Whisper of a Rose

About

"Whisper of a Rose" is a classic point-and-click adventure game that follows a young girl named Rose on her journey to save her kidnapped sister. Along the way, she discovers a magical world filled with puzzles and intrigue. The game features hand-drawn graphics and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, immersing players in a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

47%

Audience ScoreBased on 78 reviews

story21 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

The game features beautiful hand-drawn assets and a captivating fairy tale-like story that immerses players in its world.
With over 30 hours of gameplay, the game offers a rich experience with a variety of unique areas and a well-composed soundtrack.
The character development and emotional depth of the story resonate with players, making them feel connected to the characters and their struggles.

The game suffers from tedious grinding and repetitive battles, which can detract from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the story.
Navigation can be frustrating due to large mazes, lack of a map, and constant enemy respawns, leading to unnecessary backtracking.
The main character's personality and dialogue can be off-putting, making it difficult for some players to empathize with her journey.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its emotional depth and fairy tale-like elements, while others criticize it for being disjointed, slow-paced, and filled with unlikable characters. The narrative attempts to explore themes of mental health and personal struggle through a dream world, but many find it lacks focus and coherence, often feeling like a tedious fetch quest. Overall, while the art and music are praised, the storytelling leaves much to be desired, with some players feeling it detracts from the overall experience.
- “The story is emotionally powerful, and the characters and settings still seem to live on in my mind afterwards.”
- “The story revolves around Melrose, who is in a harsh relationship with her (supposed) parents and rough school life.”
- “As far as the story goes, this game is one of the best I've played; it is not your typical 'save the world' narrative.”
- “The storyline is still a completely cringey high school anime club fan fiction that should be avoided at all costs.”
- “The story is clunky and disjointed, and instead feels like one long fetch quest.”
- “The slow opening for this fantasy/scifi mixed RPG fails with its shotgun approach to its plot as an attempt to hook the player.”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
53%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and variety, with each area featuring unique tracks that enhance the overall experience. Many players find the soundtrack soothing and reminiscent of classic RPGs, making it enjoyable for casual listening as well. However, some users noted that certain tracks can become repetitive over time, leading to a desire to mute the music.
- “The music itself is very typical of RPG games: melodramatic and catchy.”
- “This game has great music; I could honestly see myself just listening to it casually while working or going to sleep as it is also very soothing.”
- “All the music fits great with the scenes, and the battle themes are just amazing.”
- “It gives you the option to mute everything, which you will want to do quickly as the sounds and music get very repetitive very fast.”
- “Reused music.”
- “Some songs are just 'ok'.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
40%
12%
The graphics in "Whisper of a Rose" are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful artwork and detailed pixel art, showcasing a unique and imaginative style that enhances the game's fantasy themes. While some users note minor issues and a lack of top-tier polish, the overall aesthetic is considered a significant strength, with custom graphics that set it apart from typical RPG Maker titles. The game's art contributes to a visually appealing experience, despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “The graphics appealed to me for their bright, colorful, child fantasy-like themes, and the locations all fit into these themes effectively, such as Valentown and its contrasting Hallowtown, the desert regions contrasting the jungles, and many more.”
- “The in-game art style is beautiful and shows a lot of consideration has been put into designing areas, characters, etc.”
- “The art style is impressive and the music is amazing; the gameplay is reminiscent of old school Final Fantasy with some current day practices.”
- “Whisper of a Rose is an interesting entry in the genre of completely craphouse RPG Maker games in that the developer used some MSPaint-tier custom artwork instead of just asset flipping the default RPG Maker assets.”
- “The only shortcoming I can think of is that the graphics are okay, but not top-notch.”
- “Don't buy, unless your machine is a 486 MX with a 2MB graphics card.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
54%
21%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with players noting a lengthy playtime of around 30 hours but criticizing the combat mechanics as basic and slow-paced. While some appreciate the interesting elemental damage system and beautiful art style, many feel that the gameplay is hindered by repetitive grinding, poorly executed tutorials, and a lack of engaging action. Overall, the game is seen as a missed opportunity where a compelling story and visuals are overshadowed by uninspired mechanics.
