Lies of P was a much-awaited Soulslike title that launched in September last year. Developed by Round8, the action-RPG draws its inspirations from the very best of the genre, primarily Bloodborne, adapting its iconic gothic aesthetic. The protagonist essentially being Pinocchio adds to its quirkiness.
It’d be foolish to assume, though, that Lies of P is simply apes the games made by the legendary Hidetaka Miyazaki, and doesn’t do anything original. Creative director Jiwon Choi has revealed one key change that sets it apart from other Soulslike games.
Lies Of P Developers Wanted To Deviate From Soulslike Norm
In an interview with Game Rant, Choi spoke about the guard mechanic, which is a feature unique to Lies of P:
In Lies of P, we wanted to offer unique combat experiences to players. To do this, we explored various options across all aspects of combat design, not just in attack but dodge and guard as well.
According to Choi, the developers weren’t interested in simply redoing the Soulslike formula. Their vision for Lies of P centred around a fresh combat experience. This meant rethinking every aspect, from the brutality of attacks to the way you defend yourself. While dodging is still an option, Lies of P introduces a new guard mechanic designed to awaken your inner assailant.
How The Guard Mechanic Works
Souls games feature a familiar dodge-attack routine, but Lies of P‘s distinctive guard mechanic demands a complete shift in combat strategy. Blocking isn’t just hiding behind a shield anymore – it’s a smart way to manage your energy and even fight back. Speaking about the guard mechanic, Choi affirmed:
Guard mechanics are one of the crucial parts that make the Lies of P combat experience distinctive. We wanted the guard to be a proactive option for players, allowing them to use it to overwhelm their enemies or weaken them. Guard regain also follows this idea of providing a more proactive combat experience.
The guard mechanic comes into play when you block an enemy attack with your weapon. The action uses some of your Stamina but reduces incoming damage. But here’s the cool part: that reduced damage doesn’t just vanish. Instead, it gets stored in your Guard Regain meter.
This neat feature lets you restore some health by attacking enemies. It’s basically a trade-off of energy to block, and a restitution of health. It’s important to note that the Guard Regain meter fills up when you block, but slowly depletes over time. Upgrading your P-Organ can slow down this drain, making your blocking strategy even better.
And it doesn’t end there, because Lies of P rewards players with lightning-fast reflexes as well. Perfectly timed blocks of enemy attacks net you a Perfect Guard. This not only blocks all the damage, but also barely uses any Stamina.
Perfect Guards can stop enemy attacks dead in their tracks, stagger them, or even break their weapons. Mastering blocking in Lies of P turns you from someone who just hides behind a shield into a fighter who takes control, using defense to attack and win over bosses.
Thanks to the guard mechanic, any accusations levelled at Lies of P for simply being a Souls knockoff have been effectively dispelled. In a genre where mostly one studio innovates, it’s a breath of fresh air to see an indie newcomer deliver something new.
