If you adore the slightly melancholic, but richly imaginative, works of creators like Tim Burton, Neil Gaimon, or Jean-Prerre Jeunet, then Folklore id for you. The story begins in the decrepit village of Doolin, the gateway to the afterworld. Two strangers are beckoned to the island – one an orphan lured by a letter from her long dead mother and the other a jaded reporter for an occultist magazine who receives a mysterious phone call. They arrive in time to witness a murder. Solving it requires journeying into the Netherworld to interrogate the dead and facing truths that hit closer to home and have bigger impacts than they could ever suspect.
As gorgeous as the story telling is only the patient need apply. The game is unusually quiet, favoring text over voices, and the pacing is more akin to a novel than a movie. In fact, watching cutscenes is a lot like reading a comic book. In exchange, however, you will be treated to beautiful environments, a rich ambient soundtracks, and a uniquely approach. We think it’s a worthwhile trade-off; gamers wanting Folklore to play like an action game may not.
Actually, the combat is one element that makes Folklore stand out from the action-RPG crowd. When you journey into the Netherworld, you gain the ability to absorb Folks, the creatures that populate the realms; you can use them in battle. Even with over a hundred Folks, their abilities don’t became overly repetitive a plant spewing toxic bubbles. Overall, it’s an amazing, oddball game that emphasizes story as heavily as combat. Yes, it’s slightly different from the myriad cookie-cutter titles on the market.
[via Metacritic]
