Rose Guns Days Review (PC)
You may already know that we are huge fans of Ryukishi07’s games. Not only are his works among the best stories written to date in a game, but they are also deep thought provoking novels that will stick with you long after you have stopped playing. Rose Guns Days is his newest title and while there are numerous improvements from its predecessors there are also quite a number of setbacks.
The story takes place in an alternate history World War II Japan. Here the Japanese have been forced to forfeit the war because of catastrophe that took place in Japan. Both the Chinese and American governments have occupied Japan and are slowly but surely assimilating it into their respective countries. There is a big focus on the post war state of affairs, as the game touches topics such as prostitution, high unemployment rates and a loss of a national identity.
With such themes you shouldn’t expect the loli witches and a plot so meta it will be looking back at you this time around, but this doesn’t mean this is a depressive tale. Humor is a strong facet of this story and it is never too long until the characters crack their next joke.
Unlike the extremely slow start of his previous novels, Rose Guns Days starts off with a bang. After an attractive lady is corned in a dark alleyway, a charismatic young man called Leo jumps in and saves her. He is a soldier who was recently sent back to Japan after spending a few years in a foreign prison. Thanks to his heroic performance he is quickly recruited by a night club called Primavera where ladies of the night work. The story shows their conflict with the criminal underworld and ultimately their ascension through the ranks of the mafia.
While a large part of the story follows Leo, the game often switches its point of view showing different angles to the story. On the surface the characters may appear plain but as you start unraveling their past you see that each and every one of them are far deeper than you might have initially imagined.
The author has already proved himself with atmospheric horror and mystery titles, but his weakest aspect was always the action scenes and it definitely shows here. The fights can get almost comical at times and the outcome is rarely unexpected. Guns are frequently there just for show and the characters prefer a fistfight whenever they can get the chance.
To its defense Rose Guns Days introduces a fighting mini-game. Battles have you moving your cursor over the screen in order to attack and defend. These scenes put action in an otherwise non-interactive visual novel, which is a nice change of pace. You can’t really fail these segments, but instead you are scored depending on how well you did. Still, there is an auto mode for those that just wish to enjoy the story.
The game covers some really dark themes, unfortunately all too often it beats you over the head with them. From the way the the criminal activity increases because of unemployment, to the motivation of the game’s villains, Rose Guns Days does well to remind of this every step of the way.
Where the game improves drastically over its predecessors is with its visuals. While the backgrounds are still filtered-out photographs, its characters look great. Ryukishi07 finally decided to get real artists working on this title and it shows a great deal with the presentation of this game. What’s more, is that everything looks very stylish and nothing actually feels out of place. The relaxing jazz tunes also complement the era of the game quite well.
The action-infused Rose Guns Days may not be a Ryukishi’s forte and at times it may be a bit cliché, feeling like it’s more style than substance, but it nevertheless is a thrilling experience. Its mobster plot, glamor and action elements make it a very fresh title indeed. Add the fact that this game is well over 50 hours and you are sure to get your money’s worth out of it.
Thanks goes to MangaGamer for providing us a review copy of this game. While Rose Guns Days is no longer offered on the MangaGamer site it may become available again in the future. Thanks to The Witch Hunt you can download the translation from their official site. For the time being you can download the demo and try the game out.
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