So, you’re looking at those gorgeous, rain-slicked cobblestones of Krat and wondering if you can just sprint off in any direction like you're playing Elden Ring. It’s a fair question. Ever since FromSoftware blew the doors off the genre with the Lands Between, everyone wants to know if the next big Soulslike lets you wander aimlessly for forty hours before hitting the first boss.
But here’s the short answer: No. Is Lies of P open world? Not even a little bit.
Honestly, it’s a very traditional, linear experience. You aren't going to find a massive map with markers or a horse to whistle for. Instead, Neowiz and Round8 Studio went for something much tighter. It's more Bloodborne than Breath of the Wild. You’re moving through distinct districts of a city that has absolutely gone to hell, and while it feels "big," you are definitely on a leash. A stylish, puppet-string kind of leash, but a leash nonetheless.
The Structure of Krat: Why It Isn't Open World
If you've played the original Dark Souls, you know that feeling of "interconnectedness." Lies of P tries to mimic that, but it's even more streamlined. You start at the Hotel Krat—which acts as your central hub—and you venture out into specific zones. Think of it like a series of very long, very dangerous hallways that occasionally loop back on themselves.
You’ll fight through the Elysion Boulevard, hit a boss, unlock a shortcut that leads back to a Stargazer (this game's version of a Bonfire), and then move to the next "level." It’s a progression system that feels very intentional. The developers wanted you to see specific sights in a specific order. You can't just skip the Factory and head straight to the Cathedral because you feel like it. The game won't let you.
Some people find this frustrating. We’ve been spoiled by open-world freedom lately. But there is a massive benefit to this linearity: pacing. Because the developers know exactly where you are and what level you should be, the difficulty curve is tuned with surgical precision. You won’t accidentally stumble into a high-level zone and get one-shot by a trash mob, nor will you over-level by exploring a random forest for ten hours and make the main bosses a joke.
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Navigating the "Linear" Path
Don't mistake "linear" for "boring" or "small." Even though Lies of P is not open world, the levels are dense. You’ll find verticality everywhere. You might be walking across a rooftop, look down, and see an item on a balcony you passed twenty minutes ago. Figuring out how to get there from here is the real exploration.
- Shortcuts are king. You'll spend half your time looking for that one ladder or gate that connects the end of a zone back to the beginning.
- Hidden paths. There are plenty of side rooms and "off the beaten path" alleys where you'll find upgrade materials like Quartz or new Legion Arms.
- Environmental storytelling. Since the path is set, the devs could put a lot of detail into the world. You’ll see the aftermath of the Puppet Frenzy in every shattered window and blood-stained street corner.
Comparing Lies of P to Elden Ring and Bloodborne
It’s the elephant in the room. Everyone compares these games. If you’re coming straight from Elden Ring, the lack of an open world might feel claustrophobic at first. In Elden Ring, if a boss kicks your teeth in, you just leave. You go south, find a cave, get stronger, and come back. In Lies of P? You basically have to git gud.
There is no "leaving" to go explore a different continent. You can grind some smaller enemies for Ergo (currency) to level up, but your forward momentum is tied strictly to your ability to beat the guy standing in your way.
On the flip side, compared to Bloodborne, Lies of P feels remarkably similar in its layout. It uses a "hub and spoke" model. You go out, do the thing, and come back to the Hotel to talk to Sophia or Geppetto. It’s a very focused way to tell a story. You’re Pinocchio, you’re a puppet, and the city is your stage. A stage has boundaries.
The Illusion of Choice: Does Linear Mean Limited?
Sometimes, the game tricks you. You’ll see a sprawling vista of the city from a high point and think, "Wow, I can go anywhere." You can’t. Those are just very pretty skyboxes.
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However, Lies of P offers "choice" in different ways. While the world isn't open, the Lying System changes the narrative and your character's humanity. You make decisions in dialogue that affect the ending and which bosses you might encounter later on. So, while you can't choose your physical path through the world, you can choose your moral path through the story.
It's a trade-off. You lose the freedom of exploration but gain a much tighter, more cinematic narrative. For a game that is essentially a dark, twisted retelling of a fairy tale, this works. Fairy tales have structures. They have beginnings, middles, and ends. A sprawling open world might have diluted the tension that Neowiz worked so hard to build.
Level Design Breakdown
Let’s look at how a typical "zone" works in this game since it’s not an open map.
- The Entry Point: You arrive via a path or a cinematic.
- The First Stargazer: Your safety net.
- The Loop: You move forward, find a locked door that "does not open from this side," and spend the next 45 minutes fighting your way around the perimeter.
- The Reveal: You kick a ladder down or pull a lever, and suddenly you're back at that first Stargazer.
- The Boss Arena: A gated-off section where the "Big Bad" of the area lives.
It’s a rhythm. It’s predictable in its structure but surprising in its challenges.
Why the Lack of an Open World Actually Helps
Let's be real: open worlds can be exhausting. Sometimes you just want to play a game that knows what it is. Lies of P doesn't have "filler" content. There are no towers to climb to reveal the map. There are no 500 hidden feathers to collect for a trophy.
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Everything in the game feels like it belongs there. Because the world is smaller, the developers could hand-craft every single encounter. The placement of every puppet, every trap, and every item feels deliberate. In an open world, things are often procedurally generated or copied and pasted to fill space. Here? Every corner of Krat feels unique.
Addressing the Common Misconceptions
I’ve seen people online saying that Lies of P is "semi-open." I think that’s a bit of a stretch. "Semi-open" implies something like God of War (2018), where you have a large central lake you can navigate to different realms at your own pace.
Lies of P is more "interconnected linear." It’s a series of nodes. Once you unlock a fast-travel point, you can zip back to previous areas to finish side quests or use keys you found later, but you aren't "exploring" in the traditional sense. You're backtracking. There’s a big difference.
If you go into this expecting to ride a horse across a field, you’re going to be disappointed. If you go in expecting a high-quality, focused, and challenging action game with a clear path forward, you’re going to have a blast.
Actionable Insights for New Players
Since you now know what you're getting into, here is how to handle the world of Krat effectively:
- Don't fear the "locked" doors. If you see a door you can't open, don't spend an hour trying to find a key nearby. Usually, that door is a shortcut you'll unlock from the other side much later in the level.
- Talk to everyone. Because the world is linear, NPCs will often move to the Hotel Krat or change their dialogue based on where you are in the story. Check back often.
- Listen for the "ping". When you’re near a secret or a side quest item, the game is usually pretty good about giving you a visual or auditory cue. Since you aren't distracted by a massive map, keep your eyes on the environment.
- Master the Parry. Since you can't "out-explore" the difficulty, you need to learn the mechanics. The Perfect Guard is your best friend. In a linear game, the boss is the gatekeeper. You either learn his moves or you stay stuck.
The lack of an open world in Lies of P isn't a flaw; it's a design choice that favors atmosphere and tight gameplay over scale. It’s a polished, brutal journey through a city that feels alive—or, well, as alive as a city full of murderous puppets can feel. It’s one of the best Soulslikes not made by FromSoftware, precisely because it knows its limits and plays within them perfectly.
If you're ready to dive in, just remember to keep your eyes on the path ahead. There’s plenty to see, even if you can’t go everywhere. Focus on your build, learn the enemy patterns, and don't be afraid to tell a few lies along the way. Your journey through Krat is a straight line, but it’s a line worth walking.