Folklore (video game)

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Folklore

Developer(s) Game Republic
Publisher(s) SCEI
Aspect ratio 480p
720p
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release date JP June 21, 2007
NA October 9, 2007[1]
EU October 10, 2007
AUS October 18, 2007[2]
ASIA September 25, 2007[3]
Genre(s) Action-adventure game, Action RPG
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: Teen
OFLC: PG
PEGI: 12+
Media BD-ROM
Input methods Sixaxis & DualShock 3

Folklore, known in Japan as FolksSoul -Ushinawareta Denshō- (FolksSoul -失われた伝承- FōkusuSōru -Ushinawareta Denshō-?, literally "FolksSoul: Lost Legend") is a video game released exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

The game is a real time action adventure game with role-playing elements. The game centers around a young blonde woman named Ellen, and a journalist named Keats, both playable characters. Together they unravel the mystery that the quaint village of Doolin hides, the mystery that can only be solved by seeking the memories of the dead in the dangerous, Folk-ridden Netherworld.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The game takes place in the present day. A young woman by the name of Ellen is lured to the sea-side village of Doolin, in Ireland, led by a letter from her supposedly dead mother. Meanwhile Keats, a journalist from an occult magazine called Unknown Realms, receives a telephone call from a woman in distress telling him to come to Doolin. Soon he and Ellen find themselves in a murder mystery, where the answers seem to only be found in the Netherworld, the Land of the Dead, a realm that can only be accessed from one place in the world, Doolin. To solve the crime and reveal Ellen's forgotten past, they will need to venture to the Netherworld as travellers, where Faerys and Folks alike await them.

Along the way they meet many different characters, like Scarecrow and Belgae, who help out both of them in their quest. Throughout the game, players learn about the chaos the Netherworld was put into by a previous Netherworld traveller. The eventual goal is to reach the core of the Netherworld and "fix" the Netherworld. The game takes two different perpectives in the story that shows the different views and opinions of many different characters. While traveling in the Netherworld, many mysterious murders start to occur in the village of Doolin after the appearance of "The Hag." The people murdered are the only ones who knew the truth (or part of the truth) of Ellen's past.

[edit] Gameplay

There are seven unique realms, each farther from the Earth than the one before. Ellen and Keats journey each realm separately.

Each realm has their own Folks to battle against and absorb. In total, there are over a hundred beasts, characters, and monsters to interact with. Using the SIXAXIS wireless controller or the Dualshock 3 wireless controller, the player must battle monsters and literally "shake" them into submission and "yank" their souls (Known in the game as ids) from their bodies. The absorbed powers can then be used to capture or defeat the monsters that lie ahead. Players can choose between playing as Keats or as Ellen; the gameplay differs depending on who is chosen. Decisions made in one story-line will directly impact the path of the other, though this only appears later in the story.

[edit] Reception

 Reviews
Publication Score
1UP.com B[4]
Eurogamer 5 out of 10 [5]
Game Revolution 'C+' [6]
GameSpot 7.0 out of 10 [7]
GameSpy 4 out of 5 [8]
GamesRadar 8 out of 10 [9]
GameTrailers 7.2 out of 10 [10]
GameZone 9 out of 10 [11]
IGN 9 out of 10 [12]
Official PlayStation Magazine (Australia) 8 out of 10 [13]
PS3 Fanboy 8 out of 10 [14]
Compilations of multiple reviews
Compiler Score
Metacritic 75%
Game Rankings 77%
Awards
GameZone: Editor's Choice[11]
IGN: Editor's Choice[12]
OPM Australia: Bronze Award[13]


Reviews have been mixed, with IGN praising art design and presentation while Eurogamer criticized the tedious nature of the game and bland gameplay.[1] Some small issues were minor slowdown when closing the menu and slight repetition of level design. Switched stated: "...but I found in 'Folklore' a beautiful soundtrack, an intelligent story, characters I actually care about, a witty sense of humor, and a creative surrealism." Folklore was selected as one of Gaming Target's "52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2007." [15] [16] It currently holds a 77% average on Game Rankings, and a 75% average on Metacritic.[17]. Several other criticisms have been leveled:

  • The linearity of gameplay has been widely criticised, with regards to the confined gaming environment and apparent lack of variation.
  • In-battle loading screens have caused frustration for several players, who claim it takes away from the overall gameplay value.
  • The characterisation has been variously described as either lifeless, or poorly realised by the voice actors.
  • The required action of repeating each level with two different characters has been criticised as making the game overly arduous to complete and unnecessary.
  • The storyline has been variously criticised as being confusing, bland and muddled. [7][5]
  • Although only a minor problem, the uneven frame rate has been a common cause of critical concern. [12][11]
  • The interplay between the animated cutscenes and the 'comic strip' pieces has been both appraised and criticised. [10] [6]

[edit] Development

Folklore was announced at E3 2006 which was said to be "The next generation of dark fantasy." It was to be developed by Game Republic, under Yoshiki Okamoto, a video game designer who worked on popular games, including Resident Evil.

