Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Lies of P is the better combat choice for most players, while Steelrising offers the more interesting exploration system. Lies of P puts greater emphasis on precise timing, offensive pressure, weapon experimentation, Legion Arms and demanding boss encounters. Steelrising stands out with its alternate-history Paris, stamina-focused combat customization and a grappling hook that opens vertical routes and shortcuts. Choose according to what you want to do most: fight through tightly structured encounters in Lies of P, or search Paris for traversal paths and layered routes in Steelrising.
The short answer
These games are both single-player action RPGs built around deliberate combat, character development and hostile worlds, but they prioritize different strengths. Lies of P concentrates its experience in the dense city of Krat, where weapon combinations, Legion Arms and abilities support an aggressive, timing-focused style. Steelrising spreads its identity across combat, build tinkering and movement through an alternate-history version of Paris, with a grappling hook that changes how you read the environment.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Lies of P - PlayStation 5 | $38.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Demon's Souls - PlayStation 5 | $39.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Crimson Desert: Standard Edition - PlayStation 5 | $62.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
PRAGMATA - PlayStation 5 | $59.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 PS5 | $49.50 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Category | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Combat for most players | Lies of P | Its documented weapon combinations, Legion Arms and abilities support a more focused offensive combat loop and memorable boss pressure. |
| Traversal and vertical exploration | Steelrising | The grappling hook adds a documented movement option that opens vertical routes and shortcuts across Paris. |
| Environmental and narrative discovery | Lies of P | Krat is presented as a dense city filled with secrets, symbols, choices and optional details. |
| Build tinkering | Depends on preference | Lies of P foregrounds weapons and Legion Arms; Steelrising combines stats, stamina management, items and modules. |
| Co-op or multiplayer | Neither | Both are documented as single-player experiences with no multiplayer expectation. |
There is no authoritative, directly comparable statistic for combat quality, exploration length or an overall review-score advantage in the available official material. The recommendations below are therefore based on the systems each game explicitly presents and on clearly labeled editorial comparison, not on an invented scorecard or a claim of personal testing.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
How combat differs
Lies of P: timing, pressure and weapon experimentation
The official Lies of P feature description presents combat as a system you shape by combining weapons, deploying Legion Arms and activating abilities. That combination gives the game a clear offensive identity: your equipment choices and the way you sequence them are central to how you approach an encounter.
#1 Best Overall
- The essence of battle: Wield and master various weapons with unique combinations of Fable Arts and Legion Arms to find out what fits your playstyle
- Variety of attraction: Enjoy the beautiful, yet dark atmosphere of the Belle Époque era and explore the once prosperous city of Krat
- Lie system: P is made of a puppet's heart, but he learns how to think and feel like a human by lying
- Legacy of the classics: The city of Krat, the characters, and even the smallest objects reflect our deepest admiration for the original tale of Pinocchio
For a player deciding between the two games, this means Lies of P is the stronger choice when combat is the main reason to play. The design asks you to pay attention to timing and to stay engaged with enemy pressure rather than treating fights as a simple exchange of damage. The game’s concentrated journey through Krat also means combat and story are closely connected; you are repeatedly pushed through a dense urban setting toward significant confrontations.
Weapon combinations matter because they make experimentation part of normal progression rather than a side activity. Legion Arms add another layer to that decision-making, giving you a separate toolset to consider alongside your weapon. The official description also highlights new abilities, so the character’s combat expression is not limited to a single weapon path.
Steelrising: deliberate action with stats, stamina and modules
Steelrising’s development description on PlayStation Blog states: “For our latest game, Steelrising, our goal was to focus on providing a more action-oriented, deliberate, detailed, and fun fighting experience.” The same description identifies stamina management, upgradeable stats, items and modules as parts of the playstyle-customization system.
Recommended Free Tools
That emphasis makes Steelrising appealing if you want to tune a character through several linked systems. Stamina management affects how you plan actions, while stats, items and modules give you more than one way to adjust your approach. Its combat is still deliberate, but its identity is less narrowly tied to weapon-and-arm experimentation than Lies of P’s.
