As long as there have been video games, there have been horror video games. Even before the days of computer graphics we’ve had access to horror gaming in the form of text-based adventures. Colossal Cave Adventure arguably being one of the first horror games; with its creepy atmosphere and detailed descriptions. Everything about it was made to keep players on edge. We’ve since evolved – from the simplistic Haunted House and Halloween on the Atari 2600 to hyper-realistic Resident Evil 8 and Alan Wake II on modern consoles.

But a game doesn’t necessarily need to be classified as Horror to scare its audiences. Case and point: the action role-playing game Lies of P.

Lies of P is a gothic tale inspired by the classic story of Pinocchio. In the fictional city of Krat, engineer and puppet maker Geppetto has teamed up with the charismatic capitalist Venigni to create a series of clockwork automatons meant to make life easier. These puppets come in a variety of styles and professions. Some of these puppets include Police officers, butlers, entertainers, sand enforcers. Unfortunately, the puppets pull a WestWorld and go rogue. And if that was not bad enough, there is also a terrible plague that the citizens of Krat must deal with as well.

You control “P” – a human-like puppet who can lie. This is an important trait as it allows him to move among humans without drawing attention to himself. And you must guide P through the city of Krat to find the cause of the outbreak and put a stop to it.

Lies of P is classified as a “Soulslike” game. That is, a game whose mechanics are based off the notoriously difficult Dark Souls franchise. These are games that challenge the player with claustrophobic environments, disgustingly morbid enemies, and massive bosses. What makes these games stand out among others is the “Souls” system. As the player defeats enemies, they collect Souls (or Ergo in the case of Lies of P) that act as experience and currency. Upon death, however, players drop ALL their Souls where they die. If they die again before picking up the dropped Souls, they lose them forever.

I don’t need to tell you that this system adds a whole new layer of fear to these kinds of games. There is a constant battle between risk vs reward. Do you push onward through the scary alley, or do you turn back around and make a mad dash to the nearest save spot or shop to spend your experience on attributes or items?

And the game preys on this constant struggle. Neowiz Games and Round8 Studios did a fantastic job playing on players’ anxiety and greed. All throughout the game there are items out in the open with the intent of luring players into a false sense of security. There are so many expertly placed moments strewn all throughout the game that trick players into leaping before looking.

For example: There is a moment where a lone enemy stands in the middle of a narrow street. It has its back turned towards you meaning that you can easily sneak up behind it for a stealth kill. At first glance, you cannot see anything else in the street. So, you rush forward to get an easy kill.

Only to discover that just out of view, hidden behind a pillar or a crate, is another enemy just waiting for you to get into range. The first enemy was a trap and you fell for it.

Mechanically this is what transcends Lies of P from an action game to a horror game. The environments are so expertly designed that you will be questioning each step you make. Do you explore off the beaten path in hopes of a new treasure or do you push forward in hopes of finding another save point? Do you take your time in a new environment or do you rush through to lure your enemies out in the open?

Every decision you make just adds another layer to the anxiety cake that is Lies of P. But it isn’t just the mechanics that make it scary. It’s the design as well. Without going into spoilers, the enemy design is top-tier body horror.

The puppets themselves are scary enough. They move erratically – their limbs jerking around unnaturally as they limp towards you. The visual alone is enough to send a shiver up your spine. I personally despise the legless puppets that crawl on their bellies towards you like zombies; their gears grinding loudly as if screaming into the night. They are unsettling and I hate everything about them.

Then you have the biological enemies. Again, I won’t get into spoilers, but let me just say that they remind me of John Carpenter’s The Thing. They are ugly, and mean, and just flat out uncomfortable to be around. And they get worse as the game goes on. I absolutely love it.

Visually, Lies of P is top tier. Like its enemies, the levels have their own distinct style and personality. We see a wide variety of environments throughout the game; each one eliciting a sense of dread in its players. There are claustrophobic alleyways, corrupted bogs and farmlands, a creepy puppet factory, and even a cathedral filled to the brim with all kinds of unspeakable horrors.

In the end, Lies of P is a fantastically crafted game that will satisfy gamers and horror fans alike. From its beautifully gothic visuals to its disgustingly terrifying monsters – it has something for everyone. There is currently a demo out on both STEAM and consoles. So, if you are in the mood for something challenging and creepy than give the demo a shot.