Summary
Lies of Padapts Carlo Collodi’s classicThe Adventures of Pinocchiointo a tough-as-nails Soulsborne title. Featuring dark and sinister twists on the original tale’s characters and events,Lies of Ptasks players with overcoming a wide range of puppet, human, and mutant enemies. However, the title’s most demanding moments come during its climactic boss battles. Each ofLies of P’s boss fightssees players put their skills to the test, often requiring players to alter their strategy as the enemies change between phases. Still, the battle against Romeo, The King of Puppets, is leaving some players stumped as it forces them to overcome two dramatically different and equally challenging phases.
Lies of Pfollows P, a puppet created by Geppetto to end a city-wide calamity called the Puppet Frenzy. In one of its greatest departures from the source material, the title’s Geppetto is a master alchemist, who created a wide range of puppets to serve humanity. However, an unknown source has led the puppets to rebel against the Grand Covenant, beating their masters to death. P is tasked with putting an end to the Frenzy, eventually leading to a confrontation with their leader, Romeo the King of Puppets, in the Estella Opera House.
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The King of Puppets is Absolutely Massive
Players encounter the King of Puppets at the end ofthe Estella Opera Houselevel, following a rather unique stage play depicting Geppetto’s plans for P. At first, the hulking behemoth seems rather friendly, asking P to dance. However, P refuses, leading the King of Puppets to attack. What follows is a battle that puts players' ability to manage space to the test, as they face by far the largest enemy that P has encountered so far.
The King of Puppetsis a large figure with three pairs of arms, which it uses to navigate the stage and attack the player. To survive, players must dodge the King of Puppets' wide range of attacks, while navigating a restricted space. The King of Puppets' main attacks use his prominent tube-like arms.
However, its shorter, flexible arms provide its greatest threats, as they can trap the player within cyclones, and launch the massive puppet toward the player with incredible speed. Managing to attack the King of Puppets, despite his size and reach advantage, is no small feat, and whittling his health to zero may prove a considerable challenge. Then, doing so begins an entirely new phase in which a completely opposite set of skills is put to the test.
Why the King of Puppets is Stumping Players
Upon defeating the massive King of Puppets, the Estella Opera House’s true threat will emerge from its chest. Romeo, the actual King of Puppets, exits the large suit, beginning a second, more difficult phase of the battle. Unlike the previous phase, Romeo putsLies of P’s close-quarters combatto the ultimate test, utterly disregarding the skills needed to clear the first phase. Using superhuman speed, Romeo attacks P with a large scythe, testing players' ability to dodge rapid combinations of attacks.
Occasionally, Romeo will apply flames to his scythe, magnifying the impact of players' failure to dodge. The jarring switch in combat type between phases has left some players stumped, halting their progress altogether, especially because the first phase can take quite a while if players are adamant about not bringing in a Specter summon.
Whether players excel in close-quarters combat or in managing enemies at a distance, they will have to employ considerable skill in both areas to overcome the Estella Opera House’s final bout. Unfortunately,Lies of Pis hiding a much deeper threat—one that promises to test P’s humanity as well as his combat skills, in a final battle between life and death.
Lies of Pis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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