Puppet District

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The text establishes that Krat was transformed into a thriving city through the integration of Puppets designed by Giuseppe Geppetto and powered by Ergo. These automata were bound by a Covenant to never harm humans or lie. However, when the "Petrification Disease" swept through, followed by the "Puppet Frenzy," this order collapsed. The text notes that most Puppets turned murderous toward humans in spite of their programming. Specific locations mentioned include Hotel Krat (the base), the Malum District, and the Opera House, but no details exist for a dedicated Puppet District.

In Their Own Story

The source does not recount a story arc set within a "Puppet District." The narrative follows P, who awakens at Krat Central Station and is guided by Sophia to Hotel Krat. He travels through various sectors to rescue Geppetto and Lorenzini Venigni, reaching a cathedral where refugees fled. In the Malum District, he encounters friendly Stalkers Red Fox and Black Cat but must fight the four members of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood. P later reaches the Opera House to confront the King of Puppets. The text describes the collapse of society due to the Frenzy and the discovery that Geppetto altered the Covenant, but it does not describe a specific sequence of events occurring in an area labeled "Puppet District."

Reader's Guide

The source confirms that players navigate Krat using melee weapons, Legion Arms with tools like grappling hooks, and Fable Arts. Combat involves light/heavy attacks, parrying to stagger enemies, and blocking which costs health but can be partially restored via counterattacks. Players use Ergo for leveling and currency, upgrade weapons at Hotel Krat, and solve riddles from ringing phones for Trinity Keys. Checkpoints called Stargazers allow fast travel and respawn. Without specific source data on the "Puppet District," no unique mechanics or landmarks for that zone can be confirmed.

Did You Know?

• The protagonist, P, is a puppet who bypasses the Covenant's restrictions, allowing him to lie and kill freely unlike other automata in Krat.
• Ergo serves as both experience points for leveling attributes like vitality and vigor, and as currency for purchasing items at Hotel Krat.
• Every weapon except boss weapons consists of a blade and a handle that can be combined to unlock unique Fable Arts abilities.
• The Puppet Frenzy turned most Puppets murderous toward humans in spite of their Covenant, causing a massacre of the population.

Gameplay Mechanics and Combat Systems

Lies of P delivers a challenging Soulslike experience centered on third-person combat within the dystopian city of Krat. Players control Pinocchio, utilizing a dynamic weapon system where blades and handles can be mixed to create unique combinations that unlock special "Fable Arts" abilities. Combat relies heavily on timing, offering options for light attacks, heavy strikes, parries, and blocks; notably, successful parries stagger enemies while blocking incurs minor health damage. The game introduces a resource called Ergo, which functions dually as experience points for leveling attributes like vitality and vigor, and as currency for purchasing items at the central Hotel Krat base. Progression is further managed through a skill tree unlocked by Quartz, alongside equipment upgrades via grindstones that enhance durability or provide temporary buffs. Strategic depth is added through summoning spectres for boss assistance, utilizing defense parts, and solving riddles posed by ringing phones to unlock hidden gear caches.

Narrative Premise and Setting

Set in the fictional Belle Époque-inspired city of Krat, the story reimagines Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio within a dark, industrial atmosphere powered by a mineral called Ergo. The narrative begins with a utopian vision where Giuseppe Geppetto's Puppets, bound by a strict Covenant to never harm humans or lie, coexist peacefully with their creators. This fragile harmony collapses when the Petrification Disease blinds and kills the human population, triggering a catastrophic "Puppet Frenzy" that overrides the Covenant and turns automata into murderous killers. The protagonist, Pinocchio, is unique as his will bypasses these robotic laws, allowing him to navigate the ruined metropolis filled with hostile factions and disfigured citizens. As players explore, they uncover conspiracies through optional dialogue and item descriptions, piecing together a fragmented history where humans are often represented by masked figures adapted from the original novel's animal characters.

Moral Choices and Story Branching

A defining feature of Lies of P is its morality system, which forces the player to make binary choices between telling the truth or lying during critical interactions. These decisions are not merely cosmetic; they actively shape the trajectory of sub-plots, alter NPC relationships, and ultimately determine which of the multiple endings the player achieves. The narrative unfolds through a dialogue tree where uncovering hidden information often depends on these ethical stances, reflecting the game's thematic exploration of deception in a world built on lies. While the main campaign drives the plot forward, side quests offered by non-player characters provide additional context and rewards, such as new weapons or resources. This system ensures that no two playthroughs are identical, encouraging players to revisit the story via New Game Plus to experience different outcomes with their accumulated gear and upgrades.

Release History and Critical Reception

Released in September 2023 across multiple platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Windows, and macOS, Lies of P quickly garnered commercial success, selling over three million units by June 2025. The game received favorable reviews from critics who praised its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, atmospheric world-building, and voice acting performances. However, opinions on the narrative structure and specific gameplay mechanics were mixed among reviewers. Despite this, the title was recognized with numerous year-end accolades, including nominations at The Game Awards and the Golden Joystick Awards, securing its place on many lists of top games for 2023. Following its initial success, the developers released a prequel expansion titled Overture in June 2025, which added new enemies, weapons, and accessibility features, while a sequel remains in active development with a Nintendo Switch 2 version scheduled for late 2026.