Latest news with #LiesofP:Overture
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Lies of P: Overture is a massive expansion for one of my favorite PS5 games — and it's absolutely brutal
2023 was considered a pretty phenomenal year for video games. The likes of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Resident Evil 4 remake, Baldur's Gate 3 and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 all duked it out for the majority of GOTY awards (Spidey ultimately won ours). While I thoroughly enjoyed all of those titles, my personal pick for the best game of the year was Lies of P. And after all this time, I stand by it. This action-Souls-like shamelessly cribs from the works of genre-originator FromSoftware, and feels a lot like the Bloodborne sequel we all want, but Sony frustratingly refuses to actually give us (Please, Sony, even a remaster will do). I loved almost every moment of my 60 hours spent with Lies of P across two playthroughs (one on PS5, the other on Steam Deck OLED), and that playtime just increased thanks to its meaty new DLC expansion. Called Lies of P: Overture, it offers you the chance to return to the gothic city of Krat and square off against a new range of tough bosses that will do their very best to cut you down. In a nutshell, Overture is more of the brilliant Lies of P experience I love, but with the difficulty ramped up to 11. Lies of P: Overture: $29 @ PlayStation StoreLies of: Overture is the new DLC expansion for 2023's critically acclaimed action-Soulslike Lies of P. Adding around 15 hours of new content, you explore a past version of the city of Krat, and take on very challenging bosses. To help you fight back against the numerous tricky foes, you get access to a suite of new weapons and powerful abilities. Additional platforms: $29 @ Steam | $29 @ Xbox Store In Lies of P: Overture, you once again play as Geppetto's deadly puppet and are tasked with exploring the nightmare city of Krat. The wrinkle is that this time, you've stepped into the past to experience the striking location before the events of the base game. But it's certainly no more welcoming in this period. The Puppet Frenzy massacre, the aftermath of which you encounter in the base game, is currently ongoing, dropping you into the thick of a city in complete turmoil with chaotic scenes of violence and blue blood all around. So, where do you go first? The Zoo, of course. Overture's opening takes you to Krat Zoo, and it might just be my favorite level in all of Lies of P. Fighting back against deformed animals from aggressive ages, to a truly twisted type of kangaroo, sees the body-horror, which was already a strong theme in Lies of P, ramped up to new grotesque levels. And the first major boss fight, an oversized crocodile, is an absolutely doozy. Later DLC locations like an underground facility and a cavernous mine are less visually dynamic, but the final two of Overture's five chapters do occur in more visually distinctive settings (which I won't spoil here). So, the DLC starts and ends strong, with a slightly mundane middle. The core game's fast-paced combat is maintained, which is a very good thing, because outside of the works of FromSoftware, Lies of P offers the best Soulslike gameplay I've ever played. Though, for the record, I still suck at parrying, so the dodge button remains my best friend. Perhaps the DLC's biggest addition is its numerous lore implications and revelations. I'm far from a Lies of P scholar, but I was constantly finding hidden notes that had me rethinking what I thought I knew about the Lies of P universe and the characters within it. If you enjoyed the well-told story of the base game, you're going to love what you learn here. Alongside the new levels to explore, there's also a bunch of useful new weapons to pick up, new gear to wear and powerful legion arms, including my personal favorite, which lets you shoot spinning sawblades from your wrist. Adding around 10-15 hours of new content, Lies of P: Overture is solid value for money at its $29 price. But fair warning, prepare for a tough time. If I have one substantial criticism of Lies of P: Overture, it's that developer Neowiz has gone a little too far in its efforts to make this DLC the hardest content in the game to date. As part of the Soulslike subgenre, Lies of P was always a tough game by design. And that's part of the reason I loved it so much. Few feelings are better in gaming than slaying a testing boss after dozens of attempts. And some of the base game bosses rank as my favorite ever in the genre. In fact, it's not Overture's bosses where the overtuned difficulty can be felt. Aside from one late-game dud, these named DLC combatants are mostly brilliant. The last boss in particular