Lies of P is a Masterpiece

Lies, my dear boy, can easily be recognized. There are two kinds of them: those with short legs, and those with long noses. Your kind have long noses.

Carlo Collodi, ‘Pinocchio‘

Of the many games gathering dust in my backlog, this one perplexed me the most. An action-horror RPG based on a classic children’s novel? That sounds like the setup to a bad joke. One I very much wanted to hear.

Since it came out in 2023, I’ve heard nothing but praise for ‘Lies of P‘. Despite that, and despite buying it on sale well over a year ago, I kept putting this one off. There was always something else to do. Some other game to play.

Until January rolled around. Due to intense snow storms up north, we Florida dwellers got hit by a nasty cold spell. One that left me bedridden with an actual cold. So, to get my mind off the coughing and sweating and runny nose, I decided to finally give this game its due.

I curse myself for being a fool. Neglecting this masterpiece for so long is nothing short of a crime. So, before I’m shipped off to prison, let me tell you why.

The city of Krat is a smoldering ruin. The mechanical puppets built to serve its populace have risen up in a bloody rebellion. Those few who survived are ravaged by the Petrification Disease, a horrific ailment that turns its victims to stone. Stalkers prowl the streets in animal masks, some too made to distinguish between man and machine. The guild of Alchemists have lost control of their ambitions, as well as their terrible experiments.

You play as Geppetto’s Puppet, whom we shall simply refer to as P. Awakened by the Blue Butterfly, you are tasked with the seemingly impossible quest to save Krat. Together with your talking lamp, Gemini, you must battle through armies of rampaging puppets and man-made horrors beyond your comprehension. Your most important weapon is not your sword; it is your unique ability to tell lies. But will those lies change you? Or will be a good boy?

The From Software inspiration behind this title is obvious right from the jump. Go figure, an action RPG released past 2011 took some notes from Dark Souls. However, unlike the intentionally vague and mysterious worlds of those games, ‘Lies of P‘ tells a more straight-forward narrative. You only need to do homework if you really want to get deep into the lore.

Which you should, by the way. It makes an already incredible story even better.

You wouldn’t think a children’s novel from 1883 would translate into a horror-action setting, but it works shockingly well. It uses that framework to explore some truly interesting philosophical questions. What does it really mean to be alive? If a puppet can become human, can a human become a puppet? Or can they become something more?

I absolutely love how lies factor into the narrative. Throughout the game, you’ll be offered many dialogue options with the various NPCs. The more you lie, the more human P becomes. Do you tell a sweet lie to ease someone’s pain? Or is it better to tell them the brutal truth? Some of these choices are genuinely very difficult to make. Even more so because they each have a time limit.

If I had one complaint, it would be the big twist near the end. It is effective for the story being told. That said, it is pretty obvious, making the grand reveal feel rather underwhelming. Most people will be able to guess it straight away.

The Overture DLC is easily my favorite part of the story. The tale of the Legendary Stalker is an incredible addition to the main game. It moved me to tears more than once.

Krat is one of the most captivating settings I’ve ever experienced in a video game. I’m always a sucker for the Industrial-era European aesthetic. Now combine that with magic, sci-fi, and body horror. The resulting cocktail is nothing short of intoxicating. There were so many points in my playthrough where I stopped just to soak it all in.

The attention to detail here is absolutely immaculate. Every corner of the city feels meticulously crafted. My personal favorites are in the DLC areas. The snowy ambiance there is already breath-taking, but when they add the various animals hanging around? I want to live here!

If not for, y’know, the plague and murder machines.

But the real kicker is the music. Oh my god, this OST is so damn good! Especially in the records; there are a ton of these hidden throughout the game, and they are easily the best songs on the soundtrack. Boss music is appropriately intense, but its the quiet, melancholy tracks that really stand out.

Now, onto the meat and potatoes: the gameplay. If you’ve ever played a Souls game, ‘Lies of P‘ will immediately feel familiar. Stamina management, limited item slots, dangerous enemies, massive boss fights, loss your currency/EXP upon death, unique weapon attacks, you get the gist. Make no mistake, though. If you play this like it’s just another Dark Souls clone, you’re in for a painful awakening.

