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An intriguing and haunting fairy tale

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: September 15, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It's not hard not be drawn in by the trailer for this game. I originally wasn't interested in the game since I am not a fan of the horror genre, but it was so beautifully done, I just had to try the game for myself. The gameplay is relatively easy, especially with the help of your dog Brown. However the fighting portions can be challenging, but luckily there aren't that many encounters where you will need to fight. You can try to run in most cases. The music complements the game perfectly and the voice acting is superb. The setting and mood are fantastic, as it is set in the 1930s in the English countryside. A disturbing story about how a group of children form the "Aristocracy of the Red Crayon" and Jennifer, your protagonist needs to follow their rules or risk being hurt.

A fascinating tale that oddly reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. If you haven't at the very least seen the trailer, I highly recommend doing so. If you aren't hooked by then, then this may not be for you. The CG scenes are simply amazing, and it didn't surprise me that they were nominated for an award.

An Acquired Taste

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 40 / 42
Date: September 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Rule of Rose is a creepy adventure game that belongs to the genre of 'survival horror'. If you've played games like Silent Hill or Resident Evil this game will be very familiar to you. Rule of Rose is not for everyone however, not just because of its disturbing subject matter, but also because of the slow pacing, rather finicky controls and annoying battle system.

Storyline: 8/10
The storyline is possibly the best thing about the game. Incredibly creepy and definitely not for children, the game tells the story of a young girl named Jennifer who ends up in an orphanage and must do the bidding of a clique of kids known as the "Red Crayon Aristocrats". I'm currently in the middle of the game myself and do not yet know how it will turn out, but for those who enjoy the psychological horror of games like Silent Hill, this grotesque story will entertain.

Graphics: 7/10
The game takes place in the gloomy 1930's and the graphics are appropriately grainy and dark with the game's colors being mostly greys and browns. The game takes place inside an orphanage and later on a zeppelin and all the environments are highly detailed. The characters are well rendered and move in a realistic way. All in all these are pretty good graphics for the Playstation 2's twilight years.

Gameplay: 5/10
Here's where you'll either love the game or hate it. At its core Rule of Rose is an adventure game. You are commanded by the Red Crayon Aristocrats (the clique mentioned above) to find certain items and as you play the game you discover more and more about Jennifer and the other characters. Most of the time you're fetching items from point A to point B so if this is exactly the type of gameplay you hate, I advise you to stay away.
Rule of Rose also includes enemies that attack Jennifer. The battle system is the worst part of the entire game. Enemies are hard to target and most of the time it's easier to just run past the annoying critters. Boss fights are somewhat frustrating because of the annoying combat system and lousy controls.
There's an upside to the gameplay and that is if you wish to simply play the game for the storyline the game makes it easy to do just that. The most interesting aspect of the gameplay is that Jennifer can use her dog Brown to find certain items (basically have him sniff out the scent). This makes finding items easier than in other games of this sort as you simply follow Brown until he finds what you're looking for. The puzzles aren't very difficult and the combat is easily avoided so you can progress through the game fairly quickly once you get the hang of it (basically have Brown find the items you need and follow him around). Inventory is limited like in Resident Evil, but unlike in that game items you drop to make space automatically end up in the item box (or rubbish bin as it's known in this game). You can also get hints on how to progress through the game from each save point, so that's a good thing. Also every time you enter a room the name of it is displayed so it's easy to know immediately if you've been there before if you get lost.

Controls: 5/10
While searching for items and clues, it's fairly easy to control Jennifer and Brown. However the controls really could have been tightened up for combat. So often you go to attack an enemy and the hit doesn't connect. Also when trying to pick items up off the ground you very often have to be standing in exactly the right spot or Jennifer won't pick it up. There's no Resident Evil-style tank control scheme so that's a good thing -- Jennifer runs in whatever direction you move the joystick. Brown simply follows you around and three buttons control his movement (stay, find and come here).

Sound: 8/10
Cello and violins, as well as piano make up the bulk of the background music in this game. It's fairly enjoyable, if a bit repetitive. The voice- acting is quite good, though sparse. A lot of times you'll be reading the dialogue instead of listening to it.

Rent or buy:
If you like games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill (also Clock Tower 3 and Fatal Frame) then Rule of Rose deserves at least a rental. If you dislike the above, or if fast paced action fare is more your bag then Rule of Rose is likely to frustrate and bore you. Also a warning about the subject matter: As mentioned above it's definitely not for children or for the faint of heart. There's copious amounts of violence in this game and some rather gratuitous. It deserves the Mature rating which is prominently displayed on the box.

