A Rose In The Twilight is a game that you are going to love if you have played acclaimed title htoL#NiQ: The FireFly Diary. It features the same art style that helps to bring a new world to life as well as an interesting premise and solid gameplay mechanics. Read our A Rose In The Twilight review to learn more!
You play as a young girl called Rose who has been infected with a curse known as the Curse of the Thorns. She is accompanied by a giant that looks like a massive rock with a twirl on its body. The giant is nameless and cannot be injured or killed. He can, however, carry Rose to safety. Together they try to escape the horrible castle they are trapped in. This location is not only without color but also stuck in time. Rose’s power is manipulating time. The Castle is packed with hazards and traps that will instantly kill Rose. Luckily the giant can escape unharmed, and it is because of this that you must rely on the mighty Goliath to complete this gorgeous handcrafted adventure on your PS Vita.
The one color that is a recurring theme in the game is red. This is the color of blood, and with good reason. A Rose in the Twilights revolves around offering blood to progress further in the game. And yes, this makes the game a bit gruesome at some spots, so be ready!
Rose can absorb and transfer blood to inanimate objects, which is the core mechanic of the game. For example, when Rose and her companion the Giant come across a big gap that is impossible to jump across, you might spot some falling stones. This is a clue for the puzzle at hand where you must absorb some blood to make imbue the stones so that they can form a set of stairs. Pretty neat, right? Rose can do a host of things with her absorb/transfer blood ability. She can also create platforms to reach higher areas, prevent hazards from falling on top of her, or even make wooden objects movable so your giant companion can lift them to create a step for you.
The giant’s ability, the only ability he has, is its super strength – he can not be injured or be killed. He can safely go trough traps and hazards without harm. Because of that, you will find him to be extremely useful very early on, as he can do things in certain situations that Rose can’t do. He can carry Rose to safety. He can throw her to higher platforms. He can lift any object, big or small, as long as it’s red. One thing to remember is you can’t exit an area alone – you must always have both together when exiting. This, as expected, makes way for some very interesting puzzles.
Another mechanic is the blood seals you’ll find. For the pair to be able to exit an area you’ll need to break the seal on doors – to do this you will need blood memories. When you have the required blood memories, you can break the seal, which looks like a red noose covered in thorns. And yes, you need to sacrifice a large quantity of blood to open the seal! Rose can use her absorb blood ability to absorb blood memories from the past of the person that used to own the castle, and this will trigger a cutscene. Within these memories is the key to unlocking the mysteries within… maybe Rose can break free at last!
A Rose in the Twilight is a very interesting game with a great look and fun gameplay mechanics, but it is not a game for young kids. It’s theme, setting, and gameplay, not to mention the difficulty of puzzles, make this a release for older gamers. The story is very good, and the music is beautiful, and it genuinely transports you into the game’s universe. I highly recommend this game to all PS Vita owners – it’s a gem of a release that you have to play!
Disclaimer
This A Rose in the Twilight review is based on a PS Vita copy provided by NIS America.
