Gameplay:
The lead character suffers through implausible situations that she is put in to survive. She finds herself at times tied up, or forced to watch other traumas such as when her dog is stuffed into a bag, beaten and buried while partially alive. It's unclear whether the flashbacks that she sees are memories or psychic intuition. The girl wanders helplessly around the mansion trying to anticipate the supposed nonsense of homicidal psychotic little girls on a discipline tangent.
The game plays very similar to many survival horror games where you are exploring a mansion and seeking clues. Though this one has barely a few pick ups and the game play is more like a point and click adventure than an action game. Most of the climactic moments take place through cut scenes.
Cruel children seem to be the theme this year for game stories. Rule of Rose is a bizarre Bully type game that has been overlooked perhaps because it could be considered a "girl game". But girl games such as Fatal Frame and Resident Evil are far from tame. This new one is no slouch when it comes to the layers of provocative reminders of what hells can be lurking in the minds of children. Without guidance these kids have no concept of what the ramifications are of suffering, death, or love.
Who knows if these themes are appropriate for a 'game'. That is a philosophical question. The games Columbine Massacre RPG, Bully, and Rule of Rose bring something different to the arena. Something darker certainly. Gaming is an art-form as well as an entertainment that passes time, these games are the smirk on the Mona Lisa. Games represent our generation with the unspoken being spoken out in the same way that rock and roll did with audio media, reminding us again that "Hell is for Children".
Jennifer's basic needs are declined in a world where right and wrong are muddled, and misunderstood. This bizarre, disturbing game is interesting as a terrifying study of how children can get violent if left to their own devices. It certainly is not a title for kids to play even though the main characters themselves are under 18. It is common for the typical Zashiki-Warashi or child ghost who to manifest as a little child, usually a little girl, wearing short bob style hair in Japanese horror games. These scary kids are frightening enough to make any adult playing this game shiver.
Enjoyment:
This game was not so much horror as horrible and horrifyingly bad. It isn't that much fun to try and poke a little pen knife at doll sized imps. The puzzles are weird, and not in a good way. The poor dog is not very convincing as a virtual pet. His response is limited and disappointing. He could have saved this game and given it one good aspect, but it just doesn't follow through.
Marketing Efforts Towards Women:
This is what is truly scary. Just who did these developers think would enjoy this game? Maybe the idea of the layout and the abandoned school had potential. However the storyline is insane. Why is it that females, especially young girls are continuing to be portrayed as demonized, insane or over sexualized? Is this piece of crap supposed to be a "girl game"?Articles on WomenGamers.Com solely reflect the experiences and perspectives of the author(s). Feel free to agree or disagree in the accompanying forum thread.
