10 things you need to know before playing Lies of P

The Bloodborne-inspired souls-like action role-playing game from Korean developer and publisher Neowiz, Lies of P, is right around the corner, with just a few days till its official release. With that, Neowiz has finally ramped up on the marketing for the title, giving players an in-depth look at the combat system, boss fights, and even the story.

While Lies of P takes a lot of inspiration from FromSoftware's iconic "Souls-borne" games, it does add its own spin to many of the elements, keeping the experience fresh even for hardened veterans of the souls-like genre.

Here are 10 things you should know before you start your adventures in the city of Krat in Neowiz's Lies of P.

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10 things to know before you play Lies of P

1) A dark and twisted take on a classic fable

Lies of P is essentially a retelling of the classic tale of Pinocchio, albeit with a dark and ominous tone. While the setting does feature iconic elements and characters from the children's novel by Carlo Collodi, it adds plenty of new elements of its own to spice the story up, giving it a gothic dark fantasy vibe. While the game is mostly centered around environmental storytelling, it does feature cutscenes.

It remains to be seen how the overall story shapes up in the final game; however, if you want to get a taste of the setting and atmosphere of Lies of P, you can check out the free demo, available on all platforms.

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2) Try out the demo before the official release

Lies of P follows in the footsteps of some of the best releases of 2023, giving players a demo to try out for free days ahead of the game's full release. While the demo is roughly 2 to 2.5 hours long, it does cover the entire first chapter, including multiple miniboss encounters, story-related cutscenes, and even a handful of boss fights.

The demo is currently available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC (via Steam).

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3) The combat is more like Sekiro than Dark Souls or Bloodborne

While on the surface, Lies of P resembles a spiritual successor to FromSoftware's "Souls" games, including the Dark Souls Trilogy and Bloodborne, its combat system is much more akin to Sekiro. Instead of blocking attacks, the combat system in Neowiz's latest souls-like experience incentivizes parries and counterattacks.

The combat system of Lies of P is also very fast-paced and not equally as deliberate as in the Dark Souls games or Elden Ring.

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4) The map consists of interconnected zones akin to Dark Souls

Much like FromSoftware's iconic Dark Souls titles, the map in Neowiz's upcoming souls-like is inspired by metroidvanias, with interconnected zones that open up as you progress through the game's main story. In recently released gameplay trailers for the game, Neowiz has showcased multiple different areas, each distinct from one another.

Judging by the trailers, it seems Lies of P is going to offer a huge variety of enemy types to fight and environments to explore.

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5) Multiple weapons to choose from

The newly released gameplay trailers for Lies of P showcase a plethora of weapons that will be available for players to choose from. Each comes with its own specific art (fabled arts) as well, adding depth to the combat and character customization system. Each weapon also feels fairly distinct from the other.

While the armor customization is yet to be revealed, the weapon types available do hint at quite a robust loadout system, allowing players for playstyle personalization.

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6) Return of the rally mechanic from Bloodborne

The health-regen on hit mechanic from Bloodborne called the "rally" system, makes a comeback in Lies of P, albeit with some tweaks. The rally mechanic essentially allowed players to regain a certain amount of lost health by attacking enemies and staying aggressive on them.

Much like the player's avatar, the rally mechanic is also in effect for the enemies and bosses in Lies of P. If you fail to capitalize on the parry systems and fabled arts, they can regain lost health, putting you at a severe disadvantage.

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7) Legion Arm and its utility in combat

The Legion Arms are easily the highlight of Lies of P's combat system, giving players an additional tool that can be used both passively and actively during enemy encounters. Mostly, you will be using the mechanical arm to sharpen your weapon, thus maintaining its base DPS. However, after reaching the central hub - Hotel Krat, you'll be able to customize the Legion Arm.

Much like in Sekiro, the Legion Arm can be outfitted with a variety of tools, such as a flamethrower, a rope launcher, and even a shield. Each of these tools adds new layers to the already immaculate combat system.

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8) A flashy and efficient combat system

Lies of P's combat system is much flashier than most souls-likes out there, including the behemoths created by the genre's progenitor - FromSoftware. Despite being a visually stunning showcase of clashing weapons, the combat in Neowiz's upcoming souls-like comes with plenty of depth, thanks to the huge variety of weapons, fabled arts, and the abilities tied to the Legion Arm.

While the game will take a bit of getting used to, it does offer a compelling souls-like combat experience that's as challenging as it is satisfying.

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9) Side quests and loot

Much like any other souls-like action role-playing game, Lies of P employs an open-ended level structure, where you're free to backtrack to previously explored zones, complete optional quests, and find hidden loot. The quests follow a similar structure as FromSoftware's games, encouraging you to explore the different biomes and interact with NPCs to gather hints.

Moreover, there are a few quality-of-life additions, such as quest markers in the teleportation menu, as well as a talking cricket (Gemini), who occasionally gives hints regarding certain quests.

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10) The release date

Lastly, the most important thing to note about the game is its official release date, which is September 19, 2023. The game is scheduled to come out on both current-gen (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S) and last-gen (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) consoles as well as Windows PC (via Steam). If you pre-purchase the Deluxe Edition, you can start playing 72 hours early, i.e., on September 16, 2023.

The title is also coming to Xbox Game Pass as a day-one release. If you have an active Game Pass (for PC and consoles) subscription, you can play the game right on the release date.