Neowiz has confirmed that Lies of P: Overture, the upcoming expansion to the 2023 Soulslike, will introduce multiple difficulty settings, a first for the series. This shows a significant shift in approach in terms of the game’s initial launch, aiming to make it more accessible to a wider range of players instead of making players throw their controllers.
Soulslike games traditionally avoid offering difficulty modes, with titles from FromSoftware known for their single, punishing level of challenge. However, Lies of P: Overture will break from that tradition. According to game director Jiwon Choi, the change was driven by a combination of community feedback and internal development goals. “Absolutely, we have a lot of feedback from customers, and from our developers,” Choi said, explaining that the team wanted more players to be able to experience the game.
When the expansion launches this summer, players will be able to choose between three difficulty levels: the default “Legendary Stalker,” the easier “Butterfly’s Guidance,” and the more forgiving “Awakened Puppet.” The update will apply to both the base game and the expansion.
In addition to difficulty options, Lies of P: Overture will add a new boss rush mode called Battle Memories. This mode, like the name suggests, will allow players to replay previous boss fights, each with five escalating difficulty tiers. Tiers 1 through 3 are unlocked by default, while tiers 4 and 5 require players to clear the lower levels first. Each tier adjusts boss stats to present a progressively tougher challenge.
The expansion will also introduce a separate mode called Death March. In this mode, players will face as many bosses as possible using a fixed pool of health and items. Unique rewards will be available for both Battle Memories and Death March, though Neowiz has yet to reveal details. But we do know that regardless of people purchasing the DLC, the difficulty modes and new modes will be coming to the base game for free.
Lies of P: Overture is set to release this summer on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The addition of difficulty modes represents a notable change for the genre and could help broaden the game’s appeal beyond its core Soulslike audience.
