Summary
The recent action RPGLies of Pfrom developer Neowiz is among the finest soulslikes on the market, so news of some DLC already being in development comes as no surprise. Based on Carlo Collodi’s story of Pinocchio,Lies of Pputs players in the shoes of the titular puppet on his dangerous and violent quest through the fictional city of Krat. Given the largely positive reaction to the game, which sold over one million units in the first month of its release, it makes sense for the South Korean studio to strike while the iron is hot. Despite some similarities though, fans should resist the urge to compare this DLC to FromSoftware’sBloodborneexpansion, The Old Hunters, as that wouldn’t do either any real justice.
The 2015 PS4 exclusive,Bloodborne, is seen by many as FromSoftware’s finest projectand is considered among the greatest games of its generation. The Lovecraftian Victorian-era setting of Yharnam is one of the most immersive and engaging video game worlds ever built, and the visceral, aggressive combat was seen as a welcome change of pace from the slower, more methodicalDark Soulsapproach. FromSoftware took things a step further later that year by releasing The Old Hunters,Bloodborne’s paid expansion. To this day, it remains one of the finest examples of downloadable content done right, and sets the bar so high that it may be impossible for others to reach.
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Bloodborne’s Old Hunters DLC Sets an Almost Impossibly High Bar For Lies of P’s Expansion
FromSoftware has a penchant for saving its absolute best content for DLC offerings. Although all threeDark Soulsgames were greatly enhanced by solid expansions, nothing epitomizes the Japanese developer’s approach to DLC more thanBloodborne’s The Old Hunters. This expansion further built onBloodborne’s world, introducing some of the game’s best areas and most challenging bosses.
Highlights from this hugely impressive expansion include the Research Halls, which are home to various grotesquely mutated patients as well as the deadly Maria of the Astral Clocktower, and the Fishing Hamlet, a mysterious and haunting village, that serves as the final location of the DLC and hosts the infamous Orphan of Kos encounter. Many consider this particular fight to be amongFromSoftware’s very best boss battles. The Old Hunters packs an incredible amount of high-quality content into its roughly 10-hour runtime.
Lies of P’s DLC Should Be Judged on its Own Merits
Despite early footage ofLies of Pdrawing severalBloodbornecomparisonsfrom fans worldwide, developer Neowiz worked hard to ensure the game was strong enough to carve out its own identity, and not be seen as simply aBloodborneclone. While playing the game reveals that the similarities are, for the most part, justified,Lies of Phas its own distinct look and feel, thanks to Neowiz’s determination to weave the source material into as much of the game’s world and lore as possible.
Lies of P’s conclusion reveals possible ties to the story of The Wizard of Oz, although fans can’t be completely sure what that means at this point. It seems likely that this will be saved for a full sequel rather than the DLC, which should focus on the same protagonist and world.Lies of P’s DLC needs to concentrate on the elements that the base game got so right. Introducing exciting new areas, weapons, and bosses, while moving the game’s story in some new and interesting directions, should be enough to see the expansion mimic the base game’s success and further separate it from its initial tag as aBloodborneclone.
Lies of P
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
