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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
