Folklore Hunter: A Cryptid Chase with a Side of Chaos

When the Wendigo is the least of your worries

Launch Day Larry

In the world of gaming, where cryptids roam and players are left to fend for themselves, “Folklore Hunter” emerges as a curious blend of survival horror and multiplayer mayhem. It’s a game that promises the thrill of the hunt, but sometimes delivers the frustration of a bug hunt instead. Let’s dive into the tangled woods of this early access title and see what lurks beneath the surface.

Gameplay: A Mixed Bag of Tricks and Traps

“Folklore Hunter” offers a gameplay experience that is as unpredictable as the creatures it features. The core mechanics lay a solid foundation, but players are clamoring for more variety in their arsenal. While the game teases with the potential for melee weapons, crossbows, and traps, it currently leaves players with a sense of longing for more strategic depth. The multiplayer aspect, however, shines brightly, providing a thrilling co-op experience that is both fun and tense without inducing rage quits.

Navigating the game world, though, can feel like trying to find your way out of a corn maze blindfolded. The lack of controller support and problematic controls, including non-functional keybinding and an undisplayed run button, make for a frustrating experience. The inventory system seems to have taken inspiration from a teenager’s bedroom, with glitches and an unintuitive layout that leave players scratching their heads.

The game world itself, while visually appealing, suffers from a lack of life. Robotic animal behavior and clipping issues detract from the immersion, and the map size feels more like a backyard than a sprawling wilderness. Yet, despite these hurdles, the game holds potential, especially with the developer’s active engagement and commitment to updates.

Graphics: A Beautiful Yet Buggy Landscape

Visually, “Folklore Hunter” is a bit like a Monet painting—stunning from a distance, but a little messy up close. The graphics are often praised for their high quality and photorealistic appeal, particularly the forest design, which is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s a commendable achievement for a single developer, and the atmosphere it creates is a significant draw for players.

However, these visual delights come at a cost. Optimization issues plague the game, with some players experiencing unplayable lag even on low settings. It’s as if the game’s graphical demands are a cryptid in their own right, lurking just beyond the reach of many systems. Graphical bugs, such as floating textures and disorienting lighting, further mar the experience, making it clear that there’s room for improvement.

Story: A Folklore Fumble

The narrative of “Folklore Hunter” is a simple tale of investigation and survival, drawing on folklore elements like the Wendigo to add a layer of intrigue. While the concept is engaging, the execution leaves much to be desired. The story feels disjointed, with cultural elements muddled and certain aspects, like the inexplicable presence of a circus, left unexplained.

Despite these shortcomings, the horror elements are well-executed, creating an atmosphere that is both eerie and engaging. The game excels in multiplayer, where teamwork and simultaneous actions enhance the experience. However, the story’s simplicity and lack of depth mean it doesn’t hold up to more narrative-driven games, and its replay value is limited once players crack the code of its mechanics.

Final Verdict

“Folklore Hunter” is a game with a split personality. On one hand, it offers a thrilling multiplayer experience and a visually stunning environment. On the other, it struggles with control issues, graphical bugs, and a narrative that feels more like a rough draft than a finished story. Yet, beneath these flaws lies potential, and with continued development, it could evolve into a standout title in the survival horror genre.

Score: 6.0/10