Lies of P is the latest addition to the long line of Souls-like games. South Korean developer Neowiz shared a new trailer for the game at Gamescom 2022 which showcased its gothic Victorian setting and Pinocchio-inspired story.
One thing we couldn’t help but notice is how similar it is to FromSoftware’s smash-hit, Bloodborne. The environment, setting, and the art-style as well look heavily inspired by From's Lovecraftian action RPG. Its game director has now gone ahead and addressed these comparisons.
In a statement provided to Gamereactor (via Gamesradar), Lies of P’s game director, Choi Ji-Won, welcomed these comparisons. He mentioned that he is a very big fan of Bloodborne himself: “I'm feeling so honored that my art is being mentioned together with the name of Bloodborne. So I am very honored".
However, Ji-Won has mentioned before that the game’s likeness to Bloodborne was not intentional. In a statement provided to Kotaku in December 2021, he explained, “Though we’re greatly honored that many players felt the ‘Bloodborne vibe’ through our trailer release, it definitely wasn’t intentional”. He continued by saying, “Still, Bloodborne and other Souls-like titles are certainly inspirational, and almost everyone in our team is a hardcore Souls-like fan.”
Ji-Won has also explained the rationale behind choosing Pinocchio’s story for the game. He mentioned that since it was the studio’s first Souls-like game, it had to be a well-known story with an established fanbase. Speaking of choosing Pinocchio, he said, “But also, when you think about Pinocchio, people will think about Disney, but Disney made Pinocchio a little childish, but actually if you look at the original Pinocchio story, it's pretty dark and for adults”.
In our preview for Lies of P, we mentioned that it gives a steampunk and teslapunk vibe. We also noted that the game, while being compared to Bloodborne, isn’t quite as genre-defining as the PlayStation exclusive was back in 2015. Nevertheless, for those desperate to see Bloodborne 2 or a remaster, this is one to look out for.