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Nihon Falcom Corporation 『日本ファルコム株式会社』 is one of Japan's oldest and most venerable video game development and publication houses, having begun business in 1981 selling Platform/AppleII hardware and software, and released their first game, ''Galactic Wars'', in 1982 on the Platform/{{PC88}}, with their first truly significant release being ''VideoGame/DragonSlayer'' two years later, that being perhaps the very first ActionRPG. They are probably best known outside of Japan for creating the ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'' ActionRPG series and giving its games [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic catchy soundtracks]] courtesy of the company's internal sound production staff: the "Falcom Sound Team jdk"(not to be confused with jdk Band - a band made of freelance musicians who provide arrangements and performances of Sound Team jdk's music for both arranged albums/soundtracks and live on stage during concerts). In Japan they have a number of other famous franchises, most notably ''The Legend of Heroes'' franchise, and '''especially''' ''[[VideoGame/TrailsSeries The Legend of Heroes - Trails]]'' series.

Unlike other developer-publishers of its pedigree and generation (particularly Square and Enix), Falcom never established an overseas subsidiary... and as a result, their overseas releases have been ''extremely'' scattershot and spread among a legion of publishers, from Creator/{{Nintendo}} to Creator/{{Broderbund|Software}} to Creator/{{Sega}} to NEC to Creator/WorkingDesigns to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sammy American Sammy]] to Creator/HudsonSoft to Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment to [[{{Creator/Sierra}} Sierra Entertainment]] to Creator/{{Infocom}} to Creator/{{Atlus}}. (Falcom even helped found "Kyodai Software Marketing" in 1988 in an attempt to self-publish on American [=PCs=], but that operation folded after just releasing ''Ys 1''.) The end result was very little consistency in release schedule or quality and style of translation, the Falcom name often not appearing on their own products (or at best tangentially appearing) leading to no brand recognition, general neglect of Falcom's strongest platform (the PC), and some of Falcom's best games taking ''years'' to cross the Pacific, especially in the latter part of TheNineties and into TheNoughties (with some ''still'' in NoExportForYou limbo as of this writing) and with some games getting [[BadExportForYou absolutely shameful treatments]] (the "Gagharv trilogy", ''The Legend of Heroes'' III-V, being the most infamous disaster and one which nearly killed the chance for ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky'' to cross the Pacific). Falcom formed a partnership with Creator/XSEEDGames to bring a number of games to North America, ensuring that a more regular release pipeline for their games is maintained. However, the partnership would end in 2018 and Falcom would seek the help from [[Creator/NipponIchi NIS America]] instead.

These days, Falcom's greatest focus is on their "Kiseki" / "Trails" franchise, the first game of which finally came to North America in March of 2011. To date, twelve ''Trails'' games have been released in Japan. The company remains well-respected for generally solid gameplay, great writing in its ''Trails'' games, and incredible music in basically every game it releases; both original soundtracks and arranged music albums. While still not extremely well-known in western countries, releases like ''Ys: The Oath in Felghana'' have raised the company's profile significantly due to warm reception and ''Trails'' could cement their place in the relative mainstream.

You can find all but 2 of their albums on [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz7eke4JGlbtc11_6mmA7ew this YouTube channel]] . Starting in January 11th, 2012, they also began to put their soundtracks up on the western portions of [[http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/falcom-sound-team-jdk/id120174391 iTunes store]] and [[http://www.amazon.com/dp/artist-redirect/B00DW6OKRS/ Amazon]] stores! As of this edit, they have put up albums for the majority of their games released overseas as well as all the Trails releases in Japan. As of 2018, a lot of the music is also available over Spotify, letting you enjoy the albums with some limitations if you're short on cash. Their music is also released under Falcom's [[https://translate.google.com/translate?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.falcom.co.jp/music-use/rules Music Free Declaration Policy]], meaning that so long as you bought the game and rip the music yourself (which is really trivial to do)[[note]]The PC games in particular, leaves the music files in high quality uncompressed wave format unencrypted and easily found in the game folders.[[/note]] , or bought the music either on CD or online, you're good to use it for your own projects, with notable restrictions being to outright pirate the music or use it in games.

[[AwesomeMusic/{{Falcom}} Now with its own music page!]]

JustForFun/MagicalGirlAlisa now has a JustForFun page!
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!!Games developed or licensed by Falcom[[note]]omits a number of their pre-Dragon Slayer early-80s releases, as many of these were never carried forward onto newer platforms and, well, [[OldShame Falcom would rather forget some of them even happened ("Private Stripper", anyone?)]][[/note]] :

