Lies of P: Overture Review

Lies of P: Overture, the first major DLC expansion to 2023's critically acclaimed souls-like Lies of P, emerges as a somber prelude set in the mechanical and morally twisted city of Krat. This scary prequel, developed by Neowiz, doesn't try to change the harsh gameplay or sad story of the main game. Instead, Lies of P: Overture adds to the story by adding new horrifying boss fights and an art style that moves between being beautiful and crazy.

As a continuation of the Belle Époque-inspired world and a twisted take on The Adventures of Pinocchio, the DLC blends lore expansion with refined set-pieces and new challenges, all while staying true to its roots. With approximately 15 hours of new content, Lies of P: Overture offers a compelling, often terrifying reason to return to Krat—whether as a seasoned puppet or a newly awakened one.

The story of Lies of P: Overture unfolds with bleak elegance. Through a mysterious twist of fate and time, the protagonist—a lifelike puppet created by Geppetto—is transported to Krat's final days before the collapse brought on by the Puppet Frenzy. Joined by Gemini, the ever-present companion, this journey is not one of salvation but revelation.

The DLC delves into the city's mysterious history and sheds light on key events and people who played a role in its fall. It is said that the Legendary Stalker can lead you through memories of fear, betrayal, and delusion. Even though it's a prequel of the original Lies of P, the story relies heavily on what you already know from the main game to make the sad remains of society more meaningful.

Letters, bodies set up in spooky tableaus, and crazy art shows made by the game's main bad guy create a world where every shadow hides sadness. The sad mood reminds me of Hannibal's macabre art, which shows scenes that shock and fascinate at the same time. One of the most evocative aspects of the DLC is its juxtaposition between childlike nostalgia and ruin—snow-covered landscapes evoke wonder before descending into bloodstained madness.

At its core, Lies of P: Overture is faithful to its souls-like history, even though it is designed to be mechanical. Your journey takes you through semi-open stages that are packed with ambushes, opponents who are strategically placed, environmental storytelling, and combat encounters that punish those who are not well prepared.

Overture begins in a wintry wilderness and then moves into bizarre settings such as Krat Zoo and a twisted fairground. Each and every inch of the film is meticulously planned to ensure the highest possible level of tension occurs. The pace is fast, with fewer side quests than in the main game, but the action is more concentrated. I somewhat anticipated this. Those who read notes, discover secrets and brave unseen paths are rewarded for their exploration efforts.

You can test your skills by exploring new alternative locations or participating in new minigames, such as whack-a-mole or shooting galleries at the corrupted fairground. You can also participate in new minigames. The introduction of new modes of transportation in Lies of P: Overture, such as broken bridges or ice sheets covering frozen lakes, adds an additional layer of peril to the movement process and puts not only combat skills but also environmental consciousness to the test.

The fighting in Lies of P: Overture is still as heavy and calculated as it was in the base game. To do this dance well, you have to parry, dodge, and respond in time. Enemies are brutal, and while standard mobs vary from mutated zoo animals to twisted puppets, the true highlights are the bosses.

Mariona, Puppeteer of Death, stands out as a masterclass in dual-attacker design. She fights alongside a marionette, tethered by a glowing cord that signals incoming attacks. These design cues prevent cheap shots while maintaining intensity. Bosses range from behemoth hybrids like crocodile-elephants to agile humanoids who mimic your skillset.

Each encounter brings its own cadence and demands reflexes, pattern recognition, and poise under pressure. Stagger mechanics remain crucial, with visual tells guiding your deflections. The DLC often traps you between grotesque spectacles and tight corridors, turning each encounter into a claustrophobic trial.

What works best in Lies of P: Overture is its refined boss design. Combat remains fair despite the grotesque nature, thanks to visual cues and a smarter difficulty balance than the base game. However, a criticism persists: combat still heavily favors a narrow playstyle.

Like its predecessor, Lies of P: Overture steers you toward a specific parry-heavy, melee-focused approach, giving little room for creativity seen in other RPG-souls-like games. And while enemy variety has improved, certain environments recycle mobs or design cues from the base game. A carnival area feels too familiar to older parade-themed levels, and some mid-level enemies are more tedious than challenging.

XP (Ergo) grinding in Lies of P: Overture remains essential, especially as the DLC spikes difficulty earlier than the base game. With new enemies that hit harder and levels that demand a more strategic approach, upgrading weapons, Legion Arms, and character stats becomes crucial. However, the DLC doesn't require endless grinding.

Balanced progression allows you to reach endgame readiness through natural exploration and boss encounters. New features, such as a separate update tree, give you more options for how to build your characters and let them fine-tune their passive stats. These changes encourage trying new things without making failures feel like a grind.

The appearance of Lies of P: Overture is still very impressive. The color scheme of the downloadable content is deeper, and it is inspired by the Belle Époque period. Krat's outskirts are transformed into a recollection of lost innocence as a result of the snowfall, which provides a calm counterpoint to the underlying misery.

The Krat Zoo, which has been transformed into a playground for a psychopath, is a nightmare that somehow manages to be wonderfully represented, with each animal serving as a living canvas of pain. From a dropkicking kangaroo to an elephant with a crocodile's head, the enemy design is a grim triumph of grotesque imagination.

With its flickering lights and broken rides, the circus paints a scary picture of happiness gone bad. Even boring places like the underground jail are filled with a sense of dread, though they don't have the same unique feel as the zoo or the frozen tundra. Neowiz pays close attention to every detail, so every frame shows mood, stress, or sadness. The appearance of Lies of P: Overture is eerie and stunning, regardless of whether you are playing it in the sun or among the shattered statues.

The music and sound effects in Lies of P: Overture are both extremely creepy because of their combination. With each and every metal clang and puppet cry, there is a powerful sense of completion and closure that this brings about. In addition to the fact that the music does not considerably improve the visuals, it actually makes them more horrifying.

As the game progresses, the ambient sounds get increasingly quiet, and during monster fights, they explode into dissonant crescendos. This is a world that is alive with sound; one can hear the sound of footsteps crunching on snow, chains rattling, and howls wafting from the darkness. This is a world that is alive with sound.

It is the way that Overture makes use of stillness that stands out as one of the most noteworthy characteristics of the piece. It is possible for sounds such as a villain whispering or a distant scream to unnerve you at important junctures in the narrative when there is no music present. This allows the drama to be amplified.

Even the theme music makes you feel sad rather than majestic, which contributes to the terrible conclusion of the story. A number of new enemy sound profiles, such as shrieking apes and snarling crocodile hybrids, contribute to the increased level of excitement in the game. Each location has its distinctive soundscape, which contributes to the impression of depth and dread that is created.

Lies of P: Overture is not a revolution. It doesn't make big changes to the gameplay or the way the story is told. It does, however, make things better. It makes the disaster worse. It shows new, horrible things. With care, cruelty, and clarity, it makes a great base game last longer. Lies of P: Overture is a dark welcome home for soldiers who have been away for months.

If you've already played the base game, the DLC may feel familiar, but it's still worth it because it adds new weapons, tough bosses, and stunning images. The fighting is fierce and well-planned, and the story is both sad and beautiful. Although some zones may not be as creative as others, the experience as a whole is still very good.

The new levels of challenge make it easier for more people to play, and more weapons and game modes, like boss rematches, make it more fun to play again and again. It doesn't change the wheel itself, but it makes sure that every turn is rough and tight. The main idea of Lies of P: Overture is to remember that even dolls remember pain. Some stories are meant to be told again and again.