Lies of P Overture: A Masterclass in Soulslike DLC – Our Deep Dive Review

If you’re a fan of the atmospheric, challenging dance that is the soulslike genre, then Lies of P likely already holds a special, albeit masochistic, place in your heart. This Pinocchio-inspired nightmare, crafted with meticulous detail by Round8 Studio and Neowiz, truly carved its own niche in a crowded field. Now, with the surprise launch of its first DLC expansion, Overture, players are invited back to the calamitous city of Krat for an encore performance that’s anything but a puppet show.

Let’s be clear from the jump: Lies of P Overture isn’t just more of the same, though more Lies of P is, undeniably, a very good thing. It’s a finely polished, 12-hour (or perhaps even 20-25 hour, depending on your meticulous exploration and boss-grinding habits) prequel that sticks closely to the original stage directions while offering a generous helping of new areas, additional tools to turn baddies into kindling, and, most impressively, menacing bosses that will make you drop the curtain on your hopes of an easy run. Does it deliver on the promise of an already awesome story? Absolutely, by tugging on a few strings left dangling in the base game and landing some surprising ventrilo-twists that genuinely renewed my appreciation for this fib-filled tale.

Source: IGN’s comprehensive review of Lies of P: Overture.

A Return to Krat: The Puppet’s Grand Encore

For those of us who haven’t revisited Lies of P since its launch, Overture is a welcoming, yet brutal, reintroduction to Krat. You won’t feel lost, despite being thrown back into events preceding the main story. This DLC, at roughly a third of the size of the original game, still feels absolutely massive, akin to Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in its expansive scope of areas, bosses, and loot. It’s an interesting second act to the story, reminding us just how much we adored this devious adventure in the first place.

The developers, Round8 and Team Nough, clearly poured their expertise into this expansion, aiming to bring to life a pivotal, pre-Puppet Frenzy Krat. The environmental design elements are clever, ensuring players always feel where they are on the timeline. Even the enemies you face are distinct from the base game, helping to manifest this chronological shift.

Unraveling Krat’s Pre-Frenzy Past: A Story Unspun

This new tall tale is every bit as heartbreaking and bleak as we’ve come to expect from Lies of P. What’s truly impressive are the interesting twists and turns that fill in existing gaps in unexpected ways. It offers some very satisfying answers to questions many of us were left pondering over a year ago. Seriously, if you’re a lore head, you’re in for a treat, as Overture sheds even further light on the twisted experiments and excursions of the villainous Alchemist faction.

You’ll meet a mostly new cast of characters, presented in a more lucid state than their desperate, maddened counterparts in the base game. These interactions breathe life into the history you might have only read about in scattered notes and manuscripts, weaving an enchanting tapestry of Krat’s twisted fairytale. While some of the narrative is still delivered through optional notes, the evocative imagery, particularly the macabre exhibitions staged by the villain, truly stands out. These scenes are horrific, yet morbidly beautiful – a juxtaposition not unlike Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal. It builds a terrifying sense of unease that permeates the primary antagonist, though it must be said, his final characterization can feel a tad cartoonish in one brief moment, a departure from his compelling base game persona.

A World Reimagined: Stunning New Vistas & Monstrous Foes

The main attractions in Lies of P Overture are undoubtedly the super weird new places you’ll visit and the evil monsters you’ll murder along the way. During one early section, you’ll walk through a zoo, attacked by deranged animals from apes to elephants to a giant alligator. In another, you’ll traverse a perilous lake of ice, crumbling underfoot, while piratelike puppets attempt to send you plunging into Davey Jones’ locker.

There’s quite a bit of variety in this sandbox, and it’s especially cool to see the number of new enemies added to the mix. Think undead fish leaping out of the water to gobble you up! That said, it’s not all new. There are a few curiously retread areas, including a carnival section that feels awfully familiar to parade-themed spaces and enemies we’ve already seen. And yes, you’ll still contend with your standard psychotic humanoid puppets and undead dogs with far too many teeth.

