on Steam via VpeSports

What if Pinocchio’s story wasn’t about a boy who wanted to be real — but about a weapon forged in steel and sorrow, walking a path through ruin and lies? Lies of P throws you into a gothic nightmare where puppets rebel, cities crumble, and truth is just another mask you wear to survive.

You awaken as P, an automaton with a human heart — or at least something close. The city of Krat is no fairyland; it’s a grim industrial graveyard filled with mechanical monsters and haunting memories. Every step forward is a question: do you follow the strings… or cut them?

You don’t need to jump through hoops to begin this journey. Everything’s already prepared for you. Once you sign up on our platform, the game is just a few clicks away — available through a free Steam account, ready to launch into the heart of the chaos.

And once you’re deep in Krat, lost in the clang of blades and the weight of impossible choices, we’d love to hear what your experience felt like. Whether it left you stunned, inspired, or simply exhausted, your voice matters. Drop us a review — and if it doesn’t go live instantly, just give it a small edit and try again. Once approved, your full access details will arrive by email.

Want to stay connected to everything Lies of P? Our Telegram channel is where the story continues. We share new account drops, patch notes, updates from the devs, and real discussions from players walking the same dark road. Confused by something? The “How to Play for Free” guide has all the steps laid out — or just message us directly in the chat.

Lies can shape a story. But in this city, it’s the story that shapes you.