Soulslikes are all adherent to a formula of traditions that have become commonplace, and each does well to satisfy whichever theme, aesthetic, or atmosphere it wishes to inhabit.Demon’s Souls,Dark Souls, andElden Ringall marinate in and around dark fantasy with varying degrees of other tropes peppered throughout, for example, whileHollow Knight’s 2D Metroidvania made itself uniquewith a subterraneous insectoid aesthetic. This is why art direction is easily one of the most important characteristics of a Soulslike, and the art direction ofLies of Psurely doesn’t disappoint.
It is a common belief that Soulslike imitators have a difficult path ahead of them in living up to the expectations of quality that FromSoftware has demonstrated. But while FromSoftware’s earned its level of respect and loyalty from fans, it is certainly not the only developer occupying the Soulslike subgenre with success nowadays.Lies of Pis only one of a handful of games capable of living up to these expectations, and its own world-building and art direction in a Belle Epoque landscape have helped it do so.
RELATED:How Lies of P’s Pulse Cell System Complements Its Rally Mechanic
Lies of P Steeps Unnatural Horror in Its Beautiful Setting
Games likeThymesiaandMortal Shellhave original worlds that their developers could build from scratch, and thus their creative freedom was also untethered. That’s whyLies of Pis even more intriguing, because it is a Soulslike adaptation of a well-known IP with a wildly interpretivedark fantasy twist in a Belle Epoque era, and that highly artistic European architecture and attire is the gorgeous set dressingLies of Padorns itself with.
The principal reason whyLies of Pis always being compared toBloodborneis the fact that their environments and settings bear striking resemblances to one another. It’s easy enough to chalkBloodborne’s setting up to that of a Victorian Gothic era, but that look is also highly distinct amid FromSoftware’s other Soulslike games. This is especially true when the playable Hunter treks through dark cobblestone streets while wearing a trench coat and a top hat, while wielding a blunderbuss. There are obviously locales and clothing that aren’t applicable to that aesthetic, butBloodborne’s Victorian dressingprevails as its primary iconography nonetheless.
Fashion in Lies of P Looks Perfect for Its Atmosphere
Lies of Pstrikes a resonant chord with its distinct Belle Epoque dressing, andPinocchio’s fashion options help to establish that immersioninto its setting. Pinocchio’s costumes and accessories are purely cosmetic from what the demo had to offer, but their style presents an outstanding immersion into the Belle Epoque canvas thatLies of Ppaints.
These costumes are as sophisticated as they are diverse, too, from a white blouse and a blue dress coat to a black boarding school uniform and The Great Venigni’s Signature Coat and Glasses, which come as part ofLies of P’s Deluxe edition. Moreover, general pre-orders will net players the Mischievous Puppet’s Clothes and Parade Hat for anyone wishing to role-play as Pinocchio originally looked. This catalog of attire is all regal and elegant, mirroring its Belle Epoque ambiance.
It will be exciting to see how many other majestic articles of clothing the player can wear throughout their journey in Krat, even if they never end up having any other impact on the game itself. Having a unique art direction with an unsaturated artistic and cultural time period is one ofLies of P’s biggest boons, and it seems to have taken full advantage of it within set pieces and fashionable costumes alike.
Lies of Plaunches on September 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:What Lies of P Can Learn from SteelRising and Thymesia
