Folklore

[skyride]

The demo is out. What a strange game. It had a Pan's Labyrinth sort of vibe. I don't know if you can compare the gameplay to anything else. It seemed to be an action RPG but the skill system is based on monsters you capture and then can summon to fight for you. I may have this wrong, it was a little confusing.

Graphics looked a little like Eternal Sonata but better. I'm surprised that Sony isn't really pushing the game considering it's the first exclusive RPG and what few reviews I've seen are average to good.

[Chris Nahr]

Eh? The PSN demo has been out for ages. Must be another demo, or didn't America get the first one?

The gameplay compares quite readily to Genji which was just as much of an "RPG" and a PS3 launch exclusive. Folklore is by the same team and the gameplay is virtually identical, except for the part where absorbed enemy souls give you specific new attacks.

I agree that part is rather confusing, though. I know what a sword does but I couldn't memorize the effects of all those strangely named monsters.

[skyride]

You can quite easily compare the gameplay to another title: Genji.

Except that almost no one played that game (is that the one with the authentic WW2 giant crabs?) so it doesn't really help understand what is Folklore. From the trailers it almost appears to be a typical JRPG (which I know now that it is not) hence my initial interest.

[Chris Nahr]

Maybe you played some of the Onimusha titles? Those were also by the same team (mostly) and played very much like Genji and Folklore. I think these games are usually just called action-adventures. The combat isn't as involved as in brawlers and the character customization isn't as extensive as in RPGs but I find the mix quite enjoyable.

[MyNameIsWill]

I enjoyed it.

[BobJustBob]

This is by the Genji team? Yeesh. Genji is by far the worst demo I've played on my PS3, but the Folklore demo was lots of fun. So much fun that I bought the game today.

[Cossix]

The same team that made Folklore also made Genji 1. Genji 2 was done by the same company (kind of, I think they just stuck their name on it) but a completely different group of people.

[Chris Nahr]

Still played very much the same as the previous game, though...

[Cronox]

I played the demo a while back and was fairly unimpressed by this. The setting/graphics are amazing but I found the actual gamepaly fairly boring even with the soul pulling stuff.

[RepoMan]

So, BJB, what do you think of the full game?

(And how the hell am I supposed to interpret your answer? That's not a question for you, by the way.)

[BobJustBob]

I haven't tried it yet. I picked it up last night with R6: Vegas and GRAW2, and played R6 first. I played until I got to Vegas but that took 2.5 hours and by then it was bedtime. And tonight's poker night, so it'll have to be tomorrow night before I can play it.

I think Chris Nahr is insane though. The Genji demo was a straight up brawler, like God of War or Ninja Gaiden or something, while Folklore is absolutely nothing like that. Combat in Folklore (from the demo) resembles more than anything the Gamecube RPG Lost Kingdoms.

[Tom Chick]

I'd hate for you guys to have nothing to go on but whatever crazy opinion BobJustBob eventually dreams up, so I'll just say: I played for a few hours and *really* liked what I saw. I really like the graphic novel format for the cutscenes, and normally I find that sort of thing annoying. The general aesthetic is wonderful, a great combination of sinister and sweet, without the typical grim tone or anime influence. For that alone, Folklore deserves kudos.

As for the actual gameplay, it seems like an action RPG with a lot more character than an action RPG has any business having. The Sixaxis soul jerking didn't feel gratuitous, and the combat looked great. The two different characters, each with their own paralleling storyline, had a lot of promise to play in distinctive and interesting ways.

Having said that, I didn't get very far into the gameplay, so it could all go south after a few hours. But if things weren't so busy, this is a game I'd definitely want to try.

-Tom

[Zep--]

I just entered Chapter 2 with both Characters. (which is the recommended way to play it from what I hear, do each chapter with each player as you go along)

The only real problem I have with it is the realm map map view, it doesn't show a dot of where you are and i find myself going places I've already been instead of where I want to be.

The difficulty seems to have ramped up a bit in Ch 2, also.

Having fun with it tho.

Zep--

[Kael]

Im on chapter 4 or so with Ellen (just playing one character) and Im really enjoying this game. My favorite on the PS3 so far (though we will see if Rachet and Clank tops it tomorrow).

[RepoMan]

Sweet, a good game for PS3! Hooray PS3! I feel better for those who own one, now.

I doubt Fable 2 will be as good as Folklore seems to be, but one can always hope.

[Chris Nahr]

I think Chris Nahr is insane though. The Genji demo was a straight up brawler, like God of War or Ninja Gaiden or something, while Folklore is absolutely nothing like that.

