Lies of P Director Clarifies Difficulty Adjustment: Aims for Broader Player Base

The upcoming DLC for Lies of P, titled "Overture," is set to introduce difficulty options for the first time, marking a significant shift for the game. As a "Soulslike" title, Lies of P has been known for its challenging gameplay, which can be particularly daunting for players new to the genre, despite its compelling dark narrative and setting. Initially, director Jiwon Choi expressed that the team believed Soulslike games should not include difficulty options, and thus, the game launched without them. However, after listening to player feedback, Neowiz has decided to implement these changes.

Jiwon Choi explained to VGC, “We wanted to make sure a wider audience of players could play the game. We have a lot of feedback from customers, and from our developers. So by making development adjustments and introducing these difficulty options, we can offer the experience to different types of players. This broadens the base.” This move has sparked a variety of reactions among the gaming community, with some praising the decision and others expressing disappointment.

Players have been actively discussing the change in forums and social media. One player commented, "I would imagine it's a lot easier to say that you don't want to change the difficulty than to be inundated with negative reviews over it and have it constantly be brought up during discussions of your game and not have any urge to change it so a broader audience can enjoy what you made." Another shared a personal perspective, "I got into gaming around the age of 24. I'm using the easier difficulty settings because, as much as I love Lies of P, I have a major skill issue, and that's okay. I just thought it would be nice hearing why someone would reasonably want the difficulty settings. I never got to own any systems when I was a kid, so now I can as a working adult who doesn't have 10+ years of skills."

However, not all feedback has been positive. Some players feel that the introduction of difficulty options detracts from the game's original appeal. One wrote on the Steam discussion forums, "Was interested in playing, but after all the nerfs and adding difficulty levels, I lost interest. Game devs, please stop catering to babies," although most replies to this thread supported Neowiz's new approach. Another player criticized the move, saying, "You had a masterpiece on your hands Neowitz, and you turned it into laughing stock. For shame." A thread titled "Difficulty settings = Not playing" sits above another from a player who found the original difficulty "ridiculous."

Lies of P: Overture Screenshots

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Lies of P offers a unique, darker take on the classic tale of Pinocchio, featuring challenging action gameplay and a dynamic "lie" system that impacts the game's progression. The "Overture" DLC introduces new locations, enemies, bosses, characters, and weapons, along with a new mode called Death March, allowing players to face the game's bosses again. The DLC is expected to take experienced players about 15-20 hours to complete and will unlock after reaching a "certain" chapter of the game. Neowiz has also announced a sequel to Lies of P.

In our review, we awarded Lies of P an 8/10, stating, "Lies of P might not branch out particularly far from its soulslike inspiration, but it plays the part extremely well."