As a Soulslike game, it's crucial for Lies of P to deliver a strong sense of atmosphere in order to immerse players in its killer puppet-infested world. Luckily, its unique 19th-century Belle Epoque setting gave the developers a chance to explore musical themes and soundscapes that aren't typically heard in the genre. Lies of P's musical score feels thematically appropriate, featuring orchestral arrangements that have era-appropriate instruments but with a somewhat darker tone.
In an interview with The Best War Games, Lies of P director Jiwon Choi weighed in on the team's approach to the game's soundtrack and sound design. In particular, he revealed that the game's music was heavily inspired by an unlikely source: the DJMAX series, a rhythm game franchise that Neowiz also worked on which largely features upbeat dance music from Korean DJs along with well-known electronic music artists like Marshmello and Porter Robinson. Additionally, Choi spoke about one of the more unusual instruments that was used in the soundtrack's recording and the challenges involved in finding someone who could play it.
Lies of P Has Roots in The DJMAX Series of Rhythm Games
Neowiz is one of the teams behind the popular DJMAX franchise of rhythm games, and Choi said that the Lies of P team wanted to retool some of the music from that franchise for the new game. Of course, Lies of P's moody orchestral score is practically on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from upbeat dance tunes, but it's clear that this approach worked in the team's favor. Sharp-eared DJMAX veterans may recognize a familiar melodic theme on occasion during Lies of P's boss fights, which is typically the only time music plays outside of the Hotel Krat hub area.
The direction was to use music and instruments that fit the art style and the world of Lies of P. Neowiz is already servicing the DJMAX RESPECT V (which is a rhythm game) and we thought it would be fun to remake the music of the DJMAX franchise into a Lies of P style. We are very happy with the result.
The relationship between rhythm games and RPG soundtracks is something that has been appreciated more frequently by game developers in recent years, with games like Theatrhythm Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory adapting epic orchestral tracks into deviously fun and challenging rhythm games. It's certainly interesting to see Lies of P explore the reverse of this by adapting catchy rhythm game arrangements for an apocalyptic Pinocchio Soulslike.
Lies of P's Soundtrack Uses A Rare Instrument
Choi also mentioned that Lies of P made heavy use of the bandoneon, an exceedingly rare accordion-like instrument that saw heavy use during the Belle Epoque period. More than a century later, there are very few people who play the bandoneon, making it challenging for the Lies of P team to source an authentic recording. Many modern video game music composers get around this sort of limitation by opting for software-based instruments that can reasonably emulate the real thing, so it's admirable that Lies of P took pains to find an authentic bandoneon player instead.
The Belle Époque was a time when romanticism and feelings of solitude coexisted. I was thinking about instruments that could express that atmosphere well, and the bandoneon was one of them. The tone of the bandoneon was perfect for the mood of Krat – a beautiful, thriving city that quickly fell into decay.
Fun fact: I found out that the bandoneon was first made in Germany in 1835, so during the actual Belle Époque era, the bandoneon was probably being played somewhere in Europe. It was not easy to find a musician who plays the bandoneon, but the artist who recorded for the game was very helpful. I am very grateful to the artist who worked with us.
That's not to say that the Lies of P team is one to shy away from technological solutions while working on its audio, however. During the earlier stages of the game's development, Lies of P made use of AI voice-acting for placeholders in order to iron out dialogue phrasing and script writing before bringing on human actors to record the final takes. It's clear that the team has labored meticulously on the game's audio, and Soulslike veterans can expect the same sort of immersive auditory experience that the best titles in the genre are known for.
Lies of P is currently scheduled to release in 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.