Steelrising therefore suits players who enjoy build tinkering and a combat loop that shares space with movement and traversal. The game’s action-oriented goal is an official development statement, not a measured performance claim; it tells you what the team wanted to emphasize, not how the game ranks on an objective scale.
Rank #2
- Discover where the journey began - Experience the original brutal challenge, completely remade from the ground up. All presented in stunning visual quality with enhanced performance, this is the world of Boletaria as you have never seen it before.
- Become the Slayer of Demons - Venture to the northern kingdom of Boletaria – a once prosperous land of knights, now beset with unspeakable creatures and ravenous demons. Meet strange characters, unhinged and twisted by the world around them, and unravel the unsettling story of Demon’s Souls.
- Face the world’s greatest warriors in ferocious PVP combat - With online invasions adding to the danger of your quest. Or play cooperatively by summoning allies to aid in your fight against the demons. Active PS Plus subscription required for online multiplayer.
Which combat system is better for your habits?
- Choose Lies of P if you value strict timing, sustained offensive pressure, weapon experimentation and boss encounters that serve as major tests of your build and execution.
- Choose Steelrising if you prefer adjusting stats, stamina use, items and modules while also thinking about how movement and route-finding affect your next fight.
- Choose neither for casual co-op: neither title is presented as a multiplayer game.
The combat verdict is Lies of P for most readers because its documented tools reinforce one coherent focus: aggressive, timing-sensitive action supported by weapons, Legion Arms and abilities. Steelrising remains the better fit for players who want customization systems to include stats, modules and stamina management rather than centering almost entirely on weapon experimentation.
How exploration differs
Steelrising: a grappling hook changes the map
The official PlayStation listing for Steelrising says, “Your grappling hook adds a new dimension to exploration and Paris’s verticality.” That is a concrete traversal distinction. A grappling hook gives you a reason to look above the obvious path, check rooftops and ledges, and revisit spaces when a new route becomes available.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsVerticality is not just scenery in this context. It affects how you interpret the city: a blocked street may be only one of several approaches, and a high platform can become a shortcut or a link to a previously inaccessible area. If your definition of exploration is discovering movement abilities and using them to open routes, Steelrising is the clear winner.
The grappling hook also gives exploration a practical rhythm. You are not only walking from one objective to the next; you are checking whether the environment contains a climb, swing or alternate line through the district. That movement-oriented loop is the reason to choose Steelrising even if you expect Lies of P’s combat to be more compelling.
Lies of P: dense-city discovery and environmental detail
Lies of P’s official site emphasizes discovering secrets and symbols in Krat, along with choices and optional world details. GamesRadar characterizes Krat as a dense city and highlights the game’s weapon customization and offensive focus. The result is a different kind of exploration from Steelrising’s traversal-led approach.
Rank #3
- Join Kliff, captain of the Greymanes, and his comrades as they embark on a relentless journey to defend Pywel and fulfill their mission.
- Along your perilous path stands both dependable allies and countless foes who will stop at nothing to see your downfall.
- Face trials to uncover the truth of the catastrophe looming over Pywel and restore peace to the continent.
- Explore the mesmerizing landscapes of the continent where mystical beings, hidden treasures, and thrilling adventures await.
- Pre-order to receive the Khaled Shield (Pre Order Code on Receipt). PS5 Editions include the Grotevant Plate Set DLC as a PS5 exclusive bonus. (In Pack DLC Voucher). Bonus DLC Includes: Grotevan Plate Helm, Grotevan Plate Armor, along with Grotevan cloak, gloves, and boots!
Krat’s appeal is concentration. Rather than promising a movement tool as the centerpiece of discovery, Lies of P uses a tightly packed urban setting in which environmental clues, hidden details and narrative context reward careful attention. If you define exploration as understanding a place, noticing optional details and piecing together its story, Lies of P may feel richer even though Steelrising offers the more explicit vertical movement feature.
