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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Summer Game Fest Future Games Show Upcoming Switch 2 games Switch 2 pre-orders Recommended reading The Last of Us The Last of Us Part 2's sharp roguelike mode just got better on PC, making it my favorite in the genre this year Action RPGs After 3 hours, I'm impressed by how Blades of Fire smelts Dark Souls and Monster Hunter together to forge high-impact action into twisted new shapes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's brilliant parry system solves a classic JRPG problem: I can win any match-up on skill alone, so being under-leveled is just a state of mind Co-op Games Revenge of the Savage Planet is a refreshingly colorful and light-hearted co-op throwback to the carefree action platformers of the noughties Action RPGs Lies of P director says Overture DLC is at least 15 to 20 hours long for "experienced" players, packing tons of bosses and ideas the devs couldn't fit at launch Folks, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be prestige television – I was surprised to find this RPG is perfect to play in shorter bursts Baldur's Gate 2 years since my most chaotic Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough, Patch 8 turned my Dark Urge into a Drunken Master and she's never been more lethal Action RPGs Lies of P: Overture's mutant kangaroos and new difficult settings give the long-awaited DLC a Resident Evil 4 vibe, and I wouldn't have it any other way Jasmine Gould-Wilson 6 June 2025 Now Playing | Taking a bow and arrow to Krat Zoo is just the stress relief I needed, actually When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Neowiz) The thing I'm loving most about Lies of P: Overture is the distinct lack of puppets – so far, anyway. I've traveled back in time to the moment the Krat disaster began, before corrupted puppets roamed the streets and this gorgeous Belle Epoque world was thrown into chaos. That means most foes I've come up against are either humans, aggressive and homicidal as Resident Evil 4's ganados, or a variety of mutated beasts. With the help of a special new weapon type added in the DLC, slicing and shooting my way through Krat City Zoo has been a cathartic blast. Sure, there's the threat of a certain "Puppeteer of Death" looming overhead, but it seems I have some time (and plenty of mutant elephants) to kill before I jump that hurdle. Overture presents an opportunity to take a break from the puppet plague, and it comes at precisely the right time. A real boy's journey (Image credit: Neowiz) Welcome back, Bloodborne (Image credit: Neowiz) I've played a billion Soulslikes and Lies of P is officially the best one – now I want FromSoftware to steal from it The tension has peaked by the time I gain access to the DLC. Upon returning to Hotel Krat in Chapter 9 of the base game and finding Gepetto kidnapped, our puppet protagonist receives a new mission: to take down big boss Simon Manus, rescue his father, and put an end to the Alchemists once and for all. You may like The Last of Us Part 2's sharp roguelike mode just got better on PC, making it my favorite in the genre this year After 3 hours, I'm impressed by how Blades of Fire smelts Dark Souls and Monster Hunter together to forge high-impact action into twisted new shapes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's brilliant parry system solves a classic JRPG problem: I can win any match-up on skill alone, so being under-leveled is just a state of mind Here, I can choose to either head to the boss battle to finish the main story, or dive straight into the DLC by repairing and using the Hotel Krat stargazer. A prompt appears when I open the fast travel menu, urging me to head to the Path of the Pilgrim stargazer in the Malum district, and away I go. Some might find it strange to head into a prequel before even finishing the main story. But the way I see it, Overture gives players a chance to grind out some more ergo in preparation for the final showdown without having to re-clear zones. Plus, thanks to the introduction of difficulty levels, I can bump myself way down to Butterfly's Guidance – the so-called "very easy" difficulty – to help re-familiarize myself after nearly two years away from Lies of P. I'll be straight up with you, though: very easy mode is still plenty challenging. (Image credit: Neowiz) After a short cutscene, P wakes up in a snowy field. Gemini the cricket is notably startled, commenting that he hasn't seen snow "since…." He trails off. As I explore my new surroundings, it becomes clear that this place really is familiar to my cricket pal. Between despatching large, wolflike beasts emanating clouds of Freeze damage – a new status effect in Lies of P: Overture – and hostile, near zomboid human foes throwing themselves at me in a frenzy, Gemini marvels at Krat City Zoo in the distance. He knows for a fact that the zoo was destroyed before the events of the story so far – which is my first true hint that, somehow, we've managed to go back in time. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Pulling the strings (Image credit: Neowiz) Lies of P: Overture managed to calm me down from the main game's chaos. Before I can even process what that means, I'm presented with a mini boss. This mutated brute was probably once some kind of wolf – or maybe a large primate? – but it looks more like an Umbrella Corporation experiment from the Resident Evil timeline now. My Lies of P combat skills are immediately put to the test as the thing launches itself at me. I've already equipped all of my fire-based throwables and forged a fiery new weapon especially for the DLC, but having to learn a brand new moveset is a different beast entirely (pun intended). For once, my rustiness at puppet-slaying is a godsend. I can see the need for approach code-switching being pretty jarring to anyone coming into the DLC straight off the back of the base game, given how differently these animals move compared to humanoid puppets. But thanks to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, my parry game is strong these days. Two tries and a LOT of thermite later, I claim victory (Image credit: Neowiz) The zoo's main building is deserted once I finally reach it, my only welcome being a large, partially-destroyed double staircase bisecting the wood-paneled walls. Paintings adorn them in various states of vandalism, each depicting a strange creature from a far off place. Somewhere in the