Lies of P builds its identity around the lie system: pivotal dialogue choices where Pinocchio may tell the truth or lie, changing his Humanity and ultimately shaping the story’s conclusion. Across the adventure, three distinct endings can be unlocked, each hinging on late-game decisions and, for the best outcomes, on steadily growing Humanity through lies, records, and specific quest beats. Below is a complete, streamlined guide to all endings, what influences them, and the steps to secure each route, plus tips for secret weapons and achievements tied to your choices.
How the Endings Work
- There are three endings: Real Boy: They All Lived Happily Ever After; Free From the Puppet String; and Rise of P.
- The “Real Boy” ending only requires accepting Geppetto’s request after defeating the final boss; prior choices don’t matter for this route.
- The other two endings require refusing Geppetto after the final boss and are further determined by what you did with Sophia and your accumulated Humanity.
- Humanity increases primarily by lying in key dialogue moments, listening to all Records, solving riddles, and completing select character beats; it also unlocks the secret Golden Lie weapon if raised high enough and the portrait is delivered to Geppetto.
Key Choice Moments and Progression Tips
While many lie/truth prompts appear throughout the game, the decisive checks cluster in Chapter XI:
- Defeat Simon Manus at Arche Abbey, then ride the lift to the Under the Abyss area to face Geppetto’s request: Give your heart or Refuse.
- Your decision concerning Sophia after defeating Laxasia—Let her live or Give her peace—feeds into which refusal path becomes available and which ending you see when you deny Geppetto.
- Raising Humanity by consistently lying and engaging with records and side content is strongly recommended if you want the option to refuse Geppetto and to secure the Golden Lie secret weapon via the Portrait of a Boy in Hotel Krat.
Ending 1: Real Boy — They All Lived Happily Ever After
- Requirements: Defeat Simon Manus, descend to meet Geppetto, and choose Give heart. Prior lies/truths don’t affect eligibility.
- Outcome: Geppetto takes P’s heart to pursue his own aim, concluding the story on the bleakest note despite the title’s irony.
- Tip: You can read Geppetto’s letter in his office after this ending for a related achievement, then reload a cloud save to experience another ending without a full replay.
Ending 2: Free From the Puppet String
- Requirements:
- After defeating Laxasia, choose Let her live when speaking to Sophia.
- Defeat Simon Manus and tell Simon that you liberated her from Arche Abbey.
- At Geppetto, choose Refuse to trigger the real final boss (Nameless Puppet), then win.
- Outcome: A neutral-leaning resolution where refusing Geppetto and sparing Sophia leads to a distinct final cutscene path once the Nameless Puppet is defeated.
- Note: Having enough Humanity is associated with the option to refuse; building Humanity through lies and records is strongly advised for consistency.
Ending 3: Rise of P
- Requirements:
- Throughout the run, prioritize lying and raising Humanity; listen to all Records for additional Humanity checks.
- After defeating Laxasia, choose Give her peace when prompted about Sophia.
- Defeat Simon Manus, then refuse to give your heart to Geppetto to initiate the Nameless Puppet fight.
- Outcome: Widely regarded as the most complete ending, with the most context and closure, reflecting P’s ascent through Humanity-focused choices and decisive refusals at the end.
- Extra: Deliver the Portrait of a Boy to Geppetto and raise Humanity high enough; the portrait’s “growing nose” yields the secret Golden Lie weapon when Humanity is sufficient.
Humanity, Records, and the Golden Lie
- The Golden Lie special weapon is tied to maximum Humanity and the Portrait of a Boy gifted to Geppetto in Hotel Krat; interact with the portrait as its nose grows to claim the weapon when the Humanity threshold is met.
- Humanity increases through consistent lying, record listening from start to finish, and certain riddle/quest beats; missing too many Humanity sources can lock you out of the Golden Lie until a future playthrough.
- Community and guide consensus emphasize that lying “as much as possible” plus completing record listening offers the most reliable path to both refusal options and the Golden Lie weapon.
Can Multiple Endings Be Seen in One Playthrough?
- Officially, each ending requires its own playthrough, and New Game+ is provided to streamline cleanup.
- Practically, many players use cloud saves just before speaking to Geppetto after Simon Manus to view at least two endings—accept (Real Boy), then reload and refuse (for the other paths)—with the caveat that Sophia’s choice shapes which refusal ending you actually see.
Recommended Route Planning
- First playthrough: Lie often to raise Humanity, listen to all Records, deliver the Portrait of a Boy to Geppetto, and refuse at the end after choosing either peace or life for Sophia depending on which ending you want first.
- Second playthrough: Switch the Sophia choice and again refuse Geppetto to see the other refusal ending.
- At any point: Use a cloud save before the Geppetto decision to tack on Real Boy by accepting, then reload to preserve progress toward Humanity rewards and refusal outcomes.
Quick Reference: What to Pick
- Real Boy: Give heart to Geppetto after Simon Manus; nothing else matters.
- Free From the Puppet String: Let Sophia live, tell Simon you liberated her, refuse Geppetto, defeat Nameless Puppet.
- Rise of P: Give Sophia peace, refuse Geppetto, defeat Nameless Puppet; high Humanity and thorough lies/records recommended for the most complete narrative and rewards.