Lies of P is a game that took me by surprise when I reviewed it back in 2023. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but it turned out to possibly be the best Souls-like ever made. Now, less than two years later, developer and publisher NEOWIZ has returned with Lies of P: Overture, a promising expansion and prequel to the original game.
I’m happy to report that Overture largely retains the quality found in the base game. In fact, some aspects of this DLC are arguably superior. Sadly, there are a few glaring flaws that hold the experience back ever so slightly, but most fans are going to have a great time.
A Return to Krat
The environments found in the original game are perhaps what pushed Lies of P well above the average Souls-like. Of course, there wasn’t anything particularly special about the level design itself, but passion and care were clearly on display when bringing the city of Krat to life. Each location had a story to tell, immersing the player with an overwhelming sense of atmosphere.
Overture leaves a strong first impression in this regard. Krat Zoo is the first location players will visit, and it’s on par with anything found in the base game. What’s here is equal parts hauntingly beautiful and gorgeously grotesque. It’s hard not to be overcome with a little sadness seeing what was once a place of joy corrupted with disease and decay.
Nearly all the opponents in this area are zoo animals that have succumbed to the petrification disease. It’s easy to recognize that these creatures were once gorillas, elephants, and kangaroos, but their forms are distorted. This adds an incredible layer of imaginative body horror that I don’t remember being as present in the base game.
Not All Locations Are Created Equally
While the carnival area found near the zoo is also impressive, Lies of P: Overture soon reveals one of its few major flaws. The locations explored throughout the middle portion of the DLC are somewhat dull and uninspired. The underground facilities and caverns of Overture simply lack the discerning landmarks that make the other locations enjoyable to explore.
That’s not to say this section of the game is poor, but rather that it comes across as a generic dungeon crawl compared to almost everything else Lies of P has to offer. If it took any longer, it’s easy to imagine these repetitive hallways becoming tedious to explore. Thankfully, this is somewhat made up for with some interesting boss encounters, but it is disappointing nonetheless.
Fortunately, Overture manages to pull itself back together closer to its conclusion. The DLC’s later environments are made with almost as much love and care as can be found in Krat Zoo. While I would’ve preferred every environment to be crafted equally, I’m glad that there is only a dip, and not a nosedive in quality.
Lies of P: Overture Expands on a Great Narrative
The DLC also impresses with how it enriches the already impressive worldbuilding of the base game. Instead of expanding the narrative by moving forward, Overture instead takes us backward. Via time travel shenanigans, the player is transported to a time prior to the events of the main game.
In this timeline, we follow the footsteps of Lea Florence, the Legendary Stalker. As such, the player gradually learns more about her as a tragic tale unfolds. It wonderfully complements the original story, and the time travel aspect doesn’t feel out of place.
There are also a few NPCs that assist in fleshing out the DLC’s locations and their history. A favorite of mine is a fisherman the player will encounter, exhausted after spending days catching a monstrosity. His request to the player leads to his village, only to discover its unfortunate fate.
I won’t spoil any more than I need to, but the story of Overture alone makes it a worthwhile addition. If anything, it makes me crave more of this twisted universe NEOWIZ has created. I’d certainly be looking forward to any other potential DLCs or sequels.
More of the Same, but Mostly Better
Don’t expect Lies of P: Overture to shake up the core gameplay formula in any major way. At the end of the day, this is still the same game that came out in 2023, but refined. There aren’t any big surprises regarding the mechanics, but that’s not to say that there isn’t anything new to play around with.
Players can expect a new toy box of weapons to experiment with. I immediately took to the Death’s Talons, as they already scaled well with my Technique build. Also, who wants to pass up the opportunity to become Wolverine? This weapon is simply too much fun.
Additionally, the DLC can present a real challenge for veteran players. When playing at the highest difficulty setting, enemies hit hard, brutally punishing any mistake. If this proves to be a tad too overwhelming, the game’s difficulty can now be changed at any given time. That’s right, you can even change back to a harder difficulty if the game becomes too easy.
However, the game is determined to kill the player from the moment the DLC begins. The path to Krat Zoo itself is harrowing for someone jumping back into the game after a long while. I’m sure that Overture can quickly humble anyone who is confident in their skills.
Fantastically Challenging Fights
Of course, the boss encounters of a Soulslike game will take center stage. For the most part, Lies of P: Overture succeeds in providing the player with engaging and challenging fights. I’d go as far as to say that the design of these encounters mostly improves upon what’s found in the base game.
The original release featured many fights with two health bars. This is a fine trick to pull on occasion, but it can get fatiguing when it becomes the status quo for most bosses. Overture corrects this issue, with most fights requiring the player to whittle down only a single health bar.
However, it isn’t all perfect. Overture‘s first boss, the Tyrannical Predator, features a particularly egregious issue. Instead of fighting the boss itself, the encounter is truly a struggle between the player and the camera. It’s far too easy to find yourself in a position that obscures what the Tyrannical Predator is doing, making it difficult to read the animations.
Fortunately, overcoming this encounter is worthwhile, as most other fights present a fair and interesting challenge. Some of these fights are of an excellent quality comparable to the bosses found in the recent The First Berserker: Khazan. There’s a rewarding sense of mastery in defeating each boss, with several openings to take advantage of when the player learns them.
Lies of P: Overture Is a Worthwhile Addition
Overall, Overture doesn’t reinvent the formula of the base game, nor does it need to. For those who simply want more Lies of P, this DLC should be satisfactory. While the length of this expansion appears to be a somewhat contentious topic, the content here is largely of a high standard and is worth replaying.
While the DLC didn’t amaze me as much as the base game did, it does serve as a fantastic reminder of what makes Lies of P so special. If the original release didn’t impress you, I doubt Overture will do much to convince you otherwise. However, this DLC makes me want to experience the game in its entirety again.
With a thick atmosphere, an emotional story, and some standout bosses, Lies of P: Overture is further proof that Neowiz knows how to craft a spectacular Souls-like. I can’t wait to see what this developer produces next.
Lies of P: Overture is currently available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. A copy of the base game is required to play the DLC. Be sure to check out Final Weapon for more reviews!
Disclaimer: NEOWIZ provided Final Weapon with a Steam copy of Lies of P: Overture for review purposes.