The game was originally titled "Unknown Realms" before being renamed to "Folklore". The original name still has a presence in the game, as it is the magazine that Keats writes for.

A playable demo was first released on the Japanese PlayStation Network (PSN) on May 30th, 2007. The demo features the two playable characters Keats and Ellen, with the ability to chose from either of them. The demo includes a series of short comic-style cutscenes, exploration of a sea-side village and a trek through a series of playable areas where a player is introduced to the gameplay basics (i.e. fighting, how to acquire new Ids, etc.). This demo was all in Japanese aside from the lines in English that both protagonists would occasionally exclaim during combat.

Folklore gameplay depicting protagonist Keats
Folklore gameplay depicting protagonist Keats

An English speech demonstration was released on the European PSN on August 22nd, 2007; as a limited time offering, it was removed from the PlayStation Store on August 31st. This demo was released to the North American PSN on August 23, 2007. An English/Traditional Chinese speech version demo was released on the Asian PSN on September 4th, 2007. Recently, the original Japanese demo was released in English version on North American PSN.

[edit] Soundtrack

The official FolksSoul soundtrack was released on 3 discs on June 27, 2007 by TEAM Entertainment. It has been praised for its mood-setting, atmospheric style.[2]

Tracklist

Disc 01

  1. The Beginning of the Journey
  2. A Mysterious Door
  3. The Netherworld
  4. Solitude
  5. Resolution
  6. Awakening
  7. Rumbling
  8. Mystery
  9. The Faery Waltz
  10. Crisis
  11. Escaping the Myth
  12. Where the Flowers are Scattered
  13. A Voice from the Past
  14. Resurfacing Past
  15. Speaking With the Dead
  16. Endless Battlefield
  17. Menace
  18. Avalon

Disc 02

  1. Ancient Breath
  2. An Undertaking
  3. Impact
  4. Visited Tragedy
  5. Land of the Gods
  6. An Arranged History
  7. Trial
  8. The Serpent's Lair
  9. Sorrow
  10. Distant Memories
  11. The Forgotten Village
  12. IRISH LULLABY
  13. DANNY BOY
  14. Between Life and Death
  15. Rest

Disc 03

  1. To the Unknown World
  2. Engraved Time
  3. Map of Penfield
  4. In the Land of Judgement
  5. Courtroom
  6. The Judge and the Judged
  7. The End of the Memories
  8. Showdown
  9. The Darkness Within
  10. Truth
  11. Determination
  12. Under a Falling Star
  13. Sovereign Vessel
  14. Skilled Spear
  15. Transfiguration
  16. Those Who Must Fear
  17. The Beginning of the End
  18. Collapse
  19. Where the Soul Goes



[edit] Voice Cast

Role Voice Actor Note
Ellen Lisa Hogg [18](entire cast listing there)
Keats Richard Coyle
Suzette Holly Quinn
Scarecrow/Archaeologist Tom George
Ingrid Loraine Pilkington

[edit] References

  1. ^ IGN: Folklore
  2. ^ Games Release Schedule, 04/09/07
  3. ^ Folklore(Asian Version） | PlayStation.com (Asia) | Hong Kong
  4. ^ Folklore Review. 1Up. Retrieved on 2007-10-09.
  5. ^ a b Folklore review. Eurogamer. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  6. ^ a b Folklore review for the PS3. Game Revolution. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  7. ^ a b Folklore Review. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
  8. ^ Folklore Review. GameSpy. Retrieved on 2007-10-09.
  9. ^ Folklore Review. Games Radar. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  10. ^ a b Folklore Review. GameTrailers. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  11. ^ a b c Folklore Review - PlayStation 3. GameZone. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
  12. ^ a b c Folklore Review. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-10-03.
  13. ^ a b O'Connor, Anthony (November 2007). "Folklore (Review)". Official PlayStation Magazine (Australia) (9): 76–78. 
  14. ^ Folklore Review. PS3 Fanboy. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
  15. ^ 52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2007. Gaming Target.
  16. ^ Folklore Charms on the PS3 - Switched: Gadgets, Tech, Digital Stuff for the Rest of Us
  17. ^ Folklore Review. GameDaily. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  18. ^ YouTube - Folklore ending 3/3

[edit] External links