For one thing, there isn’t a parry mechanic. Instead, you have the Perfect Guard system. If you press block right as an attack hits, you can severely cut the stamina consumed from guarding. More importantly, you damage the enemy’s weapon. Damage it enough, and their weapon will break, making them much weaker. But be warned: the window is incredibly strict, and failure could mean death. Mastering guard timings is the difference between a good player and an exceptional one.

Blocking damage will reduce the damage taken. But if you manage to strike back, you can get some of that health back. Be careful; if you mess up the timing and get hit, you’ll lose the chance to heal and take even more damage.

During your foray through Krat, you’ll collect a rare resource called Quartz. You’ll need this to upgrade your P-Organs. These provide passive buffs to P, allowing you to further flesh out your build. These range from increasing the number of items you can hold to making your Perfect Guards more effective. But there’s only so much Quartz, so pick and choose carefully.

Not too carefully, though. Once you unlock the Gold Coin Tree, you can completely rebuild your character. Both your levels and your P-Organs can be reset if you want. At least, if you’ve gathered enough Gold Coin Fruit, which regrows on a time limit as you play.

The build variety in this game is kind of crazy. Each weapon has two components: the blade and the hilt. You’ve got heavy weapons for slow and heavy hitters, light weapons for ultra-fast players, and some pseudo-magic weapons for more strategic play. There are giant swords, daggers, hammers, and more. Some weapons can even be customized, letting you mix-and-match blades and hilts to suit your specific play style.

Speaking of customization: there are plenty of cosmetic items to be found throughout Krat. There’s no armor system to be found, so it’s all about personal preference. If you want to dress like a dog in a little sailor boy’s uniform, go right ahead.

Finally, you have the Legion arm. This mechanical limb is the final and most interesting piece of your toolkit. You could have a zip line to close in on enemies, a shield for extra defense, a taser hand, a flamethrower, and more. The DLC adds even more, including my favorite: a shotgun hand! Personally, I never found these particularly useful. But they add a nice bit of extra depth to the build variety.

You’ll be able to upgrade all these resources in the game’s hub area: Hotel Krat. I absolutely love this place. The ambience here is on-point; it’s the perfect blend of relaxing and melancholy. All of the NPCs there have their own storylines, the fates of which will be decided by your truths or lies.

Each area of the game is like a little puzzle box. You’ve got to fight your way through dozens of dangerous enemies up to the next boss. During the process, you’ll find shortcuts to make your life more convenient. Some are out in the open, while some require a bit more digging around to find. Make sure you’re thorough in your search.

I honestly like almost every single level in this game (almost; the church really started to piss me off after a bit). Each area tells a story with the environment alone, as discussed earlier. Actually traversing them makes for an incredibly fun and satisfying challenge. I especially enjoyed the last level, with its brutal enemies, tons of traps, a complex interconnected layout; this is a video game ass video game level, and I loved it!

But the real highlight, of course, are the boss fights. Oh my god, these guys are incredible! All the designs are the perfect blend of creativity, awe, and horror. No two bosses fight the same way, and they’re all a ton of fun. Although some are certainly more difficult than others.

Word of advice: don’t summon the Specter. Fighting with a companion is kinda cool. But it makes the boss fights way too easy. Unless that’s what you want; unlike its inspirations, ‘Lies of P‘ does have difficulty options. If you want to experience the story without breaking your back, you can.

Alas, I am a masochist. It was always going to be Legendary Stalker for me.

As much as I am glazing this game, it is somewhat on the pricey side. $60 USD for the base game, with another $30 for the Overture DLC. If you haven’t tried it, you should wait for a sale.

Even so, I cannot recommend this game enough. As soon as the credits rolled, I instantly wanted to restart and do it all again. It’s an absolutely incredible RPG from top to bottom. If you’re looking for a game with an incredible story and deep combat mechanics, this is a must-play.

Thank you very much for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, keep safe, stay healthy, and don’t tell lies.