A Rose in the Twilight Reviews
This late into the life cycle of the PlayStation Vita, fans of the handheld are eager to get their hands on anything and everything that releases for it in order to keep the dream alive. A Rose in the Twilight is a perfect fit for the diehard fans of the Vita, and it’s a game that is going to remain in your thoughts once you’ve started it until you finish the story and complete all of the challenges and puzzles. You’re going to develop and feel a strong connection with Rose, and ultimately feel the pain and sorrow she is going through in the castle. Don’t overlook A Rose in the Twilight. It’s a good game this late into the Vita’s existence.
This game tries to say a lot by only telling you bits and pieces which is perfectly fine. Everything about it feels very well constructed as I’ve never had any issues of any kind. In the end though, while I wouldn’t call this game boring, after I finish a session of playing it, it feels pretty forgotten which is kind of sad because I was ready to love this game like I did Yomawari.
Cursed with immortality in the form of a thorny rose on her back, one girl will need to find her way through a broken castle that she used to call home. She will not do so all alone however, with a giant at her side. Only by working together can these two make it from one location to the next, as each will have need of one another's abilities to make it through the trials ahead.
A Rose in the Twilight has its little problems and annoying moments, due to bad design, like every game it´s not perfect. However they couldn´t change the fact that I enjoyed it, I loved it to be honest. Its story, characters, setting and the way it uses its beautiful visuals, to play with your expectations and emotions, made me fall in love with this game. Combined with a refreshing amount of creativity in its puzzle mechanics, which could always surprise and amaze me, make A Rose in the Twilight not only an amazing game but also one of the best Puzzlers I´ve played since a very long time.
A Rose in the Twilight continues Nippon Ichi’s excellent run of games that seem to exist specifically to torture young girls.
A Rose in the Twilight's dark and atmospheric tone contrasts well with the budding story of friendship between two unlikely individuals but it's the well-crafted and clever puzzles built on just a few simple mechanics that make it a must-play for any puzzle game fan.
A Rose in the Twilight is, in its entirety, a metaphor for the rose itself; it's a truly beautiful masterpiece, but it's also a gothic kind of beauty, in that it's more than happy to stab you sharply, even as you appreciate everything about it. It's a ravishing, masterful work, that will be played by just a handful, but hopefully remembered for a long time to come.
A Rose in the Twilight is best described on the surface as being an undeniably bleak, somewhat charming, but consistently creative 2D puzzle platforming experience.
Considering its themes and atmosphere as well as frustrating gameplay, A Rose in the Twilight might not be for everyone, but there is some enjoyment to be found for the puzzle enthusiasts that enjoy more punishing gameplay and the game's rather slow mechanics. Everyone else might find more enjoyment in titles like Yomawari or The Firefly Diary we covered previously.
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!
There are plenty of puzzles to solve and many areas to visit, and the game does a great job at keeping you interested until the end. We both had a lot of fun playing A rose in the Twilight and really liked the blood/timestop gameplay mechanics, as well as the story for this release.
A Rose in the Twilight has plenty of charm with its fantastic macabre design and style, but it's lacking the substance beneath. While the puzzles are enjoyable enough, they rarely offer enough of a challenge to require much thought and end up feeling like something seen a million times before.
Sometimes captivatng, other times frustrating, the puzzles in A Rose in the Twilight uses an interesting but flawed mechanic and delivers a touching story that you have to piece together.
A rose in the twilight is a delicious niche puzzle platformer, with a just right difficulty curve, a heartbreaking story and a bleak and fascinating visual style. This alone should be enough for Vita owners, hungry for new games, but beware: it's not a game for everyone, slow and difficult as it is. We loved our time with it nonetheless.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A great 2D puzzle platformer that is a asset to the genre. The creepy, cute atmosphere, and innovative game mechanics make it a game which everyone should dip their toes in to.
Amazing mix of platformer and puzzle game with blood-oriented graphics. Solve the mystery of a girl with a thorn and her Golem, but be careful – this title will grab you by the heart.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Still, there’s no denying that A Rose in the Twilight’s story and style earn it much more praise. Rose’s past drives a tale of imprisonment that is as dark as what she must do to escape. Every memory she relives becomes a ghost that haunts her and the player alike — ultimately a much deeper, cerebral experience than other PlayStation Vita titles.
A Rose in the Twilight has some interesting ideas, but poor execution turns it into a massive disappointment. Players won’t find brilliant puzzles to solve like in Inside or Hue, and instead are stuck playing a game that only has a strong atmosphere to offer up. That might be enough for some players, and the game is certainly gorgeous, but when the genre is filled with brilliant games, there’s little value in such a flawed one.
A Rose in the Twilight is a gorgeous yet gruesome game filled with lots of clever puzzles. And although it won't take you too long to explore the setting, there are collectibles as well as a fun speed run mode to keep you busy. The pure innocence and bravery of Rose in the face of the castle's cruelty makes for a haunting journey - one that'll stick in your mind for some time.
A Rose in the Twilight is a title with a dreadfully oppressive atmosphere that stars a tragic heroine whose trials and tribulations are heartbreaking to experience. It features solid, albeit sometimes frustrating puzzles and an abundance of backtracking. It's a title with a niche appeal, but to those that can appreciate a dark fairy tale and have the stomach to suffer through some disturbing imagery as well as some obtuse puzzle designs, this might be a flower worth cultivating.