Lies of P has been one of the success stories of these past weeks. The game’s demo had already passed the one-million-download threshold earlier in June. This superb action RPG made an equally explosive debut as it launched on September 19, selling over 100,000 copies in three days on Steam alone.
This thrilling hack-and-slash game seduced many veteran soulslike players, some of whom named it a genre-defining title up there with acclaimed entries like Hollow Knight or Nioh. The latest addition to the Soulsborne genre also hit a chord with critics, as Lies of P feels more creative than any Dark Souls successor so far.
For all its coherent take on the genre, this inventive Pinocchio RPG can feel cruelly punitive. The lack of an in-game map can feel all the more confusing as players find themselves trudging through their environment to unlock new zones to explore and fiendish enemies to take down. That said, several quality-of-life features make it easy to navigate the city of Krat. Two options notably allow players to revisit places they’ve already been to so that they may retrieve hidden items that will help Pinocchio in the difficult boss fights that await him.
The primary way to Fast Travel in Lies of P consists in unlocking special machines called Stargazers, which act as checkpoints through the game’s various zones. Scattered all over Krat, these broken devices are typically engulfed in a blue aura. Players need to approach each object to repair it, provided they’ve eliminated all surrounding threats. The first device to activate lies near a fountain.
While the ability to teleport between any two Stargazers is available early on, you must still defeat your first boss to access this functionality. After besting the Parade Master, you will make it to Hotel Krat. Various NPCs gather in this hub area, ready to assist you on your treacherous journey. One such character is Sophia, the game’s take on the iconic Blue Fairy. Acting as an advisor to Pinocchio, this angelic character gives him a handy item when he first reaches the Hotel. The convenient Moonphase Pocket Watch can be used to either head straight back to Hotel Krat for level-up opportunities or return players to the most recent Stargazer they interacted with, which may prove invaluable to escape danger.
Additionally, Stargazers actively replenish Pinocchio’s resources and health. As neat as they can be, however, these devices come with a few perils attached. Using a Stargazer will respawn all low-level enemies in the area. Players can amass Ergo items to buy new equipment and beat these relentless foes. Rare Ergo currency looted from defeated bosses can also be used to acquire special weapons. Unlike their lesser counterparts, those bosses with an energy bar won’t come back to haunt you. For instance, formidable adversaries like Laxasia will not be revived.
With such complex maps to navigate, the Fast Travel feature is a great way to quickly revisit areas – as long as you’re eager to confront swarms of menacing puppets. If not, Stargazers may come in handy for players unhappy with their choice of weapons, as one such checkpoint is close to the Wandering Merchant on Cerasani Alley. Teleportation also allows players to wander the cruel yet fascinating world of Lies of P to unearth the secrets of the gothic city of Krat.
If grim, Lies of P stands out for its elegant aesthetics and phenomenal score doing a perfect job of establishing a spine-chilling sense of fairytale dread. All in all, this moody action RPG takes the classic Pinocchio story in a bolder direction than ever. Incidentally, fans of the original tale or the Disney animated movie may feel overwhelmed by the game’s sheer complexity and gruesomeness. In which case, retro platformers like Disney’s Pinocchio may be more accessible to casual gamers.
The iconic wooden puppet has also inspired fun machine slots like Triple Cherry’s Pinocchio’s Journey and Betsoft’s Pinocchio. Players can grab free spins to try such fairytale-themed pokies. These types of bonuses usually come along with welcome deals granted to newcomers. With free spins, first-timers can test a platform’s catalogue to find their preferred slots without putting money on the line. Daily free spins also reward the loyalty of seasoned players making a deposit.
Little did Italian writer Carlo Collodi know that his wooden puppet would endure through the ages when he penned his world-famous children’s novel. In fact, Collodi would probably have been baffled by the bleak depiction of Lies of P, which doesn’t shy away from foraying into full-on body horror with its armies of uncanny enemy puppets and mechanoids. Still, fans of atmospheric soulslike titles can enjoy this ghastly action RPG on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Cloud, Xbox One, and Xbox Series.
