Lies of P Complete Edition Switch 2 Review: Krat Travels Well

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Krat finally comes to Nintendo with the full package attached

Lies of P: Complete Edition brings Neowiz and Round8 Studio’s 2023 soulslike to a Nintendo console for the first time, and the strongest fact about this Switch 2 release is also the central buying question: this version arrives with the Overture expansion and additional DLC included, but it has to prove that a timing-sensitive action RPG can survive the compromises of a hybrid machine.

Across the supplied review coverage, the answer is broadly yes. Phenixx Gaming calls the Switch 2 version well optimized in both docked and handheld play. TechRadar says the package is the ideal way to play Lies of P for the first time, while also flagging caveats around quality-focused graphics modes, object pop-in, motion blur, and the need to change visual modes from the title screen. GamingTrend’s technical impressions go further, describing the port as a standard other Switch 2 ports should meet.

That makes this Lies of P Complete Edition review less about whether the game itself has aged well and more about whether this edition earns a second purchase, a first playthrough, or a spot beside whatever players already consider the best soulslike Switch 2 option. On that front, Complete Edition is convincing because the core game remains sharp, the bundled content strengthens the value proposition, and portable play fits its stop-and-start exploration better than expected.

A fairy tale rebuilt as a pressure chamber

Lies of P’s premise is still one of the cleaner hooks in modern action RPGs. As summarized by Nintendo Life and Phenixx Gaming, the game reimagines Pinocchio through the ruined city of Krat, where a disaster involving revolting puppets has turned a once-advanced society into a massacre site. The player controls P, a puppet with human qualities who is awakened by Sophia and pushed toward Geppetto while trying to understand what happened to the city.

The storytelling lands because it keeps forward momentum without flattening the mystery. Nintendo Life notes that the game delivers much of its context through documents, statues, optional characters, and interactions at Hotel Krat with figures such as Geppetto, Sophia, and Gemini. That structure will feel familiar to players raised on FromSoftware’s environmental storytelling, but Nintendo Life also argues that Lies of P is less abstract than some of its inspirations. You still have to pay attention, but you are rarely abandoned in pure fog.

That balance gives Krat a theatrical rhythm. Streets, workshops, hotels, and hostile corridors are arranged like scenes in a grim clockwork opera, with each shortcut and boss approach tightening the frame. Console Creatures praises the level design for its enemy placement and frequent shortcut loops, noting that those routes can let players bypass a punishing encounter after a rough death rather than forcing the same attrition run every time. In practice, that pacing is crucial to the Switch 2 version’s appeal. A handheld soulslike lives or dies by whether five minutes of progress can feel meaningful, and Lies of P’s structure supports that better than many games in the genre.

Combat still has the snap, punishment, and release a soulslike needs

The combat is the reason this edition matters beyond its platform novelty. The source coverage repeatedly frames Lies of P as one of the strongest FromSoftware-adjacent action RPGs available, with TechRadar calling it the best soulslike game out there and Console Creatures describing it as the closest any developer has come to capturing that particular design essence. Those are comparative judgments from those outlets, but the underlying reasons are specific: measured enemy placement, readable danger, demanding bosses, and build systems that reward experimentation.

The weapon system remains the star. Nintendo Life highlights the ability to separate blades and handles, letting players alter weight, speed, moveset, and feel rather than simply climbing a linear loot ladder. Console Creatures points to the left-arm utility system as another major strength, with tools such as Puppet String, Falcon Eyes, and Aegis giving P ranged, defensive, and positional options. Together, those systems create a strong combat cadence: close the distance, test a string, retreat to repair durability, then answer with a modified weapon or arm tool that changes the shape of the exchange.

There are concessions to approachability, though the game is still demanding. Nintendo Life reports that Complete Edition offers three difficulty options, with the highest preserving a classic hard-edged experience while lower settings weaken enemies. Phenixx Gaming still describes the game as very difficult and singles out the item hotkey system as a personal frustration that can lead to wasted items. That complaint matters on Switch 2 because portable play often means shorter sessions and less tolerance for interface friction. Even so, the wider combat assessment is strong: when Lies of P works, it produces the cleanest kind of action-game satisfaction, the moment when a boss that once looked impossible suddenly reads like choreography you have finally learned.

Performance mode is the safe choice, but the options need clearer handling

The technical story is positive, with a few practical warnings. Phenixx Gaming reports three Switch 2 graphics modes: Performance, described as upscaled 1080p targeting 60 frames per second; Balanced, described as upscaled 1080p targeting 40 frames per second; and Quality, described as upscaled 1440p targeting 30 frames per second. For a reaction-driven action RPG, Phenixx preferred Performance for docked TV play and Balanced for handheld sessions, while saying Quality in handheld did not suit the smaller screen particularly well.

