Lies of P: Overture Review

Neowiz is back to take the players back in time to experience the events that led to the fall of Krat with the Lies of P: Overture DLC. The Overture DLC is nothing less than the original game, but more. New environment designs, new equipment, weapons, hidden lore for characters, and of course, the bosses and challenges. Moreover, this DLC enlightens the characters of the original game with more background story, allowing players to understand them better. However, since there is nothing drastically changed regarding the core gameplay and combat, there is still so much that this DLC offers. This review of Lies of P: Overture will give you an excellent overview of the DLC without any spoilers.

The Soulslike Games have seemed to grow a lot and build their own fanbase who love challenging combat, cryptic storytelling, and punishing difficulty. There are tons of Soulslike Games out there, but a few of them actually get to deliver the full FromSoftware experience. The most beloved and critically acclaimed Soulslike Game in recent times is Lies of P, which came out in 2023. I absolutely loved the gothic aesthetic that Neowiz created for Lies of P, as it all resembles the beloved Bloodborne. Not only that, but the parry-heavy combat, like Sekiro, made Lies of P a unique experience for all the Soulslike Games lovers.

Story

Lies of P: Overture takes place before the events that led to the fall of Krat. Pinocchio and his companion Gemini will travel just before the infamous Puppet Frenzy via a broken Stargazer. However, it is necessary that players complete Chapter 9 of the original game and travel back to Chapter 5 to find the broken Stargazer. This will initiate the DLC and will put Pinocchio back in time when Krat was untouched by the chaos. From here, P has to track down the Legendary Stalker who is after the Alchemists. The Alchemists’ experiments seem to mainly change the fate of Krat as they release the corrupted animals and experiment with puppets. The story overall is pretty great, requiring players to uncover the roots of the catastrophe and rewrite history to save Krat.

Gameplay

The Gameplay of Lies of P: Overture is the same as the original game, but with a freedom of difficulty options. Unlike the original game, players can change the tendency of the area and enemies that they are facing. You can freely change the difficulty from the settings to make the enemies more or less challenging. By default, the enemies in Overture are far more challenging than the original game. All enemies hit way harder, and bosses can easily kill you if you are not timing the parrying.

The Overture offers more intricate areas with multiple paths. As you explore the new locations like the Zoo, frozen fishing village, and the carnival, there is much to discover. Exploring all the paths will lead you to hidden loot and even let you face the optional mini-bosses. Moreover, there are various environmental puzzles and new short mini-games.

Combat

There is not much new regarding the main core of the combat style in Overture, as it is similar to the original game. However, with the new weapons and Legion Arms, there are more ways to synergize your build. There are two new Legion Arms, each with its unique power that helps greatly in Overture. Moreover, the new weapons also include a Bow, the first ranged weapon of the game. It allows you to target enemies from a distance, allowing you to try out a new style. The 12-hour journey of the Overture DLC offers a decent number of bosses to tackle. It is best to test and experiment with the Legion Arms and the weapons to choose the one best for your build. Other than that, you can disassemble and reassemble the weapons like in the original game.

Visuals and Environment

The environment and level designs of Overture are distinctively different than the original game. As the main game offers the gothic visuals, the Overture has a totally new vibe that makes the environment a unique experience. You get to see the whole new world of Krat with challenging new enemy designs. Each area is unique and well-designed, which makes it fun to explore.

Verdict

Lies of P: Overture is an excellent prequel DLC that offers a compelling story with excellent enemy and boss designs. We can sum up the whole DLC as a distilled and more intense version of Lies of P. It is only because the overall difficulty of the Overture is higher than the end-game of the original game. However, you can tune it down with the difficulty modes in the settings. The overall journey of the events before the Puppet Frenzy will let you soak in the lore of the characters that will stay in your mind. All the mini questlines of characters in the DLC are well crafted. Last but not least, the cinematic boss designs will always surprise you and make you learn the fight to overcome them.

If you love the original game, then I highly recommend you giving a try to the Overture. It is everything and more of the original game, which will keep you in surprise until the last moment.

Lies of P: Overture DLC is now available on PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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