gives Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree a run for its money. Finally bringing them down had me leaping from my chair in satisfaction after they had torn my face off for almost an hour. The problem arises in the various open spaces, corridors and choke points between bosses. Regular enemy mobs have had their health pools and damage-dealing abilities seriously beefed up, and even my max-level weapons often felt like merely smacking a raging puppet with a pool noodle. Overture also appears to have taken cues from the divisive Dark Souls 2, as not only are standard enemies extremely overpowered, they're also thrown at you in sometimes ludicrous quantities. I'm taking crammed rooms that contain an enemy count in the double digits. This leads to numerous sections that are a complete slog to play as you regularly find yourself swarmed by enemies that can send you to an early grave in just a few hits, and that take a practically silly amount of damage to be defeated. These moments see Lies of P: Overture fall on the wrong side of the fine line between frustration and fun. To somewhat counteract this issue, Lies of P: Overture's launch has coincided with a major free upgrade that adds two new difficulty options to the game. One is marked as essentially easy, the other very easy. Of course, for dedicated Souls players, dropping the difficulty is antithetical to why the genre appeals; the struggle is supposed to be part of the experience. I should warn any new players hoping these new difficulty settings might allow them to breeze through the game, and enjoy the excellent world-building and rich lore, even on the simplest setting, Lies of P: Overture still puts up a real fight. You will need some skill, whatever level you play on. Overall, Lies of P: Overture has given me the perfect excuse to return to one of my favorite games of this current gaming generation. It's a largely well-crafted expansion with some intriguing new locations to explore, and some tough but tantalizing new bosses to overcome. I just wish the supposedly "regular" enemies didn't always hit with the force of a turbocharged monster truck. However, after rolling credits on Overture, my itch for more Lies of P remains burning, which is perhaps its biggest accomplishment. I was already desperate for the already-confirmed full sequel, and after experiencing Lies of P: Overture, that wait is going to feel just a little bit longer.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
All difficulty options explained in Lies of P Overture DLC
Image via NEOWIZ Lies of P: Overture is a fresh challenge, and now, for the first time, it's your choice how brutal that challenge should be. With the new Overture DLC, developer Neowiz finally adds long-requested difficulty settings, letting players tailor their experience based on how much pain (or mercy) they want from this twisted, Pinocchio-inspired soulslike. Whether you're a hardcore dodger or someone just here for the eerie narrative, this guide breaks down all the difficulty modes and how to switch between them. Every Difficulty Mode in Lies of P: Overture With the DLC update, Lies of P now offers three difficulty settings, impacting both the base game and the new Overture content. Each one changes how enemies behave, how much damage you deal and receive, and how demanding the combat feels. Lies of P - Select Difficulty (Explanation) Butterfly's Guidance, Awakened Puppet, Legendary Stalker 1. Butterfly's Guidance (Very Easy) Ideal for players more interested in the story than the struggle. Combat is toned down heavily here. It is like "cinematic mode" for soulslike skeptics. You'll breeze through battles with minimal effort, perfect for first-timers or those just soaking up the atmosphere. For you if: You want to watch the story unfold, not wrestle with every enemy encounter. 2. Awakened Puppet (Easy) This mode hits a nice middle ground. Combat still matters, but enemies are more forgiving, and parry windows are a bit more generous. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรด CFDs ด้วยเทคโนโลยีเทรดสุดล้ำ และ รวดเร็วกว่า IC Markets สมัคร Undo You'll die less, rage less, and still get that classic Lies of P feel, just without the blood pressure spike. For you if: You want to fight, but not fight for your life every 30 seconds. 