You’re standing there in the Underneath of the Abyss, heart hammering against your ribs, staring at a dying old man who calls himself your father. Geppetto wants your heart. Literally. After hours of parrying mechanical monstrosities and losing your mind to the Nameless Puppet, the choice feels heavy. But here’s the thing about Lies of P all endings: they aren't just about whether you pressed the "Yes" or "No" button at the very end.
It’s about how much of a person you actually became.
Most Soulslikes use cryptic item descriptions to hide their lore, and while Neowiz definitely does that too, the endings here are tied to a hidden "Humanity" stat. You've probably noticed the screen flickering with messages like "Your springs are reacting" or "You feel warmth." That's the game's way of tracking if you're a cold, hard machine or a boy growing a soul. If you want to see everything the game has to offer, you have to play the long game. It's not just a checklist. It's a vibe check.
The Real Truth About Lies of P All Endings
There are three main conclusions to P’s journey. Fans usually call them the "Bad," "Neutral," and "True" endings, though the game uses much more poetic names: Real Boy: They All Lived Happily Ever After, Free from the Puppet String, and Rise of P.
Getting to these requires a specific cocktail of choices involving Sofia, the Great Lie, and whether or not you decide to give up your heart. You can't just reload a save at the very end to see them all in one go—at least not without some serious cloud-save manipulation—because the Humanity you accrue over the entire 30-to-40-hour campaign dictates what options are even "allowed" by the game's logic.
Real Boy: The Ending That Feels Like a Punch in the Gut
Let's talk about the "Bad" ending first. Honestly, it’s the easiest one to get because it doesn't require you to be a "good" liar or a highly evolved human. After you defeat Simon Manus, you descend an elevator to find Geppetto. He asks for your heart so he can turn you into a "real boy."
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If you say yes? It's over. No final boss. No Nameless Puppet.
You hand over the P-Organ, Geppetto hugs you, and... well, it’s horrifying. You wake up in Hotel Krat, but it’s not the home you remember. Everyone you cared about—Antonia, Venigni, Eugénie—has been replaced by puppets that look like them. You've become a murderous, soul-less version of Carlo, Geppetto's actual dead son. It’s a chilling cinematic that proves Geppetto was never the "father of the year" candidate he claimed to be. He didn't want you. He wanted his puppet to replace his grief.
Free from the Puppet String: The Middle Ground
This is the "Neutral" ending, and it’s surprisingly common for players on their first blind run. To get this, you generally need to lean into your puppet nature more than your human one. You don't have to be a total robot, but you shouldn't have enough Humanity for your hair to turn white.
The turning point is Sophia.
When you find her physical body in Arche Abbey, you’re given a choice: let her live or give her peace. For the Free from the Puppet String ending, you usually choose to let her live (which is actually the "lesser" choice in terms of Humanity) or you simply haven't lied enough throughout the game. When you reach Geppetto, you refuse to give him your heart. This triggers the fight with the Nameless Puppet. After winning, Geppetto dies disappointed in you, calling you a useless puppet. You’ve gained independence, but you haven't gained a soul. It’s lonely. It’s gray. It’s very Pinocchio, but without the magic.
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How to Actually Achieve the Rise of P Ending
This is the big one. The "True" ending. It’s the one that requires the most work and, frankly, the one that makes the most sense for the story Neowiz is trying to tell. To see Rise of P, you need to go full human.
You need to lie. A lot.
But it’s not just about lying; it’s about kindness. In this world, lying is a human trait. Puppets can't do it because of the Grand Covenant. So, every time you tell a "white lie" to comfort someone—like telling the woman in Elysion Boulevard that her puppet baby is beautiful—you gain Humanity. You’ll know you’re on the right track when P’s hair changes color after a major story beat involving Sophia.
- The Sophia Choice: You must give her peace. This is non-negotiable for this ending. Taking her "Ergo" into yourself is what pushes P over the edge from machine to man.
- The Humanity Check: Your hair should turn white. If it doesn't, you haven't been human enough. Listen to the records you find! Listening to music is one of the fastest ways to gain Humanity in Krat.
- Refuse Geppetto: When he asks for your heart, tell him no.
- Defeat the Nameless Puppet: This is arguably the hardest boss in the game. He’s fast, he hits like a truck, and his second phase is a nightmare of red glints and overhead slams.
When you win this time, the scene changes. Geppetto still dies, but his realization is different. He sees your tears. He realizes you did become Carlo—not through his alchemy, but through your own heart. Then, in a final act of sacrifice, P uses Sophia’s Ergo to bring her back in a new puppet body. It’s bittersweet, beautiful, and sets up a potential sequel perfectly.
The Dorothy Tease and Why it Matters
Regardless of which ending you get (as long as you watch the post-credits scene), the game drops a massive bombshell. We see a pair of ruby slippers clicking together and a mention of "Dorothy."
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Neowiz isn't just making a Pinocchio game; they’re building a "Lies of" cinematic universe. This context changes how we view Lies of P all endings. It suggests that the Alchemists and the organizations behind the puppet frenzy are playing a much larger game across different fairy tale "worlds." If you got the Rise of P ending, you're looking at a version of the protagonist who is now a powerful, soulful entity capable of potentially helping or hindering these other legends.
Things Most People Miss
A lot of players think they just need to "always lie" to get the best ending. That's a mistake. Sometimes, telling the truth is the more "human" thing to do, especially when it involves acknowledging someone's pain. For example, when talking to Venigni about the cause of the puppet frenzy, being honest about what you've discovered can sometimes be just as impactful as a lie.
Also, don't ignore the Golden Lie weapon.
If you're aiming for the True ending, keep an eye on the portrait of the boy you found in the Black Rabbit Brotherhood’s hideout. As you gain Humanity, the nose on the portrait grows. Eventually, you can pull a literal staff out of the painting. If you can't pull the weapon out, you haven't lied enough to trigger the Rise of P ending. It’s a perfect visual metaphor and a great way to "stat check" your progress before you hit the point of no return at the Abbey.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re staring at the main menu wondering how to mop up the rest of the achievements, here’s how you handle it without wasting fifty hours.
- Cloud Save Strategy: If you're on PC or PlayStation, you can back up your save right before talking to Geppetto at the end. Give him your heart first to get the Real Boy ending. Reload, then refuse him to fight the Nameless Puppet. This can save you an entire playthrough, though you'll still need a separate run if your Humanity wasn't high enough for Rise of P.
- The Record Player is Your Best Friend: Don't just collect the records; actually sit there and listen to them in the Hotel. You have to let the song play all the way through until the sleeve icon appears. It’s the easiest Humanity gain in the game.
- Talk to Everyone After Major Bosses: NPCs like Antonia and Eugénie have questlines that are heavily tied to your humanity. Missing a single dialogue beat with them can sometimes lock you out of the highest humanity tiers.
- Check the Cat: Seriously. There's a cat named Spring in the Hotel. Early in the game, it'll hiss at you. As you become more human, it'll let you pet it. Eventually, it'll even let you pick it up. If the cat loves you, you’re ready for the True ending.
Krat is a miserable place, honestly. It's full of disease, gears, and betrayal. But seeing P finally shed those puppet strings and become something more is one of the most satisfying "true" endings in modern gaming. Just make sure you're ready for that Nameless Puppet fight—it’s a doozy.