Exploration decision table
| Your definition of exploration | Better match | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| New movement abilities and vertical routes | Steelrising | The grappling hook is specifically documented as changing Paris’s vertical exploration. |
| Shortcuts created by traversal | Steelrising | Vertical access gives route-finding a mechanical purpose. |
| Secrets, symbols and optional narrative details | Lies of P | Krat is presented as a dense city where environmental and story discovery matter. |
| A directed journey with concentrated atmosphere | Lies of P | The setting supports a focused, story-driven path through Krat. |
Steelrising wins the exploration category when movement and map interaction are your priority. Lies of P wins when exploration means environmental storytelling and uncovering details in a dense, directed city.
World, story and atmosphere
Steelrising’s alternate-history Paris
Steelrising is set during an alternate version of the French Revolution. You play Aegis, an automaton created by the engineer Vaucanson. Nacon lists the game’s release date as September 8, 2022.
This premise gives the setting a historical frame without making it a straightforward historical simulation. The mechanical protagonist and revolutionary Paris create a distinct reason to explore: districts, routes and landmarks belong to a recognizable period, but the world operates through an imagined automaton conflict. Pick Steelrising if that combination of historical alternate reality, machine protagonist and traversal through Paris is more attractive than gothic fairy-tale reinterpretation.
Lies of P’s Belle Époque Krat
Lies of P reinterprets the Pinocchio story in the Belle Époque city of Krat. Its world is built around a dark urban mystery rather than a historical revolution. The official description’s emphasis on secrets, symbols and choices supports a setting where optional details and narrative discovery are part of the appeal.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #4
- Out-of-This-World Adventure – Stranded on a lunar space station, Hugh encounters Diana, a mysterious android resembling a young girl. While searching for a way back to Earth, they fight to survive against Bots directed to “neutralize” intruders.
- Hack & Shoot – Use each character’s distinct abilities to take down enemies. In combat, Diana can hack foes to expose weaknesses so Hugh can blast them with weapons. This unique fusion of gameplay offers an action-packed experience like no other.
- Space Exploration – Teamwork also extends to traversing the station. Utilize the thrusters in Hugh’s futuristic suit to dash and hover around while Diana hacks security systems to solve puzzles. Only together can they overcome all obstacles.
- Collect and Customize – Gather materials while exploring the station to unlock upgrades, build out a diverse arsenal of weapons, obtain new outfits, and more. Once you’re ready, use the new gear in battle and take on even greater challenges!
Krat is the better fit if you want a gothic city whose atmosphere and story are encountered through a concentrated route. Its setting also reinforces the combat recommendation: a dense, story-driven journey keeps major fights and narrative developments close together instead of separating combat from a broad traversal map.
| Setting preference | Select |
|---|---|
| Automatons, revolutionary Paris and historical alternate reality | Steelrising |
| Gothic mystery, Pinocchio reinterpretation and Belle Époque city design | Lies of P |
Customization and build expression
Lies of P’s equipment-led expression
Lies of P documents three main pillars of combat customization: combining weapons, using Legion Arms and activating abilities. These systems make your preferred combat style visible in the tools you take into a fight.
That structure is useful for players who want experimentation to be immediately legible. You can think in terms of which weapon combination fits an encounter, which Legion Arm complements it and which abilities support the plan. The official description does not provide a complete numerical progression table, so it would be misleading to claim a specific number of builds or a guaranteed best setup.
Steelrising’s layered adjustment
Steelrising documents a broader set of adjustment points: stamina management, stats to upgrade, items and modules. The appeal is less about one headline equipment system and more about how several smaller choices combine.
Players who enjoy looking at a character as a collection of variables may prefer this approach. You can consider how stamina use interacts with your actions, how upgrades change your priorities and how items or modules support the resulting playstyle. The available description does not establish exact stat caps, module counts or a definitive optimal build, so those details should not be assumed.
Best Value
- Reactive Turn-based Combat: Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and &character synergies
- Dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system
- With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, & fellow Expeditioners as they embark on a desperate quest to break Paintress’ cycle of death
- Explore an enchanting realm populated by adversaries; Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield
- Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack
| Customization focus | Lies of P | Steelrising |
|---|---|---|
| Primary documented tools | Weapon combinations, Legion Arms, abilities | Stats, stamina management, items, modules |
| Best for players who want | Fast experimentation with combat equipment and abilities | Layered build tuning across several systems |
| What is not established here | Exact number of viable builds or best-in-slot combinations | Exact stat caps, module counts or optimal setup |
Modes, scope and practical expectations
Lies of P’s support information identifies it as single-player with no multiplayer functions. Steam labels Steelrising as single-player. Treat both purchases as solo experiences: neither should be selected because you expect drop-in co-op, competitive modes or a shared campaign.
The single-player focus also clarifies what each game must deliver on its own. Lies of P needs its combat timing, weapon combinations, Legion Arms and story-driven route to hold your attention. Steelrising needs its combat customization, alternate-history setting and traversal systems to make repeated exploration rewarding. Neither title can rely on a co-op partner to soften difficult encounters or make route-finding more social.
Release timing may matter if you are comparing how current each game feels: Nacon lists Steelrising as released on September 8, 2022. The comparison here concerns the documented design and modes, not a claim that one receives more ongoing updates or has a larger present-day community; those facts are not established by the available material.
Choose by player profile
Buy Lies of P if combat is your deciding factor
- You want precise timing and an offensive combat rhythm.
- You enjoy changing weapons and pairing them with Legion Arms.
- You prefer a dense, story-driven city rather than a traversal-first map.
- Boss encounters are a major reason you play action RPGs.
- You want secrets, symbols and optional world details to support the narrative.
Buy Steelrising if exploration is your deciding factor
- You want a grappling hook that directly affects route choice and vertical access.
- You enjoy finding shortcuts and looking for alternate paths through a city.
- You prefer an alternate-history French Revolution setting with an automaton protagonist.
- You like tuning stats, stamina management, items and modules together.
- You are comfortable with a solo game whose identity includes movement and map reading as much as fighting.
Choose based on your definition of “soulslike”
If you use “soulslike” to mean demanding combat built around timing and pressure, Lies of P is the safer recommendation. If you use it more broadly for deliberate action RPG progression with interconnected routes and build adjustments, Steelrising may better match your expectations because traversal is a central part of its identity.
A practical decision checklist
- Rank your first priority. Put combat, traversal, atmosphere or build customization in first place rather than assuming both games balance them equally.
- Pick your preferred setting. Select Krat for dark Belle Époque mystery and Pinocchio reinterpretation; select Paris for alternate-history revolution and automaton fiction.
- Decide how you want to customize. Choose Lies of P for weapon combinations, Legion Arms and abilities; choose Steelrising for stats, stamina, items and modules.
- Check your multiplayer expectation. Both games are documented as single-player, so remove co-op from your buying criteria.
- Use the exploration test. If a grappling hook and vertical routes sound exciting, choose Steelrising. If environmental clues and a concentrated city journey sound better, choose Lies of P.
- Accept the trade-off. The recommendation is not that one game wins every category: Lies of P leads combat and directed discovery, while Steelrising leads traversal and vertical route-finding.
Final recommendation
Lies of P is the best overall recommendation for readers who ask specifically which game has better combat. Its official feature set—weapon combinations, Legion Arms and abilities—supports a focused, offensive style, and its Krat setting places that combat inside a dense, story-driven journey. Steelrising is the better exploration choice because its grappling hook is a documented traversal tool that changes how you navigate Paris’s vertical spaces.
The cleanest choice is therefore straightforward: buy Lies of P for combat timing, weapon experimentation and boss pressure; buy Steelrising for alternate-history atmosphere, grappling-hook traversal and vertical exploration. Both deliver a solo action RPG, but they reward different reasons for exploring and fighting.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
