Lies of P

About

"Lies of P" is a single-player, horror open-world game set in the dark, elegant, and cruel city of Krat during the Belle Epoque era. As a puppet created by Geppetto, players must adapt themselves and their weapons to face monstrous enemies and untrustworthy figures, uncovering secrets and making moral choices with a truth or lies system. The game boasts perfect mechanics, good visuals, a phenomenal soundtrack, and high replayability, promising a unique and emotional experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 30,824 reviews

story3.6k positive mentions

grinding248 negative mentions

story
7,412 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
50%
2%
The story of "Lies of P" is a dark reimagining of the classic Pinocchio tale, set in a steampunk world filled with puppets and moral dilemmas surrounding truth and deception. Players find the narrative engaging and emotionally resonant, with choices that impact the story's outcome, making it more straightforward and accessible compared to traditional souls-like games. Overall, the game is praised for its compelling storytelling, rich character development, and atmospheric world-building, which together create a memorable experience.
- “The storyline is incredibly good and it made me emotional multiple times throughout the game.”
- “One of, if not my absolute favorite soulslikes, the mechanics in Lies of P are extremely robust, the bosses are some of the most challenging I've encountered (in the best sort of way), and the story is very deep and engaging.”
- “The lore and story kept me on my toes and I was excited to play for hours and hours.”
- “The story just couldn't catch my interest.”
- “The story is mid.”
- “The story is a tired 'search for immortality creates a zombie disease,' but with puppets mixed in.”
gameplay
5,868 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
4%
The gameplay of "Lies of P" has been widely praised for its blend of mechanics from beloved titles like "Bloodborne" and "Sekiro," offering a unique combat experience that emphasizes perfect parrying and weapon customization. While many players find the combat engaging and rewarding, some criticize the tight timing required for the parry mechanic and the linear level design, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the game is seen as a solid entry in the souls-like genre, with a captivating story and innovative mechanics that enhance the traditional gameplay loop.
- “One of, if not my absolute favorite soulslikes, the mechanics in Lies of P are extremely robust, the bosses are some of the most challenging I've encountered (in the best sort of way), and the story is very deep and engaging.”
- “The battle system, perfect parry, dodge, and other mechanics is very well executed, and makes this game very dynamic.”
- “The gameplay is a satisfying blend of Bloodborne, Sekiro and takes a lot of inspiration from the Dark Souls formula.”
- “Punishment mechanics are a joke and enemy placement specifically designed to punish, negatively impacting player experience.”
- “The parry and dodge mechanics are horrible and I suffered through 10 hours hoping the game would get better and it doesn't.”
- “The gameplay and story don't have a ton that's very new or interesting to offer people who have seen fromsoft's games, so the question of whether it'll be worth the asking price is mostly just: 'do you want a polished but somewhat unoriginal soulslike?'”
music
2,645 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The music in "Lies of P" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere. The soundtrack, particularly tracks like "Feel" and "Quixotic," is noted for its emotional depth and orchestral quality, often described as some of the best in the genre. Additionally, the inclusion of collectible music records that players can listen to in the hub area adds a unique layer to the experience, making the music integral to both gameplay and storytelling.
- “Lies of P has an outstanding soundtrack that will be like music to your ears, literally.”
- “Every song in this game, from the boss music to the records you can find and play on the hotel's gramophone, is incredible.”
- “The music really ties the world together.”
- “Boss fight music might need some work too because it became irritating after some time, not because of the fight itself.”
- “The soundtrack overall is nothing special and the music is awful and I cannot get any sort of respectable surround sound happening.”
- “The music only ever positively adds to the experience; it is never annoying or out of place.”
graphics
2,358 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
37%
1%
The graphics of "Lies of P" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visual fidelity and unique art style, which blends gothic and steampunk aesthetics reminiscent of "Bloodborne." Players have praised the game's ability to run smoothly on various hardware, including lower-end systems, while maintaining high frame rates and detailed environments. Overall, the visuals are described as breathtaking, contributing significantly to the immersive experience of the game.
- “Visuals are 9.5/10, this game looks incredible.”
- “The graphics are absolutely incredible.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the difficulty is punishing but fair, and the world is ripe for exploration.”
- “The story is incredibly dumb, the combat is a poor man's Bloodborne, the graphics are worse than 2015's Bloodborne that came out 8 years before.”
- “The monotony of the visuals is also reflected in the enemy variety, which the developers attempt to mitigate by putting even more of the same enemy everywhere and pumping up their HP pools to annoying levels.”
- “Hell, even the aesthetics of the game take a nosedive around the halfway point, where great looking areas give way to grey and more grey and even more grey.”
atmosphere
1,293 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
1%