- “Expect no less than 30 hours of gameplay.”
- “The combat mechanics are interesting as you play with different forms of elemental damage (fire, water, air, earth) which are resisted by different degrees by different monsters.”
- “The art style is impressive and the music is amazing; the gameplay is reminiscent of old school Final Fantasy with some current day practices.”
- “The game had an issue with fullscreening, correctly cropping out a small part of the user interface and gameplay area at the screen edges.”
- “Then the game turns heavily to the grinding part with the super annoying mechanic where already cleared places are re-populated once you change level.”
- “What I didn't like about the game was the painfully slow gameplay, lack of action, and overall 'meh' story.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and unnecessary, detracting from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the challenge and rewards of grinding, many find it frustrating due to repetitive battles and slow story progression. Overall, the grinding mechanics can lead to a lack of engagement, especially in the later stages of the game.
- “But contains some grinding which technically really isn't necessary for a good game that's long already in the first place.”
- “Then the game turns heavily to the grinding part with the super annoying mechanic where already cleared places are re-populated once you change level.”
- “Normally I like grinding and collecting treasures, but this game makes it tedious.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a deeply emotional experience, featuring powerful storytelling and memorable characters that resonate long after playing. Heartbreaking moments, such as Melrose's struggles and poignant scenes, evoke strong feelings, making it particularly impactful for sensitive players who can fully engage with the narrative.
- “The story is emotionally powerful, and the characters and settings still seem to live on in my mind afterwards.”
- “There are some heartbreaking moments that really stick with you.”
- “If you are a sensitive person and can invest yourself emotionally into the game, you'll find many scenes genuinely moving.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of sadness and hilarity, featuring awkward bathroom jokes and a lighthearted tone that provides a refreshing change of pace. Players find it amusing enough to inspire playful thoughts, such as calling in sick to enjoy more gameplay.
- “The ending was sad and funny at the same time.”
- “It was mildly hilarious and a good change of pace.”
- “I even got the funny idea to call my boss tomorrow and tell him that I'm sick so I can have a day off to spend on playing this fabulous game!”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers significant replayability through its 50+ achievements, card drops, and a New Game+ mode, encouraging players to complete all achievements and side quests. Players will need to complete the game at least twice to unlock all content, including a unique side quest that rewards the best summon, enhancing the overall replay value.
- “The game also features 50+ achievements and card drops, which both have stunning artwork, and there is a New Game+ that provides replayability for fully completing achievements and side quests.”
- “To get all achievements, you will need to play this game twice, giving it more replay value.”
- “There is some replay value since you get new content on a second run, and there's one side quest that can only be finished on the second playthrough, which nets you the best summon in the game.”
- “To get all achievements, you will need to play this game twice, which gives it more replay value.”
- “There is some replay value since you get new content on a second run, and there's one side quest that can only be completed on the second playthrough, which rewards you with the best summon in the game.”
- “The game features 50+ achievements and card drops, and while there is a new game+, the replayability mainly hinges on fully completing achievements and side quests.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The game's "colored pencil" aesthetic enhances its overall atmosphere, creating a unique and relaxing environment for players. While the slow start may deter some, it provides an opportunity to fully immerse oneself in the game's ambiance.
- “It had a 'colored pencil' appearance that I thought added to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The only downside to the game is that the beginning is a little bit slow, but it also allows you to sit back and take in the atmosphere and relax.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the interesting premise, the overall atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
- “The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, with some areas feeling lifeless and disconnected from the narrative.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is criticized for poor framerate in specific areas, likely due to excessive special effects and event handling, a common issue with RPG Maker titles. This performance problem is attributed to the engine's inherent limitations rather than the player's hardware.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on the quality of the art and the effectiveness of the game's advertising. There is no clear consensus or detailed feedback regarding how monetization is handled within the game.