I would be ok with a Remastered. I don’t think it needs a sequel. It didn’t leave cliffhangers or anything. And I doubt Sony sees Folklore very profitable for a sequel - if they’re even aware Folklore ever existed lol
@@GrapeJuiceCXX I wish they did, I know Sony gets really antsy when people bring up the PS3 due to the hardware being a nightmare to work with and is why we get so few remasters of PS3 games which is a darn shame cause the system has a pretty wild library Folklore is a good example of how wild it can get.
Folklore is a very unique experience you will probably find only once in your life. The story is very complex and unique and it's visual art style was stunning and still is even today. It's like a fairy tale gone dark and wrong but in a good way.
@@MastEre-gv5yr Yeah is quite unique and honestly is painful to see how much this game underperformed and how expensive it is online. I did some research, there really isn't any offical numbers but it is estimated that Folklore sold worldwide so Japan and the rest of the world, only 200 thousand copies what is not that much honestly where games sell millions and millions of copies. I got my Folklore copy like half a year or a year ago and for a great price of only 20 euro, I don't think I will ever find a deal this good ever again, at least not here in Europe lol.
@@Official_RetroMania I do have a feeling if Sony were to pull the trigger on a rerelease for Folklore, it would do better by default, also to enhance the overall gameplay experience as pointed out by Ryan here with the faults in it's gameplay which do hold the game back by a bit it would give players a good reason to return to an old favorite on top of giving new players a better experience than people did with the OG release.
I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say : We want more of these please. Especially games like Folklore and Lair, games from the PS3 era which a lot of us are from and have owned a PS3 during that time, but never got to play games like them or atleast I did'nt. Anyways a big thank you for the amazing content.
I love seeing these videos that dive into long forgotten games from the PS3 era! Definitely keep doing them! Would you be interested in covering lesser known PS1 and PS2 games also, out of curiosity?
Ah folklore....my local library always carried this game for at least 3 years...never borrowed it once because it looked so boring ..I also started to regularly visit my local retro store since 2014...always had this game like a discarded child on the bottom shelf for at the most like 4 bucks....never bat an eye on it once...and then after pandemic, I heard this game really got rare...ran to the store...nope, game is nowhere to be seen suddenly...been frequently checking for one whole year and still no dice...also checked ebay...super expensive now...also I passed on haunting ground back in 2014 sitting on the shelf in the same local retro store for like 25 bucks and I passed on it cause I thought it was so expensive...never saw another copy of haunting ground in the store after that ..mistakes were made 😂😢
I loved the game. First played it at a demo kiosk in a Toys R Us even before I had a PS3, so when I got one, it was the first game I bought. Maxed out every Folk, including the DLC ones and the ones you get from the online dungeon mode, for both characters. The game was so early in the PS3's life that it predates trophies, but if it had them, I would definitely have the platinum. I'd sometimes just let the PS3 sit on the game's icon on the XMB just to listen to that music.
One of my favorite things about this game, although small, is that the characters difference in ability is more than just gameplay, Ellen summons a physical folk to fight with, whereas Keats more summons a physical figment of folks and actually fights as them
I just got a PS3 recently and Folklore is one of the first games I bought. Only into Ellen's second chapter but loving it so far. Whipping the DS3 to capture folk feels so good
As an Irish gamer I always found this game interesting. Never played seeing as I did not have a PS3 but this and other videos show me enough about it to get an idea about it.
Please do Heavenly Sword next. Loved that game. I remember them making a big deal that Andy Serkis did the mocap for the main protagonist. Absolute hidden gem
Progress for upgrades not carrying over makes sense because, as you said, depending on the character, the folks also act differently. Keats is more of a physical fighter who only partially manifests the folks whereas Ellen is more like a summoner. That said, it would be nice if the progress did carry over, stuff like that is what we've grown to expect as modern gamers. Then again, that's just an issue with outdated game design. The game came out sixteen years ago, back when games basically had no quality of life features. To put things into perspective for quite a lot of people, this was the year Burning Crusade expansion came out for WoW.
I have this and bought it completely blind for my collection, something about it is just so captivating. It's also a cool collectible but I miss the booklet. I've yet to play it so this is very intriguing to watch!
Thanks for covering this one Ryan, I've been toying with the idea of getting this one, the lack of trophies was putting me off but certainly looks like something I should have in the collection
So happy you made another of these videos! Even more excited that you chose Folklore! Keep it up with more of these fantastic videos dude! Love the content every week.
