Lies of P's Wizard of Oz Sequel Should Lean on One Eerie…

Lies of P was one of the most unique games of 2023. Combining elements of Soulslike gameplay with the world of Carlo Collodi’s classic The Adventures of Pinocchio novel, Lies of P sold over a million copies for developers NeoWiz and Round8 Studio and was also the recipient of several awards at the end of the year. NeoWiz and Round8 are also continuing to expand upon the game, with the Lies of P: Overture expansion set to release this Summer.

On top of this upcoming expansion, the creatives behind Lies of P have also confirmed that a sequel is in development. The first game's ending notably dropped quite a bombshell by hinting that the sequel will feature Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Whether this sequel leans more on Pinocchio or The Wizard of Oz’s influence, there’s another noteworthy video game adaptation that Lies of P’s sequel should pull inspiration from: American McGee's Alice.

Lies of P's Overture DLC Could Be Taking the Shadow of the Erdtree Approach

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By Liam Ferguson

Lies of P May Look Well Outside Of Itself For Inspiration

Lies of P’s Sequel Could Turn To American McGee’s Alice

Lies of P’s sequel should take some inspiration from another strange adaptation of a classic piece of writing from the 1800s, American McGee’s Alice. A dark-fantasy action-adventure game released in 2000, American McGee’s Alice portrayed a more surreal and mature rendition of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland novel. It became a notable cult classic upon its release and even received a belated sequel, Alice: Madness Returns, in 2011.

Lies of P definitely differentiates itself from American McGee’s Alice in several ways, but it does share a similar concept on paper. Both are darker, more mature adaptations of classic novels whose most well-known adaptations are typically those of Disney's animated features. Both stories have several darker elements that Disney has typically gone about changing, so these games allow them to capture the source material to a stronger degree.

Lies of P’s Sequel’s Wizard of Oz Focus Seems Ripe For Some Alice Inspiration

American McGee’s Alice, however, is noticeably different from Lies of P in the sense that it’s far more surrealistic than NeoWiz’s game. Lies of P seems to draw much more inspiration from games such as Bloodborne while also incorporating a steampunk aesthetic and setting from the Belle Époque era of Europe. It also stands in stark contrast to American McGee’s Alice’s emphasis on psychological elements.

Should Lies of P’s sequel lean more on The Wizard of Oz, though, NeoWiz and Round8 could pull a bit more inspiration from American McGee’s Alice. The Wizard of Oz’s story definitely lends itself more to a surrealist interpretation than Pinocchio does, which could also give it a fairly fresh identity from the first game. Lies of P’s sequel could also serve itself well by implementing some of the psychological elements of American McGee’s Alice, resulting in a unique new direction for the sequel.

Should Lies of P’s sequel lean more on The Wizard of Oz, though, NeoWiz and Round8 could pull a bit more inspiration from American McGee’s Alice.

Lies of P’s Sequel May Not Center Around P

It may not be too surprising to see Lies of P go in a radically different direction with its sequel. The introduction of Dorothy in the post-credits scene of Lies of P may be a sign that P’s own story will be wrapped by the time the sequel comes along, leaving less of a need to play as him this time around. Lies of P: Overture may also be a sign that P’s story may not need to continue, given that this expansion is a prequel to the base game.

Fans will likely have to hold on a bit longer before NeoWiz and Round8 are ready to show off the Lies of P sequel. Given that Overture is arriving two years after the base game’s release, a full sequel will likely be an even greater undertaking for the team. Still, the bombshell integration of The Wizard of Oz should make the sequel a unique follow-up, and NeoWiz and Round8 may be well-served looking to American McGee’s Alice for inspiration in a new game.

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