Summary
Lies of Phas established itself not only as an amazing Soulslike worthy of praise but as a title that has developed and has been deemed worthy of its own sense of individuality by an adoring community.
The unique gameplay, thorough fighting styles, bosses, and gorgeous atmospheric locations, allow the game to stand out tall among a sea of copycats seeking to topple or gain approval at the behest of the Soulsborne throne. The game adapts some of the most desirable features from the most loved Soulsborne games, forming them all together into a game that players will find hard to put down.
10Combat
The combat inLies of Pis arguably the best of all the contending Soulslikes vying for the spot. In the game, the attacks feel fluid and are aesthetically pleasing to deliver against enemies. Weapons have a wide range of attacks, all of which are designed in a way that makes heavy weapons feel like they have weight behind them,and lighter weapons a sense of lightness and elegance.
The deflect mechanic is one of the best parts of the game, as a series of precise deflections can allow enemies to stagger, which can give the player an opportunity to initiate a fatal attack and deal considerable damage. The window to deliver a heavy blow to initiate a fatal attack is not always easy, and players will need to find an appropriate timing as some bosses and enemies are far more agile and aggressive than others, and might not give the player adequate time to stagger them.
9Locations
Set in the Belle Époque backdrop, players are in for a jaw-dropping exploration through a series of interesting locations that highlight the grandeur of the architecture in the era.
In true, arguably Soulsborne-inspired fashion, players can make their own lives easier by opening shortcuts once they’ve gone through a location in the longer, intended way. This makes runs back to the boss rooms less tedious and is a benefit for those looking to farm tougher enemies. Players will have plenty of gorgeous views to explore as they unravel the secrets of the land, so head into each area with high expectations.
8Enemy Variation
Most Soulslikes suffer for lack of enemy diversity, foe fodder whose purpose is to gank and outnumber the player, which more often than not is a nuisance.Lies of Pexplores a wide range of enemies in ways that are exciting and new.
Enemies are not copy and pasted throughout the level but are placed in ways that can frequently force the player to recalculate their decisions before they head into a dangerous scenario. While the classic strategy of running through every enemy to make it to the boss does work to an extent, the game finds ways to force the player to slow down. This is done through enemies that can block doors, andminibosses that must be defeated for specific gates or paths to open. The incredible diversity of enemy types in the game is a testament to its inevitable, and ongoing success.
7Inspiration
It’s clear where LOP takes the majority of its inspiration from, but it does enough in its own way to differentiate itself from other Soulslikes.
Many of its core aspects are clearly inspired by the Soulsborne games, with a heavy emphasis onSekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and very apparently,Bloodborne. It’s clear to see the passion put into the game in many of theseimportant aspects, such as story, lore, combat, and setting.Lies of Pcreates its own spin on many conventional tropes, differentiating itself in a way that is fun and exciting, but while also making its target audience clear.
6Music/Albums
Compared to a lot of Soulslikes that have less of an emphasis on audio and music,Lies Of Pblows them out of the water with a wide range of captivating arrangements that players must listen to to gain humanity. The tracks are breathtakingly orchestrated and therecord player feature that players can utilize in Hotel Krat is a breath of fresh air.
Players no longer need to experience the standard “hub” area in a theme that loops every four minutes. They can play any of the records they have gathered in the world, and listen to them on the Hotel’s record player. Players can listen to these tracks as they practice fighting outside with the training dummies, or as they progress character quests through conversation. The tracks can even be skipped or selected, so players can listen to their favorites over and over.
5Voice Acting
The voice acting in LOP is second to none, and it’s clear to see that there was a lot of time and effort put into the creation of NPCs and enemies alike, with VAs such as Anthony Howell (who voiced Margit inElden Ring) entering the world to voice the major character of Geppetto.
From bosses and friendly characters that the players will engage and interact with, a stellar performance from many of these engaging personalities adds an element of immersion that allows players to delve into the world without second-guessing performances. Players can soak in the beauty of Krat and its surrounding counterparts without having to worry about voice-acting performances giving too little or too much.
4P-Organ System
The P-Organ system is a unique feature that allows players to develop P’s skills further throughout the game. Players collect Quartz, whether it be through boss fights or secret locations with hidden chests,which allows the ability to upgrade certain skills, traits, and combat techniques further, and ultimately makes the players' lives far easier.
For players looking to run through the game a couple more times, or to formulate a completionist route and unlock all achievements, they can discover multiple new P-Organ levels, which allow for even more skills for the player to move forward through the game.
3Bosses
The bosses inLies of Pare one of the biggest selling points the game has to offer. Ranging from puppets to humans and decaying carcass boss fights, these incredible battles are unique in every way, each with their diverse set of attacks and patterns. Some players will argue that many of these boss battles are brutally frustrating, and the game’s incredibly precise deflection system canweed out good players who can last in fights from those who will die quickly.
Such encounters can be experienced in the mid to late game, where bosses can surprise players with powerful combo attacks that are hard to avoid, and the bosses can even have second phases. The unforgiving difficulty of these boss fights makes them even more of a prize for players to set their eyes upon, and taking them down in a few, or a couple dozen tries is worthy of merit.
2Narrative
Lies of Ppossesses a compelling narrative, and players will find themselves hooked as they seek to put an end to the puppet frenzy, while also trying to figure out what is causing the mysterious petrification disease running rampant through the latter end of the game.
With many twists and turns in the story,players will have to make use of the game’s “lie” system and make some very difficult choices. Players can pursue this narrative in any manner that they decide, so those looking to be deceptive and become more human can lie, or tell the truth for several unique outcomes. This creative, narrative deciding system also ties in perfectly with the lore of Pinocchio and encourages players to make another run-through of the game to seek alternative story outcomes.
1Legion Arms & Fable Abilities
Legion Arms, as well as Fable abilities, offer up some incredibly useful ways to take down enemies, at the cost of some of the players' legion bar. The Puppet String, once fully upgraded is one of the most devastating Legion Arms that one can possess and will make quick work of any enemy that lets off the aggression. These Legion Arms have so much to offer, and players can decide which Arms to use based on whichever playstyle they decide to pursue.
Fable Abilities work similarly, in that fable can be built up by attacking enemies, or with a Fable Catalyst to manually fill the bar without fighting.This built-up fable then allows players to utilizea deadly attack that can deal lots of damage to bosses and smaller foes alike. Some of these attacks, such as the fable art for the Noblesse Oblige, can even give players i-frames and make them momentarily immune to damage, so it is wise to use these attacks to gain an advantage.
