How Lies of P Twists the Story of Pinocchio into a Compelling New Soulslike Adventure

Lies of P is a fantastic interpretation of “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” dropping our beloved puppet within the nightmarish city of Krat, a fallen utopia built on the backs of mechanical puppets who have gone mad and slain its citizens. Their creator, Geppetto, has gone missing and “P” is brought to life to track him down to try and save the city.

In the classic fairy tale, Pinocchio embarks on many adventures of self-discovery and encounters a wide range of characters – many of them bad actors who take advantage of his ignorance — which leads him on a transformative journey where he learns what it means to be human, the power of forgiveness, and of course, repercussions for lying.

It doesn’t take much to see that the string that connects Lies of P to the classic tale of Pinocchio is a delicate one, but that’s precisely the allure the game brings to the table here. This isn’t a story you’ve heard before and it plays with the familiar in ways we really haven’t seen with the Pinocchio fable.

The lurid world of Lies of P is a compelling one, filled with evil puppets, dim alleyways, treacherous rooftops, and bodies scattered about; victims of a corrupting Petrification Disease or at the hands of puppets turning on their former masters. All of this is captured in a cityscape inspired by the Belle Époque era of France — a time of great scientific and artistic achievement – in both its majestic architecture and how technology works (e.g., lots of clocks and steam). The game’s world plays with ideas familiar to you, both from the real world and its fabled source material, as you continue to explore its haunting environments.

The string that connects Lies of P to the classic tale of Pinocchio is a delicate one, but that’s precisely the allure the game brings to the table here.

As you step into the world of Lies of P, you’ll no doubt start making these connections yourself, with some of the more iconic characters tied to its source material. There’s P (Pinocchio) and your narrative companion named Gemini standing in for the cricket (Gemini, Jiminy – get it?). The puppet inventor Geppetto and the blue-haired Sophia (the fairy) are both instrumental in helping level up your character – and perhaps these characters will play a role in having P become more human later in the game.

There are other callbacks as well that we’ve encountered, like the Parade Watchman, one of the first bosses in the game, who seems to be inspired by the puppet master, Mangiafuoco. And you can “turn into a donkey” by equipping The Mad Donkey mask, obtained by defeating a wild citizen who functions as the game’s third boss. And from the screenshots, it appears The Black Rabbits, undertakers for Death from the original story, will make an appearance at some point in the game as well. There will be more introduced throughout to be sure, but these were some of the more recognizable characters I’ve encountered in the early parts of the game.

The other inspiration that Lies of P draws upon is the Soulslike genre. Many of the genre’s staples are at play here, like a high degree of difficulty, repeated death yielding knowledge, limited save points, and combat mechanics that reward parries and attacks of opportunity – all of which feed into the challenging gameplay found in Lies of P.

The challenge, like many Soulslikes, will be in your patience with any enemy confrontation throughout the game, forcing you to study, anticipate, and then exploit the patterns you’re able to discern. It can be a very difficult game at times and perseverance will be tested. But the trickle of seeing what is hiding just beyond the dreary fog that blankets the world of Lies of P is a compelling one that will push you forward.

The trickle of seeing what is hiding just beyond the dreary fog that blankets the world of Lies of P is a compelling one that will push you forward.

And at the center of both the adaptation of Pinocchio and Soulslikes will be the “lying” element. The game’s lore leads you to believe that puppets are incapable of lying, but something is special about P — he can. There will be times when you will be confronted with choices where you can give solace to others by lying — or you can tell the truth. How this plays out through the rest of the adventure remains to be seen, but it does add another, very Souls-y layer of mystery that Lies of P has promised here.

 Lies of P launches on September 15 in early access for those who purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition on the Xbox Store. Game Pass members can start playing the Standard Edition on September 19 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows. Check out our earlier coverage from the Lies of P demo to get some great pointers on how to play.

Lies of P Digital Deluxe Edition

NEOWIZ

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order Lies of P Digital Deluxe Edition and receive
• 72 Hours Early Access
• Mischievous Puppet’s Clothes
• Mischievous Puppet’s Parade Hat
• The Great Venigni’s Signature Coat
• The Great Venigni’s Glasses
• Mask worn by those preparing for the festival
* The Mischievous Puppet’s Clothes and Mischievous Puppet’s Parade Hat are preorder bonuses.

Lies of P is a thrilling soulslike that takes the story of Pinocchio, turns it on its head, and sets it against the darkly elegant backdrop of the Belle Epoque era.

You are a puppet created by Geppetto who’s caught in a web of lies with unimaginable monsters and untrustworthy figures standing between you and the events that have befallen the world of Lies of P.

You are awakened by a mysterious voice that guides you through the plagued city of Krat – a once lively place that has been poisoned by madness and bloodlust. In our soulslike, you must adapt yourself and your weapons to face untold horrors, untangle the unfathomable secrets of the city’s elites and choose whether to confront predicaments with the truth or weave lies to overcome them on the journey to find yourself.

・ A DARKLY ELEGANT AND CRUEL WORLD
Unearth the secrets of the city of Krat – a place soaked in the style of the Belle Epoque era which once thrived due to its puppet industry and now sees its streets covered in blood.

・BATTLE WITH TWISTED INSTRUMENTS
Develop a unique combat style to counter vicious enemies and terrain by weaving together dynamic weapon combinations, utilizing the Legion Arms, and activating new abilities.

・WHAT’S IN A LIE?
There will be times when you will be confronted with choices where you can give comfort to others in sorrow or despair by lying…or you can choose to tell the truth.

Carve your own path.

・A CLASSIC REIMAGINED
Experience the beloved fairy tale of Pinocchio reinterpreted as a dark, grim narrative that allows players to discover the secrets and symbols hidden within the world of Lies of P.

Lies of P Standard Edition

NEOWIZ

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$59.99

Pre-order now to receive the following bonus content
• Mischievous Puppet’s Clothes
• Mischievous Puppet’s Parade Hat
* The Mischievous Puppet’s Clothes and Mischievous Puppet’s Parade Hat are preorder bonuses.

Lies of P is a thrilling soulslike that takes the story of Pinocchio, turns it on its head, and sets it against the darkly elegant backdrop of the Belle Epoque era.

You are a puppet created by Geppetto who’s caught in a web of lies with unimaginable monsters and untrustworthy figures standing between you and the events that have befallen the world of Lies of P.

You are awakened by a mysterious voice that guides you through the plagued city of Krat – a once lively place that has been poisoned by madness and bloodlust. In our soulslike, you must adapt yourself and your weapons to face untold horrors, untangle the unfathomable secrets of the city’s elites and choose whether to confront predicaments with the truth or weave lies to overcome them on the journey to find yourself.

・ A DARKLY ELEGANT AND CRUEL WORLD
Unearth the secrets of the city of Krat – a place soaked in the style of the Belle Epoque era which once thrived due to its puppet industry and now sees its streets covered in blood.

・BATTLE WITH TWISTED INSTRUMENTS
Develop a unique combat style to counter vicious enemies and terrain by weaving together dynamic weapon combinations, utilizing the Legion Arms, and activating new abilities.

・WHAT’S IN A LIE?
There will be times when you will be confronted with choices where you can give comfort to others in sorrow or despair by lying…or you can choose to tell the truth.

Carve your own path.

・A CLASSIC REIMAGINED
Experience the beloved fairy tale of Pinocchio reinterpreted as a dark, grim narrative that allows players to discover the secrets and symbols hidden within the world of Lies of P.