Graphics: 6/10
The characters are really beautiful! Gorgeous design, and really well animated. Lips sync well (and not in that hilarious Bluepoint Demons Souls Remake way, where it looks like everyone is sitting on a nest of wasps) and animation is well done. However, the lighting isn't particularly dramatic (there's a lot of milky looking haze in the middle distance), the locations themselves lean towards the bland (particularly the early city and factory areas), and the level design is very boring. If you turn the brightness up (maybe you're playing in a bright room?) you really start to see the issues with some plain, bizarrely low-res textures. Bosses are largely impressive looking, but those encounters are in the minority: footsoldier enemies are dull as dishwater.
Sound: 4/10
It's overproduced in my opinion. This is a game about a puppet, so it's definitely "themed". It's got more clicks and whirring than a desperate YouTuber trying bad ASMR. Musical score has been done more effectively in literally every other FromSoft game. It's not that the tracks are poor, they're actually quite good - but their implementation, and the sound design overall, could really have used an edit. Voice acting however, is of a very high standard.
Gameplay: 4/10
By the time I got to Rosa Isabelle Street the gameplay had split into two modes: slash-slash-defeat boring footsoldiers, and crash-burn-fail ultra hard bosses. The difficulty contrast between enemies and bosses is very extreme... there's also a lot of ganking and artificial difficulty in the game's more boring areas. This cycle becomes pretty unbearable about four hours in, and because this game does not have FromSoft's expertise in designing fluid, engaging gameplay, you're effectively stuck like a hamster on a wheel.
Overall: 4/10
"Bloodborne 2", it ain't. While Lies of P has lots of superficial points to recommend it, it has none of the gameplay diversity, engaging design, or overall charm of any of the FromSoft games. I don't mean to suggest that Lies of P is a total waste of time: it's often beautiful to look at and it does provide a (monotonous) challenge. And, while it's missing the online aspects of Soulsbourne, FromSoft fans may still find rewards to glean here, while waiting patiently for better games. But manage your expectations: I've seen lots of reviews comparing this to Bloodborne, and Lies of P's level design, art direction and gameplay balance are sadly not in the same league - making for a generally blander and more frustrating experience than another run 'round Yarnham.
The characters are really beautiful! Gorgeous design, and really well animated. Lips sync well (and not in that hilarious Bluepoint Demons Souls Remake way, where it looks like everyone is sitting on a nest of wasps) and animation is well done. However, the lighting isn't particularly dramatic (there's a lot of milky looking haze in the middle distance), the locations themselves lean towards the bland (particularly the early city and factory areas), and the level design is very boring. If you turn the brightness up (maybe you're playing in a bright room?) you really start to see the issues with some plain, bizarrely low-res textures. Bosses are largely impressive looking, but those encounters are in the minority: footsoldier enemies are dull as dishwater.
Sound: 4/10
It's overproduced in my opinion. This is a game about a puppet, so it's definitely "themed". It's got more clicks and whirring than a desperate YouTuber trying bad ASMR. Musical score has been done more effectively in literally every other FromSoft game. It's not that the tracks are poor, they're actually quite good - but their implementation, and the sound design overall, could really have used an edit. Voice acting however, is of a very high standard.
Gameplay: 4/10
By the time I got to Rosa Isabelle Street the gameplay had split into two modes: slash-slash-defeat boring footsoldiers, and crash-burn-fail ultra hard bosses. The difficulty contrast between enemies and bosses is very extreme... there's also a lot of ganking and artificial difficulty in the game's more boring areas. This cycle becomes pretty unbearable about four hours in, and because this game does not have FromSoft's expertise in designing fluid, engaging gameplay, you're effectively stuck like a hamster on a wheel.
Overall: 4/10
"Bloodborne 2", it ain't. While Lies of P has lots of superficial points to recommend it, it has none of the gameplay diversity, engaging design, or overall charm of any of the FromSoft games. I don't mean to suggest that Lies of P is a total waste of time: it's often beautiful to look at and it does provide a (monotonous) challenge. And, while it's missing the online aspects of Soulsbourne, FromSoft fans may still find rewards to glean here, while waiting patiently for better games. But manage your expectations: I've seen lots of reviews comparing this to Bloodborne, and Lies of P's level design, art direction and gameplay balance are sadly not in the same league - making for a generally blander and more frustrating experience than another run 'round Yarnham.