2023’s Lies of P, a dark, Souls-like twist on Carlo Collodi’s classic 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, is all about exploring what it takes to turn a cold, mechanical heart into something human. Sure, some of that involves slaying giant, demented puppets and zombified beasts to an epic, dread-inducing score. But a bigger part of Lies of P‘s pathos involves completing melancholy sidequests for tragic NPCs, rewarding players with a collection of records to play in the background of the Hotel Krat, the game’s hub.
If I told you these collectible records weren’t my favourite part of the soundtrack, my nose would grow a few inches. Conveniently, the records comprise the first 16 of the 70 total tracks, and they feature many lyrical ballads plus their remixed “Golden” versions. Opener “Feel” is rain-soaked smooth jazz, properly setting the tone that marks Lies of P apart from its fellow action RPGs. The carnivalesque, French “Someday” is serviceable, but I was awestruck by the vocals in “Quixotic,” the instrumental conversation (I’m a sucker for the accordion) in “Shadow Flower,” and the humming pianist in “Memory of Beach.”
Other records feel tied more closely to the (legally distinct!!) side characters you earn them from, such as “Far East Princess” to the game’s weapons craftswoman, Eugenie. Another standout is “Divine Service,” with an absolutely gorgeous interplay between its solo violin and accordion, propelled by a classical guitar rhythm. The in-game records are meant as mementos for touching upon the various elements of protagonist P’s humanity, and truly ground the game and its soundtrack in emotions that other Souls-likes—though impressive and bombastic—lack. I find myself continually returning to these first 16 tracks.
That’s not to say the rest of the more traditional-to-its-genre soundtrack is skippable! The hollow ambience of “Main Menu” lilts with a forlorn violin before launching into “Dreadful March,” the cinematic and oppressive boss theme of the mechanical Parade Master. The deep choir stabs fall somewhere between the soundtrack to God of War III and “Duel of the Fates.” Even minor mini-bosses like the “Mad Donkey” get their own themes, here with mad, swirling, Kefkaesque (no, not the Czech writer) strings.
My main complaint about Lies of P‘s boss themes is that while they are each impressively performed and produced, their compositions struggle to stand out from one another. Odd, considering the large number of composers and contributors to this soundtrack.
While the bosses themselves are incredibly diverse in terms of lore, setting, and gameplay, the themes all rely on bell strikes, pounding drums, sharp choir rises, and swelling string sections. The Black Rabbit Brotherhood, a relatively goofy family beatdown, should not sound so similar to the Green Monster or Champion Victor or Laxasia or the [NAMES REDACTED] final bosses. I often point people back to Shunsuke Kida’s odd yet unforgettable soundtrack to the original PS3 Demon’s Souls to see how distinct boss themes can be, something seemingly forgotten in this subgenre.
On the plus side, many of the boss tracks include short intros and phase change tracks. There are four excellent tracks related to the remarkable midgame boss, the King of Puppets. What begins as an operatic marionette performance in the “Battle Intro” sinks to the depths of despair in “Stages of Grief” (fantastic pun, no notes) before squealing via the “Phase Change” into the urgent and horrific “Shattered Memories” as the King’s identity is revealed.
More notable are Lies of P’s area themes, surprisingly rare in Souls-likes. Echoing and ambient “Hotel Krat” gives the hub lobby an aura of divine mystique, a temporary haven from irrepressible woe. “Rosa Isabelle Street” and “Charity Market” are solely played on accordion, so intimate that you hear the clacking of the buttons and breathing of the instrument.
Finally, I loved the “Estella Opera House” area theme and its slow piano mixed with dueling male and female opera singers. Many record tracks make grainy, short-lived appearances on gramophones located around the streets, bars, and grand halls of Krat, evoking happier times and contrasting perfectly with the desolation of the world in ways that often reminded me of the BioShock games.
Music is framed as essential to the human experience in Lies of P, and its soundtrack excels at tugging at your (heart)strings one exploratory or reflective moment, then plunging you into a frenzied panic when that dreaded boss health bar appears. I strongly recommend you give at least the first sixteen “record” tracks a listen, and let your human Ergo whisper to you.
Lies of P Original Soundtrack is available for purchase and streaming. My favourite tracks include “Quixotic,” “Proposal, Flower, Wolf Part 1,” and “Fascination.”
Note: As of 2025, 51 new tracks from the Overture DLC were freely added to digital copies of the original soundtrack. Review of those excellent tracks forthcoming.
