Carlo Collodi’s beloved novel is about to get its personal online game adaptation, although it’s not fairly what you may count on. As an alternative of a touching story centered round a wood puppet wishing he was an actual boy, the core narrative has been contorted right into a twisted Souls-like, titled Lies of P, the place ol’ Pinocchio has to beat a murderous dictatorship.
Developed by South Korean outfit Round8, Lies of P would be the studio’s follow-up to 2019’s open-world free-to-play on-line RPG, Bless Unleashed, and is ready to launch on Sept. 19, 2023. In case you’re in pursuit of one thing reduce from the identical Souls-like material, then listed here are ten video games like Lies of P in the event you’re searching for one thing comparable. Let’s get straight into it!
Ashen
We’re not speaking about that garbage FPS on the N-Gage. (Further factors in the event you do not forget that recreation!) Nope, as a substitute we’re setting our crosshairs on A44’s bleak and gloomy lo-fi action-RPG that plonks gamers in the midst of a desolate world jam-packed with shadowy monsters which can be hellbent on plunging the land into an eternal, sunless world.
Whereas the title options no conventional dialogue per se, the fantasy lore is extremely deep and evokes poetic and wordless on-line experiences like ThatGameCompany’s Journey. In your journey, not solely will you stumble upon different on-line gamers, however you’ll additionally have the ability to work along with them, and develop camaraderie together with your companions. Mix this with acquainted Soulsborne techniques, like an evolving hub space, open world exploration, grinding and leveling, and you’ve got an underrated Souls expertise that feels quite a bit like Lies of P that will’ve flown below your radar.
Mortal Shell
Talking of Souls-like video games that will’ve flown below your radar, a low-budget title from Washington-based outfit Chilly Symmetry desires to introduce itself and get in on the Lies of P motion. Certainly, this providing is so tonally in step with its inspiration that in the event you glanced at a Darkish Souls and Mortal Shell screenshot aspect by aspect, you’d doubtless be hard-pressed making an attempt to tell apart one from the opposite.
Nonetheless, whereas it cribs liberally from FromSoftware’s signature model of risk-and-reward gameplay, it does carry just a few neat concepts to the blood-splattered desk. Specifically, from the off, all gamers are given a useful manoeuver often known as Hardening. This turns your playable character to stone mid-swing, enabling you to tank a success from an opponent and offer you a cheeky opening for a free strike. Speak about two birds, one stone, amirite?
Lords of the Fallen
Whether or not it’s the 2014 authentic or its upcoming 2023 successor, frankly, both works for us as each are mechanically in tune with Lies of P. Naturally, whereas the OG title is a recognized amount, we’ve acquired a hunch that its fast-approaching follow-up will likely be even higher. Regardless of some naysayers who weren’t too taken with Deck 13’s first providing, I simply wish to go on report and admit, effectively… I used to be fairly enamored with it.
Personally, I at all times thought-about Lords of the Fallen to be a enjoyable — albeit barely shallow — tackle the Soulsborne system. Granted, it doesn’t actually strive something notably new, versus, say, the aforementioned Mortal Shell. But it surely’s a stable and capably crafted action-RPG that’ll undoubtedly satiate that Lies of P itch.
The Surge
One other providing from the proficient people over at Deck 13. Certainly, The Surge — and its 2019 sequel — eschews the fantasy backdrop of Lords of the Fallen and swaps it out for extra of a newfangled sci-fi setting. In a dystopian future which sees the inhabitants of earth diminished by 95% as a consequence of self conscious robots and tech gone awry, the brand new hip and funky factor to do is to lop off your individual limbs and weld high-powered buzz saws on as a substitute. I imply, why the heck not, huh?
Certain, regardless of a scarcity of authentic concepts of its personal, it does really feel like a pleasure to play as you grasp your very personal overpowered exoskeleton and stomp your foes to kingdom come. Boasting sluggish and methodical fight mixed with some critically gory finishers, The Surge is an entertaining sci-fi Darkish Souls clone that’ll indulge all these on the market with a penchant for punishment (learn: Lies of P devotees).
Nioh
Getting into the real-life boots of English explorer-cum-samurai warrior, William Adams, Nioh throws gamers headfirst right into a world chock-full with lumbering Yokai beasts, flesh-eating big spiders, and sufficient ghastly apparitions to make the Ghostbusters do a runner.
