Introduction
Today we are going to look at an Indie Souls game. Which one you ask? Pinocchio Souls! Or as it is really called, Lies of P. Is this a game you should invest time into? My wife and I were very excited to try this game. Since Simone was playing another game and I had just finished my previous game, I decided to take the helm and dive into this game which is based on the lore of Pinocchio.
What did I think before playing Pinocchio Souls?
I have to admit, I see many trailers coming by during a week. Not many trailers have me committed to a game already, most of the time I am, yeah, that looks fun. Or damn, that looks fun. But Lies of P had a trailer that made me go, Holy fuck, I want to play that. Being a big fan of games that challenge me, I decided to check the Steam page for more information, but I played it on the Xbox!
The Steam Page
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1627720/Lies_of_P/
This game puts you into a fairytale, like the old ones where almost everyone dies. You are a puppet, one that can lie. Which puts you in a special position to make people feel better, as normally, puppets cannot lie. This allows you to carve your own path, make your own choices, and this time around, they are important. As your choices will shape the ending.
Rating
I rated Lies of P with a 10 before playing.
I mean, the setting, the promises of amazing gameplay, choices that impact the ending, difficult enough that you want to keep playing. It is time to start this epic adventure!
Story
The story starts with you waking up by the call of a blue fairy. As you wake up, you soon learn nothing is what it seems. As you exit a train cart, puppets will immediately try to kill you. It is up to you to find out what has happened to the once lovely place named Krat.
Rating
I rate the story of Lies of P with a 10.
Every character has great voice acting, they all have their story, and it somehow intertwines with the main plot. There are plot twists I never saw coming. Is Gepetto truly a good father, or is something fishy? Who is a friend, and who is a foe?
Gameplay
As you start playing, you will have to choose a class. Big bonus points to using other names for strength, etc. It is called motivity, since you are a puppet. You will have to pick a class and stick with it, you can respec. There are many different weapons to use, from weapons that require motivity, which are usually big and heavy. You also need to use your weapon to block incoming attacks, if you attack the enemy after that, you regain health. If an enemy uses a special attack, you need to perform a perfect guard.
The combat is the best I have seen from an Indie Souls game. You can perform fatal attacks if you stagger enemies, there are not many ranged options, but this is a specific decision. You can throw items or use your special mechanic puppet arm for this. Most of the few ranged attacks can obliterate enemies, but you need to have the right openings. There are many bosses, and they are fast, difficult to read, but you can learn them.
At bigger bosses, you can summon a specter, you can use it as a meat shield. But there is so much more to this game, you can mix and match almost any weapon. That is right, you can dismantle a spear, take the handle and put it on a giant sword. If you are making a technique build, you can use a special crank to increase how good it scales with your stats. You can test in a backyard as to how good your newly mixed weapon works.
Next to the great combat and leveling up with ergo, which is scaled just right. There is also a skill tree, to put points in it, you need quartz. These gems can be dropped by bosses, but they are also hidden in all eleven acts. It is good to explore as there are five different phases in this skill tree, with more unlocking in new game+. You are really going to need these points to face off with the insanely difficult bosses. Even worse, most of them have two stages! It is also easy to respec if you make mistakes or want to change your build.
Rating
I rated the gameplay of Lies of P with a 10.
While this game is frustratingly difficult, bordering on seemingly unfair, it does reward you by watching and learning. It gives numerous options to respec, build other weapons and more. You can also find amulets which can enhance your build!
Sound and Graphics
Graphics
The graphics are superb, it is dark and gothic. People are hiding behind barricaded houses, they are sick and dying. All acts feel different and have a specific look, in some acts you come back, but the environment has changed. Puppets, monsters, and more are lurking in every corner. I also have to applaud the number of bosses and optional bosses in this game. While some are frustrating or a gimmick fight, they did try their best to make each boss feel unique. The final boss is extremely though and has you sitting on your seat as your ass gets handed to you.
Sound
The soundtracks and music in this game, I have no words for it. Just, amazing! There are even collectible records. Not only is it great to listen to this music, it also affects your character. Everyone has great voice acting, but the main character remains silent. What I did notice is that he shakes or nods his head. The enemies also give ques as to where they are hiding, listening will be rewarded and might help you avoid ambushes.
Rating
I rated the sound and graphics of Lies of P with a 10.
The atmosphere and ambiance in this game is perfect, I have not encountered graphics and soundtracks like this in a while.
What did I think after playing Pinocchio Souls?
