Part of why Lies of P is such a beloved action-RPG Soulslike is because, in many ways, it adheres so strictly to the core design of a FromSoftware Soulslike. That’s not to say Lies of P isn’t authentic, though, with a thrilling lying system in dialogue options and weapons with blades and handles that can be disassembled and combined to create various permutations. Still, Lies of P is much more of a traditional Soulslike than, say, a Nioh or a Remnant, and even has gestures.
Gestures are essentially emotes with unique animations that the player’s character will perform, and some gestures are rarely used for rare interactions. Gestures can even be paramount, such as using the ‘O Mother’ gesture to access a hidden passageway in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Unsurprisingly, gestures have the same function in Lies of P and its DLC, Lies of P: Overture, with sparse instances where gestures can reap significant rewards. In Lies of P: Overture specifically, however, a new gesture was introduced that has a tremendously niche purpose: ‘Play Dead.’
Lies of P: Overture Broke Me, But Not Because of Difficulty
Lies of P: Overture is debatably much harder than the base game, but it also tells a much sadder story that is accentuated by character-driven drama.
Lies of P: Overture’s ‘Play Dead’ Gesture is Special, Even if It isn’t That Practical
Early into the DLC, it’s quite unclear whether the entirety of Lies of P: Overture will take place within the dungeon-esque regions of Krat Zoo or not. Between dogs, monkeys, bears, kangaroos, elephants, and a crocodile, there are already enough new Carcass enemies hurled at players that it can be a bit overwhelming, especially with how difficult the DLC is as a whole.
That said, it isn’t much of a balm at all when players receive the ‘Play Dead’ gesture. Using Lies of P’s gestures in active combat is probably the last thing anyone would think to do for any reason, particularly in a Soulslike, but ‘Play Dead’ does truly have a function that can be utilized.
If ‘Play Dead’ is inputted with players having aggroed a bear, the bear will lose its aggro. This is inferred when players first acquire the gesture, and so it actually working is neat and humorous.
Unfortunately, its uses are only marginally valuable. A bear will lose aggro when players are ‘playing dead,’ but it can quickly be aggroed again as the bear won’t have made that much distance before players decide to pick themselves back onto their feet. Likewise, there aren’t that many bear enemies in Lies of P: Overture to begin with, meaning that ‘Play Dead’ is rather useless, especially if players can simply run around them or battle them for their loot.
Frankly, the three dogs outside Lies of P: Overture’s Hall of Adventure shortcut are far more tedious than the lone bear.
Lies of P’s Gestures are a Wonderful Palette of Expression
One secret has since been found that employs the ‘Play Dead’ gesture. Here, players can perform the gesture near an ordinary bear’s corpse and receive a Hidden Moonstone upgrade resource. So, while it isn’t completely useless in theory, ‘Play Dead’ is not foundational or ideal regarding the ability to flee enemies or find secrets in Lies of P: Overture.
Nonetheless, additional lines of Gemini dialogue are great to hear, and gestures themselves are a terrific way to include further interaction, such as performing ‘Tap Dance’ at the Carnival Garden to earn the ‘Cheer’ gesture and Strategist’s Amulet, much less dancing together with the small clown puppet enemies. In a Soulslike like Lies of P that is remarkably story- and character-driven, giving more expression and interaction to a mute protagonist, who can gradually gain humanity depending on players’ choices and actions, is a huge boon.
WHERE TO PLAY
Lies of P: Overture is a dramatic prequel to the acclaimed soulslike action RPG, Lies of P. It transports you to the city of Krat in its final days of haunting, late-19th-century Belle Époque beauty. On the brink of the Puppet Frenzy massacre, you follow a legendary Stalker—a mysterious guide—through untold stories and chilling secrets. As Geppetto’s deadly puppet, you’ll journey through Krat and its surroundings, uncover hidden backstories, and face epic battles that shape the past and future of Lies of P.
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