I'm really enjoying your look back at stand out 7th gen games like Folklore. I'm glad I finally played this one last year, it's always been a game that caught my eye but I didn't have a chance to play it until now and it's one I won't be forgetting any time soon (for better and worse).
Not in the right mindset to watch a video about this game currently, but I want to comment that I'm glad to see it getting acknowledgement, it's one of my favorite games of all time. Personally, most of the issues I have with it stem from the fact that it was intended to have a sequel, but sold so poorly that that sequel never even got past the "we intend to do it" phase of existence - there's so much of this world and of these characters to explore and learn about, it was a missed opportunity to expand on all of it. At a guess I'd say this game was too philosophical and thought-provoking to appeal to the masses, but damn, it's a great game. I would love to see that sequel get made someday, preferably the one the original creators intended to make, whatever that would have looked like - they did such a good job here, I'm not sure I'd trust anyone else to continue the story.
Oh, wow. I remember glancing over this game in my cousins library. Cover was interesting, but I passed it up. Thanks for letting me know what I've been missing after all these years.
Holy crap, I remember playing a demo for this game in a Best Buy when I was a kid, and for the life of me I could never remember the name of it. All these years later and you've just reminded me
Awesome video Ryan I liked how you included some background information on the creator of the game early a very cool way to give even more background information!
I bought Folklore for $10 used when I was broke and just wanted something cheap to play on my ps3, absolutely loved it. Folklore and Eternal Sonata are some underrated gems of the ps3.
i was playing eternal sonata via PS NOW 2 years ago and only made it to chapter 3 and i really enjoyed that game. i imagine that game will be really expensive to buy used as well.
I remember a bit of this! I must have played the demo or something, but it didn't hook me enough to seek out the full game. I have a bigger appreciation for Irish mythology now, though.
I wanted to play this again but I really wish they would have added trophy support! Maybe we will get a remake / remaster one day because this is an awesome rpg and a one of a kind classic! Music is also awesome! I just love it !!
What a game! Bought the PS3 just for its exclusives, and this one was the most unique IMO. Even when my system got stolen I bought another one. Miss this game!
The day that US Monster Strike servers went down I wanted to cry. I had spent so many hours enjoying the game. Restarting over and over just for the new feeling again. I will never forget.
One other item (I'm half way through) that I feel you overlooked or didn't mention (yet?) Is that Keats is a physically dynamic character. Almost like a druid, channeling the Folk through his body. Ellen is like a summoner, she projects it out and puppeteers it. This, for me, kept the game play fresh as each character had a different style and it explains why the upgrades don't transition.
Love these videos and this one was a great watch! One thing that caught me off guard was Okamoto going to design Monster Strike, one of the biggest Japanese mobile game IPs, following his resignation from console games
@Mystic (posting this before I watch) I remember being excited for Folklore way back when, but I passed on it after reading some less than stellar reviews. I’ll be very interested to hear your take on the game, as I’ve noticed we seem to have similar taste in gaming. Looking forward to the video, and thanks for the great content (and for enabling subtitles for those of us hearing impaired)
This is giving me Nioh 2 vibes with the keybinding enemies attacks as your own attacks, that's just so creative and I noticed Keith when he first got that guardian transformation he had an unfilled ring around his neck I hear that's a sign of nobility in Celtic mythology. Also it just looks really fucking good.
Playing this back in the day was awesome, almost never heard about it again until I saw random videos on RUclips about them such as yours the last couple years, what an awesome game looking back so unique and fun
Folklore is a remnant of an age where triple a developers were busy zigging and zagging trying to be creative. Now a days these developers only follow and reinvent. The game play was simple and unapologetic because the star was meant to be the story. And the unsung hero is the soundtrack. This is a gem not meant for the low brows.
I’ve always enjoyed games with collectible teammate monsters mechanics, especially when they let you evolve them so they would level up and stay valid all the way to the endgame.
man what a tragic story, thank you for showing us the game, if my ps3 wasnt broken i would 100% buy the game to play it myself. also the switching between ellen and keith really reminded me of the resident evil playstyle.
No joke, I bought a PS3 for ~this game~ specifically. I was curious when it got juuust teased under the moniker of Monster Kingdom a year before, but the E3 '07 trailer made me go "I need this".
