The wave of bad publicity had overruled reason and truth because, not for the first time, a lack of understanding caused needless controversy.Īs a result, R ule of Rose was prevented from selling in certain European countries, despite the ban being built on nothing more than lies. Unsurprisingly, the calls for banning the game almost exclusively came from people who had never so much as looked into it themselves, let alone picked up a controller to play it.
That didn’t stop a media bandwagon from calling for the game’s removal, and for tighter ratings systems for video games in general. It would, of course, be completely understandable to question such content, but the truth was, the game featured no such content, and had already passed certification before the moral outrage began. The game was mentioned in an article about morality and violence in video games, and through British press, that information eventually got spun into Rule of Rose supposedly featuring children being buried alive, involved in sadomasochism, and rape. The story caused concern at Sony, who had asked for the PlayStation 2-bound title to be toned down, which Punchline refused. Unfortunately, there’s nothing quite as predictable as sections of the media, ignorant of a medium’s progress, latching onto something, misunderstanding it, and stirring up a controversy that isn’t really there. Even if the critical reception wasn’t especially warm towards Rule of Rose at the time, it did get numerous plaudits for daring to tackle such sensitive subject matters. Throwing in the idea of just how terrifying that would be if they held power over adults was, and still is, a bold choice for a horror game.
The game’s depiction of a group of children without guilt or sin is troubling in itself. It’s a psychologically punishing tale of trauma, abuse, and lack of consequence, rather than something merely cooked up for sheer shock value. Unsurprisingly, there’s no Hollywood ending here. Things take an even more sinister turn as Jennifer ends up being chosen as the next offering, and the secrets of the Red Crayon Aristocrats are unearthed. Forced to find offerings for them every month, Jennifer and her canine companion, Brown, struggle to survive the cruel regime of the young girls as she discovers more about her own tragic past. In 1930’s England she finds herself on a dilapidated airship, and at the mercy of a group of sadistic young girls who call themselves the Red Crayon Aristocrats. The story centers on Jennifer, a 19-year-old with a deeply traumatic past. The psychological horror title has turned 15, and to this day, it’s still deeply scarred by its infamy.ĭeveloper Punchline had wanted to create a survival horror game quite distinct from the two heavyweights of the day, Silent Hill and Resident Evil, and this led to it exploring something that ultimately ended up with its descent into infamy. To speak of Rule of Rose in the gaming community almost always sees the word ‘controversy’ belched up alongside it.
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