Cage of Roses

Vampire fiction tends to evoke dark, grim narratives that suit the shadowy blood-drinkers they revolve around. [i]Cage of Roses[/i] is no exception, at least in comparison to what I know of the developer's other work (for me, this is just [i]Blackberry Honey[/i]), though it's not the kind of story that explores the depravity most vampires exhibit in horror settings. There's just enough bloodiness to paint the roses red, while not too much to detract from the budding romance between Mieke and Magdelena. The core narrative between the two women is charming enough, though I'm not sure I can say the same for the side characters. Too much time is spent away from the main women on subplots and characters that could really stand to have been pared down. I got this story for the yuri, and the subplots largely distract from that, which feels odd since the potential was still there with Henny and the other maid she befriends. That, and this wasn't a problem in [i]Blackberry Honey,[/i] which had a supporting cast of several other sapphic relationships that kept the good lesbian soul alive even when the main couple faced their tribulations. Beyond that I felt distracted at times by the word choices, though not so much that it feels like more of a nitpick on my part. Overall, this proved a nice read with some good moments of heart and some dramatic twists that surprised me. I came in expecting (and hoping for) something darker, more on the horror end of things, though I can't say I regret the read. However, I do wish the side characters took up less of the writing. It would have been nice to have more scenes with Mieke and Magdelena leading up to the conclusion.

<Cage of Roses> is the first visual novel I've read from ebi-hime's repertoire, and it certainly won't be the last. Melancholic and ever so beautiful, it paints a vivid picture of the lives led by two very lonely women, both before and after they become each other's salvation. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, which brought the atmosphere of the setting to life. I also fell in love with all of the characters, save for the arrogant fiancé, but I suppose even his character was quite interesting and as insufferable as everyone else considered him to be. I quite liked how ebi-hime sprinkled clues throughout the story, and I was scrambling to piece them together, so I'd recommend every future player to pay close attention to what Meike and Magdalena say and do. It makes the eventual reveal(s) so very rewarding. But apart from the tender and beautiful romance that blossoms between our leads, another aspect that truly captivated me was how this was simultaneously a story about women empowering and supporting other women. All of the women are so remarkable, and I enjoyed reading a tale where people had one another's best interests at heart (particularly Henny). I have only one teeny qualm concerning the OSTs, because all of them are quite beautiful and play at just the right moments, but the one that plays during the climax took me out of my immersion just a little. Possibly because I wasn't expecting an electric guitar. Also, I would've loved to see more about the maid who aids Henny. She was such a sweetheart. The character art and CGs left me absolutely breathless. All in all, Cage of Roses is a lovely game and I don't regret a cent or even a second I spent playing it. I usually delete visual novels off my PC once they're complete, but I suspect I'll leave CoR for a while longer and revisit my save files quite a bit. Do yourself a favour and play this GL. It'll be a worthwhile experience in the end.

The World is a Cruel and Unjust Place. There is no harmony in the universe. The only constant is suffering. OMG!!!!!!!!!! Vampire Yuri!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love this game!!!

The art, the music, the history aaaaah, it worth it!

Good game!