Lies of P: the new gameplay of the spectacular soulslike of Neowiz inspired by Pinocchio
Lies of P
That soulslike is a popular genre is now well known, just as the constant attempt by small and large teams to take a part of the market by mimicking what FromSoftware has done in the past is now a certainty. As we have explained several times, however, not all development teams face these complex action RPGs with superficiality and, aware of their means, actually try to follow a more original and atypical path, sometimes giving rise to not underestimable successes. We've seen this done by Team Ninja with Nioh, which boasted a more heterogeneous mix of systems, and even indie games like Salt and Sanctuary were able to at least partially stand out from the crowd.The release of However, Elden Ring has raised the bar even further and, if before the alternatives to Miyazaki's titles were mostly seen with a fair amount of hope, now there are many who consider them to be failed projects from the start, hardly able to offer something that is not already been done.
Yet, in the mix of those who try it, there is a Korean team that stood out almost immediately: the Round 8 Studio, a subsidiary of Neowiz, known in turn for the development of Bless Unleashed. And although that MMO is not really considered a masterpiece (indeed ...), the experience gained with 3D titles must have served something, because from the first trailer shown their Lies of P has always seemed head and shoulders above the rest of the game. competition from a technical point of view.
After a fair wait, some healthy gameplay of the game finally appeared at the Opening Night Live of Gamescom 2022, and instead of dampening the spirits expectations have even risen. We analyzed the Lies of P gameplay video in detail, to try to understand how the work of this Korean team can position itself on the market.
Pinocchio, played by ... Timothee Chalamet?
Lies of P: this Pinocchio is stylish, no doubt about it The narrative of Lies of P is still covered by a veil of darkness. The only certainty is that it is partially inspired by Pinocchio, of course, but at the same time it is clear that the developers have taken enormous liberties with the plot and setting. The basis of everything seems to be the will of the protagonist, Pinocchio precisely, to meet his father Geppetto, yet the role of the elderly puppeteer has not really been specified: will he be a supporting character? An antagonist? Or something completely different? The only thing we know is that the good P - looking not only totally human, but also, for some strange reason, extremely close to that of the French actor Timothee Chalamet - wakes up in a city that has become a kind of hell. on earth, dominated by mechanical monstrosities and almost devoid of survivors.The emphasis, however, must be placed on that "almost", because between trailers and screenshots various characters have been revealed. The first seems to be the Blue Fairy, also predictably central to the story, where another female character appears in another scene: an elderly lady disfigured by an unspecified disease.
Lies of P: We don't know who these guys are, but they seem dangerous In the game, however, it doesn't seem like there are only single survivors, but entire factions, as in one scene another human seems to be linked to some organization because of the pin he wears, and in one of the additional images an armed band with a logo appears. Considering the factors involved, we could find ourselves in front of a title markedly richer in plot than we thought.
Leaving aside for a moment the features of the protagonist or the assumptions about the story, it is difficult not to dwell on art direction , a curious mix that closely resembles the dark tones of Bloodborne's Yharnam, but in a generally more modern urban context. The style is certainly not lacking in this production and, if the story were to prove sufficiently inspired, the setting could represent almost by itself a great reason to give it a chance. That said, thank goodness, the gameplay seems anything but patchy.
Popeye
Lies of P: the setting is nothing short of suggestive. narrative, it is better to bring up a mechanic that has not yet been discussed in any way by the developers, yet has been highlighted on the official site: the use of lies. It is specified that Pinocchio has to lie constantly to survive and become human and this seems to be more than a simple reference to Collodi's work. It is plausible that there will be multiple choices tied to some dialogue for these "necessary lies" and it will be interesting to understand how and if they affect progression.The real meat, however, understandably lies in the fight, given that Lies of P it seems to be based on a more technical and action-oriented system of the media. The pace, for example, seems markedly higher than that of classic soulslike ones, with very mobile and aggressive enemies that are more reminiscent of Bloodborne, and an instant parry between defensive maneuvers that could indicate series of multiple attacks by opponents close to what is seen. in Sekiro or in the recent Thymesia. It's hard to say how central the parry will be between defensive maneuvers, but we suspect it will be a mixed system, mostly adjustable to the player's defensive preferences. The game does not seem to lack the usual healing items, if nothing else, and at the moment there have been no attack regeneration systems of any kind, so, at least as regards the recovery of life points, the mechanics will be the classic ones of the genre.
Lies of P: the protagonist's arm hides several surprises, and it will clearly be central to the gameplay The rest is much more particular: the weapons are extremely diversified and there are apparently 30 basic types, which can be modified into 100 different instruments of death. These "modifications" are in all likelihood related to the elemental system seen in the trailer, since Pinocchio has some kind of dynamo, with which he has the ability to upgrade either his blades or himself during a fight. The use of these upgrades also seems to consume a specific energy bar separate from the classic stamina, and does not rule out the possible presence of a crafting and weapon improvement system. If, with over thirty sets of basic moves, similar changes also lead to an increase in combinations and usable techniques, we could find something extraordinarily elaborate on our hands. The possibility excites us very much.
There is, however, another central system in the title of Neowiz and Round 8: the use of the arm. In the game Pinocchio has a mechanical arm, apparently modifiable with various functionalities: that base is a Herculean force, which seems to allow your alter ego to break steel doors with enviable ease, but in addition to this useful power, in the video we see a powerful electric discharge and a hook called Puppet String that allows you to instantly get close to an opponent while remaining in the air (confirmation of the presence of a jump and aerial combos, perhaps). The arms use separate batteries (they are in the same healing menu, not the elemental powers one), and have a limited charge bar that prevents them from abusing their abilities; if implemented properly, they could significantly increase offensive approaches.
The style of Lies of P seems rather distant from that of Collodi's novel It will also be necessary to understand the usefulness of the protagonist's lantern, which apparently contains the Jiminy Cricket and lights up in the presence of enemies. It could be just a system to facilitate navigation or justify some specific use of the interface, but who knows.
Finally, nothing to criticize on the technical sector: the production values are clearly remarkable, the particles extremely well cared for, the animations very fluid and the general detail of all respect. Certainly this team knows their stuff in terms of graphics, no doubt about it.
The gameplay of Lies of P has positively surprised us. Round 8's work looks graphically remarkable, featuring a technical and varied combat system, and backed up by a highly inspired setting. However, between a trailer and a full game there is a lot, and this Korean team still has everything to prove. So we can't wait to get our hands on something more substantial, to see if the good initial impressions can really materialize.