Hopefully this review will be helpful to anyone considering purchasing the game. I found it fascinating, and somewhat less frustrating than other survival horror games. I look forward to finishing it.

I'm amazed this got released here, but glad.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 46 / 47
Date: September 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

(Some minor plot spoilers follow...)

"Rule of Rose" stirred up some controversy before it was even released in this country. Sony of America dropped it, citing content that clashed with the public image they wanted to maintain here. If not for Atlus, ever the purveyors of fringe titles, no U.S. gamers might ever have seen it. Even now that it's here, I suspect the game is just too strange and different to ever appeal to more than a very select group.

So just what is "Rule of Rose" anyway? It's a horror story set in the 1930s, in a run-down orphanage and a giant airship. I won't use the term "survival horror" since this is much more of a pure adventure than an action game. The protagonist, Jennifer, is a young woman with a mysterious past who follows a young boy on the bus to the orphanage and quickly becomes trapped in a nightmarish society run by creepy little children. The leaders, three young girls calling themselves the "Red Crayon Aristocrats", give Jennifer a series of unsettling storybooks they draw themselves, all featuring a different animal. They then order Jennifer and another girl, Ashley, to bring them presents, or face terrible punishments. While looking for the first gift Jennifer finds and frees a dog called Brown, and together they must rise through the ranks of the girls' social structure, and try to find a way to escape.

Comparisons to Capcom's "Haunting Ground" are inevitable, given the prominent inclusion of the dog. But Jennifer's canine companion is actually handled quite differently than Fiona's in that game. Brown cannot be trained to attack enemies, although sometimes he will try to hold them off on his own. Instead he is used primarily to sniff out items Jennifer can use. In the inventory screen you highlight a "Find" item, then a press of the appropriate button sends Brown after it. This allows you to find the presents needed to appease the Aristocrat girls, as well as extra health items, but it does lead to a lot of traipsing back and forth through the environments.

Jennifer is also a much less defenseless heroine than "Haunting Ground"'s Fiona. Along the way she will find weapons, some of them quite vicious, and is not afraid to use them against the creepy children who lurk about the airship and orphanage. They wear a variety of animal masks and will try to grab onto Jennifer or knock her down. Usually they appear in packs and will quickly surround Jennifer, so it's almost always better to dodge them rather than fight. The game's combat is sluggish and unwieldy, and you're never completely sure your attacks will hit their intended target.

Aside from the item-hunting gameplay, the main thing that might turn people away is the mature content, and believe me there's a lot of it. Children's cruelty to animals is a central theme of the story, along with the ways they can socially exclude and emotionally torment each other. Some of the things the Aristocrat girls do to Jennifer, and make her do to others, are quite disturbing. "Rule of Rose" will make you squirm. And while the masked kids who attack Jennifer are twisted and demonic, they are still children, and yes, Jennifer can kill them (and occasionally has to). This is absolutely not a game you should let your own children play, or even watch. Without spoiling too much, there is also an unrequited love subplot involving one of the young girls, who is revealed to be a lesbian. It is handled with subtlety and taste, but it is there.

Graphics are good overall, though some of the airship environments feel a bit stark. The character models are pretty realistic, aside from a few sticking points. Jennifer looks really awkward in combat, but this could be intentional. When she's walking up stairs the bottom of her legs disappear into the texture, and larger weapons pass through walls and environmental objects when she swings them. Most noticeably, Jennifer and Brown can move directly through each other. Admittedly this is better than always having the dog in the way blocking your movements, but it still just doesn't look good. The musical themes match the mood and time period of the game perfectly, but some of them do get a little repetitive and grating during long searching sessions. Save points are a bit far between, and tend to move or disappear at different points in the game. Even with rubbish bins scattered about to hold dropped items, the limited inventory is often cumbersome.

In the end it was the compelling plot rather than the simplistic and sometimes frustrating gameplay that drew me into "Rule of Rose". It unfolds very gradually, and never quite tells you everything, even at the very end. (Be sure you get the "good" ending, it's not too hard to figure out once you've gotten the "bad" one.) By the time the really disturbing content kicks in you're hooked on the story, though for me it was never as consistently scary as other horror games. Missing is the constant fear that something might jump out at you at any moment, as there are plenty of "safe spots" where you'll never be attacked. Still, there's an unrelenting sense of dread and unease throughout the entire game that works very well. It's definitely not for all tastes, but if you come with enough patience and can handle the clunky fighting and the disturbing content, you'll be glad Atlus ignored Sony's concerns and brought "Rule of Rose" to America.

