Summary
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS for Lies of P ahead. Proceed at your own risk.Since its initial announcement, the main appeal ofLies of Phas been its unique storyline, which reimagines Carlo Collodi’sThe Adventures of Pinocchioas a Soulsborne action RPG. This innovative concept, together with a host of summer gameplay reveals, propelledLies of Pto become one of 2023’s most highly anticipated original titles. Following its release,Lies of Pgarnered widespread acclaim, with numerous reviewers highlighting its dark reinvention of the source material’s characters and narrative. While longtime fans of the Soulsborne genre may have anticipated the title to include multiple endings, few could have predicted the true depth of its dark fantasy lore. ThoughLies of P’s various endings effectively conclude its Pinocchio narrative, a shared final scene opens the door to a wider dark fantasy universe.
Lies of Pfollows P, a creation of the alchemist Geppetto, who has been specifically made to end a calamitous event within the city of Krat, in which puppets have rebelled against humanity. Over the course of his journey, P uses his unique ability to lie, a human trait given to him by Geppetto, in order to navigate Krat’s off-limits areas and deceive its puppet enemies. Geppetto promises P that if he is successful and brings the alchemist a large amount of Ergo, the substance with which puppets are brought to life, he will make P a real boy. This is later proven to be a deception, as Geppetto intends to use P’s heart to revive his own son, Carlo, instead. Players are given the choice of whether to oblige, unlocking one of three distinct endings. However, these endings share an identical final scene that pulls back the curtain on an interconnected narrative.
RELATED:Lies of P Makes Lying as Tempting as It is Rewarding
Lies of P’s Ending Reveals a Much Bigger Narrative
Lies of P’s final scenereveals a previously encountered character, Giangio, speaking on the phone to a woman while aboard a train. The woman addresses him as Paracelsus, a name shared by a real-life alchemist from the Germanic Renaissance about whom a popular fairy tale was written. In the fairy tale, titledThe Legend of Paracelsus, the alchemist sets out to discover ways to cure humanity of various illnesses and diseases. He discovers a spirit trapped within a tree and, upon freeing it, receives a medicine that cures any and all sickness.
AsLies of P’s Paracelsuscontinues to converse with the woman, he reveals that the title’s events have been part of a larger experiment. Upon its conclusion, he believes to have found a potential route to eternal life. Paracelsus and the woman agree that the “new humanity” P displays is worthy of follow-up research and that his arm may hold the key to this unusual phenomenon. The conversation ends with Paracelsus stating that he is returning home, and is preparing a final report on the events in Krat.
Lies of P’s Final Moments Open the Door to a Dark Fantasy Universe
Paracelsus claims that, upon his return, he will locate “another key of theirs” named Dorothy. The scene then transitions back tothe city of Krat, placing fans on the rooftop of a tall building. Suddenly, a young girl walks into the frame, with only her legs and bright red shoes visible as she traverses the building’s ledge. Stopping to overlook the city, the girl clicks her heels together three times, revealing herself to be none other than Dorothy from L. Frank Baum’sThe Wizard of Oz.
Lies of P’s ending brings together three classic fairy tales, and, with its final reveal, suggests that a sequel may place fans in the red shoes ofThe Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy. While any future titles have yet to be announced,developer Neowiz Gamesappears to be setting the stage for an expanded dark fantasy universe. There’s no telling what other fairy tale figures may be unearthed, as Paracelsus seeks to find more routes to eternal life. Given the success ofLies of P, a sequel or two could be greenlit. If those future titles adapt their source material as effectively asLies of P, then Neowiz’s dark fantasy universe could very well be the next big Soulsborne franchise.
Lies of Pis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
