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Rule of Rose
Banned abroad, adored by collectors.
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
Our 3rd Halloween issue is diving into a game I’ve never played before this week. But not for a lack of trying. It’s like a hidden relic. You need help from Indiana Jones to track it down and then more help from Bruce Wayne to afford it.
Rule of Rose. One of the most expensive and sought after PS2 games for collectors, with new copies costing easily over $1,000 USD.
Why? It all started over a false story written before the game's release.
In 2006, the Italian magazine Panorama falsely claimed the game contained disturbing and inappropriate content. Something that was not true. Since the game involves an orphanage and a group of kids, you can probably guess where that went without me writing it. The writer of the article had never even played the game, they had just seen some screenshots, a trailer and came to the conclusion without verifying the info.
The damage was done though and British media picked up on it. European officials condemned the game and called for tighter rating systems, despite never having played it. The controversy led 505 Games to cancel releases in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, though it launched elsewhere in Europe. It was a moral panic created over lies from a lazy writer.
Today, mention Rule of Rose to any retro gamer and you’ll likely see their eyes light up with equal parts excitement and disbelief.
Excitement, because it’s achieved cult-classic status as a hidden gem of the PS2 era; disbelief, because of just how rare (and pricey) it’s become to find a copy because it was banned in multiple countries. If you’ve never heard of this game, or only know it by whispered legend, press start and prepare for a truly unique trip back in time.
And yes, I played it on emulation. I did consider selling a kidney on the black market to find the money for a copy, but decided against it… for now.
Not creepy at all.
What do you miss most from the retro era that has gone relatively missing from today's games?I was tempted to add "All of the above" but figured that would win. Let's narrow it down! |
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
Rule of Rose is a survival horror game that plays like an interactive psychological thriller. You control Jennifer, a 19-year-old woman experiencing distorted memories of her traumatic childhood at an orphanage. The game takes place across monthly chapters, each beginning with a handmade storybook that hints at the dark events to come.
Your goal is to find specific objects to present as monthly tributes to the mysterious Prince and Princess of the Red Rose, all while navigating the cruel social dynamics of the Aristocracy.
Rule of Rose combat: aim, swing, miss, cry, repeat.
The genre blends psychological horror with adventure elements, focusing more on atmosphere and storytelling than action. Combat exists but feels deliberately weak and clumsy.
Jennifer swings improvised weapons like kitchen knives and pipes with all the grace of a lifelong Californian trying to play hockey in Canada for the first time (that would be me).
The game actively discourages fighting, making evasion the smarter choice against the impish enemies that haunt each level. With how bad the combat system is, you’ll also want to avoid it as much as possible. This isn’t a power fantasy, Jennifer is vulnerable, timid, and utterly unprepared for the nightmare surrounding her. The games mechanics made sure of this.
The camera angles are mainly fixed and often frustrating, a holdover from older survival horror titles that feels dated even for 2006. Controls are tank-based, just like Resident Evil we just covered, meaning you'll fight the camera as much as the enemies.
“Have any skincare tips?”
Early in your journey, you rescue a yellow Labrador named Brown, who becomes your constant companion and the game's most important mechanic. Brown can't attack enemies, but he'll track items by scent, distract hostile creatures, and even comfort you during the darkest moments.
You'll use his tracking abilities constantly, selecting items from your inventory for him to sniff out, then following as he scratches at doors and leads you through abandoned hallways. The puzzles are largely linear but require using Brown's nose to connect related objects and solve larger mysteries.
The gameplay loop involves exploration, occasional enemy encounters, and lots of backtracking through environments. You'll collect restorative items like candy and chocolate to heal, bones to help Brown recover if he's injured, and various trinkets to trade with other characters.
Another challenge of the game: limited item capacity.
Graphics lean heavily into stylized filters similar to Silent Hill, creating a dreamlike, unsettling atmosphere. The muted color palette and grainy visual effects enhance the psychological horror, though character models and environments are fairly standard for PS2. The real star is the musical score, composed entirely by studio musicians including the Hiroshi Murayama Trio.
The story explores themes of childhood trauma, bullying, jealousy, and repressed memories. As Jennifer, you gradually piece together what really happened at the Rose Garden Orphanage. The narrative takes dark turns involving kidnapping, manipulation, and the toxic dynamics between children seeking control in a powerless situation. The game handles these mature themes with surprising restraint, despite European officials falsely claiming.
The game does feature some great moody lighting.
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WHERE TO PLAY
The original copy or emulation will be your best bet for tracking this down.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $510
Complete: $690
New/Sealed: $1000
GAME INFORMATION
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COVER ART
 North America |  Japan |
RETRO NEWS
Here’s a quick roundup of the latest retro gaming news we’ve dug up.
Mario vs. Wario: The Forgotten Rivalry Resurfaces
A deep dive into Nintendo’s often-overlooked feud between the mustached hero and his greedy counterpart.
Read more at Retro NewsOne of the Best Android Retro Handhelds Just Dropped to $199
Retrododo highlights a top-tier retro handheld that’s now more affordable than ever.
Read more at RetroDodoBeware the “Vibe Coded” PS2 Emulator Scam
Time Extension warns players about a shady Android emulator accused of copying a popular paid app.
Read more at Time Extension
PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS
What’s your favorite retro generation/era?
1st gen: Odyssey, Coleco - 30.77%
2nd gen: Atari 2600, Intellivision - 0%
3rd gen: NES, Master System, Atari 7800 - 23.08%
4th gen: SNES, Genesis - 15.38%
5th gen: Saturn, Playstation, N64 - 30.77%
6th gen: Dreamcast, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube - 0%
GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
So, is Rule of Rose worth digging up today? The answer is a cautious yes, if you’re the right player. If you love atmospheric horror and can forgive outdated gameplay, this title offers an experience you might enjoy.
The story dares to tackle the darkness of a child’s imagination and doesn’t flinch, even when it gets truly bizarre. Playing it in 2025, you might find the controls clunky and the pacing slow, but you might also find yourself thinking about Jennifer’s story at 2 AM after you’ve put the controller down. It’s that kind of game.
Despite its rough edges, you’ll also see why people fight to remaster it, the core narrative and tone still feel unique. In an age where horror games often rely on jump scares, Rule of Rose is a slow burn that gets under your skin.
Slowpoke? Joke’s on them, I’m just savoring the plot growth.
Why play it today? Because if you can get your hands on it, you’ll be experiencing a piece of gaming lore firsthand. It’s one thing to watch a YouTube retrospective or read an article about the game’s controversy, but it’s another to guide Jennifer through those decrepit orphanage halls yourself, hearing Brown’s faint bark down the corridor, signaling that he’s found something important.
Yes, the combat and camera are pretty bad. But the atmosphere, music, setting and story deliver. In the end, playing Rule of Rose today is less about beating the game and more about experiencing an infamous chapter of gaming history.
Our first game over screen that gives us a poem at death!
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