A look through the reviews and media coverage of Lies of P (2023) shows a frequent term: “Soulslike.” A quick search of the PlayStation 5 coverage via Metacritic, for example, shows the term appearing over 30+ times across the reviews aggregated there. And for those who have invested dozens of hours in the Dark Souls series of games, the resemblance is easy to see. The design of entire sections and several boss mechanics in Lies of P (2023) echo other games like the introductory area of Dark Souls 3 (2016) and twisted streets of Bloodborne (2015) with small improvements and tweaks along the way. Yet, as many reviews have also pointed to, the framing of Lies of P (2023) is very unlike is sister and cousins within the genre and its sub-categories. It is based on an existing story with even the beginning of the game explicitly naming the author of The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883), Carlo Collodi, as an inspiration for the game’s world and narrative presentation.

Yet, Lies of P (2023) is not a retelling of the Pinocchio story. It is both much darker in execution and lighter in many thematics. Where the morality of The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) intersects with the necessity of a postlapsarian society of the genre, the tropes and common themes of Soulslike games overrides the far earlier exploration of the complexities between father and son; between societal expectations and individuality; and, of course, the role lying plays in many relationships. In many ways, this is the problem with Lies of P (2023): it inherits from multiple sources and, at times, also copies their own lesser sins. As part of the larger family of Soulslike games, it also embraces the same frictions to player progression and mechanical expression. Like its sisters, it is in many places difficult simply to be difficult because the genre demands it be so. From The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883), it borrows from many characters, re-enacting their own storylines and, in some cases, the same tragic ends told again.

For our December 2023 symposium, let’s consider Lies of P (2023) within the following set of questions:

• Does Lies of P (2023) succeed because of its following of a formula or despite it? Where can we see echoes of other games and influences? Many of us have played Elden Ring (2022) and Hollow Knight (2017). How does Lies of P (2023) measure up to other executions of the genre and its tropes?
• Is the translation of characters, plot lines, and relationships from The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) “savage” in their interpretations? Is there space for remixing? As more older works enter the public domain and the ever-hungry video game industry searches for existing stories to re-package, should we expect more older, traditional works to become video games?
• As another in the growing list of “Soulslike” games, what does the trend show about those who play them? Many claim as accomplishment the completing of certain bosses or the games themselves in the Soulslike family with many, many streamers playing these purposely difficult games for their audiences. Can some amount of the success of the genre be attributed to the influence of streamers? Is some part the masculinity themes swirling throughout the video game industry of needing to prove video game mastery through intense onscreen violence?

Let’s gather again on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 8:30 EDT / 7:30 CDT / 5:30 PDT with voice chat over Discord to discuss.