Lies of P Director on Game Difficulty: 'Ensuring Accessibility for a Broader Audience'

The upcoming DLC for *Lies of P*, titled "Overture," marks a significant shift in the game's approach by introducing difficulty options for the first time. As a "Soulslike" game, *Lies of P* is known for its punishing difficulty, which can be daunting for players new to the genre, especially those drawn in by its dark narrative and atmospheric setting. Initially, the game's director, Jiwon Choi, expressed that the team believed Soulslike games should not include difficulty options, and thus, the game launched without them. However, following extensive player feedback, Neowiz has reconsidered this stance.

Choi explained to VGC, "We wanted to make sure a wider audience of players could play the game. We have a lot of feedback from customers, and from our developers. So by making development adjustments and introducing these difficulty options, we can offer the experience to different types of players. This broadens the base.” This move has sparked a variety of reactions among the gaming community.

Players are actively discussing the reasons behind the change in policy. One player wrote, "I would imagine it's a lot easier to say that you don't want to change the difficulty than to be inundated with negative reviews over it and have it constantly be brought up during discussions of your game and not have any urge to change it so a broader audience can enjoy what you made." Another player, who started gaming later in life, explained, "I got into gaming around the age of 24. I'm using the easier difficulty settings because, as much as I love Lies of P, I have a major skill issue, and that's okay. I just thought it would be nice hearing why someone would reasonably want the difficulty settings. I never got to own any systems when I was a kid, so now I can as a working adult who doesn't have 10+ years of skills."

Not all feedback has been positive, however. Some players feel that the addition of difficulty options detracts from the game's original appeal. A comment on the Steam discussion forums read, "Was interested in playing, but after all the nerfs and adding difficulty levels, I lost interest. Game devs, please stop catering to babies," though most replies to this thread supported the developer's decision. Another player expressed disappointment, stating, "You had a masterpiece on your hands Neowitz, and you turned it into a laughing stock. For shame." A thread titled "Difficulty settings = Not playing" contrasts with another player's experience, who wrote, "difficulty is just ridiculous."

Lies of P: Overture Screenshots

View 5 Images

*Lies of P* offers a unique, darker twist on the classic tale of Pinocchio, featuring a challenging action game with a dynamic "lie" system that influences gameplay. The new Overture DLC introduces new locations, enemies, bosses, characters, and weapons, as well as a new mode called Death March, allowing players to face the game's bosses again. The DLC is expected to take experienced players about 15-20 hours to complete and will be unlocked after reaching a “certain” chapter of the game. Neowiz has also announced a full sequel to *Lies of P*.

We thoroughly enjoyed *Lies of P*, awarding it 8/10, and noted, "Lies of P might not branch out particularly far from its soulslike inspiration, but it plays the part extremely well."