3. Legendary Stalker (Standard) This is the original difficulty from the base game—no hand-holding, no mercy. Perfect blocks, brutal bosses, and high tension define this setting. It's where the game was meant to be played, and the mode most soulslike veterans will likely stick to. For you if: You live for the grind and the glory. Lies of P | How To Change Difficulty How to Change Difficulty in Lies of P? You can choose your difficulty when you start a new game, but the real win here is flexibility. Jump into the Gameplay settings at any time to switch modes. No restarts. No loss of progress. Just instant adjustment based on your mood or frustration level. Boss Rush Difficulty – A Different Beast The Boss Rush mode, introduced in the Overture DLC, has its own twist: it uses levels 1–5 instead of the named difficulties. Levels 1–3 match up with Butterfly's Guidance through Legendary Stalker. Levels 4–5 are locked at first but offer extreme, unforgiving challenges for the brave (or reckless). Beat Level 3 to unlock the rest. What's the Best Difficulty for You? If you're new to Lies of P , don't let pride ruin your playthrough. Start with Awakened Puppet or Butterfly's Guidance to learn the ropes, then move up when you're ready. The core experience remains intact - creepy world, tight combat, and haunting boss battles, but just at your pace.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How to beat the Anguished Guardian of the Ruins in Lies of P Overture: Complete guide
(Image via Neowiz) To face Anguished Guardian of the Ruins in Lies of P: Overture is like battling the erratic and furious dragon. It is one of the toughest boss fights, where the erratic enemy hits harder. The fight here demands more than just quick reflexes. It also needs to use the right strategy, smart prep, and understanding the chaotic move-set of the boss to take him down. Here is how you can topple the titan and get the victory you need. How to prepare for a fight against Anguished Guardian of the Ruins? Forget about the brute forces working alone. The Guardian harbors a critical weakness—fire. So, make Flamberge Legion Arm your priority. Pair it with the main weapon that deals with solid fire damage and complements your build's stats. Do not waste the precious slots. Equip the amulets that boost fire damage or even enhance the effectiveness of the chosen gear. Pro tip : Salamander Dagger, a fire-based weapon, will help during the fight. Pack Legion Magazines to recharge Flamberge in the middle of the fight. If you are bringing the Spectre (summon if you are struggling), grab the Cube that heals it. Your Phantom ally can ease the pressure but would need your support during a long fight. Further, stay mobile and avoid the use of heavy armor. The boss demands a quicker reaction. So, give priority to dodging over blocking unless, otherwise, you are confident in the perfect guards. How to defeat Anguished Guardian of the Ruins in Lies of P Overture ? In order to defeat the Anguished Guardian of the Ruins in Lies of P, there are two important phases to complete. Follow the below-mentioned to complete it with ease. HOW TO BEAT Anguished Guardian Of The Ruins Boss EASY GUIDE | Lies Of P Overture Stay close to the Guardian and exploit its weaknesses From the start, try to get close to the beast. It's a counter-intuitive move but is crucial. The Guardian has 2 weak points—Claws and Head. Stay close to the body and avoid wide swings. The red-glowing body slam of the Guardian is quite dangerous, but it can be parried. So, master it for staggering it. Note: Damaging the claw of the beast can cause valuable staggers. Initially, forget about fancy parries. Give priority to dodging the wild swipes and then repositioning. The movements of the Guardians are unpredictable. To perfectly time the block can create a huge opening for heavy retaliation when the beast crashes down, completely stunned. The skill is non-negotiable for consistent success. When it staggers, unleash Flamberge on the head of the Guardian or his claws for massive damage. If you are positioned well, you can hit both the weak spots of the Guardian simultaneously. Just make sure to keep the pressure up to the point that can push it to Phase 2 quickly. Watch out for the Anguished Guardian's laser In Phase 2, ensure to watch for mouth lasers. The Guardian gains the deadly laser attack. It can telegraph it, tilting its head. Here, left or right means horizontal beam, and the straight tilt would mean frontal blast. For the horizontal lasers, stay near The Guardian's right claw. For vertical beams, ensure they stick next to the Guardian. Be sure to block the red slam rightly for the staggers. For the frontal beams, on the other hand, keep a distance. Also, always lock onto the claw for maximized damage while trying to avoid the beam. To keep parrying the Guardian's body slam will help. It will be the best opening. When the beast falls, unleash Flamberge on the vulnerable points. If you get caught in the sword-slam AoE, block for minimized damage and to heal instantly. For the rest, remain relentless and exploit all staggers and lasers opening to shatter the Anguished Guardian.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Is Lies of P available on Xbox Game Pass in 2025?