This is one of PS3 games that got overlooked. I bought this in a store in Germany while my brother bought Naruto couldn't finish it because my parents wanted me to study more and I had little time to play the game but a I enjoyed it. If you get he chance to play it go for it. Pros: - A unique setting - The art direction is dreamlike with each chapter being unique - Good murder mystery story that keeps you invested - Great soundtracks - Gameplay is fun especially absorbing folk's souls - Playing two characters with different point of views - Creature designs and their variety - Going to the pub at nights and hanging out with the Half-life Cons: - Playing as both Keats and Ellen can get boring because the levels are the same - Comic style cutscenes aren't appealing especially that they don't have voices - Levels are linear. If the world was open with exploration it would've been better - The village and Netherworld feel empty, they could've had more life to them I like to say that I feel old and what good days we had, days that were simpler and gaming had a different vibe. Not that today's gaming isn't good or fun but it had something that was unique to that time. I'm 30 by the way so I'm not that old 😁
I agree they shouldn't have scrapped it, but yes Many game companies were either closing or bought out and unfortunately most of the developers left, so the game was scrapped.
I got this game and The Darkness out of a bargain bin for a fiver many years ago. Played both games all the way through and can say with maximum confidence I enjoyed Folklore way more. Telling my wife about it made it sound like a fever dream. Terrific game and a one of a kind experience.
I have a sealed copy of this game that I bought from Circuit City back in 2008. I can’t tell you why I never opened it but that choice definitely paid off.
Always looking for hidden gems even if they weren’t as successful. Games like Drakengard, .hack, Dark Cloud, Nier, Breath of Fire and others don’t get enough attention. BTW Ryan you mentioned on the Sony Showcase you haven’t played Dragon’s Dogma. It’s very underrated so give it a shot since you’ll most likely enjoy it for some of it’s unique details.
It's funny you mention the demo. When played the demo I thought it was meh. Some reason I picked up the game and loved it. I remember thinking "man, that demo didn't do this game justice."
I loved this game, especially being a rare game set in Ireland was a nice bonus. Unfortunately I didn't finish it cause I got stuck on a elevator like area lol.
Went to a game store with my dad years ago (2008) and the person recommended this game to me, that random employee got me into the world of weird JRPGs and I never stopped
I've been wanting to play this for ages, need to get my hands on it. I'm Irish, I live in Ireland and love our folklore. A ps3 game based on it!? Gimmie!
I remember finishing this game 4 times. Really enjoyed the plot and the music. The gameplay was good for a starting gem of PS3. I think its the only game that makes good use of Six Axis motion controls.
I had fun using the motion controller to yank the souls. There is a PS2 game called Lifeline. It was way ahead of its time in that you can literally play the entire game using only voice command via a headset.
I'm not going to lie, this game has been my favorite since I was like 11-12 years old? I was given my PS3 for Christmas 2013 and the game they brought me was Folklore. Never thought it became my favorite. It seems like they just wanted to get rid of it as they gave it free. Like an extra. 2014 was one of the hardest years in my life, yet I was glad I had Folklore by my side. And fell into a rabbit hole of art and new experiences. Heck, it influenced me on my style and artwork, I loved it. Keats was also (and is) one of my favorite characters in all media. I cannot describe it enough and how the finale made me tear up. Yet it's a shame that the PS3 store closed down. Since you could play the side quests and DLCs that added more bits to the plot. Like why Keats didn't know why was he a half-life before, or the Christmas DLC or the small silly romantic love letter DLC between Ellen and Keats that sure is hilarious. But they added more info and gave more closure to the game. BUT luckily there are free emulators online with the DLCs on it. I don't count with a good computer at the moment so probably it'd be nice to try them in a nearby future. My younger self appreciates that are some people talking about Folklore and the magic behind it. Shame we didn't have a sequel, but there was a port in the PSP with some of the folk creatures we see in the game.
Can you play and review, Heavenly Sword, if you haven't played it already of course. It's one of my personal favorites from the PS3 library. Highly underrated and people that ask for a sequel, apparently didn't finish the game haha.
Folklore is a game I loved everything about it when I first heard about it back in 2009: its setting, characters, designs, graphics, art style, soundtrack, story (albeit predictable at times), box art, etc... EXCEPT its gameplay, which was (and still is) a HUGE problem for me, since it prevented me from buying and playing this game. I absolutely despise dungeon crawlers/hack 'n' slash with RPG elements. I found it so repetitive, so boring, I can't stand playing five minutes of those portions of the game. Those are my top three most hated genres in videogames. If this game played any differently, I'd definitely buy this game back in the day. If only it was more story-driven, like... let's say Shadow of Memories (on PS2) or Echo Night (on PS1) I'd absolutely love it. I guess games had to include some action in any way to justify their purchase back in the day, since "walking simulators" weren't a thing back in 2007, which is a shame. I rather play a game with a great story and no action, than having meaningless action forced into it.
