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Overture review — A brutally challenging and surprisingly emotional addition to Lies of P’s story

Overture review — A brutally challenging and surprisingly emotional addition to Lies of P’s story

Lies of P: Overture is a fantastic, albeit slightly short, addition to the already incredible Lies of P base game. During the six to eight hours it will take to complete a runthrough of this tightly built expansion, NEOWIZ and Round8 Studios do an impressive job of fleshing out the lore of Krat while providing new areas to explore, weapons to master, Legion Arms to forge, bosses to defeat, and consumables to, well, consume.

You enter Overture via a Stargazer on the Path of the Pilgrim in the Malum District, but a word of warning – eager players cannot just waltz straight into the DLC, especially on a first playthrough, instead you’ll have to wait until Chapter 9. Thankfully on subsequent NG+ playthroughs you will be able to access the DLC via the same Stargazer during Chapter 5, making the trek a bit less tedious for those wanting to experience the DLC again.

I fully expected Overture to be challenging, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer surprise of being nearly one-shotted by one of the first real enemies I encountered, despite being on NG++++ and being ridiculously overpowered for the main campaign. Overture is brutally challenging throughout, but, just like the base game, victory is earned through patience, and rarely do deaths feel cheap. I would assume for most players that this extreme challenge is a pleasant surprise, especially for those who have begun to feel a tad too safe during their NG+ runthroughs. If the challenge is off-putting though, Overture also comes with controversial, but in my opinion welcome, difficulty settings. The three settings include the default difficulty “Legendary Stalker,” alongside two new options: “Butterfly’s Guidance” and “Awakened Puppet.” Don’t worry though, even on the easiest difficulty setting inexperienced Soulslike players will still struggle at times.

One key strength of Overture is NEOWIZ and Round8’s commitment to deepening the narrative and emotional core of Lies of P. Overture is not merely a side story but is described as the “missing half” of the original vision, providing answers to lingering mysteries and spotlighting previously minor characters like the Legendary Stalker Lea and the real Alidoro, all while being set in a wintry, chaotic version of Krat near the beginning of its downfall. Throughout Overture you’ll explore new areas such as the Krat Zoo, Ancient Ruins, and even a sea full of shipwrecks, while also stumbling into a few recognizable areas. The entire journey of Overture is well worth undertaking, but it’s the last hour or so where the action and emotional ties ramp up, culminating in what may well be the most challenging and well-designed Lies of P boss fight yet.

Overture serves as a prequel, allowing players to travel back in time to visit an older version of Krat. Even familiar areas are notably different from the base campaign, with environments that still cling to life rather than being a crumbling ruin, and actual living animals. The enemy design continues to be heavily influenced by body horror and mutation, but further distinguishes Overture with grotesque, aggressive foes that challenge you in new ways. Nearly all the new enemies are spectacular, though I could do without the mutant kangaroos.

While the majority of new bosses and enemies are extremely creative and challenging, there are certain encounters, particularly those with extremely large bodies, that suffer from camera issues, making it difficult to track attacks and leading to frustrating moments. For example, the Anguished Guardian of the Ruins or even some of the brute sized mobs result in clunky camera angles, especially in corners or walls. This has been a concern with oversized foes for decades and is no different here and while it isn’t a dealbreaker, it does make a few already tough encounters more frustrating.

Overture introduces a suite of new weapons and Legion Arms that significantly expand combat options and tactical depth. Among the most notable new weapon types are the Gunblade, Claws, and the game’s first ranged weapon: the Royal Horn Bow. The Gunblade, exemplified by the Pale Knight, functions as a greatsword in melee combat but features a unique twist: using the heavy attack button fires a shot at enemies in front, propelling you backwards for repositioning. A second press fires behind you, launching you back toward enemies and creating openings for follow-up attacks, which encourages an aggressive and dynamic playstyle. 

Alternatively, the Royal Horn Bow adds a new layer to combat I didn’t even realize had been missing from Lies of P. Despite the lack of ranged weapons in the base campaign, aside from throwables, the bow handles perfectly, offering up a new way to approach difficult fights and In particular it is great for weeding out foes in dense areas, though the relatively slow pull back and quickly depleting stamina ensures that the bow never becomes so overpowered as to provide too much of an advantage.

Most of the new weapons, aside from boss weapons, can be mixed and matched with blades and handles from the base game to create something entirely new to fit your preferred playstyle. Examples include the Maniac’s Pinwheel, a massive and visually striking weapon effective against large foes, and the Flamethrower Lance, which deals fire damage and builds up overheat on enemies, making it particularly useful against organic targets. You can also expect to collect new costumes, such as the Winter’s Hunting Apparel, gestures, and musical records too!

Overture also includes multiple new gameplay modes including Battle Memories, which allows you to tackle any completed boss again with escalating difficulty options, and Death March, which is a boss rush mode with limited resources. These are accessible via the Hotel Krat Stargazer. Not only do these offer replayability but also provide new challenges, especially for genre veterans. However, the implementation of these modes, especially at the highest difficulty tiers (tiers 4 and 5), can feel overly punishing and may not appeal to every player. Bosses will kill you in 1-2 hits here so keep that in mind. You are rewarded with a Badge of Victory for clearing the hardest difficulty for each boss rematch.

Finally, Overture also features the inclusion of new arrangements which often make use of recognizable motifs from the base game’s records, once again offering a splendid auditory experience. This comes as new surprise considering the significant role music plays in Lies of P.

Review Guidelines

Excellent

Lies of P: Overture is a fantastic, albeit slightly short, addition to the already incredible Lies of P base game. Clocking in somewhere between six to eight hours, Overture is an incredibly well-made expansion which does an impressive job of fleshing out the lore of Krat while providing impressive new set pieces to explore, weapons to master, Legion Arms to forge, and challenging bosses to defeat.


Pros
  • Unique and challenging boss fights
  • New areas to explore
  • A surprisingly emotional story
  • New weapons and legion arms
Cons
  • Shorter than expected
  • Brutally hard at base difficulty, though still surmountable and offset by the new difficulty settings


This review is based on a retail PS5 copy provided by the publisher.


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