‘Lies of P’ May Have Made Many Gamers Rage Quit After 1 Boss Fight but That Was the Entire Point

Do you remember Lies of P? It was one of the surprise hits of 2023 and a game that a lot of people ended up loving despite it being Soulslike, a genre of games known for being difficult. Despite this though even some Souls fans were blindsided by just how difficult some of the game’s bosses were.

Developed by NEOWIZ and Round8 Studio, it takes the classic story of Pinocchio and looks at it through a dark, steampunk lens. The gameplay experience gives us complex combat mechanics as you’d expect from a Soulslike set in hauntingly beautiful environments. But it seems like one player got caught by surprise by the difficulty of one particular boss.

Lies of P is more Bloodborne than any other Soulslike

The Walker of Illusions is one of the many bosses that players face in Lies of P. You’ll find this boss sometime in the mid-game in what is a somewhat small and secluded arena. The boss is fast and agile, and is a pain to deal with head-on, but that’s what makes it unique. However, one player may have missed the entire point of the fight because this boss in particular made them quit the game.

I quit Lies of P because of this boss, and you’re telling me if I ignored everything the game taught me to this point I’d have an easier time beating it?
byu/Chillax2TheMax inLiesOfP

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Reddit user u/Chillax2TheMax shared their frustrating experience with the boss. “I quit Lies of P because of this boss… I’ve tried parrying, blocking, different legion arms, endless weapon combos, and all it takes is dodging to the side and poking? I hate that.” But it seems like they forgot one important lesson from Souls games. You also need to dodge, and in that way, the game is very similar to Bloodborne.

The comparison between Lies of P and Bloodborne is very solid. If you’re familiar with FromSoftware’s 2015 masterpiece you might’ve noticed how Lies of P captures the same sense of aggressive combat and strategic positioning. As one fan on Reddit noted, “To me, this game plays almost exactly like Bloodborne. You have to be aggressive but smart.”

Lies of P looks reeeallly heavily bloodborne. Like combat style, enemy types, weapons, visuals and layouts. pic.twitter.com/ocnp7AidTx

— Ash(TALYN SOD#3!) (@BS_artsss) November 9, 2021

It’s no coincidence that the game is being compared to FromSoft’s hit. Lies of P is very open and shows off its influences. Like Bloodborne, the game has aggressive combat that rewards precision and punishes hesitation. But unlike its spiritual predecessor, Lies of P has a different weapon system that lets players experiment with Frankenstein-like combinations of weapon parts.

It’s like the Bloodborne sequel we never got

This philosophy is what sets Lies of P apart from other Soulslike titles. While the Soulslike genre often rewards patience and precise timing, this game rewards a little more creativity and improvisation. If you find yourself struggling, there’s a chance it’s because you’re treating it like a Dark Souls clone and expecting the same pacing and mechanics.

As another Redditor said though, “The game is teaching you that there’s not just one correct approach and different enemies require you to use your toolbox differently.” With over seven million players in its first six months, Lies of P is a perfect example of innovating within a known and established genre.

According to recent reports, NEOWIZ and Round8 Studio are preparing to release a DLC expansion in early 2025. The game was a critical and commercial success so fans can expect to see more of what they’ve already enjoyed. Maybe they will throw us a curveball again and present us with a challenge we don’t expect.