Game:

Coded Soul: Uketsugareshi Idea (2008)

Duration: 2:32:45

533 views

30

Note: This version is the upscaled stealth port released for PS4/PS5 in 2023.

So there was a rather promising early PS3 title under the name of "Folklore", aka "FolksSoul: Ushinawareta Denshou" (FolksSoul: Lost Tradition)... anyone remember it? Released back in 2007 by Game Republic and Sony, it wasn't exactly popular despite releasing numerous add-ons and has since gone on to be a cult classic. The game was featured in our channel intro many years ago but didn't get an actual video for reasons... nevertheless, it was a fine game overall renowned for its beautiful visuals, great merger of Eastern and Western sensibilities and some of the finest usage of the SIXAXIS motion control scheme, but there was much more to the game than could be seen on the surface. What if I told you that Folklore was connected to not one, but two other games? One serving as a prequel, and one serving as a sequel? Indeed, let's go down this rabbit hole while we explore today's title, "Coded Soul: Uketsugareshi Idea".

The loosely-connected trilogy was first born from an (at the time) new studio named Gaia, which was founded in 2003 by Kouji "Cozy" Okada, one of the founders of Atlus and main developers of the earlier Megami Tensei / SMT / Persona games, after he left Atlus. The first game by his new studio was "Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner", a monster-collecting RPG released between 2006-2007 for Sony's PSP (which was, ironically, published in the U.S. by Atlus). Monster Kingdom is one of a fairly small list of PSP games that was not available for the PSN in the U.S., meaning it was only released physically (and it's fairly rare as-is). Gaia would go on to help co-develop "Folklore" for the PS3 in 2007 (working on the monster designs... also of note, the game was called "Monster Kingdom: Unknown Realms" early in development but was changed due to poor sales of Monster Kingdom). Folklore's Japanese full title adds the "Lost Tradition" moniker, which is somewhat aligned with the final game's "Uketsugareshi Idea" (or "Inherited Idea"). Besides monsters and the concept of "Monoliths" shared between all three games, Folklore and Coded Soul have more significant connections with each other.

Coded Soul shares connectivity features, gameplay concepts and even makes numerous references to characters and lore from Folklore (the player can't even progress very far without getting power-ups through "Keat's Report"). That said, you don't need to have played the previous games to understand the plot, but there are several Easter Eggs for dedicated fans who have. The reason we're covering this game first is because it was recently released for the Japanese PSN for PS4/PS5 and it is probably the most obscure of the bunch... but the fact that Monster Kingdom (which shouldn't have been a big deal) or Folklore (probably due to the difficulty of porting PS3 games) wasn't released as well is kinda baffling.

The game takes place in the near future of 20XX, where strange incidents tied to America and the Bermuda Triangle have proliferated into the release of a deadly phenomenon known as the "Asura Virus" and the discovery of a potential cure in an unknown world known as "Idea" where only an experimental guinea pig named "Gail" can enter. The research and development of Idea is closely guarded by the military at Area 51 (Codenamed "Project Code Chasers") and "Jay Jack Langley" is the only one who can help now as, due to a chain of events, he is the only other person capable of exploring Idea since he was chosen by Gail to save May, our damsel in distress. Jay, while mighty and strong, is also a guinea pig of the military operating on borrowed time as he himself is inflicted with the Asura Virus and his future is uncertain (he has to return every 24 hours to the base to keep the virus at bay or his organs will crystalize and die... he has a limited amount of time he can stay in Idea), and this takes up the bulk of the plot.

CS takes more of the RPG elements of MK:JS and some of the monster mechanics but with real-time action and the karma system of Folklore. Jay grows through leveling and manipulation of monster data into his weapon, the "Risk Breaker", but players can also capture dozens of monsters in dungeons (you can take two into battle, and have five in reserve), upgrade monsters through mutations (they can't gain levels or experience like Jay, but can be captured with different stats and powered up with karma items and cell data) and store spares in your monster library. Estelle manages most of your monster needs as well as keeps the shop nearby while Lisa and Freeman allow you to take on various side missions or quests. Combat itself is a basic, somewhat janky ARPG (controls are stiff and you can't properly target enemies, but many weapons and skills get around this issue) with monsters fighting through set A.I., but the game is still pretty interesting with decent visuals and good music.