
The identity of your cards stay hidden until you go into battle, at which point the player with the weaker monster loses a number of life points based on the difference between the attack points of the stronger monster and the weaker monster-the player to run out of life points first-loses. Each player takes turns moving their existing cards on the battlefield grid and putting new cards into play. You start off a game with a 41-card deck and 4000 life points. Aside from these changes, the game basically plays like any other collectible-card game. The battlefield grid adds an additional layer of strategy to the game, introducing different types of terrain that can inhibit or enhance the abilities of your cards. The leader card basically carries all your life points, and it can gradually earn special abilities. Two of the biggest differences are the presence of a leader card and the use of a battlefield grid. Gameplay in The Duelists of the Roses is not exactly your standard Yu-Gi-Oh! fare. But if you're not already familiar with the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime or collectible-card game, The Duelists of the Roses is a very uninviting title that will likely sour your interest in Yu-Gi-Oh! permanently. If you're already a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh!, these discrepancies probably won't dissuade you, and neither will the game's many technical shortcomings. Yu-Gi-Oh! The Duelists of the Roses takes some liberties with the standard Yu-Gi-Oh! collectible-card game format and the story line of the animated series. Kazuki Takahashi's Yu-Gi-Oh! battle each other in an ancient Egyptian collectible-card game, with the goal of collecting as many high-powered cards as possible and becoming a master duelist.