I loved playing this game as a kid, i played the demo and waited for my birthday to get a copy. Unfortunately what i find that ultimately causes Folklore to become outdated is the motion controls that both the ps3 and Nintendo wii were trying to push back in the day.
PS3 is a dear to my heart console, since i started collecting games two years ago i grabed the ps3 "hidden gens" like Folclore, Lair, puppeteer, still did not played them
Not everything is going to be for everyone and niche games especially tend to be more on the divisive end of the spectrum. So really, while I don't agree with many of your complaints, I can't say I'm surprised you had them. I remember renting the game from my local library when I was younger but I never got that far. It wasn't until this past year or so, roughly a decade later, where I finally tracked down a copy myself and finished it. Despite playing on a busted controller that would cause random inputs when shaken too hard or held at some specific angle, I somehow managed to get through without too much trouble. Honestly, I didn't think the separated character progression was an issue. I also played in a similar manner with doing both characters each chapter and I 100% the game, as in obtained and fully upgraded every folk. Outside of some rarer drops here and there, I didn't think it was difficult or that time consuming to top off the characters each chapter. Even more so if you just focus on raising the couple folks you like using. But I guess that's just me. I primarily stick to more niche stuff so I guess I just have a greater tolerance for a bit of jank or lack of polish.
Pal cover looks even better! Bought this game in the store with no knowlege other then the box itself. I was happy with it. Even more so now when it sells for 70-80 euros :)
Folklore kicks ass and is super interesting and cool…and then it sort of just keeps going. And going. It’s a great premise with neat visuals and a unique setting but doesn’t stick the landing and eventually gets real tedious to actually play.
There are some PS3 games I want to try like this one, Folklore, MGR: Revengeance, Asura's Wrath, Odin Sphere, Dragon's Crown, Bulletstorm, Persona 5, Killer is Dead, Dragon's Dogma,
Folklore is a super underrated gem. Really wish we got a remaster or remake or sequel.
Sony should really remaster these old games and put them on Xbox/PC/Mac/PS, since it probably wouldn’t sell enough on just Playstation.
Never played Folklore
I would be ok with a Remastered. I don’t think it needs a sequel. It didn’t leave cliffhangers or anything. And I doubt Sony sees Folklore very profitable for a sequel - if they’re even aware Folklore ever existed lol
@@GrapeJuiceCXX I wish they did, I know Sony gets really antsy when people bring up the PS3 due to the hardware being a nightmare to work with and is why we get so few remasters of PS3 games which is a darn shame cause the system has a pretty wild library Folklore is a good example of how wild it can get.
@@crisbernabe2866why would they put it on the shitbox
Folklore is a very unique experience you will probably find only once in your life. The story is very complex and unique and it's visual art style was stunning and still is even today. It's like a fairy tale gone dark and wrong but in a good way.
@@MastEre-gv5yr Yeah is quite unique and honestly is painful to see how much this game underperformed and how expensive it is online. I did some research, there really isn't any offical numbers but it is estimated that Folklore sold worldwide so Japan and the rest of the world, only 200 thousand copies what is not that much honestly where games sell millions and millions of copies. I got my Folklore copy like half a year or a year ago and for a great price of only 20 euro, I don't think I will ever find a deal this good ever again, at least not here in Europe lol.
So unique I completely forgot about it until now
I played it and loved it
@@Official_RetroMania I do have a feeling if Sony were to pull the trigger on a rerelease for Folklore, it would do better by default, also to enhance the overall gameplay experience as pointed out by Ryan here with the faults in it's gameplay which do hold the game back by a bit it would give players a good reason to return to an old favorite on top of giving new players a better experience than people did with the OG release.
I still wish they went with the initial story draft (where Keats was alone) though.
I'm really glad the community has been enjoying these PS3 throwback videos as much as I have. Keep making amazing content Ryan!
I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say : We want more of these please. Especially games like Folklore and Lair, games from the PS3 era which a lot of us are from and have owned a PS3 during that time, but never got to play games like them or atleast I did'nt. Anyways a big thank you for the amazing content.
Not only the game itself is amazing, but the music..THE MUSIC. Just phenomenal
I love seeing these videos that dive into long forgotten games from the PS3 era! Definitely keep doing them! Would you be interested in covering lesser known PS1 and PS2 games also, out of curiosity?
