Lies of Pis brimming with a passion for the Soulslike genre. With a unique take on the story of Pinocchio, players can find themselves immersed in the dangers awaiting them in thepuppet-ridden cityof Krat. Luckily, players can experience some of that right now with theLies of Pdemo.
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As a demo, the gameplay featured inLies of Pmay not reflect the final product, and the studio behind this Soulslike game could benefit from the fan reception and feedback. There are a few things in theLies of Pdemo that could improve the final game, but by no means does that deter from the great experience in theLies of Pdemo, andthe dark lorethat remains to be fully explored.
6Improved Parry Window
Lies of Pdoesn’t just take inspirationfromDark SoulsandBloodborne, but the influence fromSekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis quite strong. This is shown in regards to the parry feature, asLies of Pdoes not feature shields, meaning that players will either have to dodge attacks or parry them with their weapon, like inSekiro.
As fun and satisfying as it can be to pull off a parry, there isn’t a strong safety net that one can find inSekiro’s posture mechanic. If players misjudge a parry inSekiro, their Posture Meter will increase, whereasLies of Pjust see the player lose health. This can make fighting enemies especially difficult, especially when there is no shield to rely on to block attacks.
5Fable Attack Invulnerability
One of the newest features that players can experience inLies of Pis the Fable Arts. This ability will see players build up a special meter through combat. Then, players can use their Fable Arts to create a Fable Attack, which is unique to each weapon. When it comes to some weapons, Fable Attacks are a violent and quick flurry of strikes.
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Players only have a brief window of attack to utilize their Fable Attack, so it would be great if there was some level of invulnerability as a reward for pulling off a Fable Attack. The mechanic is fun, but being hit out of such a focused fury of strikes deters from the exhilarating combat ofLies of P.
4Clearer Health Steal
The clearest influence forLies of Pis inBloodborne. Although players might not get aBloodborne2anytime soon,Lies of Pis looking like the closest and best game to play forBloodbornefans. One of the mechanics inBloodbornethat features inLies of Pis health-stealing, an ability that will see players reclaim their lost health after getting hit by an enemy.
However, inLies of P, health cannot be stolen back on just any hit. Players need to block with their shield to then activate a health-steal window, but the window isn’t very generous, nor is the health bar very clear on showing how much health can be regained. Players will need to keep their health if they are to survive with their Ergo, which isthis game’s version of Souls.
Once players begin their journey in theLies of Pdemo, they will immediately find Monad’s Lamp inthe tutorial area. The use of this device is to lighten up dark areas and to find dimensional traveling butterflies. Yet, Monad’s Lamp could be used for more, especially since the game boasts how the cricket inside will provide the player with a guide.
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It would be great if Monad’s Lamp could guide players on where to go. Whether that’s to the next Stargazer, boss, or story path. A guide on where to go inLies of Pcould separate it from other Soulslike games that lack a waypoint direction.
2Quicker Recovery Time
Some enemies inLies of Pcan pull off some devastating attacks. Not every player can successfully dodge or parry each attack to remain on their feet, and the more powerful enemies will certainly make the player fall over. Yet, it feels as if in this state, players are vulnerable for far too long, and the game needs a quicker recovery time.
In many of theSoulslike games that players can enjoywhen the player is knocked down, they can simply roll back to their feet, interrupting the window of vulnerability. To keep players engaged in the fight, players should be able to get back to their feet, and fast, so the fight can resume.
1Fury Attack Safety
There’s versatility when it comes toLies of P’s combat. The demo already features an array of weapons and styles to fight, yet enemies have plenty of other ways to battle. The variety of enemies inLies of Pis promising and challenging, and some enemies can use a Fury Attack, andthe hardest bossesin the demo love to use them.
A Fury Attack is far more dangerous than ordinary attacks. It cannot be dodged or blocked; players can only parry it. Yet, the parry window is far too brief, and even if players are a millisecond or a frame out from the parry, they will be punished greatly. There should be some level-up or upgrade that can help against the Fury Attack, especially since this red highlight attack is so hard to dodge. Although, as a Soulslike game, players enjoy the challenge of difficulty.
Lies of Plaunches June 04, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
