I have fond memories of playing the original Project Zero (the original European name for Fatal Frame) on Xbox. With a couple of friends, and nursing somewhat of an early years hangover, we played the bulk of the game together and found it surprisingly creepy, giving us all a good jump on multiple occasions. However, that was where I stopped with the series, so when Fatal Frame II came across my desk in this remade form, I figured now was the time to rectify that. I can’t say I’m as enamoured with it as I’d hoped, though there is still plenty here for horror fans to enjoy.
Ghostly apparitions are the order of the day in Fatal Frame, which makes for quite the different challenge as opposed to more zombies or vampires. Twins Mio and Mayu find themselves trapped in a so-called ‘lost village’ after being drawn into the woods by a Crimson Buttterfly, and the village is haunted by the spectres of the inhabitants after a ritual sacrifice went wrong. The twins must then attempt to escape while fighting for their lives and unravelling what went wrong.
The set-up is intriguing, with lots of creepy visuals and audio doing a great job of setting the scene. Indeed, the atmosphere is probably my favourite part of FFII: Crimson Butterfly. Just moving through the locales is unnerving, and being suddenly set upon by a ghost or two is genuinely terrifying at times. Japanese horror has its own style and vibe, and that is felt entirely in FFII through the designs, jumpscares, and visual horror on show.
Gameplay is more of a mixed bag for me. Exploring the areas is fine, solving simple puzzles and acquiring keys and items to progress. The flow of the areas are quite linear – as you’d expect for a 2003-era title – although there are a few opportunities to go off the beaten path to follow one of the new side stories. Figuring out where to go next, or solving one of the puzzles is good fun and kept me engaged.
Unfortunately, I am less won over by the combat here. Using the Camera Obscura that the girls find early on, we fight spirits by snapping pictures of them. We have various types of film to use that offer different recharge and power options, as well as special shots to deal extra damage. All fine stuff, but in practice I find the combat slow and unengaging, and while it can be tense thanks to the often cramped areas we’re locked in while we fight, it’s more often frustrating than scary.
Spirits require several shots to take down, and letting them get close enough for a stunning shot is dangerous but necessary as otherwise we’ll simply run out of decent ammo and have to resort to the unlimited but weak default shot. We have various filters to use that offer other perks and special shots, but I just never found any combat scenario all that fun to experience. Fights can drag on more often than not because the spirits can become enraged, regaining health and becoming stronger and while we can mitigate this with the correct use of special and fatal shots, I never found myself truly enjoying any time the doors locked and another apparition appeared.
Some powerful Wraiths can only be survived by running away and hiding, and for me these short chase sequences were more thrilling, albeit short-lived. I’m not looking to be completely helpless, but I’d have rather had more tense chase sequences or stealth sections than camera based fights certainly.
Conclusion
A strong setting and atmosphere provide genuine creeps and a tale that is engaging, though for me the combat is a weak spot in an otherwise enjoyable experience.
This game was reviewed based on Xbox S|X review code, using an Xbox S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