I love these deep dives into forgotten old games
I wouldnt say “old” 😂 its not like it was made in the 70’s…
Ah folklore....my local library always carried this game for at least 3 years...never borrowed it once because it looked so boring ..I also started to regularly visit my local retro store since 2014...always had this game like a discarded child on the bottom shelf for at the most like 4 bucks....never bat an eye on it once...and then after pandemic, I heard this game really got rare...ran to the store...nope, game is nowhere to be seen suddenly...been frequently checking for one whole year and still no dice...also checked ebay...super expensive now...also I passed on haunting ground back in 2014 sitting on the shelf in the same local retro store for like 25 bucks and I passed on it cause I thought it was so expensive...never saw another copy of haunting ground in the store after that ..mistakes were made 😂😢
I loved the game. First played it at a demo kiosk in a Toys R Us even before I had a PS3, so when I got one, it was the first game I bought. Maxed out every Folk, including the DLC ones and the ones you get from the online dungeon mode, for both characters. The game was so early in the PS3's life that it predates trophies, but if it had them, I would definitely have the platinum. I'd sometimes just let the PS3 sit on the game's icon on the XMB just to listen to that music.
The menu song in this game is so beautiful. I remember listening to it every time i played the demo.
One of my favorite things about this game, although small, is that the characters difference in ability is more than just gameplay, Ellen summons a physical folk to fight with, whereas Keats more summons a physical figment of folks and actually fights as them
This was one of my very first ps3 games and i enjoyed it alot. One of those games that if remastered id buy instantly.
I bought it at launch, it's such an underappreciated gem. I also loved majin when it came out. Game republic deserved better sales
I just got a PS3 recently and Folklore is one of the first games I bought. Only into Ellen's second chapter but loving it so far. Whipping the DS3 to capture folk feels so good
Love these videos about old PS3 games! Thanks for taking the time to make them. It's so cool getting to experience these games that I missed.
As an Irish gamer I always found this game interesting. Never played seeing as I did not have a PS3 but this and other videos show me enough about it to get an idea about it.
Please do Heavenly Sword next. Loved that game. I remember them making a big deal that Andy Serkis did the mocap for the main protagonist. Absolute hidden gem
Progress for upgrades not carrying over makes sense because, as you said, depending on the character, the folks also act differently. Keats is more of a physical fighter who only partially manifests the folks whereas Ellen is more like a summoner. That said, it would be nice if the progress did carry over, stuff like that is what we've grown to expect as modern gamers.
Then again, that's just an issue with outdated game design. The game came out sixteen years ago, back when games basically had no quality of life features. To put things into perspective for quite a lot of people, this was the year Burning Crusade expansion came out for WoW.
I have this and bought it completely blind for my collection, something about it is just so captivating. It's also a cool collectible but I miss the booklet. I've yet to play it so this is very intriguing to watch!
Thanks for covering this one Ryan, I've been toying with the idea of getting this one, the lack of trophies was putting me off but certainly looks like something I should have in the collection
I'm a dedicated trophy hunter, I understand, but please! Don't miss out on a great game because of trophies!
So happy you made another of these videos! Even more excited that you chose Folklore! Keep it up with more of these fantastic videos dude! Love the content every week.
I'm really enjoying your look back at stand out 7th gen games like Folklore. I'm glad I finally played this one last year, it's always been a game that caught my eye but I didn't have a chance to play it until now and it's one I won't be forgetting any time soon (for better and worse).
Not in the right mindset to watch a video about this game currently, but I want to comment that I'm glad to see it getting acknowledgement, it's one of my favorite games of all time. Personally, most of the issues I have with it stem from the fact that it was intended to have a sequel, but sold so poorly that that sequel never even got past the "we intend to do it" phase of existence - there's so much of this world and of these characters to explore and learn about, it was a missed opportunity to expand on all of it. At a guess I'd say this game was too philosophical and thought-provoking to appeal to the masses, but damn, it's a great game. I would love to see that sequel get made someday, preferably the one the original creators intended to make, whatever that would have looked like - they did such a good job here, I'm not sure I'd trust anyone else to continue the story.
Oh, wow. I remember glancing over this game in my cousins library. Cover was interesting, but I passed it up. Thanks for letting me know what I've been missing after all these years.
Holy crap, I remember playing a demo for this game in a Best Buy when I was a kid, and for the life of me I could never remember the name of it. All these years later and you've just reminded me
Awesome video Ryan I liked how you included some background information on the creator of the game early a very cool way to give even more background information!
