A Rose in the Twilight

Sometimes even the darkest stories can have a way of tugging at your heartstrings. Even surrounded by doom and gloom, there's still a heart of gold buried underneath. That's certainly the case when it comes to A Rose in the Twilight. The game is unquestionably dark, with Rose perpetually dying in many different ways, sometimes forced to do so just to advance a little bit further. And then there are the memories of those that came before, portrayed as a theatrical performance by shadows in silhouette. A Rose in the Twilight could almost be considered a horror show if it wasn't so hauntingly adorable at the same time. Neither Rose nor the Giant are ever presented as monsters. Instead, they're sympathetic characters you grow to care for as the game progresses, as much as they grow to care for each other. You can't help but feel the pangs of guilt anytime you send Rose yet another demise, and you can't help but feel pride and satisfaction for getting her past yet another death trap.

A Rose in the Twilight is a gorgeously gothic experience. Its style and personality shine through its otherwise bleak appearance. Even so, the game isn't without its flaws. For starter, the game progresses at a snail's pace. Rose and the Giant are both slow and almost plodding characters. This can get a little more frustrating when you're forced to backtrack to empty Rose's Thorn Power. Oftentimes, you'll hit an area that requires Rose to drain an object, but you're still carrying blood charge from earlier; Rose can only drain the life blood from one item at a time and can't otherwise empty her flower unless it's into a specific object. This forces you to backtrack to the nearest frozen object to empty the Thorn Power into before making your way back to where you were. This gets more frustrating later in the game, especially as the puzzles get more and more complicated, and things like precise timing become more of an issue. Still, even at its most difficult, you never feel like things are impossible. It may take more work, more patience, and more forethought, but there's always a glimmer of hope that Rose and the Giant will overcome whatever this cursed castle tosses their way.