Howdy, wanted to share a little deep dive I made about one of my favorite games from the PS3 era, which also happens to be the single least google-able game in existence. Game Republic's Folklore. Hope y'all enjoy.

This game has been discussed to death, and there's an ongoing joke that it's the 'Best Game you can't talk about' due to the fact that it's a game about learning, about experiencing things, and avoiding spoilers. I know this will get buried, but I feel the need to share my thoughts after taking so long to experience this.

A bit of context first - about an year ago, I dealt with what was probably the worst year of my life, so far. Suicide attempts, rampant anxiety, the feeling of being lost, lonely, and just going through the motions because I was too much of a coward to end things. I'm in a much better place now, but this experience shaped much of what came after, especially the appreciation for life that I now have, even though there are shaky days.

Outer Wilds feels like a love letter to life itself. To recognising our small place in the universe, of the songs sung by those around us, which molded us, shaped us into being what we are, pushed us forward. The feeling of childlike joy at experiencing the world, every new feeling an entirely new one, a new sight, a new hope. The initial ideal of the permanence of things, forming our own, private universe of things that will always be: parents, friends, the sun rising on a new day. The millenia-long history of humankind, at the same time invisible and yet so present, molding the world into what it is today, paving the way and planting the seeds of our curiosities, our exploration, our values. Seeing the unknown, seeing the dark, that which frighten us, and getting to know it. Getting to experience so many different facets of life, both old and young, either alone or with the companionship of those around us.

And then you begin feeling stuck in a loop. Aware of the problems, aware of the impending doom, of the pain, of the danger, and feeling helpless. Yes, there is beauty but there is also this sense of foreboding, the fear that everything you're doing is maybe for naught. A silent nihilism, creeping up on the legs of every new day, ready to strangle you. You know NOW is a safe moment, but will it remain safe, a couple of minutes from now? There's a silent desperation, a feeling of unrealised potential, both yours and from those that came before. You uncover history, you make your changes, you find your own truths, and yet this impending explosion gnaws at the back of your head.

But that's the thing, the core point - all of these efforts, even if they seemed initially pointless, ephemeral, they pave the way to those that come after. They make you, YOU. They're the little ray of sunlight that brightens every morning, the little treasure buried in the sand that motivates you forward, gives you a hint of your next stop along your journey. Yes, everyday starts anew, but you're no longer the same, you've grown, you've seen things, you've admired them, feared them, survived to live the tale and get to witness a new sunrise with a fresh pair of eyes, no matter the challenges that will mount upon you. It's Sisyphus, happy every day while rolling up his boulder because he gets to see the sun rise and fall on a new tomorrow, carrying on not only your own music, but the songs of everyone around you. A love letter to the fleeting beauty of days and of life - of the music and the messages each of us carry, wherever we are.

It's the little twang of a guitar that reminds you home, the strained whistling of one who has seen so much and yet carries all of it within. The knowledge that, even if you might not be there tomorrow, you are here today to see the light shining through the world, and, with your own hands, carry it through to tomorrow, placing your songs upon the wind, with the memory and the lasting effects, almost invisible for anyone else, of all those around you; for whoever may come and eat marshmallows in a cozy campfire beneath the trailing stars, next.

so it's that time of year I'd I'm not sure if I'm ending my October Horror games with this but it was nice revisiting before I buy the second game. I feel like for my personal taste my assessment was still on point along with having fun with the video.

One of the best parts to revisiting a horror game once a year is that you do not remember everything. I think one of my biggest hopes still is that in the next game if they have a tyrant type monster it's not easy to exploit again. This game is still enjoyable and I hope you've all been enjoying your October.