I bought Folklore for $10 used when I was broke and just wanted something cheap to play on my ps3, absolutely loved it. Folklore and Eternal Sonata are some underrated gems of the ps3.
i was playing eternal sonata via PS NOW 2 years ago and only made it to chapter 3 and i really enjoyed that game. i imagine that game will be really expensive to buy used as well.
LOVE the soundtrack for this game. Never played much (just the demo back in the day) but still remember the music very well
I remember a bit of this! I must have played the demo or something, but it didn't hook me enough to seek out the full game. I have a bigger appreciation for Irish mythology now, though.
Thank you for bringing this back up , I didn’t appreciate it enough, I’d love a remaster
I wish more games there were more games based around Irish mythology like folklore
like this
kingdom of amalur re reckoning
Same, Cu Chulainn would be awesome. Elden is
@@Lofirainbows that would be cool
cereza and the lost demon (cutscene mechanics and some aesthetic choices reminded me of this game), it also has a theme song sung in irish
It is a very rare game and I'm so lucky to have it. Really one of the most underrated games in the PS3 library
This game has been on my shelf for over 10 years and I’ve only put it in my ps3 once…. Maybe it’s time to play it
Owned the game many years ago but never finished it. I'm glad to see someone approach all the mysteries.
Played the demo and bought it on the same day as Uncharted Drake’s Fortune and Ratchet and Clank.
This game is a great gem.
A great gem? That's a funny one - a misuse of the metaphor "hidden gem".
I wanted to play this again but I really wish they would have added trophy support! Maybe we will get a remake / remaster one day because this is an awesome rpg and a one of a kind classic! Music is also awesome! I just love it !!
The character designs, creature design and art is amazing.
I just finished this game last weekend. I love it (even if it got a little repetitive by the end). It really deserves a remake/remaster.
What a game! Bought the PS3 just for its exclusives, and this one was the most unique IMO. Even when my system got stolen I bought another one. Miss this game!
The day that US Monster Strike servers went down I wanted to cry. I had spent so many hours enjoying the game. Restarting over and over just for the new feeling again. I will never forget.
Definitely was one of those hidden gems on PS3. Fun game.
One other item (I'm half way through) that I feel you overlooked or didn't mention (yet?) Is that Keats is a physically dynamic character. Almost like a druid, channeling the Folk through his body. Ellen is like a summoner, she projects it out and puppeteers it.
This, for me, kept the game play fresh as each character had a different style and it explains why the upgrades don't transition.
Love these videos and this one was a great watch! One thing that caught me off guard was Okamoto going to design Monster Strike, one of the biggest Japanese mobile game IPs, following his resignation from console games
@Mystic (posting this before I watch) I remember being excited for Folklore way back when, but I passed on it after reading some less than stellar reviews. I’ll be very interested to hear your take on the game, as I’ve noticed we seem to have similar taste in gaming. Looking forward to the video, and thanks for the great content (and for enabling subtitles for those of us hearing impaired)
Long videos are the best imo. We get more time with Ryan and they're always great quality
this was one of my first ps3 games . I was like WOW da graffics are SOOO BEAUTIFUL!
This is giving me Nioh 2 vibes with the keybinding enemies attacks as your own attacks, that's just so creative and I noticed Keith when he first got that guardian transformation he had an unfilled ring around his neck I hear that's a sign of nobility in Celtic mythology.
Also it just looks really fucking good.
Playing this back in the day was awesome, almost never heard about it again until I saw random videos on RUclips about them such as yours the last couple years, what an awesome game looking back so unique and fun
Folklore is a remnant of an age where triple a developers were busy zigging and zagging trying to be creative. Now a days these developers only follow and reinvent. The game play was simple and unapologetic because the star was meant to be the story. And the unsung hero is the soundtrack. This is a gem not meant for the low brows.
I’ve always enjoyed games with collectible teammate monsters mechanics, especially when they let you evolve them so they would level up and stay valid all the way to the endgame.
man what a tragic story, thank you for showing us the game, if my ps3 wasnt broken i would 100% buy the game to play it myself. also the switching between ellen and keith really reminded me of the resident evil playstyle.
No joke, I bought a PS3 for ~this game~ specifically. I was curious when it got juuust teased under the moniker of Monster Kingdom a year before, but the E3 '07 trailer made me go "I need this".
Ah man Majin and the forgotten kingdom was great as well! If you haven’t, you should play that too!
I bought this game at my local Walmart for $3.00. They had a ton of them. Now the game is worth a lot more. I should have bought all of the copies.
Love this deep dive on a mostly forgotten game. Hope this becomes a series.
