Neowiz Spills the Tea (A Little) on Lies of P
Any gamer who is a fan of Soulslikes has probably heard about Neowiz’s Lies of P. It’s a new single-player action RPG, and many players and a lot of critics think it might be the best attempt to date of recreating FromSoftware’s magic formula. But in case the rock you were hiding under kept you in the dark, Lies of P is an extended riff on the classic story of Pinocchio. Instead of Disney’s beloved scamp of a puppet, Lies of P’s Pinocchio is a death-dealing fighter in a steampunk world in which the mechanized workforce has gone mad with frenzy.
A Sit Down with Jiwon Choi
I had the opportunity to ask Jiwon Choi, Neowiz’s director for Lies of P, a few questions about this fantastic game.
Neowiz is not a new developer, but is relatively unknown to most gamers. Lies of P is so polished and creative, that I wondered if it was the company’s most ambitious. “I’d say it’s more like the most passionate project than the most ambitious,” Choi said. “Personally, it was the most fervently dedicated project for me.”
Making a Soulslike out of the fabric of the Pinocchio story seems like a reach. It turns out to be a perfect conceit. I asked Choi which of the many Pinocchio interpretations — from Disney through Guillermo Del Toro — might have been an inspiration for Lies of P. Choi said “The inspiration for Lies of P was not only based on a single element, it was everything our team experienced personally or together. This included video games, books, movies, music, fine arts, architecture, and the landscapes they encountered on travels.”
Without naming specifics, Choi said, “We’ve observed some adaptations that captivate us with their unique interpretations of the original story.” He added “I believe many game developers share the idea that everything in their life goes to their game. It’s a vast creative process using imagination and life experiences, to craft an entire world, its lore, and the characters that exist within it. ”
True and New
If Lies of P is a love letter to FromSoftware, Neowiz made certain to take chances with the Soulslike template. “We are careful to say we broke out from the formula entirely,” Jiwon Choi said, “but we dedicated avid effort to make the game more accessible to newcomers to the genre. Our goal was to make the game more welcoming to players without the Souls-like experience. Because we want many people to experience the fun of this genre and find it more compelling.”
Much of what makes Lies of P more accessible is its mechanical innovations. “Through the Weapon Assemble system, Legion Arms, and P-Organ, players can proactively choose options that align with their preferred style. We have dedicated substantial effort to ensure each choice leads to a new combat experience. As the game offers more freedom to players, I believe players would find a variety of gameplay experiences in a wide range.”
Game Pass Brings It Home
Lies of P is available at launch on Xbox Game Pass, which is great for bringing new players into the Soulslike fold. “Collaboration with Xbox Game Pass did not change the size or scope of the game. As our first single-player game, we were eager to reach as many players as possible. and introduce them to our unique world and Collaborating with Xbox has been an incredibly supportive and rewarding journey for us.
“We understand this platform offers a tremendous reach. It enables us to engage with a wide and diverse audience of players from around the world. Having our game launch on a platform with a massive global subscriber base is a thrilling opportunity. It also comes with a mix of excitement and nervousness.”
Special thanks to Jiwon Choi for the interview. Answers have been edited for this article.
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