The case for 2025’s standout soulslike wasn’t Nightreign. Across the year, debates coalesced around Lies of P: Overture, a DLC that reframes what a traditional soulslike can be in a season defined by experimentation. Nightreign borrows FromSoftware’s combat cadence, yet Overture structures play as short, semi-permadeath runs with limited outside progression. It leans into roguelike rhythms, even as it preserves the moody atmosphere and the lineage of its Bloodborne-inspired roots. The result is a game that feels at once familiar to soulslike enthusiasts and distinctly its own, a hybrid that refuses to be labeled by a single template.
PC Gamer readers may recall the outlet’s early skepticism toward Lies of P in 2022, with commentary that the game was so beholden to Bloodborne it risked feeling like a clever cosplay rather than a fully formed title. Overture does not erase that lineage, but it uses it as a starting point rather than a final act. The base Lies of P remains solid, yet Overture expands its palette dramatically: a snowed-in zoo beset by petrification and disease, half-frozen asylums and laboratories, and shipwrecks carved into ice that recall Frankenstein’s laboratories more than a standard knightly fortress. It is a world that feels designed to be explored slowly, to reward patient observation, and to reward players who read environment storytelling as part of the combat loop. In short order, the DLC shows why many players who doubted Lies of P could be convinced to stay for the long haul.
On the mechanical side, Overture delivers some of the year’s sharpest boss design in a soulslike. Markiona, Puppeteer of Death, stands out as a fight that manages to feel fair while still being relentlessly clever. The boss pits you against a puppet that is controlled by a visible energy string; the string changes color as commands are issued, so the telegraphed patterns remain legible even when the action crosses the screen edge. That clarity matters in a game where duo encounters can easily devolve into chaos if players can’t anticipate the next move. It’s a small but meaningful trick that makes the two-on-two encounters feel constructed rather than improvised, a frequent pitfall in sprawling boss arenas. The earlier Black Rabbit Brotherhood fights from the main game carry forward with refined AI that remains both dangerous and fair, a testament to Round 8 Studio’s growing command of the engine and its adversaries.
The rhythm of these battles is matched by how Overture handles storytelling and pacing. The DLC breaks with some of the more traditional soulslike conventions through cinematic flashbacks, deliberate team-ups, and a pre-boss monologue that allows a limited set of player responses in a nod to CRPGs. The voice work, including a performance by Baldur’s Gate 3’s Neil Newbon, adds a layer of smirk and swagger that helps establish a distinct tonal identity for the Lies of P line. This combination—careful boss design, readable telegraphs, and narrative injections that acknowledge player choice—elevates the experience beyond a mere homage and into something that earns its place in 2025’s slate of ambitious releases.
For players who once wrote Lies of P off as a Bloodborne clone, Overture serves as a strong corrective. Yes, it is a DLC, and to experience the full story you’ll need to complete the base Lies of P first. But the DLC makes a convincing case that a traditional soulslike can be braided with roguelike pacing and CRPG-like storytelling without losing its identity. The environments offer a constant sense of discovery, while the combat and boss design reward careful study as much as twitch reflexes. And while Nightreign might still appeal to some purists for its broader homage to the Soulspeak template, Overture proves that a game can honor its inspirations while confidently stepping out of their shadow.
Taken as a whole, Lies of P: Overture isn’t merely a standout expansion; it reshapes the expectations for what a 2025 soulslike can be. It isn’t about the flashiest dodge, the biggest stamina bar, or the most sensational power fantasies. It is about the satisfaction of learning a difficult boss, the tension of a well-timed counter, and the sense that a world can grow richer through nuanced storytelling and design choices that respect player agency. If the year left you hungry for a traditional-yet-nontraditional soullike, Overture offers a substantial, hours-long experience that earns its keep in the conversation about the genre’s best.
