Rule of Rose -PS2- 9.5

December 28, 2023

Rule of Rose is very rare survival horror game that released to poor sales numbers and mediocre reviews from critics at the time, but has since developed a strong cult following over the years, and is now seen by many as a hidden gem for the ps2. I finally took the plunge and purchased the game last month and played through it not once, but twice this week. Rule of Rose is a beautiful, powerful, and deeply disturbing game all at once. The 1930’s schoolgirl/orphange setting with the haunting violin music is unlike anything I’ve played before. The cutscenes are especially well produced and effective in the way they strike a harrowing, unnerving mood. There are many depictions of gradeschool bullying, childhood trauma, and animal cruelty. Witnessing Jennifer being tormented by the other girls was often hard to watch, but absolutely necessary to tell the story. The way the narrative unfolds in Rule of Rose feels like a dream, in that not everything is what it seems. Going back replaying the game a second time after the end credits makes certain occurrences make more sense. And the more I think about it, the more this game sticks with me. I love the way the story is told, and the atmosphere it creates is unforgettable.

Over the years, I’ve heard some people criticize specific aspects of the gameplay and controls, but I have to disagree here. The controls reminded me of the Silent Hill games, where the character is supposed to be weak and not perfectly coordinated. It worked for me. I had no problems with the hit detection and movement speed during combat. Most of the time, I could run right past them, but when I chose to fight an enemy or had to fight a boss, everything felt fine. I mostly used the longer range weapons (such as the metal pipe), so that helped a lot. I also enjoyed how the game progressed with having the dog sniff for clues and items. The puzzles were light, but worked well enough. And I loved exploring the environments to learn more details about this bleak world. (This was especially important in the final chapter, where much of the plot is explained by analyzing all the items in the house.)

Rule of Rose looks and feels unlike any other survival horror game I’ve ever played, and I think it’s one of the very best in the genre. I’m giving it a 9.5 out of ten.