Great atmosphere, poor gameplay
Rule of Rose is an interesting game to play. On one hand, the gameplay is pretty bad, but on the other hand, the game offers up a genuinely creepy and unsettling narrative. You play the game as Jennifer, a young girl who finds herself at an orphanage in England. Exploring the building reveals a small cabal of little girls who have established an aristocratic society under the noses of their caregivers. After stuffing Jennifer in a wooden casket, she suddenly finds herself within the cargo hold of a giant airship, where the bulk of the game takes place. Eventually rescuing a dog named Brown, the two will traverse the airship in order to find out what is going on.
Rule of Rose is not one of those games that tells a simple narrative. Like Silent Hill, the story is ambiguous and surreal. You'll constantly trying to guess where it's going and certain events, characters and situations will make you want to keep playing. As interesting as the narrative, the downright atrocious gameplay will certainly test your patience. Jennifer can't sustain too many hits (there are some enemies that can kill in one hit) and she can't swing a weapon worth a damn, which makes the game's boss encounters all the more aggravating.
Rule of Rose is not for everyone. But if you're looking for something a little different and willing to look past the crappy gameplay, you might be pleasantly surprised.