Lies of P

***Lies of P*** is an action souls-like game set in a dark Belle Époque world. Developed by Neowiz Games and Round8 Studio and published by Neowiz'd publishing division, it released on September 19, 2023.

According to official sources, as of October 15, 2023, Lies of P has exceeded one million copies in global sales and is presently in the midst of developing a new DLC. An sequel has also been confirmed to be in the works.

## Plot

### Setting

The game is set in the city of Krat. Thirty years ago, the Alchemists settled down in Krat and discovered the Relic of Trismegistus to be an Ergo mine. A talented inventor named Giuseppe Geppetto devised a specialized heart to serve as a power source for Puppets. This invention single-handedly transformed Krat from a modest, impoverished seaside town into a bustling city of marvels. Puppets became even more widespread after charismatic inventor Lorenzini Venigni partnered with Geppetto to mass produce them. To ensure the puppets could not harm humans, they were made to follow the "Grand Covenant" which prevents them lying, hurting others, and forces them to obey every command.

Puppets, with their remarkable capabilities, began to replace the workforce, handling menial tasks and serving as indispensable helpers. Ergo's importance soared to such heights that it became the very currency of the city. However, the city was soon plagued by the incurable Petrification Disease which blinds those infected and slowly petrifies their bodies before killing them. With the cause of the disease unknown, the city resorted to quarantining the slums to slow the spread but this proved to be futile. One day, the puppets were infected with a mysterious condition called the "Puppet Frenzy". It caused the majority of Krat's population to be subsequently killed. Geppetto set off to find a way to stop the frenzy and the disease but left behind a puppet he hoped would be their salvation: Pinocchio.

### Synopsis

Pinocchio awakens in an abandoned train car in Krat Central Station. He is brought to life by a mysterious woman named Sophia and told to find her at Hotel Krat. He subsequently fights his away through the hostile puppets at the station and Cerasani Alley. Eventually he is stopped by the Parade Master who attempts to communicate with him but to no avail. Unable to understand the puppet, P proceeds to destroy it and travels to the hotel's front door. As explained by Sophia, P is not bound to the Grand Covenant and can lie his way past the hotel's security. Once inside, P meets Sophia as well as weapon craftsman Eugénie, hotel owner Antonia, and her faithful servant Polendina, a puppet unaffected by the Puppet Frenzy. Sophia informs P that he needs to find and rescue his creator, Geppetto as he is the only one who can stop the Puppet Frenzy.

Upon leaving the hotel, P is greeted by Gemini, a puppet housed in Monad's Lamp who promises to act as his guide through the city. Sometime later, P finds Geppetto hiding in a carriage from a Stalker named Mad Donkey on Alchemist's Bridge. After killing the Stalker, P meets his father for the first time. Promising to talk more later, Geppetto tells P to go to Krat City Hall to stop the Scrapped Watchman. Once defeated, P returns to Hotel Krat and speaks to his father. Geppetto asks him to find his friend, Lorenzini Venigni who went to stop the production of new puppets at Venigni Works but never returned. Upon arriving at the factory, P meets two Stalkers named Red Fox and Black Cat. They tell P that they had been hired to protect Venigni but abandoned him due to King's Flame, Fuoco. After going deeper into the factory, P successfully managed to defeat Fuoco and rescued Venigni and his puppet butler Pulcinella.

P later travels to Moonlight Town and comes across creatures known as Carcass, humans infected with the Petrification Disease that mutated through unknown means. Here he meets a mysterious doctor named Giangio who is searching for the Gold Coin Tree. He makes his way to St. Frangelico Cathedral and defeats Archbishop Andreus who had transformed into a hideous monster from his greed. P then travels to the Malum District where he meets Red Fox and Black Cat once more. The two offer to help P travel through the district which has become overrun with Carcass. Eventually, P finds the hideout of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, a criminal organization comprised of siblings who were terrorizing the district. He manages to kill the eldest brother which causes the others to swear revenge and flee. P then investigates the Brotherhood's hideout and finds a portrait of a boy that looks exactly like him. He then finds a secret passage that takes him to Hotel Krat's secret garden. Here P finds Giango as well as the legendary Gold Coin Tree and helps him pick some fruit in exchange for some items.

