Lies of P on Switch 2 Goes Physical - and the Whole Game Is Actually on the Cartridge

I have a little ritual whenever a new Switch 2 physical release lands: I flip the box over and hunt for the small print. Is it a real cartridge, or a game-key card that just points you to a download? With Lies of P: Complete Edition, I'm happy to say the answer is the good one.

Neowiz's dark, Pinocchio-inspired soulslike came out digitally on Switch 2 back in August, and this week the physical version followed. The boxed release was made together with iam8bit, and the Complete Edition puts the full game on the cartridge - the base game plus the Overture expansion. No download you need before you can start, no "card" that's really just a key. You slide it in and you play.

There are two ways to grab it. iam8bit's exclusive edition costs $69.99 and comes with the cartridge, the Overture DLC, an exclusive sleeve and a set of boss lore cards - the kind of little extras that make a shelf feel loved. A standard retail version is out at the usual stores too, so you don't have to chase a collector's box if you just want the game.

Honestly, this one got me more than I expected, and not only because of the game itself (although its gloomy Belle Epoque city is gorgeous). Physical media on Switch 2 has felt a bit shaky, with plenty of releases leaning on key cards. Every time a publisher puts the whole thing on the cart, it's a small vote for everyone who lends games to friends, resells them, or simply wants to know their copy will still boot in fifteen years.

So who is it for? I'll be upfront: this is not a co-op night pick for me and my nephew. Lies of P is a punishing, deliberate action RPG, and its bosses will humble you again and again. If you loved Bloodborne or Elden Ring and dreamed of suffering on the sofa or on a train, this is your copy. If you're newer to the genre, the Complete Edition at least hands you everything in one go, with no add-ons to hunt down later.

I'm just really glad to see Switch 2 players treated like they deserve a proper box with a proper game inside. It's a small thing, but small things like this are exactly what make me trust a publisher a little more.

Image: AOMAF2024 / CC0, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comparison_of_NS2_card_(left)_and_NS1_card_(right).jpg