Rose of Winter

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 154 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Rose of Winter Game Cover
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In "Rose of Winter" , play as Rosemary, a knight-in-training, tasked with escorting four handsome princes through a perilous mountain pass. With challenging obstacles, unpredictable weather, and the princes' quirks to navigate, experience a charming visual novel filled with adventure, romance, and the possibility of heartbreak. Your choices will determine which prince you end up with, if any, in this fairytale-inspired game. Note: This game contains mature content and is intended for a mature audience. Please refer to the game's store page for a content warning.

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Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 154 reviews
story23 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming and relatable protagonist, Rosemary, who is a strong and lovable character.
  • The art style is adorable and the soundtrack is pleasant, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Each romantic route offers unique storylines with interesting twists, making the game engaging despite its short length.
  • The game is quite short, with each route taking about 30-60 minutes to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • Some players found the romantic developments to be rushed, making it hard to believe in the relationships.
  • There is a lack of features common in visual novels, such as a CG gallery or a way to track which endings have been achieved.
  • story88 mentions

    The story in "Rose of Winter" is a charming and lighthearted visual novel that revolves around a young knight, Rosemary, escorting one of four princes across a snowy mountain, with each route offering unique romantic experiences. While the narratives are generally short and linear, they are well-written, engaging, and evoke a sense of warmth, despite some critiques regarding their brevity and simplicity. Overall, players appreciate the cute graphics, character development, and the blend of humor and romance, making it a delightful choice for fans of cozy storytelling.

    • “Rose of Winter is a very good visual novel game with a beautiful story.”
    • “Each suitor follows a different storyline and shows how the main character, Rose, grows and experiences her first love.”
    • “The art style is fantastic and the story compelling.”
    • “I like cozy games, but this one seemed low quality story-wise and gameplay-wise.”
    • “The storyline is short, focusing on escorting whichever love interest you choose across a dangerous mountain path.”
    • “Unfortunately, each path is rather short, but at the same time, each is also a separate story.”
  • graphics54 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and charming art style, which features a soft, pastel aesthetic and endearing character designs. While many players appreciate the unique visuals and how they complement the whimsical nature of the story, some note that the graphics can be simplistic or occasionally glitchy. Overall, the artwork is a significant draw for players, contributing to a heartwarming and enjoyable experience.

    • “The art style is charming and unique.”
    • “The graphics fit the tone and whimsical nature of the characters really well.”
    • “The colour palette was gorgeous, and the artwork is just so adorable it hurts.”
    • “But the graphics are often glitchy (often giving a patchy purple background separate from the character sprites even after re-downloading), and the game itself is incredibly short.”
    • “I had a few graphical errors in Falkner's route and a few audio glitches when skipping to get the sad endings but it wasn't too bad.”
    • “When the game first came out, I was a bit iffy about it because the art style was new to me, and I'm pretty picky about games looking visually appealing before paying attention to the inner contents of it.”
  • music40 mentions

    The music in the game, composed by Toby Fox, is widely praised for its charm and suitability to the game's various scenes, creating a relaxing and heartwarming atmosphere. While some players noted the limited number of tracks and occasional repetitiveness, the overall quality and emotional resonance of the soundtrack were appreciated, enhancing the game's cute art style and engaging narrative. Many reviewers recommend the game for its delightful music, which complements its endearing characters and story.

    • “The soundtrack was created by Toby Fox, so even though there aren't many songs, they're all very easy on the ears and sound wonderful.”
    • “The art style, the story, alternate routes, the characters, the music (done by Toby Fox!); everything about this game is fantastic.”
    • “Though it sounded generic at times, the music fit the different moods in the game appropriately, and were still a pleasure to listen to.”
    • “I was so happy to hear that Toby Fox had done the music, but it loops and loops and loops.”
    • “4 soundtracks start to get annoying after a while.”
    • “There are something like six music tracks, and I think the stirring ones move me more than the tender ones do, but they're all lovely.”
  • emotional24 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartwarming and wholesome interactions, particularly between the player and the princes, which evoke a range of feelings from joy to nostalgia. Players appreciate the charming artwork, sincere storytelling, and the ability to connect emotionally with the characters, making it a memorable experience even in the sad endings. Overall, the game is described as a delightful and touching visual novel that leaves a lasting emotional impact.

