First Impressions:

Rule of Rose is a recent release from Altus Computer Entertainment company which is better known for the Disgaea games and the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. They made an American release of Rule of Rose just in time for the spooky fall holidays.

The game begins with the classic storyline where a nice, but "unlucky" english girl is orphaned by a car crash. The game is at once reminiscent of Silent Hill and even more-so last year's excellent horror title Haunting Ground which took place when an orphaned girl also loses her parents to a car accident and wakes up as an Alice in a 'Wonderland' of bizarre wonders.

From the well done opening cinematic to the exploration of the house at the beginning you will notice that there is something distinctly off about this game. The "unlucky girl", Jennifer finds herself in an orphanage where the adults have been long gone or presumably murdered by the little band of hell spawn. The place is now run by a handful of kids who are quite mad. They are murdering little freaks that terrorize, torture and scare Jennifer, ultimately corrupting her. Perhaps this is what growing up without a Geneva convention agreement will lead to.

Graphics:

Rule of Rose is terrific eye candy for those nights when you are in the mood for scare fare and your thumbs are all ready tired from your premier game of choice. The gothically presented setting and the noir filter on it give it an authentically mediocre and predictable atmosphere. You'll find yourself wondering if you have been here before in a dream as well, when you look at scenery and textures that remind you of every other game you have ever played.

Sound/Music:

The sounds are sufficiently creepy and good. They are fine for what they have to work with. There could be more variety especially when she spends so much time walking. Additional effects for that would have been a good idea. The music is also fairly average.

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: