Lies of P: ROUND8 Studio’s Success Story
Lies of P, the dark reimagining of Pinocchio that won an Apple Design Award for Visuals, is a stunning action RPG that goes far beyond what players might expect. This soulslike game set in the Belle Époque era offers a unique experience by masterfully blending familiar elements with a dark, macabre aesthetic, challenging the conventional children’s fable. Explore the burnt-out city of Krat as a mechanical warrior created by Geppetto, where the key mechanic of lying affects the storyline, leading to different endings and adding depth to the gameplay. With its rich textures, detailed lighting, and customization options such as MetalFX upscaling, Lies of P allows you to tailor the ruined city to your liking enhancing immersion and encourages experimentation and players to find their best weapon combinations. Discover the game’s innovative combat featuring customizable weapons and delve into its philosophical depth by exploring the ethics of lying and its impact on the central character who is concurrently human and artificial. The future of the franchise looks promising with potential downloadable content and a sequel starring another iconic character.
Compelling headline in sentence case
Updated June 27, 2025
Lies of P, a visually stunning action RPG, draws more from its source material than players might expect. The game, which recently won an Apple Design Award, offers a dark twist on a classic tale.
Based on Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, lies of P reimagines the puppet’s story in a macabre world. While Collodi’s work is often seen as a children’s fable, its darker elements made it appealing to Jiwon Choi, director of Lies of P.
“When we were looking for stories to base the game on, we had a checklist of needs,” Choi said. “We wanted something dark. We wanted a story that was familiar but not entirely childish. And the deeper we dove into Pinocchio, the more we found that it checked off everything we were looking for.” The game masterfully blends the familiar with the frightening, creating a unique experience.
Developed by ROUND8 Studio and published by NEOWIZ,Lies of P is a dark fantasy adventure showcasing Apple silicon’s capabilities on Mac. Players control a mechanical warrior, a puppet created by Geppetto, battling through the burned-out city of Krat to find his maker. This Geppetto is far from the genial woodcarver of the original story.
“The story is well-known, and so are the characters,” Choi said. “We knew that to create a lasting memory for gamers, we had to add our own twists.” these twists are what set Lies of P apart, offering a fresh perspective on a beloved tale.
In the burned-out world of Lies of P, something this warm and beautiful can’t be good news.
These twists include a digital lamp assistant named Gemini, a dark take on the Blue Fairy, and a boss named Mad Donkey. moreover, characters have opportunities to lie, directly affecting the storyline and perhaps leading to different endings. The lying mechanic adds depth and complexity to the gameplay.
We knew that to create a lasting memory for gamers, we had to add our own twists.
Jiwon Choi, Lies of P director
“If you play without knowing the original story, you might not catch all those twists,” Choi said. ”But it goes the other way, to. we’ve heard from players who became curious about the original story, so they went back and found out about our twists that way.” This interplay between the original and the reimagining enhances the experience for both new and returning fans.
The game’s success is evident in its accolades, including the Apple Design Award for Visuals and Graphics and the App Store’s 2023 Mac Game of the Year. Critics praise its visual beauty, rich textures, detailed lighting, and customization options like MetalFX upscaling and volumetric fog effects. These features allow players to tailor the ruined city to their liking,enhancing immersion.
Many of Collodi’s original characters have been updated for Lies of P, including the Black Rabbit Brotherhood.
The ROUND8 team set the game in the Belle Époque era of pre-WWI France, a departure from the original Italian locale. “Everyone expected Italy, and everyone expected steampunk,” Choi said, “but we wanted something that wasn’t quiet as common in the gaming industry. we considered a few other locations, like the wild west, but the Belle Époque was the right mix of beauty and prosperity. We just made it darker and gloomier.” This setting provides a unique and visually striking backdrop for the game’s dark narrative.
We considered a few other locations, like the wild west, but the Belle Époque was the right mix of beauty and prosperity. We just made it darker and gloomier.
Jiwon Choi,Lies of P director
To create the game’s combat,Choi and the team added customizable weapons that can be assembled from items found throughout Krat. “We found that players will frequently enough find a weapon they like and use it until the ending,” Choi said.”We found that inefficient. But we also know that everyone has a different taste for weapons.” This system encourages experimentation and allows players to tailor their combat style.
The system gives players the freedom to choose their own combinations instead of pursuing a “best” pre-ordained weapon. Choi says players are often found online discussing the best combinations rather than the best weapons. “That was our intention when creating the system,” he said. This player-driven customization is a key element of the game’s appeal.
The game is set in the Belle Époque, an era known for its beauty and prosperity. “We just made it darker and gloomier,” Choi said.
The game’s approach to lying is another twist on the source material. “Lying in the game isn’t just about deceiving a counterpart,” Choi said. “Humans are the only species who can lie to one another, so lying is about exploring the core of this character.” This exploration of the ethics of lying adds a philosophical dimension to the gameplay.
Lies of P suggests that, at times, nothing is as human – or humane – as a well-intentioned falsehood. The game challenges players to consider the moral implications of their choices.
“The puppet of Geppetto is not human,” Choi said. “But simultaneously occurring, the puppet acts like a human and occasionally exhibits human behavior, like getting emotional listening to music.The idea was: Lying is something a human might do. That’s why it’s part of the game.” This exploration of humanity and artificiality is central to the game’s themes.
Every surroundings in Lies of P is rich with desolate detail.
The Lies of P story might not be done just yet.Choi and team are working on downloadable content and a potential sequel – possibly starring another iconic character who’s briefly teased in the game’s ending. The future of the franchise looks promising, with potential for further exploration of its dark and compelling world.
What’s next
Choi and the team are currently developing downloadable content and considering a sequel,potentially featuring another iconic character hinted at in the game’s conclusion. The team is also taking time to appreciate their accomplishments with the dark Pinocchio tale.