Lies of P is the Bloodborne Sequel We Needed

The gaming industry’s been getting a lot of Souls-like games, and only a few have truly made their mark. From the original Dark Souls series to the latest mecha Armored Core 6, the genre has produced various takes on what it means to be a Souls-like title. Lies of P is the most recent entry, and many players see a lot of potential in it. While it does establish its own identity among the sea of Souls-inspired games, it also caters to many gamers’ cravings for a Bloodborne sequel. 

Lies of P Overview

Lies of P is a dark re-telling of the classic Pinocchio in Kratz. The Belle Epoque world has been overtaken by crazed, bloodthirsty puppets, and the surviving humans have gone into hiding. Players take control of Pinocchio, the only remaining puppet unaffected by the plague. He is sent on a quest to find the source of the frenzy and look for his maker, Gepetto. Along the way, he’s expected to eliminate various puppets that threaten humankind. 

Aside from being a Souls-like game, one of the game’sunique aspects is its narrative because it does not follow the original story’s plot. Instead of just being a lost toy wanting to become a real boy, Lies of P focuses on its objectives. P is tasked with finding the source of the frenzy and potentially eliminating it rather than becoming a genuine human. While the game takes some liberties in changing the premise, several critical elements of the original story were retained to introduce some core mechanics. 

A Spiritual Successor to Bloodborne

Since its announcement and trailer releases, Lies of P has been popularly seen as a spiritual successor to Bloodborne. Both games share similarities, particularly in their overall mood and combat systems. Lies of P’s adherence to Bloodborne elements is one of its greatest strengths. 

The most notable similarity is their overall ambiance. Both games implement a horror aesthetic, such as how the enemies and environment are designed. Each game has a dark and gothic setting filled with wandering horrors. The main difference between the two in terms of atmosphere is that Bloodborne features Lovecraftian creatures and magic, while Lies of P leans more toward the steampunk genre. 

Lies of P also emulates Bloodborne’s preference for more aggressive gameplay. Unlike other Souls-like games that emphasize defense and evasion, Lies of P encourages players to be more on the offensive and employ combo attacks. Moreover, the game features the main hand and off-hand system that Bloodborne uses. The primary weapon for Lies of P is a melee item, while the off-hand can equip a ranged or utility gear. 

While Lies of P’s similarities with Bloodborne will attract more players, it has implemented other unique systems to ensure it gains its identity as a Souls-like game. Lies of P is already seen as one of the better-quality titles from this genre, so it just distinguished itself from the original ones. Fortunately, the game introduces several mechanics that make it even more enjoyable.

P’s Lies and Rally System

One common trope in Souls-like games is the option for multiple endings. These alternatives usually occur by choosing which bosses to kill or which factions to support. For Lies of P, your outcome depends on when and where you Lie. The original Pinnochio is known for his tendency to be dishonest, and this aspect of the story carries over to the game. But in this case, lying is a survival choice, wherein every word you make can help you skip fights or invite more trouble to yourself.

Meanwhile, the Rally system is a mechanic that allows characters to regain HP by attacking after getting hit. This feature was used in other games already such as Bloodborne and Nioh. However, Lies of P introduced an exciting twist by enabling enemy bosses and mobs to use this ability. This means the player and their foes can keep regenerating health and extend the fight even longer, which promotes more offensive playstyles to progress through the game. 

The Rally system is further improved on Lies of P by allowing players to regain HP via Perfect Guard or attacking after a regular guard. This change aims to make blocking less punishing and to put more focus on shooting, givingplayers more leeway on how they can approach enemies.

The Story is Linear

Another noticeable difference between Lies of P and Bloodborne is its story progression. While the latter allows players a more open-world experience, P is more story-driven and provides fewer avenues for exploration. This might be a decision to put more emphasis on the storyline, but it could positively impact the immersion and enjoyability of the game.

A Successor with Its Own Identity

All in all, Lies of P gets the core aspects of Bloodborne just right and implements them effectively. There are enough similarities for people to consider the P a spiritual successor but with sufficient ingenuity to create its own identity. Life of P is a must-try Souls-like game for any fan of Bloodborne.