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

The upcoming DLC for Lies of P, titled Overture, marks a significant shift in the game's approach to player experience by introducing difficulty options for the first time. As a "Soulslike" game, Lies of P has been known for its challenging gameplay, which can be particularly daunting for players new to the genre, despite the game's captivating dark story and setting. Initially, director Jiwon Choi and the development team at Neowiz held the view that Soulslike games should not feature adjustable difficulty settings, and the game was released without them.

However, after receiving substantial feedback from both players and developers, Neowiz decided to reconsider. 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."

The community's response to this change has been mixed. Some players are thrilled with the decision, appreciating the inclusivity it brings. One player wrote, "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." Another player expressed satisfaction, stating, "Souls elitists don't want difficulty because they like bragging about their video game achievements. I'm glad Lies of P is not servicing them."

However, not all reactions have been positive. Some players feel that the addition of difficulty options detracts from the game's essence. A user on the Steam discussion forums commented, "Was interested in playing, but after all the nerfs and adding difficulty levels, I lost interest. Game devs, please stop catering to babies," though the majority of responses to this thread actually supported Neowiz's decision. Another player lamented, "You had a masterpiece on your hands Neowitz, and you turned it into a laughing stock. For shame." A thread titled "Difficulty settings = Not playing" contrasts sharply with another from a player who found the game's difficulty "ridiculous" even before the changes.

Lies of P: Overture Screenshots

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Lies of P offers a unique, darker reinterpretation of the classic Pinocchio tale, blending it with challenging action gameplay and a dynamic "lie" system that impacts the narrative and gameplay. The Overture DLC not only introduces new locations, enemies, bosses, characters, and weapons but also a new mode called Death March, allowing players to challenge the game's bosses again. It is estimated to take experienced players about 15-20 hours to complete, and will be unlocked after passing a "certain" chapter of the game. Neowiz has also announced a full sequel to Lies of P.

Our review of Lies of P was positive, awarding it 8/10, with the comment: "Lies of P might not branch out particularly far from its soulslike inspiration, but it plays the part extremely well."