Wonderfull and Enchanting niche market title that will be misunderstood for its unique presentation.
Essentially, what makes Folklore the type of title that many gamers bypass is exactly the same thing that will impress those whom can appreciate it; its style and method of storytelling is very beautiful and unique, and this might be offputting to the casual gamer. Those whom have a penchant for dark or twisted fantasy atmoshperes and don't mind oldschool presentation methods will find a completely entertaining and rewarding experience.
The game is basically an action-rpg, with a focus on story and real time combat. You'll navigate towns and areas and interact with characters as you would most adventure rpgs, but you'll also have to collect monsters (called "folks") which you will summon into battle, which gives the game its RPG elements. The game honestly has an "oldschool" feel to it, which will be a detrement or bonus, depending on your personal tastes. Personally, I found the return to simplistic design and story driven content to be quite refreshing and entertaining. Thats not to say the game is without its technical merrits, but it essentially boils down to roaming from area to area, summoning the creatures you've obtained, and exploring a fantasy type landscape. The motion control function comes into play as the method of capturing the "essence" of the various creatures or "folks", but other than that the action and gameplay won't surprise you with originality. That said, the gameplay design fits the atmosphere and concept very well, and when combined with its artisitic flair and engrosing story, Folklore becomes a game that rises above the sum of its parts.
Presentation is where the game will either lose you or bewonder you. The story is along the lines of a dark fairy tale, full of intrigue, mystery, and a very unique sense of melancholy seldom seen in games. Where many casual gamers may get lost is in the execution, others may actually see this game as a very unique piece of art. Cutscenes are done in a series of very pleasant but formuliac stills, almost like a comic book. The music sets an earie mood, and the dialogue is well written and entertaining, but you won't find the flashy movie-esque video and voiced sequences. You'll see the scenes play out with voice bubbles and subtle scene changes. This was a deliberate attempt by the developers to offer a unique storytelling method, and while I was able to appreciate it, I can see how it would seem awkward or off-putting to gamers unable to appreciate the style. If you can appreciate this artisitcally odd but beautiful method of storytelling, you'll find yourself surprised at the layers and depth of the story. Also of note is that the story plays out from the perspective of two separate characters who each have thier own motivations, so again, an odd design choice may seem like a deterent or welcome change depending upon your tastes.
Graphically, you won't see a tone here you haven't seen before, but you have to keep in mind that the focus of this game was always intended to be based around the artistic style and the story. Areas are easily navigate and look like you'd expect from a fairy tale, and menu screens and dialogues are well organized. The game plays and looks great, but not astounding, as the combat and visuals are really intended more to support the story than they are to impress by themselves.
Folklore is a wonderfull title, whose intrigueing story is full memorable characters, a unique storytelling method, and truly unique art, but its also a title which may not appeal to casual gamers. Those who are willing to give it a chance will find a very charming and unique experience.