Set in historical feudal Japan, the way in which the sport blends fiction and historical past is harking back to Lies of P, although its story isn’t the place it shines the brightest. As an alternative, very like its style counterparts, the moment-to-moment motion gameplay is its strongest asset because of an extremely refined free-flowing fight system. Add in just a few welcome tweaks to the Souls system, like Stances and highly effective Dwelling Weapons that are principally summons that spawn highly effective allies into the struggle, and also you’ve acquired your self a reasonably artistic entry into the style. Come for the bonkers historical past lesson, and keep for the hard-as-diamonds but deeply satisfying supernatural scuffles.
Hellpoint
Cradle Video games’ interstellar action-RPG is just about the mirror picture of From Software program’s long-established system, however with one main distinction: it’s set aboard a derelict house station versus a darkish fantasy world. Nonetheless, the grim and gritty tone of its inspiration permeates these celestial hallways in additional methods than one and elicits eerie Lies of P vibes in its monstrous adversaries, taut ambiance, and twisting and turning corridors.
Whereas Hellpoint will not be on the identical S-tier degree as its influences as a consequence of some polish points and a few inconsistent problem spikes, it does function some welcome verticality and platforming within the degree design that’s largely amiss in most trendy action-RPGs of this ilk.
Code Vein
It could sound a bit reductive, however calling Code Vein a Souls-like expertise with an anime art-style isn’t too far off the mark. Sure, Bandai Namco Studios’ tough-as-nails action-RPG evokes the traditional manga from yesteryear, whereas ploughing the everyday From Software program-inspired furrow.
Occasions happen in a futuristic dystopian model of Earth the place monsters have emerged following a mysterious, society-shattering catastrophe. Drop in some blood-sucking beasties often known as Revenants, who grow to be much more monstrous creatures often known as the Fallen if starved of blood, in addition to a solid of likable characters intent on placing an finish to the turmoil, and also you’re left with a stable grind ’em up with a barely convoluted narrative.
Steelrising
One other title that mixes historical past and fiction successfully — very like the story on the coronary heart of Lies of P — Spiders’ first crack at a Soulsborne-like expertise could also be somewhat tough across the edges, however for what it lacks in polish, it greater than makes up for with its bold and compelling alternate historical past world.
In essence, Steelrising is the results of a butterfly effect-esque variable in our timeline the place the French Revolution was fought by killer machines as a substitute of normal Joes. You assume the function of Aegis, an automaton designed to guard Queen Marie Antoinette as Paris undergoes a lethal civil conflict in opposition to the robotic rebellion. With its alternate historical past setting, automaton enemies, and Souls-like gameplay construction, it is a actually nice pull in the event you’re trying to whet your whistle earlier than Lies of P drops later this yr.
Darkish Souls
Launching at a time when beating AAA video games felt like taking pictures zombies in a barrel, Dark Souls stormed onto the scene, flipped the script and reminded us what we’d all been lacking: Exacting, methodical, difficult fight that’s oh so rewarding when you’d lastly put that overgrown monstrosity six toes below.
Harking back to the old-school video games of yore, it’s a thoughtfully designed expertise that boasts a marvellously grotesque bestiary, an intricate maze-like interconnecting world, and among the most rewarding heart-in-mouth gameplay within the enterprise.
Sure, it’s no secret that Lies of P is impressed mechanically and thematically by From Software program’s beloved traditional, however there’s truly one different title by the identical developer that’s even nearer in DNA than this one, and it’s undoubtedly… *drum roll*
Bloodborne
Simply the most important affect over Lies of P must be From Software‘s esteemed PS4 unique, Bloodborne. From its Victorian period setting replete with shadowy gothic structure to its fluid, free-flowing fight to its smorgasbord of horrifying bosses hellbent on seeing you pushing up the digital daisies, it’s clear that Round8 Studio has its artistic crosshairs set on Sony’s acclaimed IP.
And, why the hell not? I imply, I can’t be the one one who remains to be ready patiently and restlessly twiddling their thumbs for the announcement of a sure sequel, proper? Effectively, with that Bloodborne 2-shaped gap in our hearts, it’s very a lot a wise transfer from the South Korean outfit to capitalize on our unfulfilled needs. And that’s one of many many causes Lies of P is one in every of my most eagerly anticipated video games of the yr.
Within the meantime, what say you? Are there any titles like Lies of P that we missed? Are there any on the listing that you simply’re notably smitten with? Pontificate within the traditional place down beneath to tell us!
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