"In collaborating with Brash, we were introduced to a very compelling fictional world and given the freedom to expand it through the game. We are working directly with the creative talent from the film, and feel that the close collaboration will result in an amazing game play experience that immerses the player in an incredible fantasy world."

Brash Entertainment Partners with Game Republic, Inc.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 12 /PRNewswire/ — Today Brash Entertainment announced a game development deal with Game Republic, Inc., the Japan-based studio led by famed game producer Yoshiki Okamoto. Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, the partners will collaborate on an unannounced game based on a popular Hollywood film. The game will release in 2010.

Game Republic, Inc. was founded in 2003 under the leadership of industry visionary, Yoshiki Okamoto. A 20-year veteran of the game industry, Game Republic, Inc. CEO Okamoto has had a dramatic impact on the styles of gameplay prevalent in modern titles and is credited with pioneering new genres including "one-on-one fighting" with Street Fighter II and "survival horror" with Resident Evil. In addition, his teams have delivered such popular franchises as Lost Planet, Devil May Cry, Onimusha, Darkstalkers and many more.

"As a gamer, I am extremely excited to work with Okamoto-san, who has produced some of my favorite games," said Brash co-founder and CEO Mitch Davis. "The Brash business gives us the luxury to match the best Hollywood IP with the skills of the most talented independent game developers; our partnership with a strong studio such as Game Republic, Inc. is an excellent example of that."

"One of my goals with games is to do something revolutionary with something that has been never been seen before. The opportunity to re-imagine a fictional world provided by a compelling Hollywood IP using the interactive medium of games is very exciting to me," said Okamoto. "In collaborating with Brash, we were introduced to a very compelling fictional world and given the freedom to expand it through the game. We are working directly with the creative talent from the film, and feel that the close collaboration will result in an amazing game play experience that immerses the player in an incredible fantasy world."

In addition to those the new togs, a new quest for Keats dubbed "Holy Night Visitor" and a new Folk that goes by the name Grab Bag—it's a gaping mouthed present with legs—will also come with your download. Not bad!

A Holiday Gift to All Folklore Fans! [PlayStation.blog]

I had only heard of Folklore hours before SCEA's Gamers Day and that was from McMike who told me to keep an eye out for it. It totally wasn't on my radar. But it is now.

The game is amazing, one of the most surprising titles I saw at the two day event. Developed by Game Republic (yes, of historic Giant Crab fame), this game has you wandering the hills and forests surrounding a remote village in search of creatures. Once you battle and stun a creature in real time action play you can yank up their powers and store them for use against other creatures. You capture a creature's powers by using the SIXAXIS' motion controls. The capture motions vary, but the most common seemed to be holding in two trigger buttons and yanking toward you.

Once you capture a power, you can load it for instant use with the press of one of the four face buttons. You can capture more than 100 creatures, so you have to decide which powers best suit the situation and the creatures you're taking on.

To use a power you just press a face button and their spirit jets out of you, performs an attack and then dissipates, it's an amazing thing to behold. The game features two story lines and seven realms. I suspect it could be a title that pushes PS3 sales. I can't wait for it to hit. Brian Crecente

Folklore
FACT SHEET

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, JAPAN
Developer: Game Republic
Platform: PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3 ) computer entertainment system
Genre: Adventure/Fantasy
Players: Single-player
Rating: "RP" for Rating Pending

OVERVIEW

Developed by Tokyo's Game Republic under legendary game creator Yoshiki Okamoto, executive producer for Onimusha , Devil May Cry and Resident Evil , Folklore is a unique, dark fantasy adventure inspired by western fairy tales and built to showcase the power of PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3 ) computer entertainment system. Set in the mysterious town of Doolin, two strangers, Keats and Ellen, are drawn together to uncover a mysterious legend in a remote village that exists on the border between dreams and reality. They soon learn that the town serves as a gateway to fantastic realms, full of creatures, spirits and monsters. In order to solve the mystery of the town, and their past, the pair must journey through these worlds to uncover its secrets.

STORY OVERVIEW

Despite being a realist, Keats unhappily finds himself a journalist for a third rate occult magazine. One day Keats receives a phone call from a woman asking for his help.
Through the static Keats hears the word "Doolin". Sensing something wrong, Keats rushes to the village, but the woman he believes to have called him, is found murdered. He stays on to find out more about this murder. Strange events follow that night, and he travels to the "Netherworld".

Having lost her mother as a young child, Ellen is prone to dreaming and tends to look away from reality. Strangely, she spends her holidays actively searching England's countryside for folk stories. She is not so good with people but seems to have a rapport with children and the elderly. One day Ellen receives a letter from the mother she lost as a child, the message proposing a meeting in Doolin. She finds herself in the village at the same time as Keats. Here they wander between "reality" and the 7 Netherworlds, in search of the end to their stories.

KEY FEATURES

Journey to seven incredibly vibrant realms, all uniquely designed and tailored to fit their distinct personalities. From the ruins of the Undersea City to the never-ending maze of the Endless Corridor, each destination is different from the next.

Inspired by western fairy tales, players interact with or clash against a cast of over 100 originally designed creatures, characters and monsters.

Using the SIXAXIS wirelsess controller, the player must battle monsters and literally "shake" them into submission and "yank" their powers from them. The absorbed powers will be used to capture or defeat the monsters that lie ahead.

Begin the game as either Keats or Ellen and learn their story and gameplay style. Keats uses traditional direct attacks while Ellen uses strategic methods to trap her enemies. Decisions made in one story line will directly impact the story path of the other.

Today it looks like they may have a new one. Sony Computer Entertainment America has trademarked the name Folklore, a potentially duller, but easier-to-read rebranding for the North American market. The game ships next month in Japan but North American release dates are all over the place.

Western retailers are still referring to the game's original name, Monster Kingdom, on their web sites but that information may be outdated. No response from Sony about our titular speculation as of publish.

We've got our fingers crossed, hoping that no one we know will ever have to say FolksSoul aloud. Ever! Michael McWhertor

Worst. Title. Ever. Originally, dev Game Republic's PS3 title was Monster Kingdom (meh). Then it was dubbed Unknown Realms (vague, but decent). This week's Famitsu unveiled the game's new and final name, Folks Soul: The Lost Folklore. Just look at how awful it looks in print! And say it out loud: I just bought Folks Soul. What do you think of Folks Soul? You digging Folks Soul? It sounds like a bad compilation CD. A really bad one — Like one with Donovan, but without Dylan because they couldn't afford for the rights to his music. It sounds that bad. For those not familiar with Folks Soul (ungh), the game follows young Ellen as she goes to a mysterious town to meet her dead mom. The biggest mystery, though, is why Game Republic couldn't give this game a decent name. Brian Ashcraft

Game Republic honcho, Street Fighter creator and general wild-man Yoshiki Okamoto talks about his team's work on Genji: Days of the Blade. He tells game site Kikizo that work on the title had begun before Sony had even announced the PS3 specs. The title was originally slotted as a PS2 title. What about that rumble-for-motion-sensing swicheroo? Okamoto says:

Obviously you lose something without the rumble... The game design was not thought out with the Sixaxis in mind. Yes we did lose something but we probably gained a lot more.

But, what exactly? Brian Ashcraft

Okamoto Talks Genji [Kikizo]