distance, a human moans in pain. Pinocchio to the rescue! After listening as "Marchiona, Puppeteer of Death" ominously introduces herself over the crackling intercom system – a problem for another time, no doubt – I quickly scale the intact staircase. More those ganado-like human foes await, loping about the landing before hurtling toward me with an earsplitting shriek. But in my rush to clear the building, I almost miss the source of the pained moaning from earlier. Just beyond the stairs, a man sits slumped against a balcony bannister, unmoving. An interact button appears when I approach him, and I'm surprised to find he's still alive. The man pleads with me to find a woman at the Savanna Expedition Center – "a stalker with red hair" – before he chokes on his last breath. I mentally file away the clue before heading back into the main building – and that's when things really get interesting. Don't nock it 'til you try it (Image credit: Neowiz) I'll be straight up with you, though: very easy mode is still plenty challenging Getting a bow in Lies of P is something I didn't know I needed so badly. The limited array of ranged weaponry was a bit of a sticking point for me in 2023, with only throwables and certain mechanical arms being up to the task when I wrote up my Lies of P review. But now, I can't imagine pressing ahead without it. Of course, my first bow-kill is a bit of an exploit. I bait a huge, pustule-ridden mutant elephant up a set of stairs by accident, panicking as I realize he hasn't lost interest. Dashing through a narrow stone awning that leads out onto a patio turned out to be more than a knee-jerk fight-or-flight response when, seeing that the elephant is still charging at me despite being stuck on the other side, I decide to get some target practice in. The damage stats on the thing are pretty low, I note, but the bow comes with the same basic functionality as any other weapon: a light attack, heavy attack, and two Fable Arts specials. It can even block and parry damage, though if I'm using a bow, I'll hopefully be far enough away from an enemy to avoid being hit anyway. (Image credit: Neowiz) Once comfortable with the controls, I finally put the giant beast to rest. It still takes a lot of chipping away, even on easy mode – most humanoid enemies are felled in maximum two strikes with my saber-dancer sword combo, but I lose count of how many this utter damage sponge soaks up before finally going down. After a bit of an ergo boost back at the Hotel, I tell myself – because yes, you can jump between timelines through any stargazer while playing Overture – I know the bow will be my new go-to. I don't know how Neowiz did it, but Lies of P: Overture managed to calm me down from the main game's chaos. Sending arrows flying into mutated elephants, bears, and a particularly nasty kangaroo feels immensely satisfying after spending so long clearing Krat of steampunk nightmare machines. Not only that, it offers players a moment to take a break from the main story's drama to gain a little context as to how it all came to pass in the first place. This is a DLC that does everything a DLC should: make meaningful changes, tell a thrilling new story, and get its playerbase hyped for a grand return. Just promise me you'll stock up on fire weapons beforehand. Lots of fire weapons. Lies of P: Overture is out now to play on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and last-gen consoles. Check out all the other new games set to follow in in 2025 and beyond! See more Xbox Series X Features Xbox Series X PlayStation Jasmine Gould-Wilson Social Links Navigation Staff Writer, GamesRadar+ Jasmine is a staff writer at GamesRadar+. Raised in Hong Kong and having graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen Mary, University of London in 2017, her passion for entertainment writing has taken her from reviewing underground concerts to blogging about the intersection between horror movies and browser games. Having made the career jump from TV broadcast operations to video games journalism during the pandemic, she cut her teeth as a freelance writer with TheGamer, Gamezo, and Tech Radar Gaming before accepting a full-time role here at GamesRadar. Whether Jasmine is researching the latest in gaming litigation for a news piece, writing how-to guides for The Sims 4, or extolling the necessity of a Resident Evil: CODE Veronica remake, you'll probably find her listening to metalcore at the same time. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. The Last of Us Part 2's sharp roguelike mode just got better on PC, making it my favorite in the genre this year After 3 hours, I'm impressed by how Blades of Fire smelts Dark Souls and Monster Hunter together to forge high-impact action into twisted new shapes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's brilliant parry system solves a classic JRPG problem: I can win any match-up on skill alone, so being under-leveled is just a state of mind Revenge of the Savage Planet is a refreshingly colorful and light-hearted co-op throwback to the carefree action platformers of the noughties Lies of P director says Overture DLC is at least 15 to 20 hours long for "experienced" players, packing tons of bosses and ideas the devs couldn't fit at launch Folks, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be prestige television – I was surprised to find this RPG is perfect to play in shorter bursts Latest in Action RPGs Hollow Knight: Silksong disappointment hits its peak as Team Cherry gets a mention at Summer Game Fest, only to be replaced by Deadpool VR Bandai Namco unveils Code Vein 2, a stunning follow-up to the 2019 anime action RPG that still has one of the best character creators ever That's another Soulslike RPG for my list: Mortal Shell 2 is coming to consoles and PC next year, and I'm a big fan of the gigantic gross stuff in its trailer Hollow Knight: Silksong fans are less OK than ever after Team Cherry confirmed a 2025 launch, with fresh Steam updates pre-Summer Game Fest provoking doubters and believers: "We've come full circle" How to beat the Elden Ring Nightreign Night Aspect boss Heolstor the Nightlord Lies of P Overture DLC seems to be closer than we thought - an Xbox leak points to a shadow drop coming very soon Latest in Features Fresh from unveiling Atomic Heart 2 and wild spin-off The Cube, Mundfish's CEO has his sights set on making a game as impactful as Crysis: "This is art!" 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