Rule of Rose, Haunting Ground, and the Clock Tower series are great horror games with a lot in common. Each game features a female lead who must rely on their intelligence to outwit their pursuers. Often times, the best course of action in these games is to avoid confrontation and hide away. After all these characters are not meant to be doing the same damage that characters such as Heather from Silent Hill 3 can dish out. However, these ladies are not completely defenseless either and have a few options when a good hiding place isn’t available.
Fiona Belli of Haunting Ground comes across a dog named Hewie and rescues him. Hewie becomes fiercely loyal to his new companion and he will even risk his life for her if she spends enough time on his training. Jennifer of Rule of Rose also rescues a dog who is named Brown. Brown cannot fight for Jennifer, however his bark can distract certain enemies and it helps Jennifer get out of some sticky situations. In addition, both furry friends can assist their leading ladies by sniffing out items they would have never found otherwise. Therefore, these two dogs become essential to their respective games and how they are treated can even effect the game’s ending. If the dogs fail to distract an attacker for a quick getaway, Fiona has access to items that can be used to trap, damage, or distract enemies. Jennifer, on the other hand, has access to weapons such as revolvers, rapiers, and even an axe.
Jennifer Simpson and Alyssa Hamilton from the Clock Tower games may not have a pet to help them, but they too can sometimes trap their violent huntsmen. However, Alyssa has two advantages which Jennifer does not have, which include a limited (yet refillable) vial of holy water and a special bow for boss fights. The water allows Alyssa to temporarily stun enemies so that she can run and hide or try to form a quick escape plan. The bow is only available during certain times and it allows Alyssa to tether an attacker so that they can not reach her. Once fully tied down, Alyssa can unleash a special attack, finally defeating her stalker once and for all.
Even with all of these options available to the women, it is still best for them to hide or run for their lives. The Clock Tower series have a form of panic meter which can cause major issues for the characters when it reaches full. For example, Jennifer Simpson of the first two Clock Tower games will begin to stumble and fall if she becomes panicked, which becomes dangerous and can ultimately lead to her death. Alyssa of Clock Tower 3 will often refuse to budge at all if she becomes too stressed out and afraid. Fiona has a similar meter in Haunting Ground with her stamina meter. If her stamina becomes too low, she cannot move as quickly and she can become so scared that the game begins to blur. Rule of Rose’s Jennifer is also not a fighter, so she must be careful to simply avoid enemies if she has any hope of escape.
Each of these games shows that fighting minions and bosses is not always the best thing to do. Games such as Resident Evil have also shown that sometimes it isn’t worth it to risk taking damage and players should just dodge and make a run for it. These types of games are not as plentiful as their combat counter parts, however they are just as great in that they involve some thought-provoking puzzles and really get the brain working. If you are the type of player who usually prefers to use your brawn, be sure to give your brain a good workout too with one of these classics!