This is one of PS3 games that got overlooked. I bought this in a store in Germany while my brother bought Naruto couldn't finish it because my parents wanted me to study more and I had little time to play the game but a I enjoyed it. If you get he chance to play it go for it.
Pros:
- A unique setting
- The art direction is dreamlike with each chapter being unique
- Good murder mystery story that keeps you invested
- Great soundtracks
- Gameplay is fun especially absorbing folk's souls
- Playing two characters with different point of views
- Creature designs and their variety
- Going to the pub at nights and hanging out with the Half-life
Cons:
- Playing as both Keats and Ellen can get boring because the levels are the same
- Comic style cutscenes aren't appealing especially that they don't have voices
- Levels are linear. If the world was open with exploration it would've been better
- The village and Netherworld feel empty, they could've had more life to them
I like to say that I feel old and what good days we had, days that were simpler and gaming had a different vibe. Not that today's gaming isn't good or fun but it had something that was unique to that time. I'm 30 by the way so I'm not that old 😁
Currently playing Folklore, it's really something else. Unique game for sure
I own a physical copy of the game. Really loved it. Such a hidden gem. Shame the sequel got scrapped
I agree they shouldn't have scrapped it, but yes Many game companies were either closing or bought out and unfortunately most of the developers left, so the game was scrapped.
There was never a digital copy. Some early PS3 games like Ridge Racer 7 or Folklore were never uploaded onto PSN.
I loved this game on my PS3, it was so much fun and the story oh my god.
These videos are so cracked! I played the heck outta the demo and thought the game seemed really cool. Thanks for finally checking it our for us ! gg
I got this game and The Darkness out of a bargain bin for a fiver many years ago.
Played both games all the way through and can say with maximum confidence I enjoyed Folklore way more. Telling my wife about it made it sound like a fever dream.
Terrific game and a one of a kind experience.
I have a sealed copy of this game that I bought from Circuit City back in 2008. I can’t tell you why I never opened it but that choice definitely paid off.
Always looking for hidden gems even if they weren’t as successful. Games like Drakengard, .hack, Dark Cloud, Nier, Breath of Fire and others don’t get enough attention.
BTW Ryan you mentioned on the Sony Showcase you haven’t played Dragon’s Dogma. It’s very underrated so give it a shot since you’ll most likely enjoy it for some of it’s unique details.
It's funny you mention the demo. When played the demo I thought it was meh. Some reason I picked up the game and loved it. I remember thinking "man, that demo didn't do this game justice."
I've been hoping for a sequel to Folklore.
I loved this game, especially being a rare game set in Ireland was a nice bonus. Unfortunately I didn't finish it cause I got stuck on a elevator like area lol.
funny that you can find add-ons ,a demo even trailers, but the game itself? physical only baby!!
Do Genji Days of the Blade next. Giant enemy crab 🦀
Went to a game store with my dad years ago (2008) and the person recommended this game to me, that random employee got me into the world of weird JRPGs and I never stopped
I've been wanting to play this for ages, need to get my hands on it. I'm Irish, I live in Ireland and love our folklore. A ps3 game based on it!? Gimmie!
Great game👍
I remember finishing this game 4 times. Really enjoyed the plot and the music. The gameplay was good for a starting gem of PS3. I think its the only game that makes good use of Six Axis motion controls.
I had fun using the motion controller to yank the souls.
There is a PS2 game called Lifeline. It was way ahead of its time in that you can literally play the entire game using only voice command via a headset.
I've owned this since launch but never actually finished it. Reminds me of Kameo: Elements of Power a fair bit with the way you use the creatures.
I'm not going to lie, this game has been my favorite since I was like 11-12 years old? I was given my PS3 for Christmas 2013 and the game they brought me was Folklore. Never thought it became my favorite. It seems like they just wanted to get rid of it as they gave it free. Like an extra.
2014 was one of the hardest years in my life, yet I was glad I had Folklore by my side. And fell into a rabbit hole of art and new experiences. Heck, it influenced me on my style and artwork, I loved it.
Keats was also (and is) one of my favorite characters in all media. I cannot describe it enough and how the finale made me tear up.
Yet it's a shame that the PS3 store closed down. Since you could play the side quests and DLCs that added more bits to the plot. Like why Keats didn't know why was he a half-life before, or the Christmas DLC or the small silly romantic love letter DLC between Ellen and Keats that sure is hilarious. But they added more info and gave more closure to the game.
BUT luckily there are free emulators online with the DLCs on it. I don't count with a good computer at the moment so probably it'd be nice to try them in a nearby future.