Yeah, it's more like the full game of Genji which I have actually played. Multiple characters, multiple weapons per character of which you can ready two (Folklore: four) at a time, weapon upgrades via souls sucked from defeated enemies... that's all in both games. You get new weapons automatically in Genji but if the Folklore demo is any indication, the game's just as linear and simply blocks your progress until you absorb the proper spirit for a new weapon. Also, Folklore has the typical small combat arenas with new waves of monster teleporting in as you defeat earlier ones. Hell, there are even the usual Genji camera issues, though mysteriously nobody complains about them now.

Genji didn't have an Irish mystery story told in comic book panels, though -- I give you that!

Anyway, it does look like a fun game once you get used to the bizarrely named spirits.

[BobJustBob]

But in Folklore, for at least half the game you never swing a weapon. One of the characters never touches a weapon. That's a pretty huge difference.

[Chris Nahr]

Please, the spirit souls are weapons for all practical purposes...

[Jazar]

I've been playing this game through Gamefly and have enjoyed it a lot so far (On chapter 2).

Things I love: The laid back exploration/town elements (with superb music), the unique attack styles which makes combat more exciting then most action adventures, the drop dead gorgeous art design, the Sixaxis controls, it all adds up to a neat package.

Things I don't care for: the lack of voice acting to go with the stylized cutscenes, the "slap two charaters on top of the screen during conversations" ala PS1 days, the forcing of level repetition with each character with minor changes.

It takes a certain frame of mind to enjoy this game. If you want a slower paced, JP style game with good graphics and music then it's absolutely worth it. Even if you just want to try something different you should give it a rent.

[Gendal]

Please, the spirit souls are weapons for all practical purposes...

I only played 30 or so miniutes of Genji. My reactions went "oooo pretty" to omg this sucks just that fast. Can you level up weapons and capture new ones like you can in Folklore? Because I love that crap and it's why I am waiting on Folklore to be delivered now. I own Genjii thanks to being bundlefucked so it's not like it would cost me anything to check out again but I kinda value my time. Hate Dynasty Warriors for the most part, it would need to be Diablocized for me to play it.

[Chris Nahr]

Genji: You do level up weapons with captured souls but they are generic and you decide which weapon they go to. On the other hand, you can also level up your characters' hit points and kamui (slow-motion QTE) gauges.

You get new weapons automatically or find them in treasure chests rather than "capturing" them. Each character has a unique set of five possible weapons which different attacks and power/speed/range tradeoffs. There are four characters in all, and you can switch between them at any time. You must do so, in fact, to beat some puzzles and bosses.

Other differences... you keep health & kamui restoration items in an inventory. There's not a strong story as in Folklore but some platformer elements instead (Genji characters can jump).

What exactly did you think "sucked" about the game? The combat is the same throughout, it's ye olde samurai standoff for the most part, except for historically accurate giant crabs and the like. The early game has some boring corridors and one super-annoying sequence where you have to stack crates to get on a roof, but that's the worst part of the game.

[Gendal]

Off topic on Genji:
The controls and camera basically. I vaguely remember archers on rooftops pissing me off to no end. I defeated them, advanced to the next section, and just decided it wasn't worth the aggravation. If it gets better after that point I might pick it up again in a half year or so, if I manage to make any progress through the ever growing back log of awesomeness.

[Chris Nahr]

Oh yeah, that part. Camera is usually a non-issue in melee because you can perma-block or just dodge around until you get a good camera angle. The archers on the rooftops did suck to no end but I don't think there was another sequence like that. All the bad stuff comes right at the start, really.

[Chris Nahr]

Does anyone still care about Folklore, or is its week of fame over already? Sony just announced new downloadable content: two new "tales" for $3.99 each, or $5.99 combined.

[BobJustBob]

I enjoyed this a lot. Stopped after the second world, though, because the boss fight annoyed me. I should go back to it.

Don't care about DLC though.

[ducker]

This was the first demo I pulled down on my ps3 (late adopter to the console) and wow. I'm impressed... with both the game and the fact that it doesn't really feel like a watered down version of the game, it feels like a full blown snippet of the game. 5.1 audio in a demo? wow.

[Michael Fortson]

This was the first demo I pulled down on my ps3 (late adopter to the console)

I think the early adopter window has been extended for this console. You probably still qualify.

[Fugitive]

More new Folklore content is out today, and they claim this will be the final set of add-ons.

I have Folklore but haven't started it yet; are these packs something that I should pick up early on and they'll be integrated or otherwise beneficial to the 'main' game, or is it independent or post-regular-play stuff?

[LordGek]

Anything random or replayable about it?

[Gendal]

Anything random or replayable about it?

Nope. It's not a roguelike ;)

I like the combat summons and different combinations but so much of the game is uninteresting in town quests where you search for something to advance the story. Sometimes you know what you need but missed a conversation somewhere so you end up searching hopelessly.

When/if I work up the muster to power through those sections I will probably finish the game, but for now it's on the back burner too.