They did it, I don't know how, but they managed to get a lot of things right. The combat mechanics, pacing, visuals and art style, storytelling, and well, Timothée Chalamet's look. The last part is kind of a joke, but it goes much further than just trying to be different.
In fact, I'd say Lies of P does what a good souls-like or soulsborne should be doing; that is, trying to deviate from people's expectations. Most people who were waiting for this game legit thought this was going to be a Bloodborne type game, got surprised that it has mechanics borrowed from Sekiro, and was this all-round version of both games with different playstyles possible for the player.
I had some problems with the animation, choreography, and the camera, but they weren't so glaring to take me out of the experience entirely. I was really invested in continuing to play, and the more I was intrigue as I progressed, as it started introducing new mechanics and RPG systems.
As the protagonist wakes from his slumber, he needs to deal with a new reality that was once prosperous city of Krat. Everything that could go wrong has gone so, the puppets are in a frenzy, killing civilians alike, meanwhile a plague ravages across the land as well.
It was time to find Geppeto, his creator, and seek answers beyond the web of conspiracy and lies, with the help of Sophia (Blue Fairy), game's own maiden with Ergo power, and Gemini, a cricket in the form of an automaton who I can't seem to find anywhere but drops a lot of helpful info while playing.
Wow, what a pretty lady, it would be a shame if something actually did happen to her. Considering the madness that have ensued even passed the prologue section, there was plenty to look at from the gorgeous level design. With building structures straight from the Victorian (Belle Époque) age, while underneath is littered with dead bodies and sundered city environment.
In the train, I had to choose between 3 weapons: Greatsword, Saber, and Rapier. I chose the 3rd, but tried the others, each has specific strengths useful based on how one plays. But for me, the Rapier was my go to, and already familiarizing with the weapon's abilities is quite a lot to take in.
It's not as quick as the other souls-like, as in dodging needs to be timed even before enemies try to hit me, as there's a miniscule delay I found. But blocking (or parrying), when timed well, can save me from any damage while I avoid taking serious damage. And then when I arrive at the boss is where things for me started to change a bit.
The Rapier had two special abilities, all weapons do. The first is after all 3 Fable art slots are used, just at a press of Y I do a pincer attack. Holding block then pressing Y at the right time does a parry attack that stun enemies. There was a practice dummy to try this on, even filling up my Fable meter. But getting the hang of all this at while dealing in a boss battle right in his second form was hard.
The other ability had a questionably small window to get it right, and just to beat this guy, I had to grind the level for 2 extra hours because poking him wasn't enough. I put more points leveling into where I got damage. Yet I learned more from continuously fighting him, new stuff like if with successful hard attacks, his health bar changes state, another hard attack would stun him.
That would leave him open to an attack animation you're pretty familiar with in every Souls game. Which wasn't entirely possible without him chewing my health off, so I bought some electric cells and threw those at him. At his electrocuted state, he was easier to damage.
Pushing forward, I finally got to the hotel where I met the fancy lady and the game's intro and credits start playing, also ah, I mentioned before how amazing the level design is? The entire hotel looks like this regal mansion, glistening and reflecting. Even from UE4, this game looks drop-dead gorgeous.
At least it was another reason to take a look at her, for upgrading and another female named Eugenie, who managed to finally change my Legion Arm to something useful. Now I can grapple enemies towards me, even for stealth kills. Very useful for changing the battle scenarios.
There is a story to uncover and a world to understand, it doesn't hold much mysticism but for a different, twisted interpretation of the classic puppet's story, it takes me to some unsettling places and dark corners opening windows to look at the absolute suffering people who seek power have brought to the place. As well as a lady who'll ask you to save her baby but happens to be a puppet.
Now, this is where the game fully opens up, the wandering merchant has new a weapon to give, and where I got my second weapon that happened to be a club with electrocution buff and higher damage. With the only drawbacks being I have to be closer to hit while enemies draw around me.
With the cost of two arts, I can do electric damage for a brief period, it costs 3 to do a special attack just hitting the ground like Bamm Bamm. Something else more interesting that Eugenie introduces is that I can assemble both the blade and handle into other weapons. Blitzkrieg Rapier attack with Bamm Bamm? Sure why not. More new weapons mean more to experiment with this.
Exploring through Krat was quite the undertaking, because at some point the streets were filled with automatons with dogs and traps. Then I was battling on rooftops and climbing ladders while some laughing at me as they throw bombs at higher grounds, and others charge their pitchforks.
They were environmentally challenging, but nothing that threw me off as I kept my head up. A couple of mini-bosses were literal sponges, but that made me want to find different ways to fight them instead. And then I got to use my next weapon on a human boss, his attacks were relentless and kind of exhausting for my stamina. Legion Arm wasn't helpful here.
One thing became clear to me. After fighting him and the last boss, was that while they were really aggressive, they had openings long enough for me to experiment with different builds. I died a lot, of course, but even if fights were hard, throwing stuff at em then hitting always helped. Yeah, the electric cells used yet again. I still suck at this, so disappointed.
That doesn't deter me, though, I tried so many different approaches to build, I was farming Ergo so hard, I thought I was going way too buffed, and I finally started to create muscle memory around the parrying. Not only that, but the new Legion Arm now shocks enemies, now we're cooking.
The main plot takes me to various places, with errands serving as side plots adding up to the spooky nature of Krat. The developers took inspiration from Elden Ring and wanted players feel like this game didn't need them to have high skill ceiling all the time. Different case for boss battles, tho. Did I forget to mention the mutant humans ahead affected by the plague?
It's a very versatile experience, I'd say this is more of a homage but also something that represents a different step for other Souls titles. And turns out there are more RPG components of the game to try out. 3rd boss battle and talking to Geppeto later, I have this. Now you got my attention. I checked a few things out, and that is in order to get Quartz, I have to look for these special boxes and beat more bosses that are puppets. Also, I played about 8hrs of it so far, that's 1/4 of the main story.
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An intricately complex, and expanded RPG system, balanced yet aggressive and experimental combat gameplay, great open world setting, amazing boss battles, and twisted retelling of Pinocchio. That's a lot of right boxes ticked. Without the online co-op, however.
