Lies of P is a perfect example that just because you're a souls like doesn't mean you're restricted to a basic formula. Honestly, I think this game may be the best souls like I have played.
There are fantastic soul likes for example hollow knight is one of the best Game I've played in general but I've struggled with it being referred to as a souls like. It's hard like souls games but it's not really a souls game. This occurs often within the gaming ecosystem but lies of p IS a souls like. It is a blend of all the game in such a unique way. Takes pieces of that piece of this for instance it's overall aesthetic is very Bloodborne feeling while it's combat system very dark souls but also Sekiro with its deflecting. But it stands out cause it's beyond original. The game is based on Pinocchio lore which honestly utilizes itself to be a core component to the game. Not only its story but the way the character changes. At the start your a puppet stiff and unalive. As you progress depending on what you choose to do you can become more human. Making choices like a human lying or otherwise. Listening to records. There's more spoiler type things ahead so I'll move on but this shows in your gameplay. Your character starts to move more natural grunt or make human sounds and my favorite example is in the beginning of the game there's a cat that will hiss angrily if you interact with it. The more human you become the more the cat chooses to reciprocate. Small details like that are why lies of p is such a grand game. Along with that design goes far. We got a very wide variety of enemies ( all though there was a lot of recycling for them) and bosses as well were so sick. All amazing designs not one similar to the last no reycyles an I appreciate that a lot. The gameplay besides the picked up stuff is so damn good. The weapon system is so unique it's beyond belief. I've never seen this in any game that I can think of but you get two pieces to each weapon you find a blade and a hilt. Both of them have a different special moves and the move said determined by what hilt you're using. You can mix and mash these, however you choose to that leaves to your arsenal being as vast as your creativity allows you. If you want the giant head of a wrench on the end of a dagger hilt you can go crazy my friend. Yep, upgrade system that comes along this as well it's very different. Let's sayit can be a little bit stomping at first confusing the hell out of you until you finally get a hold of it simply broken down you getA item called quartz, which lets you put one point into a skill point you put into that skill you get a small benefit out of whether that's a boost effect or an extra heel something to the likeness of that and once you have enough of those points put into one bracket you get the skill it's it's actually good really good for replay because as you progress in a new game, plus you can keep building upon it. The inventory management system as well can be a little little bit of a throw. It's kind of hard to get everything centered. You have to upgrade a lot of stuff to get certain attachments like having more space being able to put on another ring you know those sort of things can be difficult to get around, but it kind of makes things balance better for yourself.
Clothing does not add any weight or take away stats. It's actually affected by puppet pieces, which is really nice for the fashionable ones of us. The Legion attachment. I personally didn't use seemed useless. The whole fire like shrine type area is amazing as well, so great all the characters are so enjoyable so creative as well as the NPCs in the game in general
There's just a large sense of whimsy and creative writing that makes lies of p stand out. I'll also add that the music is top-notch some of the best gaming music I've ever heard and it adds a lot to the game both as a narrative device and as an aesthetic device. The game just uses the Pinocchio format as a seasoned spice on top of everything using the different aspects of the fairytale for different dynamics of the game. Both setting pacing and Capability for different game styles I'd recommend this as a souls like more than most are typically recommend. It is just a special thing that I'm happy I came across and as a veteran FromSoft Nerd hear me when I say this game deserves so much respect and love.
