Lies of P: Overture PS5 [DLC] Review 8/10 – "The Deserved Encore to a Twisted Puppet’s Tale" 🎻 @Liesofp #GameDev #IndieGame

When Lies of P launched in 2023, it stunned the Soulslike community with its twisted reimagining of Pinocchio’s tale. Now, with the Lies of P: Overture DLC, developer Round8 Studio proves that the puppet strings still have plenty of tension left. This DLC doesn’t just extend the story—it elevates the entire experience, delivering a prequel that’s as emotionally resonant as it is mechanically refined.

Set years before the events of the base game, Overture transports players to a Krat untouched by the full devastation of the Puppet Frenzy. The narrative uses time travel to explore the roots of the Petrification Disease and the Alchemist faction’s twisted experiments. You encounter characters whose fates were only hinted at in the original game, adding emotional weight and tragic irony to every interaction.The DLC opens in the Krat Zoo, a deceptively whimsical setting that quickly devolves into a nightmare of mutated animals and environmental storytelling. From there you will traverse a greenhouse, a carnival, and a frigid coastal ice sheet.

Each location is dripping with atmosphere and layered lore. These aren’t just backdrops; they’re living, breathing spaces that reward exploration with secrets, side quests, and mini-games that break up the pacing of the overall game.

If the base game’s combat was a dance of blades and timing, Overture turns it into a full-blown symphony. The parry system remains the star as it's responsive, punishing, and deeply satisfying. But the DLC introduces a suite of new weapons that push the boundaries of creativity and your playstyle diversity.

From Wolverine-like claws to a gun blade that balances close- and mid-range combat, each weapon feels distinct and purposeful. A standout is the great sword that stores explosive charges through parries, rewarding aggressive defence with devastating offence. The new Legion Arms are equally inventive: Cataclysm, a double-barrel shotgun with recoil-based dodging, and Icarus, a spinning blade arm perfect for crowd control.

What’s remarkable is how these additions don’t just pad out the armoury they actually redefine it. The weapons are more visually striking and mechanically nuanced than many in the base game, encouraging experimentation and replayability.

No Soulslike is complete without its bosses, and Overture delivers some of the best in the genre. Each encounter is a spectacle, blending grotesque design with unique mechanics. Whether it’s a mutated circus beast or a tentacled monstrosity on the ice, these fights test your mastery of timing, positioning, and adaptability.

The second-to-last chapter deserves special mention. It features branching paths, optional mini-bosses, and a crescendo of tension that culminates in a boss fight that’s as narratively impactful as it is mechanically brutal. It’s a reminder that Lies of P doesn’t just challenge your reflexes—it challenges your resolve and your sanity!

Visually, Overture is a triumph. The aesthetic is rendered with even more confidence, from the ornate architecture of the zoo to the eerie glow of the carnival lights. The environments are not just beautiful—they’re thematically rich, reinforcing the game’s motifs of decay, duality, and lost innocence.

The sound design is stunning. The clang of a perfect parry, the guttural roar of a boss, the melancholic piano themes—all work in a concerto to immerse you in a world that’s as tragic as it is captivating. Gemini, your cricket companion, returns with new dialogue that adds levity and insight, while NPCs offer side quests that deepen the lore without overstaying their welcome.

You'll spend around 15 hours in this wonderfully wicked world and you'll notice that Overture is a meaty expansion that respects your time. Obviously as a DLC it doesn’t reinvent a wheel that didn't need reinventing, instead, it refines what worked, trims what didn’t, and delivers a focused, emotionally resonant experience.

There are minor gripes—some enemy placements feel cheap, and a couple of areas drag slightly—but these are footnotes in an otherwise stellar composition. A recent patch made the DLC accessible earlier in New Game+ and adjusted difficulty for repeat playthroughs is a welcome quality-of-life improvement, showing that Round8 is listening to its community.

SUMMARY
For fans of the base game, it’s an essential encore. For newcomers, it’s a compelling reason to dive into one of the most stylish and satisfying Soulslikes in recent memory.

8/10

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