My younger self appreciates that are some people talking about Folklore and the magic behind it. Shame we didn't have a sequel, but there was a port in the PSP with some of the folk creatures we see in the game.
I was just checking the ebay prices for this. It's one of the last few PS3 games which interest me and I don't currently have. Great timing Ryan.
Can you play and review, Heavenly Sword, if you haven't played it already of course. It's one of my personal favorites from the PS3 library. Highly underrated and people that ask for a sequel, apparently didn't finish the game haha.
It was a very underrated game
Folklore is a game I loved everything about it when I first heard about it back in 2009: its setting, characters, designs, graphics, art style, soundtrack, story (albeit predictable at times), box art, etc... EXCEPT its gameplay, which was (and still is) a HUGE problem for me, since it prevented me from buying and playing this game. I absolutely despise dungeon crawlers/hack 'n' slash with RPG elements. I found it so repetitive, so boring, I can't stand playing five minutes of those portions of the game. Those are my top three most hated genres in videogames. If this game played any differently, I'd definitely buy this game back in the day. If only it was more story-driven, like... let's say Shadow of Memories (on PS2) or Echo Night (on PS1) I'd absolutely love it. I guess games had to include some action in any way to justify their purchase back in the day, since "walking simulators" weren't a thing back in 2007, which is a shame. I rather play a game with a great story and no action, than having meaningless action forced into it.
I remember when the ps3 first came out, 7 year old me played the folklore demo from a psm disc for hours haha
I loved playing this game as a kid, i played the demo and waited for my birthday to get a copy. Unfortunately what i find that ultimately causes Folklore to become outdated is the motion controls that both the ps3 and Nintendo wii were trying to push back in the day.
Not to be patronising - I appreciate your ability to pronounce the Celtic terms throughout. Not an easy thing to get right
PS3 is a dear to my heart console, since i started collecting games two years ago i grabed the ps3 "hidden gens" like Folclore, Lair, puppeteer, still did not played them
This game was so unique, loved it! And still have it physical👍
Just snagged this on ebay before prices get crazy. I remember playing the demo when it 1st came out.
Still have my copy, a unique game and made pretty good use of the 6 axis
Not everything is going to be for everyone and niche games especially tend to be more on the divisive end of the spectrum. So really, while I don't agree with many of your complaints, I can't say I'm surprised you had them.
I remember renting the game from my local library when I was younger but I never got that far. It wasn't until this past year or so, roughly a decade later, where I finally tracked down a copy myself and finished it. Despite playing on a busted controller that would cause random inputs when shaken too hard or held at some specific angle, I somehow managed to get through without too much trouble.
Honestly, I didn't think the separated character progression was an issue. I also played in a similar manner with doing both characters each chapter and I 100% the game, as in obtained and fully upgraded every folk. Outside of some rarer drops here and there, I didn't think it was difficult or that time consuming to top off the characters each chapter. Even more so if you just focus on raising the couple folks you like using.
But I guess that's just me. I primarily stick to more niche stuff so I guess I just have a greater tolerance for a bit of jank or lack of polish.
Pal cover looks even better! Bought this game in the store with no knowlege other then the box itself. I was happy with it. Even more so now when it sells for 70-80 euros :)
Did you ever play Koudelka? that is another unique underated game!
This is my first PS3 game followed by Eternal Sonata, this and Eternal Sonata are very memorable games for me.
Folklore, and Enchanted Arms are two PS3 games i always talk about. I love both and need to get a new working ps3 to play them again.
wow i completly missed that ending when i was kid wow im suprised wasnt expecting a twist over 13 years later
Folklore kicks ass and is super interesting and cool…and then it sort of just keeps going. And going. It’s a great premise with neat visuals and a unique setting but doesn’t stick the landing and eventually gets real tedious to actually play.
I had forgotten about this game! So cool and unique. Wish it would be rereleased
There are some PS3 games I want to try like this one, Folklore, MGR: Revengeance, Asura's Wrath, Odin Sphere, Dragon's Crown, Bulletstorm, Persona 5, Killer is Dead, Dragon's Dogma,
Have always wanted to play this and this video just intensified it. Wish we’d get it ported to other consoles at some point.
Great game👍
Good lord! @7:10 my man's aesthetic isn't far off from looking like Orochi X from the Warriors Orochi series. xD
So many early ps3 gems. Folklore is a treat
I loved this game. Such an underrated game.
Let;s not forget how much of a bop the pub's rendition of Irish Lullaby is.
IMO the only PS3 game were the Sixaxis feature was clever yet practical enough to be used.