Lies of P was one of the most talked-about games in 2023. It dropped on Xbox Game Pass on day one, letting fans explore a twisted version of the Pinocchio story in soulslike fashion. But things have changed since then. If you're wondering whether the game is still on Xbox Game Pass, the answer is no. Microsoft removed Lies of P from the service on March 15, 2025. That means players who did not buy the game before that date can no longer access it through the subscription. The removal came just as developer Neowiz teased fresh content with its first major DLC drop. What is Lies of P: Overture DLC about? Director Ji Won Choi has an important message about Lies of P: Overture. The new DLC titled Lies of P: Overture officially launched on June 7, 2025. It was first revealed earlier this year at the PlayStation State of Play event. The DLC explores the final days of Krat, the fictional city where the game takes place. With new areas, fresh weapons, and eight intense boss battles, the DLC offers around nine hours of new gameplay. In Overture, you once again play as P, the deadly puppet created by Geppetto. The game stays true to its dark tone and difficult combat. Though it is not part of Xbox Game Pass anymore, many players feel it's worth buying if you're into deep storytelling and challenging gameplay. Should you still play Lies of P? Even without Game Pass access, Lies of P remains a solid title for fans of the genre. Whether you want to dive into the main story or try out the new Overture DLC, the game is available for purchase across platforms. If you missed it when it launched, now might be the right time to give it a shot.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Going Hands-On With Lies of P: Overture—Your Springs Are Reacting
When I first saw the announcement trailer for Lies of P: Overture, is was met with mixed emotions. Initially, I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the add-on I was hoping for—if you got the 'Rise of P' secret ending, then you know what I'm talking about. But of course, I was more than happy for more Lies of P content in any way, shape or form, so even base-game DLC is good enough for me. I honestly didn't realize how much I loved Lies of P, even after the first time I played it. I had gotten reasonably far into it before I wrote my review for it, but—as is the nature of game criticism—other matters took my attention and I didn't really get back to it. That was until last November when I decided to pick it up again and fell so hard back in love that I finished it in under a week. So I was incredibly fortunate to be invited to LA by Round8 and Neowiz to get an exclusive hands-on first look at Lies of P: Overture. It was a remarkable experience, held at the Paramour Estate—which felt incredibly appropriate to the aesthetic of the game. We were surrounded by antique statues and classic paintings, much like Lies of P and the city of Krat, it felt like we were frozen in a forgotten pocket of time. At the end of the little greeting room sat a vintage puppet, dressed in P's new winter attire, who was brought to life by a puppeteer—which felt a little against the spirit of the character, but hey, this is real life—and they even recreated a Trinity Room, although I would've loved to have had to solve one of the King of Riddle's brain-teasers to get into it. As we snacked on charcuterie and sipped cocktails, Herman Li took the stage to perform 'Quixotic' and 'Feel' in a shred-metal way that only he could. It really was an unbelievable event that Round8 and Zebra Partners really put a lot of love and care into, in order to capture the spirit and soul of Lies of P. But once the sun set and the libations were consumed, it was time to step back into the city of Krat. The demo itself was split into two parts: a brief introduction to the new story-driven addition and the 'Battle Memories' boss rematch mode. When I asked what goes into the design philosophy behind Lies of P, not just in its gameplay but its story, Game Director Jiwon Choi said, 'First and foremost, we want you to experience the craftsmanship.' And this was certainly present in the demo. As was stated by Choi, the new story DLC integrates into the main story around Chapter 9, rather than acting as a direct sequel or post-game story. 'So, when we developed the base game, there was a huge amount of content that we wanted to fit into the base game. Obviously, there are limitations,' Choi said through his translator. He continued, 'So, once that work was complete, we had the opportunity to build the DLC part of it where you could actually bring in many of those elements and content that we couldn't fit into the base game.' Similar to what was shown in the announcement trailer, the game began with P finding himself in a strange version of Krat, now covered in a blanket of snow and outside the once magnificent Krat Zoo. Gemini informs P that there must be some mistake, as he remembers going to the zoo on a snowy day, before it was reduced to ash and rubble in a great fire—the two have been sent into the past. 