New Rules

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: September 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Rule of Rose is a game that definitely shows promise but for some odd reason can't live up to all that promise. The game, in terms of being a survival horror has the components down really well. It's got its creepy hair raising moments, complete with a creepy and disturbing look to most of it. The problem with Rule of Rose isn't in it's interesting story, or in it's interesting look; it's in the gameplay itself. Rule of Rose would instantly be better if it was simply fun to play.

Jennifer is a timid unlucky girl, who gets stuck at an orphanage in 1930's. It's a strange orphanage which consist of cult like rituals. She explores this orphanage only to discover that it's not what it seems. She later discovers that there's a secret society called the Aristocrat of the Red Crayon. This society captivates her interest, and so does a dog named Brown which she rescues. There's actually kind of a neat thing going for this game. For one, the story is interesting. It also manages to be really creepy and strange. It'll also make you think too. From there, though, the game doesn't have very many places to go.

For starters, the game is overall pretty boring. You'll find yourself exploring your surroundings, finding items, avoiding enemies and solving puzzles. Pretty standard and run of the mill for a survival horror game. A lot of the time Brown is with you, and he's quite a companion to have around. He can lead you through some of the game as well. You can have him sniff items in your inventory and he'll go off to discover similar items. If you're ever unsure of where to go you could probably just turn to Brown and he'll help you out. Exploration, however, somehow feels empty. Especially because there's not much combat involved in exploring, and at the tims when there is an enemy around, you won't really have to fight, you can easily just pass on by... which actually is a good thing.

There isn't a lot of combat or anything like that to be done in Rule of Rose. When there is it's a little unsatisfying. This is because Jennifer isn't really a confident fighter. When the games tells you she's timid they're not joking. Combat isn't difficult but it is frustrating. You'll have to hope beyond hope that her attacks hit their mark with your enemies. Brown can distract some of them, but it still boils down to Jennifer having to be accurate. You'll get by in the game, but there are moments when the gameplay is just frustrating.

Even worse for the combat is when you take damage. You don't know how much damage you're taking from an enemy. You might be dead before you know it simply because you don't know how much damage your taking. This can sometimes be frustrating. It wouldn't be nearly as frustrating if save points weren't few and far between in this game. You might be playing through long segments over and over again simply because you didn't know you were moments away from death.

Part of the gameplay issues also come with how repetative the game is. You'll find yourself going down several hallways and corridors that look just like other ones you've gone through. It's really easy to get turned around in this game. The game does have some good visuals, but they won't be found in the environment. They'll be found in the characters and cutscenes which are absolutely breath taking. The soundtrack is even better, being fairly creepy all together and being able to give you an uneasy feeling. The music is just fantastic overall.

The storyline to Rule of Rose will probably be enough to keep you going in this game, but the repetative nature of the gameplay and environments make the game more frustrating than it has to be. It's actually not a bad game, it's just a game that didn't live up to potential. For fans of the survivial horror genre, you might want to give it a try. For others, it's probably not your cup of tea.

The Good

+Interesting storyline
+The game has great character models and cutscenes
+Fantastic sound

The Bad

-The environments are repetative, and so is the task of exploring all the rooms throughout the game
-Combat is unsatisfying and frustrating
-The game is just boring to play
-The control scheme isn't all that great (not mentioned above)
-Because of the repetative environments, it's easy to get lost

So bad, so very bad

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 26
Date: September 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is slow moving (no run ability?), there is no onscreen life meter (WTF?), no ability to target enemies, imprecise controls, terrible combat system, yet extremely well done strange & bizarre cutscenes with beautiful graphics. I can understand people loving the trailer for this game, the cutscenes really are some of the best graphics I've seen in the PS2, but this is a game, not a movie. The control & combat sections (random guys each level and boss battles) are why this is so bad and many of the combat parts you cannot avoid.
This is the equivalent of a "dumb blonde" videogame - it looks really nice, but when you interact with it you realize it is borderline retarded.