The atmosphere in "Lies of P" is widely praised for its stunning visuals, intricate world-building, and haunting soundtrack, effectively capturing a dark, gothic, and steampunk aesthetic reminiscent of "Bloodborne." Players appreciate the immersive environments and the emotional depth conveyed through the game's design, although some note that the presence of a particular companion character can detract from the overall atmosphere. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to create a captivating and eerie atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “The atmosphere is crafted through lots of details that, altogether, make Lies of P's world come alive.”
- “The game's atmospheric world is beautifully crafted, with stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack that pulls you into its grim fairytale setting.”
- “The atmosphere, the gameplay, the music and the story are all amazingly made.”
- “But the tone & atmosphere are marred by your constant companion (Gemini) who's compelled to react on the player's behalf: "boy howdy, that's like very really bad", "gee-wiz, I wonder what happened here".”
- “The atmosphere is severely lacking and I was not immersed whatsoever in the world, had little care for many of the characters.”
- “The dialogue does an amazing job at doing everything it can to remove you from this world and clash heavily with the atmosphere they're trying to create.”
optimization
966 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
7%
The optimization of "Lies of P" has received widespread acclaim, with players noting its exceptional performance across various hardware configurations, including lower-end systems and the Steam Deck. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to maintain high frame rates with minimal stuttering or crashes, showcasing a polished experience that stands out in a year filled with poorly optimized titles. Overall, it is regarded as one of the best-optimized games of its generation, combining impressive graphics with smooth gameplay.
- “Lies of P is polished and extremely well made and optimized on a technical level; it looks absolutely amazing and it runs extremely smoothly and well, with minimal drops in frame rate even during things like large explosions that would cause most games to drop frames.”
- “The optimization of this game is in its own league, one of the best of this generation.”
- “This game is so well optimized it baffles me.”
- “The optimization is pretty terrible, but that's just kind of how things are in the 'ray tracing' era.”
- “Horrible optimization, tried to play for the first hour, never got past 10 fps, it was completely unplayable and I have a 3090.”
- “This game is very poorly optimized and doesn't live up to the hype it is getting.”
grinding
299 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
15%
83%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and frustrating due to long boss fights, excessive health pools, and the need for repetitive farming to gather resources. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and the ability to progress through skill rather than grinding, others feel that the game often devolves into a monotonous cycle of retries and run-backs, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the experience can be rewarding but is frequently marred by the tedious nature of combat and resource management.
- “Not too grindy to level up.”
- “Not grindy, which is a huge plus.”
- “Neat weapon system and quality of life choices that make a lot of things simply not tedious at all.”
- “It just became tedious.”
- “The bosses are very buffed and hit very hard and they spam their wild movements while you’re very weak, your combat and movement is very clunky and slow, and the parrying system is inconsistent and unreliable and your hits barely scratch them so the bosses become tedious and frustrating.”
- “The entire weapon durability system serves no purpose at all except to be an annoyance, you get an infinite grindstone and repairing your weapon between fights is just tedious.”
emotional
251 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of "Lies of P" is widely praised for its deeply engaging and heartfelt storytelling, which resonates with players through its exploration of themes like humanity, love, and betrayal. Many reviewers noted that the game evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears, particularly through its well-developed characters and poignant narrative moments. The combination of stunning visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and a compelling plot creates an emotional rollercoaster that leaves a lasting impact on players.
- “A touching story about the things our parents wish we were, about the nature of the soul and humanity.”
- “This might be the first game to make me shed a tear with its masterful storytelling that explores the human condition; happiness, sadness, anger, love, betrayal, truth, and lies.”
- “The story totally wrecked me - it's amazing but heartbreaking at the same time.”
- “Had the feeling of slamming my head against a wall while playing through this painful game with a boring story, horrible pacing, nonsensical and lackluster rewards and balancing.”
- “Boring story (delivered in mostly terrible voice acting).”
- “It's a cool, fantastic take on an otherwise boring story for me (sorry Pinocchio).”
replayability
215 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
65%
2%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its diverse weapon systems, character customization, and multiple endings that encourage experimentation and new playstyles. However, some critics note that its linear structure and lack of significant build variety can limit replay value compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, while it offers substantial replayability through New Game Plus and different decision paths, it may not reach the heights of other Souls-like games.
- “The combat feels fluid like Sekiro and the diversity of builds gives the game amazing replayability.”
- “The RPG elements, including weapon upgrades and character customization, add depth and replayability, allowing players to tailor their experience.”
