Lies of P finally gets Elden Ring-style co-op, and I'm heading straight back to Krat to replay my favorite soulslike

Lies of P was the first soulslike game I ever loved. I'd dabbled in the likes of Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and even Code Vein, but a younger me simply couldn't handle the punishment. Older me manages slightly better, but while I love the atmosphere and setting of Elden Ring, I simply can't bring myself to plow dozens of hours into its brutal, vast open world. Enter Lies of P, with its wickedly divine steampunk stylings and bizarre yet intriguing fairytale plotline. If you, like me, refuse to decrease the difficulty (in the wake of its Overture DLC, you can do just that), then perhaps recruiting a pal is a better call, and this new mod has you covered.

Over the past few years we've seen modder 'Yui' add seamless co-op to Elden Ring and Dark Souls Remastered, with a Dark Souls 2 version also in the works. Following in their footsteps, the 'EmberWave' team has developed its own co-op mod for Lies of P, and while it's still in its early stages, you'll be able to take on the game's bosses with your pals (or, well, a singular pal for now).

Currently in alpha, EmberWave states that the end goal is "full seamless playthrough together," noting that "the full-game co-op is already being worked on." At the moment, however, you can challenge almost all of the Lies of P bosses with a friend (Romeo and Puppet-Devouring Green Monster are missing), which, let's be honest, is probably where you need the most help (I remember that Simon fight; it ain't pretty).

This list includes mini-bosses, and most of Overture's bosses, too, with the Two-Faced Overseer and Premetamorphic Green Hunter being the only exceptions. Note that you have to own the DLC to take on those fights.

As mentioned, this is an alpha project, so it's still being worked on. At the moment, however, EmberWave has implemented a spectator system so that, when you inevitably die, you can watch your friend exert sweet vengeance on the enemy that killed you, and you'll be able to track their health bar, too. When one player uses a Stargazer, every other player is automatically teleported to it, and it's where you'll revive if you die. You can also adjust boss balance as you see fit - there are more of you now, after all; there's no excuse not to crank the difficulty to 11.

Its worth noting that there are a few caveats. While you can run around together after a boss fight, there's a high likelihood of your game crashing, and if you return to the Hotel Krat, you'll encounter game-breaking errors. There's a full FAQ over on NexusMods, and you can support the project here.

While, to some, the idea of seamless multiplayer flies in the face of the word 'soulslike,' I do like the option of sharing the load with friends (it would have made my Lies of P review playthrough a lot easier). For me, taking down a boss as a squad elicits the same dopamine hit that beating it solo does, but you get to share it with others. It's a win-win, and I can't wait to explore Krat with my friends when the mod launches in full.