Is Lies of P a spiritual successor to Bloodborne?

The souls-like genre, known for its unforgiving challenges and hauntingly atmospheric worlds, welcomed Lies of P in September 2023. Developed by Round8 Studio and published by Neowiz, this South Korean entry drew immediate comparisons to the genre's crown jewel, Bloodborne.

Released exclusively for the PlayStation 4, Bloodborne came out eight years before Lies of P in 2015. Fans of the Bloodborne franchise were dying for a sequel and after almost eight years, they finally got a glimmer of hope with the announcement of Lies of P, which despite coming from a relatively unknown developer, felt a lot like the FromSoftware masterpiece that PlayStation seemingly forgot about.

While Bloodborne's future remains uncertain, it is comforting to know that its influence and impact have spawned new games that do not necessarily share an identical vision but, at the very least, share the same spirit. Let's delve deep into why Lies of P is the spiritual successor to Bloodborne.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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Why Lies of P is a spiritual successor to Bloodborne

1) Art direction and atmosphere

Krat central station plaza (Image via Neowiz)

Lies of P is a Soulslike based in the nightmarish city of Krat and is a fantastic interpretation of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” In contrast, Yharnam is a fictional city that is the main setting of Bloodborne. Lies of P is set at the pinnacle of the Belle Epoque era and features Victorian architecture, making it a perfect setting for Picohhio as he battles rogue puppets throughout the devastated city of Krat.

Both cities draw heavily from Gothic architecture, with towering spires and ornate facades that have fallen into despair. Both are shrouded in perpetual darkness, with flickering lanterns and shafts of moonlight providing the only illumination. Blood Vials fuel Bloodborne’s Lantern, while Lies of P’s Gaslight requires fuel found throughout the world.

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2) Narrative themes

Hotel Krat (Image via Neowiz)

Lies of P features an array of factions with parallel and even identical roles found in Bloodborne’s lore, albeit with their unique twists and narratives. The Alchemists from Lies of P share the ambitious goals of the Healing Church, with Simon Manus as a character who, much like Laurence, is obsessed with the idea of human evolution through Ergo, serving as the equivalent of Beast Blood.

Bloodborne features the Great Ones, ancient cosmic beings influencing Yharnam’s descent into madness. Lies of P’s puppets seem to be controlled by an enigmatic Puppet Master. Both games feature moral ambiguity and grapple with the consequences of choosing between personal survival and the greater good. The Outsider, aka Hunter, often makes dark bargains for power, whereas P can choose to lie or tell the truth with consequences for himself and others via dialogue choices.

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3) Combat and weapon mechanics

Scrapped Watchman (Image via Neowiz)

Both games feature transforming weapons as a core mechanic. Bloodborne’s trick weapons seamlessly shift between forms with unique move-sets, while Lies of P’s Legion Arms focuses on attaching modular parts to a base arm. Both titles offer ranged options alongside melee combat. Hunter’s Pistol is a classic firearm in Bloodborne, while Legion Arm can be equipped with P’s prosthetic arm.

Bloodborne encourages an aggressive playstyle by rewarding players for attacking through its Rally system. Taking damage within a short window allows you to regain some health by attacking enemies. Lies of P features a similar Regain system. Successfully blocking a portion of an attack lets you regain health by striking back.

Both Bloodborne and Lies of P share a similar focus on dodging and parrying, with one key difference. In Bloodborne, parrying is paired up with a timed gunshot for visceral attacks, whereas Lies of P’s parry system is more traditional and doesn’t involve firearms.

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4) Identity

Rosa Isabelle Street (Image via Neowiz)

Lies of P carves out an identity as being similar to Bloodborne while distinguishing itself from being a direct copycat. Instead of going for an identical copy of Bloodborne in all of its aspects, not just its lore, the Lies of P developers decided to implement a combat system reflecting the broad spectrum of the Soulsborne genre. They were successful in emulating the kind of gameplay experience we would expect in a FromSoftware title. The game’s identity, therefore stands as a hybrid beast.

The game was able to channel the aggressive fluidity and gothic themes of Bloodborne’s design and lore, the defensive precision of Sekiro, and the rich RPG complexity of Dark Souls and Elden ring. This resulted in a unique flavor that pays homage to its roots while standing as its own distinct gaming experience that is not a mere Soulslike copycat.