You wake up in a train car. A blue butterfly flutters nearby. Everything feels wrong, cold, and drenched in oil. Welcome to Krat. If you've spent any time in Round8 Studio's Soulslike hit, you know the deal: you are a puppet. But you aren't just any puppet; you’re the one who can break the Great Covenant. You can lie.
That's the hook.
In a world where every other mechanical monstrosity is hard-coded to tell the truth, your ability to deceive is your greatest weapon and your heaviest burden. But honestly, the Lies of P lies system is way more nuanced than just picking "Option A" or "Option B." It's about humanity. It’s about whether you want to be a real boy or just a very sophisticated machine.
People get confused about the "Truth" playthrough versus the "Lie" playthrough. They think it's a binary choice. It isn't.
The Weight of Your Words: How Lies of P Lies Actually Work
The game tracks your "Humanity." This is a hidden stat, though the game gives you clues through messages like "Your springs are reacting" or "You feel warmth." When you encounter a situation where you can tell one of the many Lies of P lies, you’re making a choice that shifts your internal gears.
Why lie?
Because the truth is often cruel. In Krat, the truth usually leads to despair. Lies, conversely, offer comfort. It’s a subversion of the Pinocchio trope we all grew up with. In the original Collodi story, lying is a sin that makes your nose grow. Here, lying is an act of empathy. It’s what humans do to survive the crushing weight of reality.
I remember the first time I met the weeping woman in Elysion Boulevard. She’s holding a "baby" that is clearly a puppet. She asks you if her child is beautiful. If you tell the truth—that it’s a doll—you’re technically correct. You've upheld the Covenant. But you’ve also crushed a dying woman's soul. If you lie and say the baby is cute, you gain humanity. You become a little less metal and a little more meat.
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The Humanity Milestones
You’ll know you’re on the right track when the messages change. It starts with "The mechanical wheels are moving." That’s basic. Then it evolves into "You feel warmth." If you’ve been consistently choosing Lies of P lies, you’ll eventually see "Your heart is pounding."
This matters for the ending. Huge.
If you want the "Rise of P" ending—arguably the "best" one—you need high humanity. You need to have lied enough that your hair literally changes color after a certain late-game boss fight. It’s a visual representation of your soul manifesting.
Major Moments Where Lies Matter
Let’s talk specifics. You can’t just lie randomly and expect the Golden Lie weapon to appear in Geppetto’s office. You have to be intentional.
There’s Alidoro. That smug, fox-masked treasure hunter. When you first meet him at St. Frangelico Cathedral, he asks for a safe place. You can send him to Hotel Krat (the truth) or Venigni Works (a lie). If you lie, you’re essentially trolling him, but it counts toward your humanity score because you’re exerting free will.
Then there’s Julian the Gentleman. He loved a puppet. In the world of Krat, that’s taboo. He asks if you believe such a thing is possible. Telling him you love her—even if you’re just a puppet yourself—is one of those pivotal Lies of P lies that defines your character. It’s about validating his grief.
The Riddle King’s Twisted Games
Arlecchino is the MVP of the lying system. He calls you on payphones. Yeah, payphones. It’s weirdly retro-future. His riddles are tests of logic, but his final encounter is a test of character. When he asks if you’re a human or a puppet, the answer depends entirely on how you’ve played. If you’ve lied throughout the game, saying "Human" isn't a lie anymore. It’s a statement of fact.
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- The Woman on Elysion Boulevard: Lie about the baby.
- Julian the Gentleman: Lie about his puppet wife’s feelings.
- Polendina: Tell him puppets can feel love.
- Eugénie: This is a complex one. You have to lie to her about her brother’s identity to protect her feelings, or tell the truth to give her closure. Both paths have merit, but the lie usually nets that sweet humanity.
Does the Truth Ever Win?
Sometimes, people try to do a "True Truth" run. They never lie. They follow the Covenant to the letter. What do they get?
Usually, the "Free from the Puppet String" ending. It’s... fine. But it feels hollow. You remain a tool. You remain a thing. The game is subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) telling you that total honesty is a form of rigidity. It’s robotic. To be human is to be messy. To be human is to keep secrets.
The "Lies of P" aren't just deceits; they are the friction that creates a soul.
Getting the Golden Lie
You want that staff. I know you do. The Golden Lie is a special weapon that grows out of the portrait of a boy in Geppetto's room. To get it, you must lie almost every single time.
You also need to listen to records. Every time you find a vinyl record, go back to the Hotel and play it. All the way through. Don't skip. The music increases your humanity just as much as the Lies of P lies do. It’s about the appreciation of art. Once the nose on the portrait is long enough and glowing, you can interact with it to pull out the weapon. If it’s not letting you take it, you haven't lied enough. Go find a side quest you missed.
Nuance in the Ending Choices
The final lie isn't even a dialogue choice in the traditional sense. It’s an action. At the end of the game, Sophia—or what’s left of her—asks you for peace. This is the ultimate test. Giving her peace is the "human" choice, even though it breaks the rules of your creator. It’s an act of mercy.
If you’ve accumulated enough humanity through previous Lies of P lies, your reaction to this moment will determine if you can even access the true final boss. Without enough humanity, you're just Geppetto's toy. You’ll do whatever he says. And trust me, you don't want to do what he says.
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Actionable Tips for Your Playthrough
If you’re staring at a dialogue prompt and sweating, keep these rules in mind. They’ll help you navigate the murky morality of Krat without ruining your build.
Prioritize Empathy Over Accuracy
When a character is suffering, the "kind" answer is almost always a lie. If someone is dying and asks if they’re going to be okay, tell them yes. The game rewards the "Human" response, not the "Factually Correct" one.
Listen to Your Records Immediately
Don't let them sit in your inventory. Every record is a chunk of humanity. If you’re aiming for the Golden Lie, you need every point you can get. Sit there, let the music play, and watch the "Your springs are reacting" message pop up.
Talk to Everyone After Major Bosses
NPCs like Antonia, Polendina, and Venigni often have new dialogue after you clear an area. These interactions frequently lead to choice prompts. If you miss them, you miss the humanity points.
The Hair Check
Check your reflection. If your hair turns grey/white after the Sophia choice, you’ve succeeded. You have reached the peak of humanity. If it stays short and dark, you haven’t lied enough. You might need to reconsider your choices in New Game Plus.
Don't Fear the Truth When It's Necessary
There are a couple of instances where telling the truth actually grants humanity, usually when a character already knows the truth and is testing your courage. However, these are rare. When in doubt, lie for the sake of kindness.
Krat is a city built on a foundation of clockwork and blood. The Lies of P lies are the only things that aren't scripted. They are your signature on the world. Whether you're trying to save a grieving widower or just trying to get a cool glowing stick from a painting, remember that every word you speak is building a heart inside that porcelain chest.
Go back to the Hotel. Check the portrait. See how far your nose has grown. It’s the only way to know if you’re finally becoming real.
Next Steps for Players
- Check your inventory for "The Promising" or "Fascination" records. If you haven't played them, do it now.
- Visit the Cathedral library. If you haven't spoken to the sister there about her brother, you're leaving humanity points on the table.
- Examine the portrait in Geppetto’s room. If the nose is glowing but you can't grab it, go play one more record. It’s often the final nudge the game needs.
- Look for the "Broken Puppet" in the Barren Swamp. His questline is a goldmine for humanity points as you teach him how to feel.