 Review By: Andrew Joy |
Developer: | Game Republic |
| Publisher: | SCEA | |
| Genre: | Adventure | |
| ESRB: | Teen | |
| # Of Players: | 1 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | PlayStation Network (DLC), HDTV 720p | |
| Buy Now: |   |
While there are many who’ll try to disagree, there’s no denying that the PlayStation 3’s first year was something of a rough start. Even though the degree to which Sony stumbled and suffered is often greatly exaggerated, the low sales and shaky third-party support seem that much worse when compared to the absolute and unquestionable success that was the PS2. However, as the pages of the calendar fell away like so many leaves on a tree, days turned to weeks, weeks to months and, finally, it seemed as though things were finally starting to turn around for the embattled console maker. Though it’ll be hard to say if it will ever actually catch up to the Xbox 360 (with its year head start) or the Wii (which is enjoying sales hindered only by Nintendo’s ability to produce enough consoles), the PS3 has now gotten at least two things it will certainly need to even stand a chance in this console war: a price cut and a library of games that includes more than just a mere handful of good titles. Sony may have taken the most unusual road to a price cut (announcing a mind-boggling number of SKUs and discontinuations), but the sudden wealth of games was enjoyed all around. In retrospect, 2007 was a banner year in gaming, with so many hotly-anticipated and high quality titles, especially around the holiday season, that a number of games got delayed into this year and gamers still had to save up well in advance even for what remained. Because of that, you may have missed Folklore, an action-adventure game that combines next generation technology and Old World mythology with Pokémon and Celtic lore to create something that is more than just the sum of its parts.
As a new IP for Sony, the game hasn’t got much going for it in the way of legacy, apart from a series of unannounced name changes (some of you may still know it as FolksSoul, as it is now called in Japan, or even Unknown Realms, its original working title) and a largely ignored PSN demo. As for the developer, well, I’m sorry to say it is Game Republic, the people responsible for the now-notorious PS3 launch title Genji: Days of the Blade. In reality, Days of the Blade (or Genji 2, if you prefer) wasn’t all that bad, people just took the game’s few weak points and attacked them for massive damage. In fact, most of the criticism surrounding the title has nothing to do with the game itself, but instead from the seemingly infinite internet memes plucked from a single event. Sony’s E3 2006 snafu has been mocked so relentlessly, appearing in everything from blogs to even other videogames (like Contact and Viva Pinata), that I fully expected Red Lobster to announce a Historically-accurate Giant Enemy Crab dish at one point. But I digress. The point is, Game Republic has come a long way since then, and the “then” in question largely wasn’t even an issue with them, so don’t cast a blind eye on Folklore so lightly.
Sadly, even if you are willing to give Folklore a shot, it doesn’t make a very good first impression. For the first hour or so, things move so dreadfully slow, with so much reading instead of actual playing, that it seems Sony should have packed in a novella primer. As the game starts out, you are introduced to the two main characters: Keats is a sardonic and seemingly skeptical journalist for a magazine called Unknown Realms, and Ellen is young girl with a mysterious past trying to track down the mother she thought to be dead. Both are lured (by phone call and letter, respectively) to the town of Doolin, where it is said the living can meet the dead. Without giving too much away, the two eventually venture into the Netherworld to try and unravel the mysterious past of the town and themselves. Folklore doesn’t have a lot of twists, and what ones it does have likely won’t keep you talking for weeks, but it is amazing how much the story will draw you in regardless. The game is very story-driven, and that means – for better or worse – you’ll need to pay close attention to understand all of what is going on. While the story may not be as blatantly obvious as it is in a movie, the game still has a M. Night Shyamalan feel to it and those first moments of revelation make the game worth experiencing, despite some missteps.
When Folklore finally lets loose its grip on narrative and you actually get to combat, it is a very action RPG-like affair. In the Netherworld, there are some souls which are peaceful and sometimes even helpful, but there are other more aggressive souls (usually based off some sort of myth) called “folks.” In order to defend yourself, you’ll use the captured souls (or “id”) of other folks, each with its own unique power. Some folks you collect can not only be used for combat, but also defensive purposes and, true to video game form, some souls must be collected in order to get past certain obstacles. Now, as I mentioned earlier, the game is a lot like Pokémon, only in real-time, and by that I mean, as you build up your arsenal of folk, you’ll create a party of four which can be manifested at any time (so long as you have enough energy) to attack other folk. As you whittle down your opponent’s health, you’ll eventually be given the opportunity to tear away and collect their id for your ever-growing collection of folk. The idea behind that, I think, is that you’ll experiment and constantly change out your party, but chances are you’ll stick with the same two or three favorites, only switching out the last one with those you need to advance in the game. As you do advance, you’ll naturally have to eventually face off against a boss character or two, where you’ll have to use more strategy, even though the same basic principles apply.
Posted: 2008-01-28 13:28:03 PST