Lies of P’s upcoming DLC, Overture, marks a significant shift in the game's design philosophy by introducing difficulty options for the first time. As a hardcore "Soulslike" title, Lies of P has long been known for its punishing gameplay—a feature that can be both thrilling and frustrating, depending on your skill level. While this challenge is part of the genre’s appeal to many, it also risks alienating players who may be drawn to the game’s haunting atmosphere and narrative depth but struggle with its intense combat.
When Lies of P originally launched, director Jiwon Choi stated that the team at Neowiz didn’t believe Soulslike games should offer difficulty settings, sticking firmly to the genre’s traditional roots. However, after listening closely to player feedback, the studio has since changed course. This decision, made clear through the inclusion of difficulty adjustments in the new DLC, reflects a broader effort to make the experience more accessible without compromising its core identity.
As Choi explained to VGC, “We wanted to make sure a wider audience of players could play the game. We have a lot of feedback from customers, and from our developers. So by making development adjustments and introducing these difficulty options, we can offer the experience to different types of players. This broadens the base.”
This move has sparked lively debate among the community. Some players applaud the change as a necessary step toward inclusivity. One player shared: “I would imagine it's a lot easier to say that you don't want to change the difficulty than to be inundated with negative reviews over it and have it constantly be brought up during discussions of your game and not have any urge to change it so a broader audience can enjoy what you made.”
Another user offered a heartfelt perspective: “I got into gaming around the age of 24. I'm using the easier difficulty settings because, as much as I love Lies of P, I have a major skill issue, and that's okay. I just thought it would be nice hearing why someone would reasonably want the difficulty settings. I never got to own any systems when I was a kid, so now I can as a working adult who doesn't have 10+ years of skills.”
A third chimed in: “Souls elitists don't want difficulty because they like bragging about their video game achievements. I'm glad Lies of P is not servicing them.”
Still, not everyone supports the change. On Steam discussion forums and across social media, some players have voiced disappointment. One wrote: “Was interested in playing, but after all the nerfs and adding difficulty levels, I lost interest. Game devs, please stop catering to babies.” Interestingly, most replies to that thread disagreed with the sentiment, showing a strong majority in favor of accessibility improvements.
Another critical voice lamented: “You had a masterpiece on your hands Neowitz, and you turned it into laughing stock. For shame.” Meanwhile, a separate thread titled “Difficulty settings = Not playing” sits alongside comments like “difficulty is just ridiculous,” highlighting the ongoing divide.
Lies of P: Overture Screenshots
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Lies of P reimagines the classic Pinocchio tale with a dark, mature tone, blending it into an intense action-adventure framework reminiscent of the Soulslike genre. The upcoming Overture DLC expands the world significantly, introducing new locations, enemies, bosses, characters, and weapons. It also brings Death March, a new mode where players can take on the game’s toughest bosses again in a fresh challenge format.
For experienced players, the DLC will take approximately 15–20 hours to complete and becomes available after reaching a specific chapter in the main game. In addition to this expansion, Neowiz has already confirmed a full sequel, continuing the journey of this evolving franchise.
Our review of Lies of P praised its execution within the genre, [ttpp]awarding it 8/10[/ttpp], noting: “Lies of P might not branch out particularly far from its Soulslike inspiration, but it plays the part extremely well.”