- “With multiple endings and lying/telling truth paths, the replayability is very high, but even without those, it still would be.”
- “This has no replayability or build variety and the bosses are boring.”
- “In short, this game suffers from a sharp drop off in replayability.”
- “Having no alternate paths to take through the world generally kills its replay value.”
stability
160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
6%
48%
Overall, the game's stability has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players reporting a smooth experience free of major bugs or glitches. While a few minor issues were noted, such as occasional visual glitches and stuttering, the game is praised for its excellent optimization and performance across various platforms, including lower-end machines. Many reviewers highlighted the absence of crashes and frame drops, making it a refreshing release in a year marked by numerous buggy titles.
- “The game is very polished and runs great.”
- “Visuals are stunning, even at low settings; the game looks and runs great, with no stuttering or crashing for me, not even once.”
- “It runs great, looks great, plays great, and has been a breath of fresh air in comparison to all of the games releasing as of late, plagued with bugs and performance issues.”
- “The game consistently stutters and freezes whenever any enemy is on screen, it's crashed multiple times and my reason for finally writing this review is because it randomly blacked out my screen while playing???”
- “But the amount of bugs and glitches I experienced are just ruining it.”
- “I made it through most of the game before giving up due to buggy bosses.”
humor
148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in "Lies of P" is a mixed bag, with many players finding the absurdity of its premise—transforming the tale of Pinocchio into a dark, steampunk world—hilariously entertaining. While some aspects, like the quirky character interactions and weapon combinations, elicit laughter, others, such as awkward voice acting and clunky mechanics, can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully balances its dark themes with moments of levity, though opinions vary on how effectively it achieves this.
- “The premise of Pinocchio in a Bioshock-esque futuristic steampunk world leads to both really funny bits of tying the sci-fi horror to the material it's referencing and also genuinely laudable worldbuilding and character moments.”
- “Enemies also have such jacked up attack tracking I'd just burst out laughing after seeing bosses constantly pull off 180-degree turns and lightning-fast gap closers from way too far away while they were halfway through their attack animation.”
- “A game about the funny puppet guy whose nose grows has no right being this good.”
- “0/10 too many dead horses, seriously, way too many, it's not funny.”
- “It's not funny or anything, just annoying for the sake of being annoying.”
- “Funny, but not funny haha.”
character development
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
46%
4%
Character development in the game has received high praise for its depth and engagement, with many players noting the compelling re-imagining of the Pinocchio story and the strategic elements introduced through skill and ability unlocks. The character designs are consistently described as exceptional, contributing to a rich narrative experience that keeps players invested. However, some critiques mention a lack of emotional attachment to certain characters, suggesting that while the design and mechanics are strong, the narrative depth could be further enhanced.
- “The story and character development are top-notch, the re-imagining of Pinocchio, the twisted story that takes it from a 'be good or else,' to 'lies may prove more useful in the end.' The story twists keep you guessing until the very end.”
- “The character development is top-notch and the way the narrative unfolds keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
- “Players must strategically unlock skills and abilities to optimize their builds, adding a strategic element to character development.”
- “No character development, no attachment to characters, no feeling that this is a Pinocchio story at all.”
- “It has a lot of cool mechanics, and the combat is indeed very enjoyable, but other than that, the world/level design is okay, plot is interesting but lacks some depth, character designs are okay but not very memorable (hell ayre from ac6 is more memorable than the firekeeper in this game).”
- “The story isn't extremely deep but is fleshed out enough, and so far I get what I expect out of combat and character development.”
monetization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
40%
50%
The game has been praised for its lack of microtransactions, providing a pure single-player experience without predatory monetization practices. Reviewers appreciate the developer's commitment to delivering a rich narrative and deep mechanics without resorting to cash grabs, which enhances the overall enjoyment and trust in the brand. This approach has significantly raised anticipation for future titles from the developer.
- “All in all, this developer has skyrocketed to the top of my radar, and the love and amount of content they poured into a single-player game with no microtransactions has made it so that their next game will be a day one for me.”
- “A relatively unknown developer releases a dedicated single-player RPG, with deep combat mechanics, a solid narrative, no microtransactions, and despite being inspired by a popular franchise, manages to have its own identity and innovation on an established genre.”
- “Not sure why a single player game with no microtransactions or leaderboard needs anti-cheat software... seems suspect...”
- “Keep it up and thanks for no predatory monetization or using players as your personal bug testers.”
- “First: don't be fooled by the game's advertisements of marketing itself as a mostly souls-like.”