Lies of P Director Clarifies Difficulty Adjustment: 'Aiming for Broader Accessibility'

Lies of P's upcoming DLC, Overture, marks a significant shift by introducing difficulty options for the first time. As a "Soulslike" game, Lies of P has been known for its punishingly difficult gameplay, which can be daunting for newcomers drawn to its dark narrative and atmospheric setting. Initially, director Jiwon Choi believed that Soulslike games should not include difficulty options, and the game launched without them. However, after listening to 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."

Players are now actively discussing the reasons behind this change. One player noted, "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 shared a personal perspective, saying, "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."

Some players appreciate the change, with one commenting, "Souls elitists don't want difficulty because they like bragging about their video game achievements. I'm glad Lies of P is not servicing them."

However, not all reactions are positive. On Steam discussion forums and social media, some players express disappointment. One wrote, "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 responses to this thread actually support the developers' decision. Another player lamented, "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 where a player stated, "difficulty is just ridiculous."

Lies of P: Overture Screenshots

View 5 ImagesLies of P offers a unique, darker take on the classic tale of Pinocchio, combining challenging action with a dynamic "lie" system that influences gameplay. The Overture DLC introduces new locations, enemies, bosses, characters, and weapons, along with a new mode called Death March, where players can face off against the game's bosses again. This DLC is expected to take experienced players approximately 15-20 hours to complete and will unlock after reaching a "certain" chapter in the game. Neowiz has also announced a sequel to Lies of P.

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