Lies of Pwas one of the most unique games of 2023. Combining elements of Soulslike gameplay with the world of Carlo Collodi’s classicThe Adventures of Pinocchionovel,Lies of Psold 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 theLies of P: Overtureexpansion set to release this Summer.
On top of this upcoming expansion, the creatives behindLies of Phave also confirmed that a sequelis in development. The first game’s ending notably dropped quite a bombshell by hinting that the sequel will feature Dorothy fromThe Wizard of Oz. Whether this sequel leans more onPinocchioorThe Wizard of Oz’s influence, there’s another noteworthy video game adaptation thatLies of P’s sequel should pull inspiration from:American McGee’s Alice.
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 Aliceportrayed a more surreal and mature renditionof Lewis Carroll’sAlice’s Adventures in Wonderlandnovel. It became a notable cult classic upon its release and even received a belated sequel,Alice: Madness Returns, in 2011.
Lies of Pdefinitely differentiates itself fromAmerican McGee’s Alicein 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 fromLies of Pin the sense that it’s far more surrealistic than NeoWiz’s game.Lies of Pseems to draw much more inspiration from games such asBloodbornewhile also incorporating a steampunk aesthetic and setting from the Belle Époque era of Europe. It also stands in stark contrast toAmerican McGee’s Alice’s emphasis on psychological elements.
ShouldLies of P’s sequel lean more onThe Wizard of Oz, though, NeoWiz and Round8 could pull a bit more inspiration fromAmerican McGee’s Alice.The Wizard of Oz’s story definitely lends itself more to a surrealist interpretation thanPinocchiodoes, 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 ofAmerican McGee’s Alice, resulting in a unique new direction for the sequel.
ShouldLies of P’s sequel lean more onThe Wizard of Oz, though, NeoWiz and Round8 could pull a bit more inspiration fromAmerican McGee’s Alice.
Lies of P’s Sequel May Not Center Around P
It may not be too surprising to seeLies of Pgo in a radically different direction with its sequel. The introduction of Dorothy inthe post-credits scene ofLies of Pmay 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: Overturemay 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 theLies of Psequel. Given thatOvertureis 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 ofThe Wizard of Ozshould make the sequel a unique follow-up, and NeoWiz and Round8 may be well-served looking toAmerican McGee’s Alicefor inspiration in a new game.
