Rule Of Rose

It is incredibly hard to talk about Rule of Rose, without even mentioning the controversies it carries. Just like any other art, video games receive a lot of attention from the media, and politics tend to affect them a lot. Some of these issues even lead to prohibitions of certain games, or not being able to be released in entire countries. But even with all that, this game is still a pretty interesting piece worthy of taking a look. But what's all the fuss about?

About the game

In this title, we play the role of Jennifer, a 19-year old that's traveling on a bus one night. Suddenly a strange kid walks up to her and hands her a storybook called "The Little Princess" and quickly gets out of the bus as it stops. When Jennifer sets to read the story she finds out it's incomplete and gets off the bus as fast as she can to return it to the kid. But the kid is nowhere to be found, and before she knows it, the bus has left her behind.

In the middle of nowhere, she tries to follow the kid to at least return the book, but that leads her to a horrible turn of events. She ends up in an airship going that flies to an unknown location. This ship is controlled by some crazy evil kids who engage in all kinds of depraved, horrible acts throughout the game. But we'll say no more of the plot since it would be pretty hard to understand without actually talking it thoroughly.

Full of surrealism and twisted metaphors, the plot of the game develops interestingly and excellently. A very mature (in any way possible) title that's intended for very mature audiences.

Psychological Horror

This game ends up falling in the Survival/Psychological Horror category, one in which the PS2 excels. Looking back at it, this console also delivered the best titles in the Silent Hill franchise. And even though these games are not related, both are Japanese psychological horrors, only that the Silent Hill series became much more mainstream.

Review

This title is tough to recommend, not because it isn't good, but because it certainly isn't for everybody. It's a very dark, violent, horrifying experience, and that's exactly what they were looking for.

Game Director Shuji Ishikawa intended to make an interactive horror movie, but not in the sense we now know interactive horror movies. And if he means it by the storytelling, then he was very on point. Even now, some people still believe that videogames are not a mature art form, that video games can't tell deep stories. This is one example of the most gruesome, dark, and mature experiences the PS2 has to offer.

• Graphics and Visuals: The visuals of this game are pretty solid, excellent art direction that will definitely give you goosebumps. Nothing to complain about the visual aspect, it delivers what it promises.

• Gameplay: The gameplay itself isn't the best, the controllers are uncomfortable and awkward in a fight. It's easier to evade enemies rather than facing them, then again it does make sense when you think about it.

• Sound: The soundtrack helps bring the horrifying atmosphere together. Sure, it could use a hand from team Silent Hill sound director Akira Yamaoka. But the same could be said of nearly any other horror game.

In this woefully disturbing action-horror adventure, you play Jennifer, a young orphan who's captured and tortured by a cadre of vicious girls calling themselves the Aristocracy of the Red Crayon. This menacing girl-on-girl violence includes some bizarrely sexual overtones, lending the game a dark, twisted tone unlike anything you've seen.