Throughout Lies of P‘s story, Pinocchio encounters a series of bosses that must be defeated to progress the story – he will also come upon a number of bosses whose defeat is optional. Despite their status as non-mandatory opponents, many of these optional bosses are difficult to best and offer excellent rewards – primarily in the form of costumes and accessories. These rewards and the experience of battle certainly justify the time and effort involved in engaging with Lies of P‘s optional bosses.
Lies of P is a dark adaptation of the Italian 19th-century novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio. One of 2023’s most highly anticipated games, Lies of P is an exceptional dissection of the soulslike genre with an interesting and endearing story, excellent visuals, and a plethora of customization options. Outside these factors, one area in which the game shines is its bosses, mini-bosses, and enemies more generally; although often overlooked, the optional bosses are some of the best-designed and most interesting in Lies of P – moreover, some are among the hardest to defeat in the entire game.
9 The Survivor
Located in the Workshop Union Culvert close to the Venigni Works Control Room, the Survivor is the first of the optional Lies of P bosses that Pinocchio can come across during his adventure. Battling the Survivor is relatively easy; however, he is extremely fast and has a number of potentially dangerous combos. Managing to defeat the Survivor will result in Pinocchio being able to obtain the Survivor’s Mask accessory and the Survivor’s Hunting Apparel costume.
8 The Atoned
Wielding the Exploding Pickaxe, the Atoned is a comparatively easy optional boss to defeat. Found in front of the Cable Railway at the end of Moonlight Town, the biggest threat presented by the Atoned optional boss is her agility and speed – factors that make merely hitting her difficult. In spite of this, the Atoned is easily defeated due to her extreme vulnerability to fire. Besting this optional boss will allow the player to claim the Atoned’s Mask – an excellent accessory.
7 Puppet Of The Future
Puppet of the Future is an optional boss that can be encountered a few times throughout a playthrough – first in the Workshop Union Culvert, and an additional two times near the Barren Swamp Stargazer. Lumbering and slow, the Puppet of the Future is no competition for Pinocchio. The only real threat posed by this mechanical monster is its impressive damage; however, it is quite easy to avoid.
6 Robber Weasel
Found at the Krat Central Station Platform, Robber Weasel is a reasonably easy optional boss in Lies of P. Despite this, combating Robber Weasel does come with some risks. Robber Weasel’s attacks are generally simple and easy to block or parry – that being said, he is fairly powerful and can quickly cause Pinocchio lots of trouble. If the player chooses to take on the Robber Weasel, they will be rewarded with the Robber Weasel’s Mask accessory and Robber Weasel’s Hunting Apparel costume.
5 Owl Doctor
The Owl Doctor can be a moderately challenging optional boss, especially if the player is inattentive. Although he has a significantly limited move set, the Owl Doctor can inflict a decent amount of damage with his axe. This combined with impressive speed and agility makes the Owl Doctor a reasonable challenge. Although this may not be an enticing reason to engage with the optional boss, one factor that certainly does justify the fight is the reward – the Owl Doctor’s Mask.
4 Mad Clown Puppet
Located at the end of Rosa Isabelle Street immediately before the Estella Opera House Stargazer, the Mad Clown Puppet is perhaps the ultimate nightmare of any coulrophobic. In spite of his terrifying appearance, the Mad Clown Puppet is only a slight challenge to defeat – primarily due to his unique spring-loaded arm-throwing attack which deals a modest amount of damage but has an impressive range. Luckily, the Mad Clown Puppet glows red before launching this attack and, therefore, it can reasonably easily be avoided – provided Pinocchio remains aware of his surroundings.
3 Black Cat
Armed with a City Longspear, Black Cat is one of the most difficult optional bosses to defeat in Lies of P. Although he is found several times throughout the game, it is not until he is encountered in the Grand Exhibition that he can be fought. Though Black Cat claims to be worn out by fighting, he is a competent adversary and one that can quite easily outwit Pinocchio. The most effective method for dealing with Black Cat is to get behind him, stagger him, and take advantage of the situation. Choosing to battle Black Cat will also see the player rewarded with one of the coolest accessories in Lies of P, Black Cat’s Mask.
2 Red Fox
The sister of Black Cat, Red Fox poses an even greater threat than her brother. If Pinocchio chooses not to give her a Gold Coin Fruit, she will become hostile and the optional boss fight will begin. Employing a razor-sharp Dancer’s Curved Sword, Red Fox can inflict extreme amounts of damage in a short burst. The most effective method for defeating her is to dodge her strike and quickly counterattack. Defeating this menacing foe will allow the player to claim her exceptionally well-designed fox mask – Red Fox’s Mask.
1 Nameless Puppet
Undoubtedly the hardest optional boss, and quite possibly the most challenging of all the bosses in Lies of P, is the game’s true final boss, the Nameless Puppet. Only encountered if Pinocchio refuses to submit and give Geppetto his heart after defeating Simon Manus, the Nameless Puppet is incredibly fast and powerful. This optional boss battle is divided into two stages, in both of which this powerful adversary is relentlessly aggressive and can very quickly overwhelm Pinocchio. The most effective way to neutralize this final threat is to parry and stagger; however, even with this strategy, the Namless Puppet is by far the hardest optional boss in Lies of P.