[[index]]
* ''Asteka''
** ''VideoGame/TombsAndTreasure''
* ''{{VideoGame/Brandish}}'' & ''Brandish: The Dark Revenant''
** ''Brandish 2: The Planet Buster''
** ''Brandish 3: Spirit of Blacan''
** ''Brandish 4'' & ''Brandish VT''
* ''Dinosaur''[[note]]A game that, helpfully, doesn't actually feature any dinosaurs.[[/note]]
** ''Dinosaur Resurrection''
* ''VideoGame/DragonSlayer''
** ''VideoGame/DragonSlayerIIXanadu''
*** ''VideoGame/{{Faxanadu}}''
*** ''The Legend of Xanadu''
*** ''The Legend of Xanadu II''
*** ''Xanadu Next''
*** ''VideoGame/TokyoXanadu''
*** ''Tokyo Xanadu New Project''[[note]] Currently a WorkingTitle[[/note]]
** ''Dragon Slayer III: [[http://hardcoregaming101.net/romancia/romancia.htm Romancia]]''
** ''Dragon Slayer IV: [[http://hardcoregaming101.net/draslefamily/draslefamily.htm Drasle Family]]'' (''VideoGame/LegacyOfTheWizard'' internationally)
** ''Dragon Slayer V: [[http://hardcoregaming101.net/sorcerian/sorcerian.htm Sorcerian]]''
*** ''Sorcerian Forever''
** ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''
*** ''Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II''
*** ''[[VideoGame/GagharvTrilogy Gagharv trilogy]]'':[[note]]The trilogy was released out of order internationally. Thus, the games will be listed in their Japanese release order here.[[/note]]
*** ''The Legend of Heroes III: White Witch'' (''Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch'' internationally, first to drop the DS branding)
*** ''The Legend of Heroes IV: A Tear of Vermillion'' (''Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion'' internationally)
*** ''The Legend of Heroes V: A Cagesong of the Ocean'' (''Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean'' internationally)
** ''[[VideoGame/TrailsSeries The Legend of Heroes - Trails]]'':
*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky'' (''Sora no Kiseki'' in Japan[[note]]titled ''The Legend of Heroes VI: Sora no Kiseki prior to SC's release[[/note]])
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - Second Chapter''
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - The 3rd''
*** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero]]'' (''Zero no Kiseki'' in Japan)
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure'' (''Ao no Kiseki'' in Japan)
*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfNayutaBoundlessTrails''
*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' (''Sen no Kiseki'' in Japan)
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II''
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III''
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV - The End of Saga''
*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsIntoReverie'' (''Hajimari no Kiseki'' in Japan)
*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsThroughDaybreak'' (''Kuro no Kiseki'' in Japan)
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II -CRIMSON [=SiN=]-''
*** ''The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki -Farewell, O Zemuria-''
** ''VideoGame/LordMonarch''
* ''[[VideoGame/GuruminAMonstrousAdventure Gurumin]]''
* ''VideoGame/PopfulMail''
* ''Star Trader''
* ''VideoGame/VantageMaster''
** ''VM Japan''
** ''Vantage Master Portable''
* ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'':
** ''VideoGame/YsIAncientYsVanishedOmen''
** ''VideoGame/YsIIAncientYsVanishedTheFinalChapter''[[/index]]
*** Both games would be given a CompilationRerelease into various packages such as ''Ys Book I & II'', ''Ys Eternal'' and ''Ys I & II Chronicles''.[[index]]
** ''VideoGame/YsIIIWanderersFromYs''
*** Remade as ''Videogame/YsTheOathInFelghana''
** ''VideoGame/YsIVMaskOfTheSun''[=/=]''VideoGame/YsIVTheDawnOfYs''
*** Remade as ''Videogame/YsMemoriesOfCelceta''; unlike ''The Oath in Felghana'', ''Memories of Celceta'' is Falcom's version of ''Ys IV'' since they never developed or published ''Mask'' and ''Dawn'', but rather licensed the development to other third-party studios.
** ''VideoGame/YsVLostKefinKingdomOfSand''
** ''Videogame/YsVITheArkOfNapishtim''
** ''VideoGame/YsOrigin''
** ''VideoGame/YsSEVEN''
*** Reimagined as ''Ys Altago'' exclusively for smartphones
** ''VideoGame/YsVIIILacrimosaOfDana''
** ''VideoGame/YsIXMonstrumNox''
** ''VideoGame/YsXNordics''
** ''Ys Strategy''
** ''Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga''
* ''Zwei!! (Zwei: The Arges Adventure'' internationally)
** ''[[Videogame/ZweiTheIlvardInsurrection Zwei II]] (Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection'' internationally)
[[/index]]
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!!Tropes common to ''Falcom''
* ActionRPG: If not the UrExample, then the earliest TropeCodifier. The ''Dragonslayer'' series was one of the first action games with an RPG system of equippable items, leveling, and stat increases.
* ActuallyFourMooks: Don't be surprised if a cute little Pom on the overworld map suddenly turns into a gang of six ready to knock out the party.
* AdvancedAncientAcropolis: Most villains make it their goal to gain access to one of these. Odds are very high TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon is located here.
* AdventureFriendlyWorld: Ubiquitous, to the extent that the first town in any title with even a suggestion of RPGElements will have a nearby guild or local equivalent. Wandering creatures are always simply called monsters, and treated as a common threat that will readily drop gold and crafting items.
* AerithAndBob: Most characters seem to favor fairly plausible European names (usually German-inspired) with a mix of fantasy-esque names for foreign characters.