'You know, you're well familiar with the Puppet Frenzy, and then how that transpired, and how it transformed creatures or living things…So we want you to be able to kind of guess and imagine how they were before that, and how they are now,' Choi said through his translator. He continued, 'So that you can kind of guess, and that will create sort of an emotional connection for this particular version.' It was only a small taste, but we got to see some incredible new enemies themed around the haunted managerie. Great apes, Kangaroos and hulking Elephants corrupted by Ergo and twisted into malformed monstrosities. What's more, the demo introduced a new status ailment that was thematically connected to the new setting: Freeze, which not only does damage over time, but slows P's movements. Thankfully, we had been given plenty of new weapons to deal with these newfound threats. The primary weapon we were equipped with was an honest-to-goodness Gunblade pulled straight out of Final Fantasy VIII. Outside of just looking cool, the weapon itself had a great degree of balance and versatility despite being a weapon that scales with Motivity. Players can combo into a heavy attack that uses a massive gunshot to blast them back—essentially acting as a dodge. However, players can also follow up with a second heavy where P aims backwards and blasts himself forward into a wide-reaching slash. Some of the other weapons included the bow and arrows shown in the announcement trailer which did take a little getting used to. Despite having a pretty fair range, there was a unique rhythm to attacking that needed to be mastered to keep enemies from closing the distance. One of the more interesting weapons was a massive club with two pinwheels that acted like sawblades. With every swing and dodge, the pinwheels spun faster, allowing for more hits. And despite being a fairly large weapon with a pretty big windup, this weapon scales with Technique, which will certainly make things interesting for more nimble players. And of course, there were P's new Puppet Arms. The first one, aptly named Icarus, allowed P to throw out up to five boomerang-like blades that could be charged and spin in a single spot, dealing massive damage to enemies. The second, named Cataclysm, was an arm-mounted Elephant Gun that P could charge for a devastating blast to blow back enemies or deal immense damage. This was a real risk vs. reward kind of arm since the charge time was pretty substantial, but the trade-off was certainly worth it. The second part of the demo, the aforementioned 'Battle Memories,' gave us a taste of the newest feature coming to Lies of P via an upcoming patch: selectable difficulty. This game looks to be the first of its kind—a Soulslike with difficulty , what a concept. I say this as a joke, but one of the questions that was asked of Choi specifically referenced how certain gamers take umbrage with the idea of difficulty options in Soulslikes, and how Lies of P would approach such a concept. Choi essentially said the reason they're making Lies of P: Overture more accessible is that there are a lot of people who love the game, but don't really enjoy it because of the difficulty, saying, 'So, I felt really bad about that. On the other hand, we do a lot of tests with the developers, but there are people who can't do it because of their skills, so we adjust the balance and do tests.' As to how difficult options would affect the game, Choi's answer was interesting, without giving too much away, saying, 'For that very purpose, actually…we kind of hid the overall kind of elements of that so that you don't immediately see the details of the difficulty.' He continued, 'It's not just simply higher HP or difficulty. We wanted to make sure with the variety of different play styles, the different characters, you enjoy the game in different ways.' What these changes may or may not be, I honestly couldn't say at this time. When I sat down to attempt the three new bosses that were made available to us for the demo, out of the five selectable difficulties, I played them on Difficulty Three—being the Hardcore Gamer™ that I am. My interest wasn't so much in the raw difficulty of these bosses, but in their style and substance, and they definitely didn't disappoint. Ranging from a quick and nimble Alchemist whose weapon was an angelic puppet tethered to her by a string of light, a hulking behemoth with a club made of bones who would enter an enraged state with expanded movesets and much more aggressive attack timing, and lastly a goliath monster that was a twisted amalgam of a human using both weapons and its colossal size to deal devastating damage. While the bosses in the Lies of P main game leaned more towards robotic enemies that were thematically appropriate for the story and setting, this small glimpse at some of the new opponents not only felt appropriate for the DLC but showcased a lot of the creativity and capacity that the creators have for this game. 'I focused a lot on expressing the romantic memories that we have from the main episode in a completely different way,' Choi said. While the demo was as brief as the trip itself, Lies of P: Overture looks to be as sizable and resonant as the main game itself. The love and care the team put into crafting both an in-person and gameplay experience shows just how meaningful this game is to them, and how much they want a wide variety of gamers to experience its beautiful and brutal world. Lies of P: Overture is set to release in the Summer of 2025.
