Lies of P review: Challenging and frustratingly fun

Have you ever thought about a Pinocchio-inspired goth fest featuring tons of weapon clashing and creepy puppet enemies? No? Well, Lies of P offers exactly that.

Developed by Neowiz and available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox X/S, this ambitious title aims to serve you a hearty slice of FromSoftware-inspired action. But does it manage to stand toe-to-toe with the titans of the genre like Dark Souls or Bloodborne?

It’s not just another puppet show

The first thing you’ll notice is that Lies of P obviously draws heavily from the Souls universe. The Victorian-era setting? The parrying? The emphasis on dodging? It’s all there, fret not. And let’s not forget the combat mechanics borrowed straight from the pages of Sekiro. But here’s the thing: Lies of P isn’t just cosplaying as a Souls game. At its core, it does offer a fun experience, hacking and slashing your way through a grim landscape filled with creeeeeepy puppets.

Parry for days

The combat in Lies of P is definitely one of its strong points. The game puts a lot of emphasis on parrying, and trust me, you’ll be doing a lot of it. As someone who does not play Souls-like games because it only triggers my anger issues and isn’t used to the constant parry dance, it was a little tricky to time it just right ̶w̶h̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶c̶u̶r̶s̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶a̶m̶e̶’̶s̶ ̶e̶x̶i̶s̶t̶e̶n̶c̶e̶. If and when you do you get it right, not only do you negate all damage, but you can also regain lost health by counterattacking immediately.

It’s a neat little touch that can make combat feel both challenging and rewarding.

Fun yet flawed

Okay, here’s where all of my frustration kicked in. Unlike FromSoftware titles, where the difficulty feels “tough but fair,” Lies of P is often plain infuriating, to the point where I had to literally take breaks and go on walks to cool down.

Imagine getting cornered by a group of enemies and having no way to dodge or parry their attacks. Or enemies that can knock you down and pummel you mercilessly, erasing your health bar in an instant and sending you waaaaaay back to your last save. Fun? Not really.

A world that feels…Incomplete

The level design, sadly, is the weakest link here.

At times, it feels like you’re running through a hollow maze, filled either with zero challenges or seemingly impossible scenarios with overpowered puppets. Also, something I mentioned before – there’s a significant lack of difficulty options. As someone who plays video games to relax and not rage, that hiccup is definitely a missed opportunity for making the game more accessible.

And the verdict is…

All my bitching aside, Lies of P does have its moments of glory. It is a fun game ̶i̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶m̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶s̶e̶l̶f̶ ̶s̶u̶f̶f̶e̶r̶. The combat mechanics are pretty solid, the aesthetic is really pleasing and adds to the creepy factor, and the unique twists it brings to the table are definitely worthy of your time.

But when compared to the finesse and balance of FromSoftware titles, it does fall short. In the end, Lies of P is a bit like that cover band that knows all the right chords but just isn’t the real thing.

So, if you’re itching for a Soulslike fix, Lies of P might be worth a shot. Just brace yourself for some controller-throwing moments.

Lies of P (PS5) Score: 7/10

Lies of P is a fun game with solid combat mechanics and a really pleasing aesthetic. A creepy factor is aided by unique twists. But it falls short when compared to the finesse and balance of other games in this genre.

A copy of this game was provided to App Trigger for the purpose of this review. All scores are ranked out of 10, with .5 increments. Click here to learn more about our Review Policy.