Lies of P is set to grace the Soulslike community soon, and with it comes a unique twist. Dark horror fantasy settings are nothing new to a genre defined by Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring, with games like Remnant, Nioh, and more putting their own touches on the genre. But, a Soulslike game based on a fairy tale, even going back to the dark origins of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, is something original indeed.
To complement this, of course, is a strong cast of characters players will encounter in Lies of P. Recently, Game ZXC spoke to several devs on the Neowiz team, with lead world designer Byungsoo Kwon giving a quicker briefer on the characters players can meet and their overarching roles in Lies of P. As director Jiwon Choi would also explain, the overarching goal for each character was "to forge an alternative and distinct arc from the original narrative. We aspired to present unpredictable narratives and tales of characters throughout the gameplay."
Lies of P: Pinocchio, the Player Character
Of course, players will be meeting these characters as Pinocchio. Awakened from some form of slumber, Pinocchio sets out for the Hotel Krat and gets tasked with finding Geppetto, his maker, as many fans have experienced in the Lies of P demo. Players and the various characters find Krat turned into a nightmarish city overrun by puppets, where in this alternate timeline akin to the Belle Epoque period, puppets were a massive, life-changing industry. The puppets were subject to the Grand Covenant, a set of four rules that dictated their role in the city: Obey all commands by creators, never harm creators, protect and serve humanity and Krat, and never lie. However, Geppetto made Pinocchio special, allowing Pinocchio to break that fourth rule.
Of course, fans will have to see how that manifests in Lies of P's story while exploring Krat, a city of many secrets. In exploring Krat, players find themselves up against monstrous puppets, untrustworthy would-be allies, and a dark secret behind the puppet attack. Now, should Pinocchio wish to become a real man, just as it goes in the old story, players will need to carefully weigh how they tell the truth or how they lie, who they trust and who they don't, in Lies of P.
Lies of P: Mr. Geppetto, the Master Puppet Maker
"You're special, son," Mr. Geppetto will tell players after they pull off his rescue, with Geppetto then giving players a mission to end the tragic events of Krat. The relationship between Geppetto and Pinocchio is likely to be similar to that of Collodi's work, but that doesn't mean fans should trust him explicitly. Someone who points a figure of mistrust at anyone else sees several fingers point back, yet the flipside of that is he is the creator and father of Pinocchio. He also played a major role in the puppet industry and the golden age of Krat, believing his creation in P would be able to save the city when he could not. Of course, fans will just need to see how this father-son narrative unfolds come Lies of P's full release.
Geppetto is a master puppet maker and stands at the pinnacle of Krat with his exceptional skills in puppetry. He seeks the aid of the protagonist to resolve the dire situation in Krat.
Lies of P: Sophia, the Conscience of P
Lies of P adapts several elements of the original tale, as seen with Pinocchio and Geppetto, and even the Talking Cricket (known as Jiminy in the Disney adaptation) appears in the form of Gemini (pronounced Jiminy). Gemini is a source of light and instruction for the player, but still, that role is secondary to Sophia. Her equivalent in The Adventures of Pinocchio is the Blue Fairy, fitting for Sophia's character design. Just like her children's story counterpart, Sophia has an important relationship with Pinocchio.
Sophia is a mysterious figure at Hotel Krat. She knows how to harness the power of the Ergo and is the source of emotional support for the protagonist.
She acts as a conscience for P, a guiding light, and a (hopefully) trustworthy advisor. She is the one to awaken P, after all, and guides him to the Hotel Krat, but there's still more in store for her relationship with P.
Sophia is a pillar of support for the protagonist through his mission in the city of Krat. Through the missions, the protagonist will build a trusting relationship with her, which leads her to share more stories of herself with the protagonist.
Lies of P: Venigni, a Genius of Technology
There's still a lot unknown about Venigni and his role in the Soulslike game, save he is another genius on the level of Geppetto. He is also burned with the gift of gab as well, making the eccentric genius one of many interesting characters players will encounter.
Venigni is Krat's eminent savant and well-known genius across a diverse spectrum of technologies. His talkative nature is sometimes found problematic, but he also holds a virtuous side.
If Venigni has a storybook counterpart, it's not immediately clear. It could be the character is a reference to Collodi's Mangiafuoco, a character from the original tale who is in charge of the Great Marionette Theatre, which could draw comparisons to the Venigni Works puppet production factory. It could also or otherwise be a reference to the 2002 Italian adaptation of Pinocchio, filmed, co-written, and directed by Roberto Benigni (who also played Pinocchio) since their names are only one letter off.
Lies of P: Eugenie, An Outsider
Eugenie is an outsider who came from a distant country to the East of Krat. She is also an exceptional artisan of weaponry.
Players will first meet Eugenie in Hotel Krat's workshop, where players will receive Lies of P's first real Legion Arm and then be able to upgrade weapons and alter handles afterward. Of course, the Legion Arm and her bigger role as the weapon upgrade vendor represent how exceptional Eugenie truly is, with the Legion Arm providing P with a plethora of new combat abilities.
The Legion Arm consumes its own special MP-like resource and allows Lies of P players to get really experimental with their builds. She provides one of the first ones, but the confirmed Legion Arms thus far include, but are not limited to, the Iron Fist (the basic arm), Fulminis (an electrical charge), Puppet String (a wire to pull enemies or move toward them), Falcon Eyes (a drill cannon), and Flamberge (can burn enemies).
Beyond that, it's not yet really known if Eugenie's function is entirely mechanical like this. It could be, but she has a pretty clear-cut counterpart in The Adventures of Pinocchio. Eugenio, there, was a classmate and friend of Pinocchio.
Lies of P: Antonia, Owner of the Hotel Krat
Antonia is an owner of the Hotel Krat and suffers from Petrification Disease. Even in such a dire situation, she manages to remain herself as a lady with an unwavering mind and keen perception.
Antonia's regal nature, generosity, and observation skills ensure she is a vital ally in Lies of P. She is also an old friend of Geppetto, while the game suggests she is keen on every secret in the city of Krat. She might have answers to many of its mysteries, but her Petrification Disease limits her while her nature as a lady ensures she's just aloof enough to keep players at arm's length.
Interestingly, her connection to P may be deeper than some players realize (though this is just speculation). She is likely loosely based on the character Master Antonio, who finds a piece of wood that he intends to make into a table leg in The Adventures of Pinocchio. However, he gives it to Geppetto when he discovers the wood is sentient to some degree, and from that wood Geppetoo makes Pinocchio. As such, it would not be a stretch to imagine that Antonia is somehow involved in, or at least aware of, P's creation, but fans will just have to wait and see if that's the case.
Characters and Secrets in Lies of P
While many Lies of P fans are eager to delve into the game and check out these characters, it's worth noting that this is not all of them. A game needs its secrets before release, after all. Kwon said there were numerous other characters beyond these who would also influence the narrative in some way, but that's for players to discover. It's a situation where Soulslike fans may come for Lies of P's combat, while others will want to see how the narrative was adapted, and both might just have the staying power to keep players around, long after Lies of P's credits roll.
Besides Geppetto and Sophia, it is essential to note that the player's choice of answers can have a large (or small) impact on the narrative of Lies of P and its characters. You might unearth their narratives, prompt requests for assistance, and foster relationships with them
Lies of P launches on September 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.