* AllInARow: Earlier titles with party members played it straight, though newer games in the ''Ys'' and ''The Legend of Heroes'' series starting with ''Trails of Cold Steel'' [[PartyInMyPocket keep solo party members that can be swapped in and out]]. Sorcerian played it absurdly straight, to the point where the entire party move as one unit attacking vertically, despite how silly and illogical this looks.
* TheApocalypseBringsOutTheBestInPeople: A recurring theme in ''Ys'', the ''Trails'' series, and ''Tokyo Xanadu'' is that friendly characters and {{jerkass}}es alike are able to put aside their differences and work together effectively to survive in times of crisis. This is deconstructed with some villains like Loewe from ''Trails in the Sky'' and the main antagonists from ''Memories of Celceta'', who intentionally start a wide-scale crisis to force humanity to improve.
* AutobotsRockOut: Guitar riffs and fantasy action seem to go hand in hand in their games, courtesy of Falcom Sound Team jdk. The ''Ys'' games are perhaps the most famous for featuring fairly standard fantasy settings set to shredding guitars and heavy metal in the background.
* BeefGate: If there's a ''Falcom'' game that lets you wander around an overworld without barring your way with a BrokenBridge, expect to be slaughtered by monsters that are much stronger, faster, and more dynamic than you are and typically can't be damaged yet in the story.
* {{BFS}}: Most often seen with supporting main characters while main heroes either wield fairly modest blades or have something else entirely. Laura and Agate from the ''Kiseki'' games are particularly standout examples.
* BloodlessCarnage: Usually enforced with earlier titles running on very limited graphics. Modern games starting in the late 90s on PC avert it, though the gore is still quite mild.
* BreakthroughHit: ''Dragonslayer'' was the company's first smash success in its native Japan. The ''Ys'' series later took its place and is by far the most well known property outside Japan.
* CantDropTheHero: Most games with optional party members with fixed main characters can't be permanently swapped out. Averted in the ''Cold Steel'' series if there's more than three party members to choose from, there's nothing stopping you from putting the main protagonists in a back row slot.
* ClarkesThirdLaw: Many games with a reasonably developed magic system imply if not state directly that magic is simply very advanced technology. That, or go for SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic, occasionally blurring the distinction between the two.
* ColonCancer: Averted in the Western releases when they spun off The Legend of Heroes neatly into its own series after Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II, before things even got started. Still somewhat happens in the Japanese [=PS4=] rereleases of ''Cold Steel'' thanks to the version having a subtitle and thus two colons, but it could be worse - can you imagine the title ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes VIII: Trails of Cold Steel: - Thor's Military Academy 1204 -''?
* CompanyCrossReferences: It's not uncommon for Falcom to make references to their older games. For examples, in ''Trails to Zero'' and ''Azure'', Adol and Feena from ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'' make cameos in a Casino game.
* CriticalHit: The ''Kiseki'' games uniquely allow for critical healing spells as well as attacks.
* {{Crossover}}: ''Ys Vs. Sora no Kiseki'' crosses over ''Falcom'''s biggest franchises with several stages, cameos, and nods borrowed across its history. The more obscure ''Vantage Master'' features most of its early fantasy game characters and classes in a tactical RPG.
* CurseCutShort: Explicit swearing is very rare.
* CuteKitten: Mishy (Michey in Japan), the company's mascot who makes cameos in a few titles either as an actual cat or a plushy.
* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: Games on the early PC platforms suffered from this problem with limited tile-based movement.
* {{Fanservice}}: Rarely present. Most content that could be considered suggestive is limited to euphemistic dialogue. Dela and Maile play it straighter with semi-revealing outfits.
* GratuitousEnglish: Several boss subtitles and official soundtrack titles have endearingly awkward English construction. ''Falcom'' historically has had a rather quirky grasp on the language.
* NintendoHard: The PC-88/98 era in particular is difficult what with a lack of modern conveniences, limited saving, tile-based movement, small hitboxes, archaic and occasionally essoteric level design and lack of direction, and in many games the inability to save on the spot. The ''Ys'' series maintains much of the spirit while making the gameplay more inline with modern gaming without sacrificing the arcade-level brutal bosses and hard-hitting enemies.
* OminousLatinChanting: When the composers incorporate the occasional quire chants into boss themes, the language of choice seems to be Middle-English rather than Latin, [[IndecipherableLyrics not that you'd know on a first listen]].
* SpinOff: As the Dragon Slayer entries made clear, The ''Legend of Heroes'' series of games are a spinoff from the ''Dragon Slayer'' games. The return of the Dragon Slayer brand with Dragon Slayer VII is set as a separate entry from the ''Legend of Heroes'' series, with the next title for the latter set for the ''Calvard'' arc.
* PromotedFanboy: Toshihiro Kondo started out as a fan of ''The Legend of Heroes'', designing the first company fansite for ''Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch'' as a teenager. The company liked his work and he was recruited as a manager, where he'd eventually be given writing duties on their upcoming projects until he'd take over as head of the company in 2003.
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