Carnival Gardens: A Fresh Perspective

No area exemplifies the effort to manifest a pre-Frenzy Krat more than the new environment, Carnival Gardens. The lights are on, the rides are running, even the parade master balloon is still afloat! This environmental relativity helps distinguish it from the dilapidated environments of the base game. The attractions even make for fun minigames, offering useful rewards (and thankfully, not all the games are rigged!). The festive carnival music is a distinct and welcome change from the warped tunes of the Grand Exhibition Gallery.

One of my favorite discoveries was seeing Krat’s puppets in a fresher state of repair. They sport fresh coats of paint, well-laundered clothes, and even smoother attack animations, reflecting the freshness of their mechanical joints. This is a stark contrast to the often missing parts and neglected look of the base game’s puppets. There’s also functional storytelling: ever wondered why Krat citizens needed crazy, buzz-saw-headed dog puppets? Overture provides answers.

Clash of Titans: The Overture’s Masterful Boss Gallery

One of the standout parts of Lies of P Overture is its new bosses. They are extremely original, mostly challenging, and serve as exciting climaxes after the slower lead-ups of slashing through chump minions and reading private documents (you nosey little mannequin!). There’s a good mix of absolutely massive, ugly monsters wielding enormous weapons that you can miraculously parry with your tiny sword, and fast-moving humanoid enemies who engage in a contest of reflexes and pattern recognition. The final boss, with some of the most hilariously convoluted attacks Lies of P has ever concocted, is especially fun to learn and provides a satisfying conclusion and skill check.

These encounters, while tough, felt better balanced than some of the hardest fights in the base game. This allowed for more consistent learning and enjoyment, even through repeated deaths. Perhaps it’s just that some of us have gotten better at soulslikes after reviewing about 50 of them in recent years, but the predictable challenge level was a welcome change.

Conquering the Tyrannical Predator: A Hunter’s Guide

The Tyrannical Predator, the first real obstacle you’ll face in Lies of P Overture, is no pushover. This beastly tank dishes out massive hurt, and a single misstep can spell the end of your attempt. But fear not, for like any good soulslike, understanding is half the battle. This carcass enemy has a crippling weakness to fire, making it a critical element of your strategy. Here’s a breakdown of its moves and how to counter them:

The Tyrannical Predator’s moveset is short but surprisingly fluid, with attacks interchanging and comboing off each other. Learning each individual move is crucial for when they are chained. The Tail Whip is especially dangerous due to its quick cue and ability to appear at the end of any other move. Never linger too long in its personal space, and avoid using Pulse Cells within Tail Swipe range!

The Grabbing Bite can be infuriating due to its slightly off and precise hitboxes. Since you can’t parry a grab, dodging is your only option. Sprinting and a well-timed side dodge is key, but sometimes even perfect timing won’t save you. As a rule, keep your health above the grab’s kill threshold. It’s almost inevitable you’ll get grabbed, especially initially, so be prepared.

General Tips for Tyrannical Predator:

• Weakness: Tyrannical Predator is allergic to fire. Use fire-affinity weapons, Fire Abrasives, and Thermites.
• Recommended Weapons: Black Steel Cutter (great all-rounder), Salamander Dagger (with spear for range), any fast weapon with Fire Abrasive. Flamberge is good for ranged damage and building burn.
• Thermites: These are viable, powerful, and highly effective. Use them generously.
• Perfection Grindstone: If you struggle with parrying delayed attacks, this is your friend.
• Start Aggressively: Punish its dramatic, long entrance.
• Iron Wall Amulet: If you’re getting one-shot, this can reduce Physical Attack damage.
• Vitality Check: If you can’t survive the grab attack, grind for Ergo to boost your Vitality.

Markiona and Other Memorable Duels

Beyond the Predator, Lies of P Overture delivers on its promise of quality over quantity with its boss encounters. Markiona, Puppeteer of Death, a humanoid enemy fighting with a tethered puppet, is a shining example of how to nail a multi-opponent boss fight without feeling unfair. The tether flashing orange warns you of incoming attacks from the puppet, even when out of view, while Markiona focuses on ranged projectiles. It’s a tough battle, but one that feels fair and rewarding.