P returns to Geppetto and is told to go to Rosa Isabelle Street to stop the King of Puppets whom he suspects is the cause of the Puppet Frenzy. After receiving the key from Antonia, P travels to the street and meets several interesting people such as Julian The Gentleman, the White Lady, and the famous actress Adelina Corday. He later travels through the Estella Opera House and confronts the King of Puppets. After a short play that showed a puppet similar to Geppetto transferring a heart from one puppet to another, the King of Puppets himself appears. The King seems happy to see P and reaches his hand out in what appears to be a display of friendship but is quickly reproached by P. The two then fight but it soon becomes apparent that P is gaining the upper hand. During the course of the fight, the King seems to be trying to say something but P is unable to understand him. After destroying the King of Puppets, it is revealed that it was merely a suit for the real King, Romeo. Through it all, P is successful in destroying Romeo. After returning outside, P is greeted by Geppetto.

## Gameplay

Lies of P is played from the third-person. Players control the puppet Pinocchio who has set out to save the city from the Puppet Frenzy and uncover its secrets. Players have access to a variety of Weapons such as swords, daggers, or blunts. Weapons are comprised of blades and handles which can be mixed and matched with other weapons through weapon assembly. Each blade and handle have their own special moves called Fable Arts. Weapon assembly allows players to create over 100 possible combinations and to craft a weapon that fits their playstyle. Pinocchio also has a mechanical arm called the Legion Arm. Each Legion Arm has its own combat ability and their own charge. This charge will deplete with each use but will be restored by visiting a Stargazer or by using a Legion Magazine. The game features a Lie System where the the player can choose to lie or tell the truth at certain points in the story which can affect the game's ending.

## Downloadable Content

An unnamed expansion for the game was teased by the game's director Ji Won Choi on November 1st, 2023. Not much information is currently known about the expansion or its release date.

## Development

According to game direct Choi Ji-Won, Lies of P started development in 2020. The game's setting was chosen due to its appeal for a wider audience. Furthermore, the story was based on the original Adventures of Pinocchio novel due to the story's dark undertones. Lies of P was announced on May 19, 2021. A gameplay trailer of the game was shown at Gamescom 2022. It was also announced that the game would be released on Xbox Game Pass at launch. 4K gamepay footage of the game was shown at the Game Developers Conference in March 2023. On June 19th, 2023, Neowiz announced a collaboration with Team Ninja for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty which will allow that game's players use weapons from Lies of P in a DLC that released on September 27, 2023. Following the release of the game and it's subsequent success, Neowiz announced the development of a DLC expansion in October 2023.

## Marketing

Lies of P features several pieces of content that can be obtained based on the edition of the game.

* Those who pre-ordered the game received:
	+ Mischievous Puppet's Parade Hat
	+ Mischievous Puppet's Clothes

* The Deluxe Edition awards :
	+ The Great Venigni's Signature Coat
	+ The Great Venigni's Glasses
	+ Parade Master's Mask

## Reception

Lies of P recieved positive reviews upon release. It was praised for its difficulty and gameplay that remains faithful to soulsborne games like Bloodborne. It won 6 awards at Korea Game Awards, including the "Grand Prize" and "The Popular Game Award".

## Gallery

### Videos

Lies of P - Alpha Gameplay TeaserLies of P - First Cinematic TrailerLies of P OST - Oblivion LOP LP ver.Lies of P - Gameplay RevealLies of P- Weapon Mechanics Explained - gamescom 2022Lies of P - 11 More Minutes of Gameplay - gamescom 2022Lies of P Full Presentation - gamescom 2022 Xbox BoothLies of P - 5 Minutes of 4K GameplayLies of P - Extended Gameplay - Gamescom 2022
1. ↑ 《P的謊言》全球累計銷量已突破 100 萬套，DLC 版本開發中
2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbCnjeUilhU
3. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/lies-of-p-sequel-confirmed-first-dlc-and-game-update-teased
4. ↑ https://me.ign.com/en/ps5/214618/news/lies-of-p-sequel-confirmed-first-dlc-and-game-update-teased
5. ↑ https://twitter.com/Liesofp/status/1724802034476646630