• Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Feb 16, 2003
Metascore
59 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 14
  2. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. If a small portion of you has always wondered what a game like this is all about, this is the best card game that money can buy. [Apr 2003, p.85]
  2. If you are a true YU-GI-OH fan, into the trading card thing, and have a decent understanding of the YU-GI-OH card’s powers, yada yada, you will probably love this FIRST EVER YU-GI-OH PS2 videogame.
  3. A run of the mill game. When you play this game you feel as though this game should be better than it is.
  4. 71
    The story concept behind the game is surprisingly interesting, diverging from the typical rehashing of a franchise universe seen in many similar tie-ins.
  5. 60
    Probably best appreciated by newcomers to the Yu-Gi-Oh game who want to learn how to play.
  6. 60
    The most distinguishing feature of Duelists of the Roses is that the game is really freaking hard.
  7. A beautifully produced, rule heavy, text heavy, story heavy, lore heavy, chess-like card battle royale that could have Yu-Gi-Oh fans pulling more all-nighters than the graveyard shift at Del Taco. [May 2003, p.61]
  8. 58
    As you get deeper into the game, the attack/defense system starts to make sense, and the whole play experience becomes very tense and strategic. [Mar 2003, p.40]
  9. 57
    Instead of building on everything that made "The Eternal Duelist Soul" a good game, they built upon everything that made "Forbidden Memories" a mediocre game, and then added enough additional confusion and frustration to the game to make it nearly unplayable for all but the most rabid of Yu-Gi-Oh! fans.
  10. The presentation is terribly stripped-down, and as an odd duck sort of hybrid strategy game, it doesn't offer much accessibility or depth.
  11. Strictly for fanboys, PS2 library completists or masochists in search for a higher-than-normal threshold of pain in their interactive diet.
  12. A surprisingly addictive experience. The problem is, it takes forever to learn how to play the damn thing. [Apr 2003, p.120]
  13. Everything about Roses is designed to make you feel like a total loser. The difficulty level is ratcheted up so high, you're bound to lose billions of battles before you can build a decent deck. [Apr 2003, p.98]
  14. When these sorts of loaded odds are all you get in lieu of a competitive computer player, the whole thing feels like you're being cheated rather than challenged.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 60 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 39
  2. Negative: 9 out of 39
  1. Could be so much better if this "new" engine wasn't so boring, but if you're a die-hard fan of the series you'll enjoy it, just don't expect to love it. Full Review »
  2. At first to be completely honest i was a bit dissapointed when i saw this game wouldnt be playing like the card game, but rather it would be playing like a yugioh and chess hybrid, but once i got into the game, and got used to it, i really enjoyed this twist. it really freshens up the experience, and i found that it helps as well that the game has branching story lines, which helps with the longetivity, as well as the replayability. The graphics are good as well, nothing to rank home about, but certainly gets the job done rather quite nicely. I really enjoyed how they presented the story putting yugioh characters in the war of the roses. i really thought this was an inovative and interesting story and plot, and it really caught my interest. What truely amazed me with this game however, was the soundtrack. I honestly cant even describe, this games soundtrack is by far within my top 10 video game soundtracks of all time! The soundtrack is at times pumping, at times chilling, at times sad, it captures so many different elements. and some people might not hear it this way, but i personally love this soundtrack. it takes alot of the simple 8bit themes from dark duel stories as well, and revamps them with a fully orchestrated score. overall, i enjoy this game, it certainly isnt the best yugioh game, but i enjoy its new and refreshing twist on the card game, and i enjoy the interesting story, graphics, music, and overall presentation as well. if your a fan of yugioh, this is an interesting game to check out. Full Review »
  3. 7
    I really liked this game, it kept me entertained until I beat it, and suddenly had the best cards, and therefore had the ability to win any duel in the game. The local multiplayer was ok, but you had to tell your friend to look away when it was your turn so they couldn't see the cards in your hand. Full Review »