The summary of ‘Lies of P — a Fantastic Souls-Like (but NOT for everyone?)’

00:00:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the challenges in reviewing Souls-like games, acknowledging the inevitable comparisons to from software’s products like Bloodborne and Elden Ring. The speaker praises Lies of P for its high quality, stating that it stands out among other Souls-like games and can even be directly compared to fromsoft’s titles. Despite the game’s excellence, they warn about its extreme difficulty, which could be off-putting for some players, even seasoned ones. The speaker emphasizes that this game requires patience and willingness to learn, stressing that it is not for everyone. They plan to further break down the game and discuss its unique aspects, its successes, and areas of critique in detail.

00:03:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the core premise and gameplay of the game “Lies of P,” which is set in the city of Kratz where puppets have gone berserk with bloodlust, and zombies are also a threat. The game, inspired by the original Pinocchio story by Carlo Collodi, pays homage to its source material through various character and plot references, including a cricket sidekick named Gemini and characters like Geppetto. The game reinterprets the concept of lying, presenting it as a human trait that might not be entirely bad, thus adding depth to the storytelling. The narrative and world-building are praised for their intricacy and engagement.

The gameplay of “Lies of P” is described as very similar to FromSoftware’s Soulsborne games, featuring mechanics like stamina-based combat, bonfires, challenging bosses, and level design that evoke a familiar feel. Despite the strong resemblances, “Lies of P” is argued to have its own distinct identity and nuances, which justify its place in the genre. The speaker emphasizes that although the game borrows heavily from its inspirations, it introduces unique elements and maintains an identity driven by care and passion from its developers.

00:06:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses several gameplay mechanics of “Lies of P” which seem to draw inspiration from games like “Sekiro” and “Bloodborne,” but with unique twists. The critical attack mechanism involves building a stagger meter through parrying and landing hits, leading to a small window where a charged heavy attack can trigger the stagger. It is emphasized that perfect timing is crucial for this, making the gameplay challenging and rewarding.

Additionally, blocking costs stamina and health, but health can be regained through timely actions such as attacking or perfect parrying shortly after blocking. There’s a comparison to “Bloodborne” in terms of health recovery but with more deliberate blocking needed.

The game also features unavoidable “Fury attacks” from enemies that must be parried, as dodging does not provide invincibility frames for these moves. The importance of mastering parrying and guarding is highlighted over excessive dodging.

The video also touches on “Fable Arts,” powerful abilities tied to weapons that can be activated after building up enough hits. Furthermore, the “weapon assembly” mechanic allows blades and handles of weapons to be mixed and matched, adding depth and player customization to the game.

00:09:00

In this segment, the video discusses the customization and mechanics of weapons and tools in the game. The damage and speed of a weapon are determined by its blade, allowing players to mix and match weapon parts for unique combinations. Upgrades apply only to the blade, facilitating experimentation without committing resources to untested weapons. Unique, non-customizable boss weapons add further variety. The legion arm offers various offensive capabilities, such as dragging enemies, flamethrower functions, and explosive shields. A significant gameplay mechanic allows players to break enemy weapons, including those of bosses, by parrying, decreasing their effectiveness. Weapon durability is a crucial element, requiring mid-fight repairs, especially in boss encounters. The healing mechanic, akin to an Estus Flask, can be recharged by landing hits, making comebacks possible in tough fights.

00:12:00

In this part of the video, the speaker emphasizes how the game distinguishes itself with its unique identity, especially in its level design, even though it might look like a typical Souls-like game on the surface. Key points include the game’s ability to avoid monotony through varied enemy types and encounter designs, such as having both ranged and close-combat enemies that force strategic choices. Additionally, the physical layout of the levels, with elements like verticality, shortcuts, and secrets, is highlighted as being on par with FromSoftware games. However, the speaker notes that the game is more linear than its peers, potentially limiting exploration. Finally, the segment touches on the difficulty of the bosses, comparing the challenge to that of Sekiro but even harder in some instances, requiring multiple attempts to overcome.

00:15:00

In this part of the video, the creator discusses the game’s difficulty, emphasizing the necessity of learning and mastering boss fights, which involve recognizing and responding correctly to each attack. The game challenges players to achieve a high level of performance, more so than many other games in the genre. The creator appreciates this aspect, finding it refreshing and fair despite the difficulty, due to clearly telegraphed attacks and a fair challenge. Optional NPC summons can help but are not a complete solution, as they struggle in the tougher phases of fights.

The discussion also touches on stagger mechanics, noting that big staggers, vital for significant critical hits, can be difficult to achieve, particularly with slower, strength-based builds. Additionally, bosses have a health regeneration mechanic that encourages more aggressive play and prevents a slow, hit-and-run approach. Overall, the creator acknowledges the demanding nature of the game but finds it fair and rewarding for those who enjoy challenging gameplay.

00:18:00

In this segment, the speaker discusses various aspects of the game’s mechanics, primarily focusing on boss fights and the game’s difficulty. They appreciate the game’s subtle encouragement of an aggressive play style but criticize the “run back” mechanic for boss fights, suggesting it feels outdated without adding value. The speaker also addresses the critique of two-phase bosses, acknowledging the frustration of repeatedly fighting the first phase but praising the overall quality and innovation of the boss fights. They also discuss the game’s difficulty, arguing against major changes to the combat system despite understanding players’ frustrations. Key advice includes not relying solely on perfect parrying and utilizing other mechanics like guarding, dodging, and using consumables effectively.

00:21:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of playing “Lies of P” with an open mind and treating it as its own unique experience, instead of comparing it to other games like “Bloodborne” or “Sekiro”. They acknowledge that it may sound like they are addressing a skill issue but insist that their goal is to help players succeed and enjoy the game. The speaker then critiques the weapon assembly system, pointing out a design choice that limits customization by imposing damage penalties on non-proficient swing types for weapon blades. They suggest the UI could be improved to make this mechanic clearer. Additionally, they discuss the P-Organ skill tree system, arguing that core abilities should be part of the base moveset rather than locked behind progression. They also mention an interesting but underutilized bloodstain recovery system that discourages running past enemies by penalizing recoverable amounts when hit but allowing recovery if the enemy is killed. Finally, the speaker appreciates the game’s design choice of separating outfits from defense stats, allowing players to wear any outfit without affecting their character’s performance.

00:24:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the often-overlooked utility of heavy attacks in Souls-like games and describes the extensive use of their weapon’s move set, emphasizing the strategic advantage of equipping special grindstones for weapon buffs. They commend the voice acting, highlighting Anthony Howe’s performance as Geppetto, and praise the overall sound design and visual feedback, specifically enjoying the sparks from parries and critical hit animations. The speaker is particularly impressed with the game’s soundtrack, mentioning the unlockable records in the hub area.

The segment then shifts to the critical reception of the game “Lies of P,” comparing it to “Mortal Shell” and arguing that “Lies of P” stands out significantly in terms of quality and execution. The speaker asserts that “Lies of P” achieves a level of polish and creativity comparable to FromSoftware titles, despite not being revolutionary. They emphasize the game’s compelling story, challenging difficulty, and unique blend of familiar and new elements, concluding that it is a standout in the Souls-like genre and worth playing despite a crowded release schedule. The speaker expresses excitement for the developers’ future projects.