While Elden Ring and the popular Dark Souls series usually take the spotlight for the soulslike genre (and with good reason, considering the namesake), there are plenty of newcomers to the action RPG spin that is equally incredible. Take, for instance, Lies of P, which surprised many soulslike fans when it launched back in late 2023. Considering the high praise, it’s no surprise the dark take on Pinocchio is getting a DLC – and if you have not yet played the base game, it’s available at its lowest price before the expansion arrives.
Like many of the best ARPGs in the genre, Lies of P offers a distinct aesthetic that many soulslike players are accustomed to by now. Better yet, it offers the same challenge that you likely love to hate, offering a fair learning curve that means you’ll be able to overpower even the strongest enemies in due time. It’s one of my favorite action games from the last couple of years and for very good reason.
Compared to the Dark Souls series (and many that emulate the vibes of From Software’s games), Lies of P offers a lot more clarity around the narrative. This single-player game sees you play as P, a puppet created by Giuseppe Geppetto following the discovery of a mineral that brings puppets to life. After the city of Krat is hit by the Petrification Disease, the remaining puppets are swept with a phenomenon called Puppet Frenzy, causing more carnage to the city.
Joining the ranks of the best RPGs, Lies of P delivers some challenging combat that most fans of the genre will have come to expect. Stargazers are your version of the Dark Souls bonfires, granting you health and a restful moment between hordes of enemies – which, by the way, have now come back in an attempt to take your hard-earned resources.
Because of all this, many consider Lies of P to be one of the best soulslikes around, and considering the high sales and acclaim the game received, it’s not a shock to see a DLC announced. Lies of P: Overture is a prequel expansion arriving in Summer 2025, and if you’ve been looking for a great time to dive into the game, this is the opportunity.
Right now, you can grab Lies of P for just $35.99 / £29.99 on Fanatical, getting one of the best Steam Deck games at the lowest price it’s ever been. While it’s only rated as ‘Playable’ by Valve’s team of testers, the game is certainly an enjoyable experience on the Steam Deck – the only major issue is that some of the text is too small. However, it did earn an impressive ‘Platinum’ from the community-run ProtonDB, which factors in players’ reports on Steam Deck performance.
If you’re picking up a copy of Lies of P with this major sale, I’d recommend getting the best Steam Deck dock too – so you can enjoy this intense action RPG on a larger screen. However, if you have a different portable PC, any of the best handheld consoles will run this game well.