I consider myself a recent graduate from the school of the Soulslike, beating both Elden Ring and Bloodborne, and having a great time doing so. It’s because of my new-found appreciation for the genre that, in one of the busiest years for gaming in history,Lies of Pbecame one of my most anticipated games. I definitely had some trepidations—how would a studio whose work is most notably on free-to-play online games handle the transition to such a revered genre? Well, I got to find out when I not onlyspoke to the Lies of P creator, but went hands-on with the game at Gamescom, just a few short weeks before launch.
During my demo, I was thrown straight into Krat, an exceptionally dark city full of mechanical monstrosities, each seemingly designed with the sole purpose of killing you, Pinocchio.
Updated by Peter Hunt Szpytek on August 15, 2025:This preview was updated to include a video version (featured below.)
I was told before jumping in that I’d have access to a range of weapons during my playthrough, and that I most certainly did. The first thing I did was open my inventory, and I was greeted by about 20 to 30 different combinations of weapons with different handles. each scaling with a different stat and having its own unique benefits. You can combine a saber with an ‘electric stick blade,’ for instance, or a Greatsword of Fate handle which gives you a powerful defensive move. We were told that there were countless weapon combinations and builds, and it was clear the demo was set up to demonstrate this variety
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I also got to try out a handful of “Legion Arms”, a secondary piece of equipment that allows you to perform a special move during combat. These are likely to be pivotal to any build, but, in this preview, I definitely had the most fun with the rocket launcher-type attachment. Probably not the most subtle, but definitely the most enjoyable.
The thing that struck me most about Lies of P is justhowBloodborne-inspired the game is. It’s clear that the game pulls from a bunch of different Soulslikes; however, the similarities between this and Bloodborne were plentiful.
The city of Krat, at least the small section I explored, is very reminiscent of Bloodborne’s Yharnam, except with more robots. I found my way patrolling gothic streets, dipping into dark alleyways and waltzing through some very Victorian-esque houses. The aesthetics and atmosphere were great, and the enemy types definitely helped mix things up a little, but things felt eerily familiar. I was, however, assured by Ji-won in our interview with him that the world would have a lot of variety.
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Lies of P’s setting wasn’t the only similarity toBloodborne, though. Enemy encounters have an air of familiarity to them, from the visceral slashing sound your weapon makes, to the placement of your foes' health bar, including the boss fights. Large portions of what I played is Bloodborne at best and, cynically, a clone at worst.
Interestingly, the one boss I fought during my time with Lies of P wasn’t one of the game’s biomechanical monstrosities but instead, a human with a flurry of rapid attacks.
This was the first major test of my Soulslike skills and, after one death, I was successful. It was everything I would want from a Soulslike boss fight. Challenging but fair, fast-paced but tactical and heavily reliant on timing, with a little bit of luck thrown in there.
While the fight itself was a lot of fun, the lead-up to it was just as interesting, with my opponent giving me some backstory as to why she attacked. Her dialogue in battle was a little stale, but the mystery surrounding the encounter really piqued my interest, and it did a fantastic job at telling a little bit of Krat’s story.
While Lies of P evidently draws heavy inspiration from Bloodborne, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It does more than enough to stand on its own, at least from the time I got with it. Fans have been clamoring for a Bloodborne remake for years now and, if FromSoft aren’t going to oblige, Lies of P is looking like it could be the next best thing.
My time in Krat was short but the enemy variety, world-building and tone left me excited to dive into the game once it releases.
Next:2023 Will Be Full Of Soulslikes, And I’m Already Tired
