I really don't understand the hate toward this game. Well, yes, it's entirely fair to complain about performance issues and bugs, poor online, as well as the fact that it was released essentially unfinished; it's becoming more prevalent in this industry, and it's not ok, no matter who's at fault.
That said, the game itself is fantastic! Despite these problems, I feel like I got my money's worth.
The worldbuilding and map layout are easily the best I've seen in the genre; it's like DkS1 all over again. It's marvelously interconnected, and it's beautiful! The whole map layout makes sense, and if you take the time to observe your surroundings, you will at almost all times understand where you are. And you will be amazed at the shortcuts you can unlock!
The map sketches are a really cool idea to help with your navigation, making you feel like you're on an ancient treasure hunt.
The lore is also surprisingly engaging!
Combat needs some getting used to, but the sensations are great, and there's good potential for builds.
Enemies suffer from a slight lack of variety IMO, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be.
Many bosses are wonderfully designed, but they still need some work on their moves, aggression and behavior to truly shine. They're also often much easier than their respective area, being similar to DkS2 in that regard (this is being addressed with frequent patches).
I loved this game to bits, to me it's a 5/5, but I can't in good conscience give a perfect rating at the moment. I will gladly do so once I see that the game is somewhat stable and in the state it should have been on release.
If you are considering this game, know that it's undergoing a lot of changes at the moment, so I'd suggest you wait until next year to buy it, as it will 1) be more stable, 2) be better balanced, 3) have more content (they're slowing adding more).
As it stands now, Lies of P is still my GOTY 2023. Nonetheless, LotF now stands as a diamond in the rough and has amazing qualities; it will become a truly incredible game one year down the line!
That said, the game itself is fantastic! Despite these problems, I feel like I got my money's worth.
The worldbuilding and map layout are easily the best I've seen in the genre; it's like DkS1 all over again. It's marvelously interconnected, and it's beautiful! The whole map layout makes sense, and if you take the time to observe your surroundings, you will at almost all times understand where you are. And you will be amazed at the shortcuts you can unlock!
The map sketches are a really cool idea to help with your navigation, making you feel like you're on an ancient treasure hunt.
The lore is also surprisingly engaging!
Combat needs some getting used to, but the sensations are great, and there's good potential for builds.
Enemies suffer from a slight lack of variety IMO, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be.
Many bosses are wonderfully designed, but they still need some work on their moves, aggression and behavior to truly shine. They're also often much easier than their respective area, being similar to DkS2 in that regard (this is being addressed with frequent patches).
I loved this game to bits, to me it's a 5/5, but I can't in good conscience give a perfect rating at the moment. I will gladly do so once I see that the game is somewhat stable and in the state it should have been on release.
If you are considering this game, know that it's undergoing a lot of changes at the moment, so I'd suggest you wait until next year to buy it, as it will 1) be more stable, 2) be better balanced, 3) have more content (they're slowing adding more).
As it stands now, Lies of P is still my GOTY 2023. Nonetheless, LotF now stands as a diamond in the rough and has amazing qualities; it will become a truly incredible game one year down the line!