I got sucked into this game very fast, the first boss was very difficult and throws you into the deep. You will have to learn quickly how this game works, but there are many secrets. Near the final boss, I was still learning and adapting to the attacks that were being thrown at me. If you want a shield, you can build and upgrade your legion arm. I never used it to parry, but it is possible.
During the game, I tried different weapons, you can also use boss souls to make them into amulets or weapons. A small tip, you need the frozen feast for a quartz. It is used in a small cryptic treasure hunt! There is so much more to experience in this game, but the boss I had the most trouble with was the Green Swamp Monster.
Rating
I rated Lies of P with a 10 after playing.
Not only did this game deliver what it mentioned in the trailer, it exceeded that expectation. If you are looking for a Souls game that is not made by Fromsoftware, this one is the best one there is at the time of writing.
What are my personal thoughts about Pinocchio Souls?
There were quite a few bosses who made me frustrated with the game, but not in a bad way. More in a way that had me wonder, how the fuck am I going to do this? I pushed through and the joy and accomplishment I felt afterward was a surge that can barely be explained. This is precisely what a Souls game needs to do, challenge you as far as possible but in a way that feels fair. Even though it seems unfair at the time, once you learn the mechanics of this game, any challenge can be overcome.
Rating
My personal Rating of Lies of P is a 10.
Holy cannoli, I enjoyed this game, but I was also glad when I reached new game+. It felt like I won, and seeing not many people had reached this ending, I actually jumped and cheered when I defeated the final boss. This game is pure gold.
Last Words
Pros
- A grand setting in a dark and gothic city
- The story is amazing and your choices do matter for the ending
- You have three classes to pick from and you can build your character anyway you want
- A skill tree that can enhance or make your build
- Splendid voice acting for all characters
- You can mix and match many different weapons
- Difficult boss fights that challenge you to improve your skills
- Many secrets in nooks and crannies
- There is no need for grinding if you explore properly
- Many seemingly unfair mechanics but can be handled if you learn the game properly
- A lot of different enemies to encounter and face
- The music in this game is superb
Cons
If you are a fan of Souls games, and you have only played the original Dark Souls games, then this might just be what you are looking for. I think I am allowed to say this, but this game rivals Fromsoftware, it uses the same genre, but it invents many things, tweaks a lot, and creates its own identity without ripping off any assets!
The Final Rating
10
Please let me know what you think of Lies of P in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
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Wow, I can´t remember the last time you gave out a 10 and no cons!
This one deserves it!
Good review! This game looks like a must play!
“The story is amazing and your choices do matter for the ending”
Although I like all the pros, the above is the one l like best.
I always like games where I can actually affect the outcomes,
because it makes me feel like I am not a mere spectator.
I like games where I can immerse myself, and this helps a lot.
Plenty of stuff you mentioned are what I usually point out in games I enjoy the most.
Some of them:
– superb music is a must for me because it enriches the experience that much more
– I love secrets, and secrets usually stay in my memory forever (Banjo & Kazooie… 😛 )
– no need for grinding is probably a must for me since I hate anything grindy – games turn into chores that way
– great voice acting is also a plus, because I am a slow reader so listening to the story helps me play the games at the better pace than usual
It’s hard to pick one favorite pro, so I’ll pick 3.
The story is amazing and your choices do matter for the ending: story is really an important part of a game for me. I love story-based games, and I love the lore in games that don’t really have a story. Having your choices matter for the game add depth, but at the same time, I don’t want to spend too much time on a game to get several or all the endings… So I’m a bit conflicted on the last part. Still a pro, though.
There is no need for grinding if you explore properly: grinding is a really annoying part of MMOs (free-to-play or not). It can be fun for a bit in some games, but gets annoying really fast. So, quite an important pro to not require grinding.
The music in this game is superb: I love music. I love games. I love music in games. What’s more to say? It adds to immersion, and it adds to feelings. A movie without music would be dull, and a movie with bad music would be eh. Same goes for games.
“A skill tree that can enhance or make your build ”
I like games that have skill trees, so you can focus on something specific for your build or get useful things for your playstyle. Together with classes and weapons, it lets you enjoy more the game
Game looks interesting, how it plays with keyboard/mouse?
Ah you played it on xbox :]
Have you seen the easter egg that makes your nose drop a long shadow the more you’ve lied in the game? It’s visible in the hotel by the stargazer.
This game has hidden gems! 😀
It was really 10/10 i should get this game but i have to wait %60 discount at least. Cuz its very expensive even its worth it. Thanks for review! 🙂
This review is lie or not? 😛
I just love the title “pinocchio souls” ^^
Accurate, right?