Does anyone have Rule Of Rose for PS2?

[hashiriya1]

I am thinking about getting this game. It has a pretty steep pricetag here in J-land, so before I shell out that kind of cash, I want to know if it is good or not. I have read many online reviews, and they seem to be mixed. I want to know if any of you have played or own the game. I know the US version is a lot cheaper, but I don't have a US PS2 to play it on.


Thanks in advance!

[Dakinggamer87]

I also read many mixed reviews too on this game. I was kinda interested in this title too...

[brickiemart]

I put a couple of hours into it, but never finished. I hate using a poor adjective like this, but it is weird. And a little disturbing. Your character is a very fragile, meek girl. You run around trying to solve the overall mystery of the game (I don't remember what it is specifically) and you have very cruel and bizarre orphaned children operating around you the whole time.

What makes the game strange and creepy is that the whole game (narrator and all) seem out to degrade your main character. Imagine a game where every NPC is Sleeping Beauty's wicked step-sisters, but in kid form. The themes are much more macabre though. Graphically it is really nice and the game is well made overall.

Minor spoiler in this video:


This is a cut scene after the first chapter. It really exemplifies the WTF factor of the game. I said I put the game down, but I do plan on finishing it. I recommend it if you are in the mood for a genuinely creepy horror game with an 1800's Euro aesthetic.

[corn619]

The story is very disturbing but awesome, the gameplay....is very clunky to say the least. If your buying it for gameplay reasons you may want to look elsewhere. If you want a great story full of weirdness may want to give Rule Of Rose a chance.

[Anapan]

Couldn't play it. Gameplay sucked.

[vejita]

I own, love it, and can tell you you will either like it or hate it. The gameplay is very awkward and it's best to run away from combat sometimes, but that is hard because sometimes they spawn many enemies to block the way...

It is very weird and superbly fucked up- a black and sordid history surrounding a girl's orphanage full of violence, competition, love, and abuse. You're playing the game as a young mousy woman to discover her past but everything is warped due to the bizarre imaginations of the children and your own memories.

It's also another game to implement a canine companion help out. In addition to combat he can sniff out items and areas you would otherwise miss. There are alot of items to collect and the dog will upgrade his findings depending on what item you select to have him sniff (like give him white chocolate, a healing item, to sniff, and he will run out and find a biscuit or something.) Half of the time while wandering through a new area I gave him everything in my inventory to sniff just to see what he comes back with... sometimes he will bring back rare items. If you want all the items you're going to need to frequent gamefaqs.

Anyway, combat is the real downer. The enemies are faster than you most of the time and they are also usually short- think little midgets on crack dressed up in funky costumes leaping and stabbing at you mercilessly. Of course they all have patterns to their movement so just wail on them or wait and swing. Some of the boss fights were not only FUCKED UP but hard to maneuver... well, that's what makes it more intense. I'd say the story is worth it; it's a very different kind of game and I'm actually surprised it was released at all.

The reason this game was banned (well, technically encouraged just not to be published with such bad press) earlier in UK is because of the so-called cruel and perverted nature in the game... I think it's best left to interpretation.

[hashiriya1]

Thank you everybody for your input, especially the detailed reviews by vejita and brikie. I like a twisted story, and I could ignore crappy gameplay if the story is good enough. I think I will go out and buy this. Thanks again!

[J T]

I wrote this one off after reading the bad reviews, though I was intrigued by the fact that Atlus released a survival horror game. After seeing the video clip and reading what vejita had to say about it, I might reconsider and pick this up if I ever see it again.