Could've been much better...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: October 08, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have mixed feelings about this game. I appreciated the simplicity of the puzzles, the neat graphics, and great music. The down sides, however, are many. The main character is, frankly, a wimp, and she moves verrryy slowly. Loading times for scene changes are WAY too long...I counted almost 30 seconds for some. Bosses can be hard to defeat simply because the main character moves so slowly and is so fragile, and it becomes frustrating to keep starting over, especially if your save point is far away. I'm still not quite sure what the actual storyline is, and aside from some expected gore, the brutality of some of the scenes bothered me. It could've been a lot better and I don't think I would pay a whole lot of money for this one again. It's definitely an interesting adventure game but I think its potential to be great was lost from the start.

Unique, and beautifully done....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: November 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I was shocked at how original this game is. From the beautiful lassical/slightly eeire soundtrack to the unique game concept, I was really blown away.
Sure, there were some faults. Such as the fact that it takes FOREVER for the game to load. It's almost a joke; I mean, to load one room to another it takes almost a minute! Also, there are some disturbing images in this game, like hints that the kids torture animals, and humans.
GAME DESCRIPTION:
Rule of Rose takes place in the early 1900's and is centered around a girl who mysteriously gets approached on a bus by a boy that wants her to finish reading a story to him. The boy then runs off, and the girl follows.
She realizes almost immediatley that something is off about where the boy ran to. And within a short amount of time, she gets tangled in the web of a strange group of girls who have formed a clique a follow the 'rule of rose'. The girls also like to be known as princesses, and have a higharchy. Our protagonist isn't liked by these girls, and in fact, is forced by them to do cruel and strange things in order for her to find out why she is there and how she can leave.
The settings are AMAZING. One of them is a an airship, where the game is mostly based. This is really, really cool. The rooms are beautiful and the music complements everything.
Our lead encounters various enemies, and she happens to be pretty weak, so she frequently has to flee the scene.
In the game, the story unfolds by the girl being given stories by the boy ( who approached her on the bus) and each story the girl needs to unravel. They are mostly strange ones that I guess serve the purpose of triggering omething in the girl's memory.
This game should not be missed. I highly reccommed it along with Primal, Haunting Ground, and Beyond Good and Evil, as those games have unique story lines as well. Play them all and experience what good gaming should be like!

it's more of a half/half thing

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: February 06, 2007
Author: Amazon User

yeah by most this game is NOT FOR EVERYONE, though this game does have a diffrent thing for anyone. it's like playing through a horror british novel. the thing that will take down most of the game is it's combat system, simple puzzles, a fuzzy look (CAN BE ADJUSTED), and it's SHORT. though a little adjusment with the options window and practice will make this game quite enjoyable ^_^ the most greatest pros of the game is RICH STORYLINE, BEAUTIFUL CUT SCENES, and creepy atmosphere. so this is recommended to fans of SILENT HILL, FATAL FRAME, AND HORROR RPG FANS.

If Only The Story Made More Sense...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: February 21, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Gist Of The Game: A young woman by the name of Jennifer rides a bus through the eerie night. Then, an unkwown child hands her a written story book and asks Jennifer to finish it. Before the girl knew it, the bus stops and the child runs off into the darkened woods. Stupidly though, Jennifer gets off and goes after the child. Little does she know that she just took her first steps into the growing nightmare. Now she must follow the rules of the misguided children to get out of it.
Horrible monsters, devilish children with cruel intentions, and even a mysterious man that seems to be stalking Jennifer... One question lingers in her mind: what did she do to deserve such torture?

Gameplay: You assume the role of Jennifer, who uses the loyal dog Brown for support. Even though you acquire many different weapon types as the game goes by, both Jennifer and Brown are fairly weak in battles, and it is best to just run away at times (unless forced to fight; you'll know by the "notifications" you get). While Jennifer is mostly good for just attacking when needed to, Brown is best for sniffing out any items or clues that you get throughout the story.

My Opinion On Game: I have to admit the creepy atmosphere and music really flow with each other, which does make the game "horrific" I guess the word is, but the game does lack in many other things though. For starters, the main character can really annoy you alot. It makes you wonder why she won't stand up for herself when it comes to the children. How can she let them push her around like that? Also, Brown is no good, except for sniffing out the items you need, otherwise, he sucks in battles -- I mean, barking? It doesn't really do much for you.
I think the biggest of the "lackings" would have to be the storyline; it doesn't make much sense at all. Why is Jennifer there, why is there a creepy man who seems to keep calling Jennifer "Joshua", and the monsters...just what does it all mean?
Oh yes, the battle system could be redone. Attacking the monsters is quite hard, and even avoiding/running from them can be extremely tricky! The game would be a bit easier if they toned down the number of monsters just a tad; and besides that, a better aiming system for Jennifer: she's rather slow swinging/shooting.

