Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this game deals with themes of death and the supernatural. The game assumes that upon death souls travel to netherworld realms that are reflections of human attitudes towards death. (Warcadia, for example, depicts modern humans' fear of death as a war-torn landscape, while the Fairy Realm depicts classical interpretations of death such as the Roman fields of Elysium.) There is fantasy violence against the denizens of the netherworld, and "folk" creatures are collected by ripping their souls or "ids" out of their bodies. The violence is not overly graphic or gratuitous. Characters will interact with the ghosts of people who have died in the game.
Families can talk about why certain cultures have superstitions about ghosts and other supernatural beings. Which character (Ellen or Keats) did they enjoy playing more? Was it annoying to have to go back and replay a chapter as the other character or was it interesting to observe the differences? Did they play one character at a time, or prefer to alternate after each chapter?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Erin Bell
If you enjoy supernatural mysteries, and particularly ones about ghosts, then FOLKLORE is worth exploring. Here, events in the world of the living and the ghostly netherworld -- where the souls of the dead dwell -- are intertwined. It makes for a wonderfully atmospheric plot, but it's a shame that the accompanying gameplay is rather ho-hum.
Folklore follows the interconnected stories of two characters who are both drawn to the creepy little town of Doolin, Ireland. Twenty-two-year-old Ellen is searching for her long-lost mother, and journalist Keats is looking for a scoop for his magazine. Players can play as either Keats or Ellen, with the option of switching at various points (but to finish the game you must replay each chapter as the character you weren't the first time through). Decisions made in one character's storyline will affect the other's. Their investigations soon reveal that the town is hiding something, and the only way to delve deeper into the mystery is to communicate with the dead themselves.
In Doolin, Ellen and Keats talk to townspeople, follow up on leads, and acquire special mementos of the dead. With these mementos, they are able to open portals into the various realms of the netherworld to talk to the memento's owner and gain valuable new information.
The netherworld is filled with aggressive souls known as "folks," which is where the combat portion of the game comes in. When a character absorbs the essence of a folk (by weakening it, then ripping the soul out of its body), that folk will fight for the character as an extension of his or her own body. Part of the gameplay involves deciding which four folks to carry with you into combat. Unfortunately, replacing these four with others is a cumbersome process.
Combat can get dull because characters can't jump or dodge, and many of the folks have similar attacks. To make the absorbed folks strong, you must engage in tedious repetitive fighting to level up their powers. The camera is also a pain to control, which makes big (boss) battles more frustrating than they should be.
It's a shame, because Folklore boasts an intriguing story that is greatly enhanced by a beautiful soundtrack. It's worth slogging through the combat just to reach the next plot point and unravel a little bit more of the mystery.
For spooky mysteries that are appropriate for a younger audiences, check out the Nancy Drew games. For a more light-hearted take on the supernatural, try Death Jr. for the PSP.
Reviewed: 11/29/2007
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentEllen's netherworld costume reveals her midriff. |
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ViolenceFantasy violence, though nothing graphic. Characters can rip out enemies' souls using a beam of light. |
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LanguageThe occasional "hell" and "damn." One of the netherworld realms is called Hell. |
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Social BehaviorOne of the minor characters is in a wheelchair after a childhood accident. One of the ghosts is a woman who went insane and beat her daughter. |
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CommercialismSigns of various beers are blurred out so you can't make out the labels. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoThe pub is a central location that characters will often return to. |
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Educational Value |
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