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The Soulsborne genre that FromSoftware created has spawned plenty of mediocre to poor clones. None have quite captured that magic, but plenty of developers are trying with varying degrees of success. The Lies of P demo is here, and between our and the community’s reactions, it seems it could be the one to do it. It has all the familiar pieces with its aesthetic and mechanics, but it holds some tricks under its long nose that set it apart. We will review our thoughts and what people in the community say about Neowiz’s Bloodborne Pinocchio game to see if this is another puppet or a real boy.
Lies of P Demo Reactions – Our Thoughts
After a little more than four hours, we did about everything you could do in the Lies of P demo. Through that time, the city of Krat showed its chaotic nature, with dangerous robots roaming the streets and our puppet-turned-boy grabbing a sword to cut them down. The three epic robotic boss battles, the beautifully designed world, and the refreshing mechanics of the Soulsborne genre give hope that this will break the bad streak of weak FromSoftware copies. It is done in a way that captures many of Bloodborne‘s mechanics and world while having some quality-of-life improvements and gaps that make it both an improvement and a step backward.
From the beginning, similarly to Bloodborne, you get to choose three weapons to center your playstyle—the balanced Path of the Cricket, the heavy and aggressive Path of the Sweeper, and the dexterous Path of the Bastard. For our time in the demo, we chose the Path of the Sweeper to feel that heavy sword. It was not the weight of a greatsword from Dark Souls or Elden Ring, but its slower attacks brought that satisfying damage to eliminate enemies efficiently. Regardless of the class, the movement could feel sluggish and clunky at times, especially during loads of mobs or during a boss fight. The balance of movement made the combat feel more balanced. Enemy attacks were easier to predict to block, dodge, or parry while maintaining that difficulty, even for a Souls veteran. As combat is the biggest hurdle, the Lies of P demo should be tried by newcomers, as the full release could be the gateway into the genre.
The Lies of P demo tries its best to explain its mechanics and items while having that mystique to descriptions and the presentation. It is similar to how everything gets written and presented in a FromSoftware game. In many aspects, Neowiz finds ways to make it more digestible, for the most part. Among the improvements can be seen from the inventory system that lets you swap items mid-combat. Then it gets messy when being able to level up at Stargazer, the game’s version of a bonfire that lets you manage your equipment and travel to other of these checkpoints. When first shown, it lets you level up and then takes that ability away. Without explaining, it gets confusing why you can’t level up anymore. It turns out, in the hub world, a hotel, you have to level up from there. It is a minor crack in the seemingly perfect sculpture, but it shows some of those quality-of-life choices are not all there.
A part of the magic in the modern FromSoftware is its level design. The way it weaves its environments together can be daunting, but when it clicks, it is some of the best level design in gaming. The Lies of P demo showcases a pretty game but not the most interestingly designed levels. The city is more linear, with some alternate paths that always grant rewarding loot. It makes for a more straightforward experience that loses out on the sense of exploration, even if you go down those optional alleyways and rooms.
Plenty of interpretations of Pinnochio have been crafted over the years. Just last year, we had two movies, one from Disney and another by Guillermo del Toro. This steampunk, gothic twist is an inspired take that feels realized when meeting various characters from the original story or walking around the streets of Krat. Like any Soulslike, the city has gone into madness, giving a welcoming familiarity to Bloodborne‘s Yharnam.
These impressions are all based on the PC version. By having the settings maxed and DLSS set to performance, the gameplay felt like butter. It was a smooth experience with no major technical issues. Although, Pinnochio did have weird skin of a moment as black dots pixelated him. Maybe we can blame that one on Geppetto.
Lies of P Demo Reactions – What People Are Saying
The Lies of P demo needed to sell itself to its audience. When first revealed, while many were excited, people could not resist pointing out it being a Bloodborne clone. People are seeing the vision here, and it seems this could be a big hit this fall.
For many, the bosses were a shining selling point. Twitch streamer MissOddMolly posted a clip of her defeating the first boss in the demo, the Parade Master. While calling the demo “incredible,” she found that the Parade Master was a “powerhouse.” In the clip below, you can hear her excited reaction to cutting him down into scraps.
The Lies of P demo is absolutely incredible. This boss was such a powerhouse.
It’s defo not “just another bloodborne clone”. It’s it’s own thing, has its own identity, and will be a day 1 for me 🤝#LiesOfP #PS5Share
*sorry for the terrible mic I didn’t know it was on 😭* pic.twitter.com/qgi5a7MfP8— Mols ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) (@MollyDaTrolley) June 9, 2023
The game clearly has its flaws, like anything else. For Twitter user Nib95_, it is the “closest to Soulsborne” that a non-FromSoftware game has gotten. He said it was “a bit clunkier” in comparison to FromSoftware, particularly when it came to the dodging. The “crunchy” and “satisfying” combat made up for it, particularly the parrying. He also gave love to the “bosses/art/setting” but has some hopes for more when it releases. While quality needs to remain throughout the completed game, it needs to do more with different playstyles to expand upon that foundation.
Impressed with Lies of P demo. Took 3 hours so hefty. Closest to Soulsborne a games gotten. Bit clunkier than FROM, esp dodges, but combat very satisfying/crunchy. Parries feel/sound great! Solid bosses/art/setting. Hope full game maintains quality +adds more build/moveset depth. pic.twitter.com/Q8iRcaDmVj
— NIB (@nib95_) June 9, 2023
While many applauded the Lies of P demo, not everyone had an enthusiastic reaction. Twitch streamer Casey Explosion found it “pretty good,” but the gothic Victorian elephant in the room did get in the way. In her thread of tweets, she discussed how everything Lies of P takes from Bloodborne, the PS4 exclusive by FromSoftware, does better. Much of her issues stem from the world not feeling as alive. In Bloodborne, she cited how the enemies were “so god damn chatty” that it gave life to Yharnam. Still, she gave Lies of P credit for its “fluid and swift” combat.
Trying out the Lies Of P demo, and there honestly no getting around it, this is absolutely "we have Bloodborne at home!"
And obvious unavoidable comparison out of the way, it's pretty good so far. It looks very nice, at least. pic.twitter.com/P4RszffvTG
— Casey Explosion (@CaseyExplosion) June 8, 2023
Lies of P will be available on PS4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X|S, PC and will be available for free for Game Pass subscribers.