TechRadar’s verdict lines up with that broad recommendation. It says Lies of P: Complete Edition is perfectly playable in both docked and handheld modes and praises the robust graphics settings, but it also says quality-centered modes need work. TechRadar additionally reports noticeable object pop-in, no option to disable motion blur, and the inconvenience of changing graphics modes from the title screen rather than instantly during play.

There is one source discrepancy readers should note. GamingTrend’s July technical impressions reported two visual options in handheld mode, performance-centered and quality-centered, and three in TV mode, adding balanced. Phenixx Gaming’s later review text describes using Balanced in handheld play. The supplied materials do not confirm whether that reflects a build difference, a review-version change, or a reporting mismatch. The safest guidance is still clear: if you are buying for handheld, expect Performance to be the most reliable choice for boss fights and check the visual-mode menu before settling into a session, since TechRadar says mode changes must be made from the title screen.

This is where the Switch 2 version earns its keep. Soulslike combat is sensitive to frame pacing, input response, and visibility. A prettier 30fps presentation is less valuable than a steadier 60fps mode when a delayed dodge or missed parry can cost a full runback. Based on the supplied reviews, Performance mode is the mode that best serves the game rather than the screenshot.

Portability changes the shape of Krat without shrinking it

The best argument for Lies of P Complete Edition Switch 2 is not that it beats other platforms on raw presentation. The argument is that Krat’s loop adapts well to portable play. Console Creatures emphasizes how often levels route back into themselves through shortcuts, and that design works naturally in handheld sessions. You can clear a dangerous stretch, unlock a route, bank progress, and put the system down without feeling stranded halfway through a sprawling objective.

GamingTrend’s impressions mention HDR options with brightness and contrast tuning, while also saying handheld play may need the brightness pushed high because the image can look too dark. That is useful advice for a game full of gloomy interiors, dark streets, and enemies designed to punish hesitation. In a docked room with controlled lighting, Krat’s visual atmosphere can breathe. In handheld mode, especially away from ideal lighting, readability matters as much as mood.

Controls appear flexible enough to help. GamingTrend reports remappable controls and rumble support, including the ability to mirror PlayStation-style dodge mapping or move attacks to face buttons instead of bumpers and triggers. For a game built on repeated muscle-memory failures and corrections, that flexibility is more than a comfort feature. It lets returning players carry habits from other versions and lets Switch 2 newcomers build a layout that survives long sessions.

The Complete Edition value rests on Overture and timing

For new players, the value case is simple. TechRadar states that Complete Edition bundles the base game with the Overture expansion and all cosmetic DLC, while GamingTrend says it includes all content updates along with Overture. Nintendo Wire also describes this package as including Overture, adding more story and more of the game’s established combat strengths. Phenixx Gaming notes that the Switch 2 release includes Overture and quality-of-life updates, while also pointing out that this content is not new to Xbox, PlayStation, or PC players.

That distinction is important. If you have never played Lies of P, Complete Edition is the cleanest entry point represented in the supplied material. You get the acclaimed base game, the expansion, cosmetic extras, and Switch 2 portability in one purchase. If you already finished the game elsewhere and only want Overture, the case depends on how much you value handheld play, because the supplied sources do not provide pricing, upgrade-path information, or a separate DLC cost comparison for Switch 2.

The DLC itself is praised in the available coverage, but the supplied excerpts do not detail its length, exact setting, or mechanical additions. TechRadar calls Overture phenomenal, and Nintendo Wire says it adds story and more strong gameplay. That is enough to establish that reviewers see the expansion as meaningful, but not enough to quantify hours-per-dollar value. The practical recommendation is therefore split: first-time players should treat Complete Edition as the preferred version on Switch 2; returning players should buy only if the appeal of replaying Krat portably is part of the purchase.

Verdict: one of Switch 2’s strongest action RPG showcases

Lies of P: Complete Edition makes a persuasive case for itself on Switch 2 because the port preserves the game’s essential rhythm. The city of Krat still works as a dense sequence of dread, release, and earned mastery. The combat still has enough weapon and arm customization to keep repeated deaths from feeling static. The bundled Overture expansion and cosmetic DLC make this feel like a complete arrival rather than a late barebones port.

The reservations are real. Quality-focused modes appear less attractive for a game this dependent on response and clarity. TechRadar’s notes about pop-in, motion blur, and title-screen-only graphics changes are the kind of irritations that can grow across dozens of hours. The visual-mode reporting conflict around handheld Balanced mode also means buyers should verify final settings on their own system before assuming every mode behaves as expected.

Even with those caveats, this is an easy recommendation for action RPG players on Nintendo’s new hardware. For first-timers searching for a Lies of P Switch 2 review, the answer is yes: Complete Edition feels essential if you want this game on a portable console. For veterans, it is less mandatory but still tempting, especially if the idea of fighting through Krat and its Lies of P DLC on Switch 2 in handheld mode sounds like the way you always wanted to revisit it.