One Last Note: If you still intend on buying this game, I just have to let you know that there is ABSOLUTELY NO PLAYERS GUIDE FOR THIS GAME! If you need help/hints/advice, then you better start browsing game websites and see what you can find.
Even though there is no player's guide, I'll still give a little advice/hints that you won't be able to find in the instruction booklet:
1. Always Expect The Unexpected: you never know where/when those monsters will show up, so be on the lookout (you can usually tell they're in the same room as you by the whispers, grunts, etc.).
2. Try To Find As Many Health Items As Possible: I have mentioned before that Jennifer and Brown are weak and can take quite a beating from the monsters/bosses that they encounter, so (before you assume you'll see a monster/boss) try to make Brown find as many health items as possible. You'll regret it if you dont'!
3. Be Aware Of What You Do In The Game: What you do in the game can affect the outcome of how the story will end. I can't tell you what you should or should not do, but just becarful at what you do.

Even though this isn't the best horror game I've seen, but it's unique/original story does make you want to play more and see how it ends. Although I really do suggest you think it over before buying this game, it's best just to rent it first and see how you like it. If you DO like this game, then the other games I suggest playing also (and much better and make more sense) are the Clock Tower series, Haunting Ground, and the Fatal Frame series.

A game all its own...nothing quite like it.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: March 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I must say, I have never seen a game at all like Rule of Rose. However...you must have a certain liking for this kind of game. The gameplay is slow, yes...the cut scenes and story however are beautifully done!
The story begins with you playing as 19 year old Jennifer on a bus, alone with a little boy reading a story. He comes and hands it to her, asking her to finish before running off the bus. Jennifer follows him off and the bus leaves her behind, her only choice it to keep going after him. I can't tell you more without getting into the wonderful plot. Somewhat like Haunting Ground, Jennifer finds a Yellow Lab named Brown in distress and frees. He is instantly glued to her side.

Throughout the game, you will gain weapons...some of which including a fork, meat cleaver, pipe, ice pick, ax, shovel, etc and eventually a gun. Since Jennifer is very weak, this can become annoying as health items are difficult to find. Luckily, majority of the fighting is optional. The screen takes on a grainy look...meant to look sometimes like an old story. It is set in early 1900's England which adds to the feel.

Much of the game consists of following the dog to an item, getting it, killing an imp or two, watching a cutscene, following a chain reaction of finding items, fighting a boss, watching a cutscene, exploring a few rooms, finding a key, opening the door...that kind of stuff. If you prefer hardcore battle, this is not your game. This game is meant more for the story. It's a beautiful story of friendship, betrayal, and revenge. To many, the story is difficult to get and sometimes, a forum may of assistance but once you do, it is truly a wonderful game.

The load screens are killer...they take quite a while to load. The voice acting isn't bad at all, it is actually rather nicely done. Now, if you've played Haunting Ground, you may be disappointed in Brown. He's rather boring and emotionless. He does not help you fight like the dog in HG, Brown finds items for you which is much more helpful as it is easy to get lost.

Much of this game is symbols. Something weird and strange (Goat Sisters, for example) represent something else entirely, rather than what they appear to be. So, as you play, you sort of have to glue it together and see what means what. The beginning of the game will seem like random events thrown together, but they will make sense later. At the chapter called "The Rag Princess Sews" is when it starts to come together.

The fun thing about this is the different endings. There are two, a good and a bad. The bad part? Very difficult to know how to get either without a guide. Many will get the bad ending on the first try without a guide, just by the way the rest of the game goes and what you are used to fighting like. With the good ending, you get a key that unlocks a door to costumes on your next play through. (Tennis Teacher, Gothic Maid, Octopus, Doll, Nurse, etc.) These can be rather fun as well.

It is one of those games that once you beat it, you should probably play it over so things will fully click if they didn't already. It's also a good idea to sit back and think over the whole game. It will be come together, trust me. ^_~

I highly suggest you rent or borrow this game first, as it just may not be the type for you. If requires a certain liking to this kind of game where you'll either love it or despise it. It does have its flaws, but it really is a well developed game when carefully looked over.

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