    • “After playing every route (4 happy / 4 bad endings), I would like to write a heartfelt recommendation for this little gem.”
    • “The artwork, characters, and stories are so heartwarming and sincere.”
    • “It will warm the cockles of your heart and maybe even make you shed a tear.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is consistently praised for its charm and lightheartedness, with well-written dialogues and endearing characters that create a delightful fairy tale atmosphere. Players find the main character, Rosemary, to be particularly funny and relatable, often delivering hilarious inner monologues and engaging in amusing interactions with other characters. The blend of sweet moments, clever jokes, and playful scenarios, including some cheeky humor, contributes to the game's overall appeal and memorability.

    • “Her interactions with the princes are heartwarming and funny, adding to the game's charm.”
    • “The dialogues are very well written, very lighthearted, funny, and feel like a very nice fairy tale story with some spice in it.”
    • “Rose of Winter is very sweet, wonderfully funny, and awfully charming, with lovely artwork, a diverse set of engaging characters, and it's a delightful tale of fantasy adventure.”
  • gameplay6 mentions

    The gameplay is criticized for its low quality in both story and mechanics, with players feeling that it unnecessarily extends gameplay through repetitive tasks and simplistic choices. Many find the mechanics standard for a small-scope visual novel, leading to frustration rather than engagement.

    • “I have about 4 hours of gameplay, and that netted me every achievement in the game save one (that required playing a route 5 times).”
    • “Maybe a 'visual sort story?' I also had an issue with some of this game's 'choices.' I don't know why games think choosing 'left' vs. 'right' is good gameplay, but that's a grievance I've had with numerous visual novels.”
    • “I like cozy games, but this one seemed low quality in terms of story and gameplay mechanics.”
    • “This seemed like a pointless attempt to extend gameplay at the cost of player irritation.”
    • “Mechanically, this is a standard small-scope visual novel.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is highly praised, with each route providing unique and intimate moments between the protagonist, Rosemary, and her chosen prince. The lead character's plus-sized design, messy hair, and upbeat personality are celebrated, showcasing a nuanced approach to femininity by the creators, Magnolia Porter and Aatmaja Pandya.

    • “The character development is fantastic, and each route is unique, offering intimate moments between Rosemary and her chosen prince.”
    • “I adore her character design and want to thank the creators for making a lead female who's plus-sized, has messy hair, and possesses an upbeat attitude.”
    • “Magnolia Porter (the writer) and Aatmaja Pandya (the character designer) have created compelling characters, thanks in no small part to their nuanced treatment of femininity.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Reviews suggest that the grinding aspect of the game is minimal, favoring shorter, more engaging experiences over lengthy stat or enemy grinding. This approach allows players to concentrate on character interactions, making it appealing for those with limited time or who prefer a more streamlined gameplay experience.

    • “I'd consider this one worth a look, and if your purse strings are a little tight these days, I'd put it on the wishlist as one worth biding over, especially if, like me, you work long hours and prefer the odd shorter, sweeter experience to endless time grinding out stats or baddies to see something that'll stick with you once the novelty's worn down.”
    • “The benefit of shorter routes in otome is that you can focus almost strictly on the back-and-forth between characters without it becoming tedious.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report experiencing some graphical errors and audio glitches, particularly when skipping scenes, but these issues are not considered severe. While the game offers enjoyable short stories and decent art, players hope for improvements in stability and pricing in the future.

    • “I had a few graphical errors in Falkner's route and a few audio glitches when skipping to get the sad endings, but it wasn't too bad.”
    • “If you're interested in a few short cute stories with okay art, then I recommend playing this, but hopefully the glitches I encountered and the price will adjust for what this ended up as.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Reviewers note that the heavy reliance on flavor text for choices diminishes the game's replayability, as many decisions lack significant impact on the ending. While this approach can be enjoyable in moderation, it ultimately limits the incentive to replay the game.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Play time

4hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
1-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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