Highlights
- Lies of P is a unique and haunting adaptation of Pinocchio that twists the original story into a dark and mysterious survival tale set in the city of Krat.
- The game stays faithful to many of the darker elements from Collodi's original story, incorporating them into the environmental storytelling and creating unique twists on lesser-known characters.
WARNING: Major Lies of P Spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk.Lies of P adapts Carlo Collodi's classic story The Adventures of Pinocchio into a dark and mysterious tale of survival in the fictional city of Krat. Since the title's announcement, fans have questioned how faithful Lies of P would be to the original story. With the title's official release earlier this week, their questions have been answered. While the two share similar characters, events, and settings, Lies of P twists Collodi's original tale into one of the most unique and haunting portrayals of Pinocchio ever produced.
Lies of P places fans into the role of the titular P, the puppet creation and surrogate "son" of a powerful alchemist named Geppetto. However, lies take their toll on P, slowly transforming him into something altogether different. Whether P, Geppetto, and the residents of Krat live happily ever after is up to the players to decide, and in Lies of P decisions often have unexpected consequences.
Lies of P Doubles Down on The Darker Elements of Collodi's Original Story
While many fans are familiar with the story of Pinocchio, it is fair to assume that most are not so familiar with Collodi's original tale. Unlike its most modern iterations, The Adventures of Pinocchio was host to a myriad of dark concepts and cautionary messages. In crafting Lies of P, Neowiz takes many of those darker elements and inserts them into environmental storytelling. Likewise, the characters that P encounters on his journey to save Krat reference many of the perils the puppet faces in Collodi's darker tale.
In Lies of P, Geppetto created P with humanity's gift of lies, making him unlike any other puppet in the world. Geppetto charges P with the task of ridding Krat of its puppet problem. Along the way, P encounters obvious parallels, like Gemini, a robotic take on Jiminy Cricket, and Sophia, a blue fairy-like puppet. However, Lies of P's true strength is in adapting and twisting the lesser-known elements of Collodi's story.
Throughout Lies of P's main narrative, P encounters a host of lesser-known figures, like the Fox, Cat, and the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, who offer a unique twist on their original counterparts. In the original story, a fox and rabbit deceive Pinocchio, steal his money, and hang him from a tree. On his deathbed, Pinocchio is approached by Black Rabbits carrying a coffin, an event that scares him into pursuing his recovery.
Lies of P's Red Fox and Black Cat are encountered on multiple occasions, but when approaching the lair of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, they offer their assistance. Should P accept, they will deceive him and leave P to die at the Rabbits' hands. Mirroring the story, the Black Rabbits' introductory cutscene shows them approaching the battlefield with a coffin labeled "Liar" before placing it at the arena's center and attacking.
Lies of P Greatest Twist Occurs When Following the Truthful Route
Many Lies of P players are sure to follow the "all truth" path on their first playthrough, as their understanding of the fairy tale is derived from the lighthearted Disney animation. However, Lies of P's darkest twist is saved for those who do. Should players be truthful and unlock the "Real Boy" ending, they will have a front-row seat to just how dark the title's take on Collodi's story can become.
Faced with his own demise, P can offer his heart to Geppetto, so that the alchemist can revive his true son, Carlo. If players give Geppetto P's heart, a brief time jump occurs, after which Geppetto is seen waiting outside the Hotel Krat. He turns and smiles as a revived Carlo emerges from the Hotel, before praising his son's good deeds and proclaiming that their family is finally complete. As the camera pans out, it is revealed that Carlo has massacred all survivors, including all of P's allies within Hotel Krat, before the two leave the city behind
Lies of P is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
