We were a little worried about Folklore at first, because it was from the same people who made the quite terrible Genji: Days of the Blade. Still, the original title, Genji: Dawn of the Samurai was a decent game, so we had hope. Where as Genji was a fantasy tale based on (apparently) a classical piece of Japanese literature, Folklore is based on more English orientated fairy tales. The game has is more of a western, or Anglicised, perspective as opposed to the eastern view of most Japanese developed games. This may explain the game’s lackluster reception in Japan.
So what is Folklore about? Well, it’s a mixture of fantasy tale and something of a murder mystery. The whole story revolves around two main characters, Ellen and Keats, and a mysterious village named Doolin. Ellen is trying to unveil a 17 year old mystery behind her late mother’s disappearance, while Keats is a reporter for an occult magazine, who has been called to Doolin for some reason. The answers all lie in the fact that Doolin is actually a gateway to the realms of the Netherworld, or the Land of the Dead. It’s up to Ellen and Keats to explore Doolin and the different realms of the Netherworld to get the answers to their issues, from the dead themselves, no less.
Like a bar out of Star Wars.
Folklore isn’t as fleshed out as you’d expect an RPG to be, and the whole mystery aspect isn’t what you’d expect from a good murder/mystery novel. However, it manages to find a nice spot in-between that actually works quite well. In order to solve the mysteries put before them, Ellen and Keats need to search for clues in Doolin, the issue being that you’re looking for clues related to people who are dead. Often they’ll need to find a memento of the dead person, which will then allow you passage into the netherworld. Once there, you’ll have a mix of exploration and action-based combat to get through and find the remnant souls that will allow you to get the answers that are being looked for.
As mentioned, the game has more western origins in it's mythology. Doolin looks heavily inspired by a small coastal Irish settlement and all of the weird creatures that you come across in the game are inspired from traditional children’s fairy tales. It can’t be denied that Folklore has a degree of magic to it. Whether it be through the unique nature of the presentation, or some of the bells and whistles that have come with the power of the PS3, Folklore has a flair that isn’t seen in a lot of games.
We’re not sure why the developers continue to be obsessed with a fixed camera, but it can get confusing when you’re exploring Doolin or one of the six different realms within the Netherworld. Thankfully, when you’re in combat, you’re granted a free-roaming camera. Apart from exploring, there is a collection and combat aspect to the game. Every creature that you’ll come across, has a soul that can be captured and that can then be used in combat. There is also a puzzle element to the combat, where one soul’s characteristics will help you beat another.
A handy attack.
These creatures that you fight and acquire souls from are known as Folk. In each of the six realms, there are a dozen or so Folk souls to collect (adding something of a Pokemon element) and at the end, there is one major boss known as the Folklore. The Folklore is the embodiment of the tortured soul that holds the answers to the mystery. By defeating it, you’ll complete another arc of the story. As for the other Folks, each will grant you a new ability, ranging from melee, to mid-range, to long range attacks and defensive shields. Some attacks can be charged and some abilities come with elements attached.
To capture Folks, you need to do battle with them. As you fight, you’ll notice that with each successful hit, the Folk’s soul starts to pop out the top of it. When it turns red, it means that it’s ready for capture. Players will press R1 to grab hold of the soul and flick up with the Sixaxis to capture it. Thankfully, the response is very sharp and we never had any issues. Large and harder enemies will require players to complete a little mini games involving some timing and movements with the Sixaxis, but again, there were really simple to pull off. Collecting more then one soul at once gives you an experience bonus. Furthermore, your souls can be upgraded by collecting more of the same kind, collecting and using items and defeating enemies with them.
You can have up to four abilities mapped into each of the face buttons, so you’ll be able to adapt rather easily to any situation that comes up. There is a rather interesting way that the game conveys combat strategies to you. In each realm, you’ll collect pages from a picture book. These can be viewed and the pictures will give you clues as to the best way to take on a certain enemy, especially with bosses. So while the combat may not be anything revelation, it works really well, it requires some thought, has plenty of variety and is unique enough to make the game stand out.
Your souls are mine!.
There are a few minor concerns surrounding Folklore. As mentioned, you’ll play as both Ellen and Keats. The issue is that you’ll play one chapter as Ellen, then you’ll play through virtually the same chapter as Keats. There are differences within each story and some of the interactions with each character, but they do feel too familiar. Really, it's the one real flaw in the game's design. There isn’t much that you can interact with, meaning that you’ll often be required to just look for something that can be help you. Realms are very flat and linear to explore. And the game isn’t one that will be enjoyed by everyone, as it's something of an acquired taste. And even though it has come off pretty well, Folklore does seem like it was pushed out a little early, even though it isn’t broken in any way.
Graphically, the game is incredibly stylish while technically solid. The Folk and other beings in the game are well realized, and the artistic direction is great. Each realm is unique and throughout the game, you’ll come across some great touches. Really, it’s the atmosphere conveyed in Doolin and the different realms that makes Folklore stand out. The music has something of a Harry Potter feel, but with a darker and sometimes ominous air to it. Sound effects don’t do anything that hasn’t been done before, though they are used nicely in places. A lot of the interactions in the game are conveyed through sequences that are straight out of a graphic novel. They’re stylish, but could have benefited from some voicing, especially since the themes in the game are quite emotional and the limited voicing is actually very good.
Folklore was needed on the PS3. Not just because it’s a good RPG, but a good, unique game that is exclusive to the system. While it does nothing brilliantly, all the aspects come together to make game better than the sum of its parts. It lacks universal appeal, but it's quite unlike any other game available. If you’re after an RPG ,or at least something different to play, you could certainly do a lot worse than Folklore.
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