If you have not heard of the Souls-Like genre then it can be described as games that try to emulate the experience of the Souls franchise from FromSoftware which includes Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. But why is Lies of P the best of these? Let’s get into it.
Key Takeaways
- Lies of P distinguishes itself by effectively integrating the Souls formula into its framework, succeeding where others have failed.
- Retains core elements of the Souls franchise but implements them in ways that better suit its design goals.
- Presents a clearer narrative compared to many Souls-Like titles, offering a linear path while still incorporating depth.
- Introduces new systems like weapon crafting and the P-Organ system to create a unique and refreshing experience.
Lies of P is not the first and will certainly not be the last Souls-like game to come out. However, it has definitely proven itself different from the rest by actually succeeding in the emulation and even integration of the Souls formula into its puppet framework.
Many games that tried to emulate the Souls formula do end up failing in this endeavor. Are they bad games by any stretch of the imagination? Possibly, but that’s quite subjective. What is objective is the checklist for being a good Souls-Like.
The Right Pieces For the Job
Lies of P takes certain elements from the Souls franchise to claim itself as Souls-Like but changes the implementation of some of the elements to better fit its agenda.
The first one I noticed quite clearly was when encountering the first boss. Upon dying in the boss arena your ergo (the currency in this game) is placed outside of the boss room.
The corpse running mechanic is still present as a staple of the genre but the quality of life improvement to having your money outside the boss room is a relief that is quite underappreciated.
Another change that is ignored by most is the story. Unlike most other Souls-Like and Souls games the story itself is quite clear with the game following a very linear path.
However, for those looking closer and deeper, you can see that the devs did implement a story within the item descriptions and NPC dialogues. The backstory of the current situation you are in can be quite clearly understood and pictured which is a very nice addition for lore enthusiasts.
My Tools My Choice
There are some new systems the game implements such as the weapon crafting system. A unique system that aimed to resolve the problem of not being able to switch weapons since leveling them up would be a hassle and tantamount to grinding.
Lies of P breaks apart the weapons and lets you put them back together. The blade is what you upgrade and deals damage while the handle determines the weapon’s scaling and move set. Effectively allowing you any number of combinations that you see fit.
Make the smallest ball of destruction or the longest toothpick of death. It’s entirely up to you. And this is not even talking about the P-Organ system.
The P-Organ system is like a level up within a level up allowing you to unlock new moves and enhance your existing arsenal while granting small buffs that begin to snowball into the late game.
Ready To Cut Your Strings?
All of these factors come together to build an enriching experience that gives you (dare I say it?) the same feeling you get from playing a FromSoftware game. To some that might be blasphemy and I have to admit this still does not stand amongst the Souls games.
Although, it is the one that stands the closest to them. If the Souls games were on a mountain top then Lies of P has scaled higher than any who have come before to attempt to reach the apex.
I love this game and I hope you give it a try since it does borrow elements you are familiar with while also adding its unique take to every one of them.
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I’m an avid gamer turned content writer, my hobbies include but are not limited to different forms of content creation. Not a complicated person, I play games and write about them. Currently attending university for Data Sciences. My favorite past-time is trying to different challange runs of Soulsborne and Souls-like games in the goofiest way possible for my own amusement. You can check my Gaming Profile on Steam And Xbox!