Source: ONGBAL’s flawless Markiona fight on Legendary Stalker, NG+5. Incredible!

Overall, if you’re seeking a challenge, Overture’s bosses are indisputably the hardest fights in the entire game. But they are hard in a satisfying way, focusing on pattern recognition and effective Perfect Guarding rather than endless combo strings. They’re speedier, too, making strike timing more crucial than ever.

Spoiler Warning: This video contains all boss fights and the ending of Lies of P Overture. Watch at your own discretion!

Arming the Puppet: New Tools for a Deadly Dance

While the core gameplay mechanics remain largely unchanged, Lies of P Overture injects new variety into your arsenal. You’ll find a handful of interesting new weapons and a couple of vastly improved Legion Arms. For dexterity-focused builds, the deadly hand claws are a fantastic option, allowing for quick slashes and a devastating multi-stage combo (their unique Fable Art) that quickly builds an enemy’s Stagger bar.

Then there’s The Pale Knight, a Squall Leonhart-esque gunblade that packs a serious punch for Motivity builds. Its heavy attack fires explosive rounds, sending you flying backward with recoil, but also doubles as an evasive maneuver. And the coolest part? You can fire again to launch yourself back towards the enemy for a powerful follow-up. Though the very best weapon isn’t unlocked until the end, providing a great incentive for New Game Plus runs.

The new Legion Arms are also a significant upgrade. One is essentially a devastating shotgun blast, chargeable and perfect for staggering enemies. The other unleashes spinning discs that continuously damage opponents, with upgrades allowing for more blades and temporary power boosts upon retrieval. Both are far more practical and useful than many of the base game’s more situational offerings.

Evolving the Core: New Mechanics and Quality of Life

Overture doesn’t try to fix what isn’t broken, largely offering “more Lies of P.” However, it does introduce a fresh upgrade tree system, allowing for further customization of passive benefits like increased damage or improved survivability. While neat, it primarily feels like an extension of the existing upgrade system, adding more runway to leveling up rather than major shakeups to core gameplay.

But the true game-changers come with the free update launched alongside the DLC. This patch introduces:

• Two easier difficulty options: “Awakened Puppet” and “Butterfly’s Guidance” (a “very easy” story-focused mode). While “very easy” might be a bit misleading for soulslike veterans, it significantly lowers the barrier to entry, a fantastic move for accessibility.
• Boss Rematch Modes: “Battle Memories” lets you challenge any defeated boss across five difficulty levels, scored on speed. “Death March” is a boss-rush mode where you choose three bosses to fight consecutively with limited resources. These add significant replay value.
• Colorblind mode options: With an intensity slider, further enhancing accessibility.

It’s not a huge deal that some minor criticisms from the base game haven’t been ironed out – the combat can still lock you into a Bloodborne-like playstyle, and lead-up sections remain easier than boss fights. But these new mechanics and quality-of-life additions, especially the accessibility options, ensure that tackling Krat remains as fun as ever, and now, more players can experience it.

The Beat Goes On: Lies of P’s Resurgent Popularity

The impact of Lies of P Overture was immediate and palpable. Following its surprise shadow drop at Summer Game Fest, the game saw a massive surge in popularity. This Pinocchio-inspired gem, already considered one of the best soulslikes outside the FromSoftware silo, hit a new all-time high of 30,095 concurrent players on Steam in the past 24 hours. That’s an increase of over 50% from its launch peak of just under 20,000! At the time of writing, it maintains a “Very Positive” user rating on Steam, with recent reviews reflecting renewed enthusiasm.

It’s worth noting that this surge was further amplified by a generous 50% discount on Steam until June 12th. This strategic move by developer Neowiz means first-time players can purchase both the base game and the DLC for a collective $60, making it an incredibly compelling package for anyone looking to dive into this dark fairytale.

Final Verdict: An Unmissable Encore

Lies of P Overture is an expansion that truly exudes confidence from Round8 Studio. It shows they’ve already mastered their particular brand of the soulslike format. This DLC successfully enriches the entire Lies of P package, with stunning and creative level design, some of the best boss fights in the subgenre as a whole, and a deeply satisfying narrative