You’re standing in the rain outside Hotel Krat. The air is thick with the smell of oil and burnt gears. Suddenly, a puppet with a fractured face lunges at you, its mechanical limbs twitching in a way that feels deeply wrong. If you’ve been looking into the Lies of P rating, you probably already know this isn't your childhood Disney story. Pinocchio has a sword now. He also has a mechanical arm that can shoot fire or pull enemies toward him like a grim fishing reel.
But is it actually "mature"? Or is it just "dark"?
Most people see a "Mature" or "PEGI 16" label and assume it's just about the blood. Honestly, it’s more complicated than that. Neowiz and Round8 Studio didn't just throw gore at the screen to get a high rating; they built a world where the horror is often psychological, rooted in the "Puppet Frenzy" that turned a Victorian utopia into a slaughterhouse. If you're wondering if your younger sibling can handle it, or if you're sensitive to specific types of imagery, you need to look past the letter on the box.
Why the Lies of P Rating Landed on Mature
The ESRB gave it an M for Mature rating. Specifically, they cite Blood and Violence. That sounds standard for a Soulslike, right? But the nuance matters. In Lies of P, the "blood" isn't just human. You spend a massive chunk of the game fighting puppets. When you hit them, they spray blue fluid—P-Organ fluid or oil. It’s still "gore" in a mechanical sense. However, as the game progresses into the later chapters near the Cathedral and Arche Abbey, things shift. You start fighting Carcasses. These are biological horrors. We're talking mutations, exposed flesh, and some honestly stomach-churning sound design.
PEGI, the European authority, went with a PEGI 16. They noted "strong violence," which is accurate. You aren't just clicking buttons; you're performing "Fatal Attacks" where P drives a blade through a chest or slams a blunt heavy weapon into a prone enemy. The impact feels heavy. It feels visceral.
The ESRB's summary mentions that "small blood-splatter effects occur as enemies are hit." That's an understatement. After a long fight, P is literally coated in red or blue liquid. It stains his clothes. It lingers. You have to use a "Stargazer" or head back to the Hotel to clean up. It’s a deliberate design choice to show the cost of the combat.
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The "Body Horror" Factor
Some games get a high rating for "Language" or "Sexual Themes." Lies of P doesn't really care about those. You won't find much "F-bomb" dropping here. The rating is almost entirely about the atmosphere and the physical violence. The Carcass enemies represent a significant jump in the "disturbing" factor. These were once humans. Now, they are bloated, necrotic vessels for a plague. If you have a low tolerance for body horror—think Resident Evil or The Thing—the Lies of P rating might actually undersell how creepy it gets.
Breaking Down the Content: What's Actually in the Game?
Let's talk specifics. If we were to categorize what makes up the rating, it wouldn't be a neat list. It's a messy overlap of themes.
Violence and Combat
The combat is the core. You use "Legion Arms" to electrocute, burn, or dissolve enemies with acid. When you execute a boss, the camera often zooms in. There’s a specific boss—the Scrapped Watchman—that is essentially a giant, broken police puppet. The way it moves is "uncanny valley" fuel. The violence isn't "cartoonish" like Fortnite. It’s grounded, even when you're fighting a 20-foot tall mechanical furnace.
Language and Dialogue
Surprisingly, the game is relatively "clean" compared to something like Cyberpunk 2077. You’ll hear some mild profanity, but it’s mostly formal, Victorian-era speech. The tension comes from the stakes, not the swearing.
Alcohol and Tobacco
You’ll see characters drinking in the background of certain scenes, or references to wine and tobacco in the item descriptions. It’s period-appropriate. Krat is a city based on the Belle Époque era of Europe. People drink coffee and wine. It’s part of the texture of the world, not a gameplay mechanic where you’re getting "buffs" from getting drunk.
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Is there "Lying" in the Rating?
The game is literally about lying. The ESRB doesn't really have a category for "Moral Ambiguity," but they should. As P, you are forced to choose between telling a "Human" lie or the "Puppet" truth. These choices change the ending. They change how P feels. It’s a sophisticated narrative layer that pushes the game into a more "adult" territory mentally, even if it doesn't add to the gore factor.
Comparing Lies of P to Other Soulslikes
If you've played Elden Ring or Bloodborne, you know what you're getting into. Sort of.
Bloodborne is the obvious comparison. Both have that Victorian, gothic aesthetic. However, Bloodborne is much more "wet." There is blood everywhere. Lies of P is "drier" for the first half because of the puppets. Does that make the Lies of P rating less intense? Not necessarily. The sound of metal screeching on metal is arguably more grating than the squelch of a monster.
Elden Ring is rated M, but it feels "High Fantasy." Lies of P feels like a "Slasher Film" at times. There’s a boss called the "King of Puppets" that has a second phase—Romeo—that is incredibly fast and violent. The intensity level is high.
| Feature | Lies of P | Elden Ring | Bloodborne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Color | Red and Blue (Oil) | Red / Gold | Deep Red / Black |
| Main Enemy Type | Puppets / Mutants | Knights / Gods | Beasts / Aliens |
| Tone | Melancholy / Grim | Epic / Dying | Nightmare / Cosmic |
| Rating | M (17+) | M (17+) | M (17+) |
The "Hidden" Risks: Anxiety and Difficulty
Ratings don't cover "difficulty," but they should. Lies of P is hard. Like, "throw your controller across the room" hard. For some players, especially younger ones, the frustration level can be a mental health factor. The game demands perfection in parrying (Perfect Guard).
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The psychological stress of the "Petrification Disease" storyline is also heavy. You see people turning into stone. You see parents losing children. One side quest involves a woman asking you to find her baby, only for you to find a puppet "baby" that she's hallucinating is real. That’s dark stuff. It’s the kind of content that earns that Lies of P rating because it deals with grief and madness in a way a 10-year-old might find genuinely upsetting rather than just "cool."
Actionable Advice for Parents and Players
If you’re on the fence about the Lies of P rating, here is the reality. It’s a masterclass in atmosphere, but it’s a grim one.
- Check the "Specter" Mechanic: If the violence is too much because you're struggling, use the Specters. They are AI summons that help with bosses. It lowers the "stress" of the rating significantly.
- Watch the First Hour: The opening sequence in the train station is a perfect litmus test. If you can handle the puppet in the hallway, you can handle the first five hours. If that puppet creeps you out, turn back now.
- Understand the "Carcass" Shift: Around Chapter 4, the game changes. It becomes more of a traditional horror game. Be prepared for a shift from "Steampunk" to "Bio-horror."
- Focus on the "Lie" System: If you’re playing with a younger person, talk about the lies. It’s a great way to discuss ethics. Why did P lie to the woman about her baby? Was it a "kind" lie?
The Lies of P rating is a badge of its complexity. It tells you that this isn't a game that pulls punches. It's a story about what it means to be human in a world that has forgotten humanity. It's violent, yes. It's bloody, sometimes. But mostly, it's a deeply sad, beautifully realized nightmare that deserves its place among the best of the genre.
Before you jump in, make sure your parry timing is ready. You'll need it. The puppets in Krat don't care about your feelings, and the rating is just the first warning of what's waiting for you behind the city gates. Give the demo a shot if it's still available on your platform; it covers the first two bosses and gives you a flawless look at exactly how much "M-rated" content you're actually signing up for.