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Written by Ian Johnston
Byline: Another frighteningly good dose of survival/horror courtesy of Tecmo.
Crafting an excellent Survival/Horror game that's actually scary isn't an easy task. Considering the sheer volume of games featuring graphic violence that get released each year, it would seem as though gamers are fairly desensitized to the kind of imagery that may well have been considered risqué and shocking ten or twenty years ago. That said, it makes Tecmo's Fatal Frame series all the more impressive.
One of the reasons that the first Fatal Frame was such a great game is that in managed to utilize actual Japanese folklore as a basis for its story. It featured Japanese characters in a Japanese haunted house that were trying to unravel a mystery surrounding some very gruesome murders. There were no zombies, no shotgun-wielding protagonists, and not much in the way of blood and gore. Fatal Frame was scary because of its subject matter and the way in which it was presented; a juxtaposition of grainy, black and white vignettes with eerie sound effects and truly horrific looking apparitions.
When the first Fatal Frame debuted in March of 2002 it did so with very little fanfare. Overshadowed by the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, it languished in relative obscurity. Tecmo eventually stopped making the PS2 version, which seemed to draw attention to the game and spark some demand for it. An Xbox version was released soon thereafter and it enjoyed a modicum of success. Fast forward to the present and we find that Tecmo has seen fit to make and release Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly. Although Crimson Butterfly doesn't do much to differentiate itself from its predecessor, it still manages to be immensely frightening and is an all-around more polished game.
The game tells the story of two sisters, Mio and Mayu Amakura. The two sisters have returned to a spot in the woods that they enjoyed coming to as children. This particular spot, and the entire forest for that matter, is due to be swallowed up by a lake that will be formed as a result of a new dam. As the two sisters reminisce Mayu eventually spots a crimson butterfly and wanders off, and Mio pursues her.
The two come upon a village in the forest - a village that has been rumored to have been lost for a long time. It is said that a ceremony was performed at the village one night, and since then the forest has been shrouded in a thick fog with the village nowhere to be found. Those that venture into the forest and get lost are allegedly drawn to the lost village and ultimately trapped by it. The two sisters find their way to the village and the game then truly begins.
Visuals:
The first Fatal Frame made great use of disparate visual styles. Intermingled with the in-game graphics were color and black and white cutscenes that helped advance the story while simultaneously providing a nice contrast. Fatal Frame II makes use of the same formula, only with better results. The character models look more detailed and polished than those in the original Fatal Frame, and the cutscenes - specifically the color ones - are absolutely spectacular.
The multitudes of apparitions also look excellent and oftentimes quite frightening. The village, known as All God's Village, looks very dark and dilapidated. It really feels like you're wandering through an old, haunted town, which really adds to the feeling of suspense that's such an integral component of any good Survival/Horror game.
Audio:
The aural component of the game is best described as an aggregate of elements working together to contribute to the atmosphere of the game. There's typically some very subdued, yet strangely unnerving, music playing at all times, stopping only during the cutscenes. There's also a very nice track that plays at the main menu. The sound effects are quite good too, running the gamut from creaking doors and moaning ghosts to the click of your camera's shutter and the footsteps of the two sisters.
The voice acting is surprisingly good, though once again - like in the first Fatal Frame - there's no option that allows you to toggle between English and Japanese voice acting. It really wouldn't be that difficult to include the voice acting from the Japanese version of the game in the English release, so why Tecmo chose not to - for a second time no less - is somewhat baffling. Nevertheless, the audio is more than adequate on all fronts and undoubtedly adds to the scary ambiance.
Gameplay:
Fatal Frame II's gameplay is essentially the same as that of the first Fatal Frame. Rather than using weapons like pistols and shotguns, the main weapon in the game is a camera - the Camera Obscura. By taking snapshots of the various ghosts that you encounter throughout the game you either gather some information needed to progress further (sometimes images depicting where you need to go get superimposed over an original snapshot) or you hurt them. Most of the time you control Mio, but at times you get to play as Mayu.
Some ghosts are passive and will simply drift in and out of view. If you aren't quick with your camera you can miss them. Other ghosts are hostile and will attack you. The camera's filament will turn red to indicate the presence of a hostile ghost (or group of ghosts if you're unlucky). Furthermore, simply looking around rooms with your camera can prove fruitful. The camera filament will turn green if you pass over something that needs to be photographed, so it's a good idea to look around with the camera as much as possible.
As the game progresses the spirits get more difficult to dispatch, so thankfully the Camera Obscura can be upgraded. By gathering Spirit Orbs that are left behind by defeated spirits, you can boost the attributes of your camera (things like power and range). You can also acquire special abilities for the camera that can do things like freeze and slow down the ghosts. In addition, there are bits and pieces of information littered throughout the game that add bits and pieces to the story. These come in the form of journal entries that were made by previous visitors to the village. Extra film and medicine are scattered all over the place too, so taking your time and being thorough is a necessity.
Funfactor:
Although a lot of credit should be given to the game's sound and graphics for providing a truly spooky atmosphere, one thing above all else makes Fatal Frame II such fun to play - anticipation. Like a good horror movie, where you expect to be startled and surprised, Fatal Frame II keeps you guessing the entire time. You never know what awaits you in a particular building or behind a particular door. The story is also very well crafted and grips you like a good mystery novel, making you eager to find out what's going to happen next.
Overview:
Although Fatal Frame II borrows liberally from its forbearer, it does so in such a way as to not make it seem like a total rehash. The improved graphics, new setting, and minor gameplay tweaks are more than enough to make it a worthy successor to the first Fatal Frame. Those that played the original Fatal Frame will undoubtedly be pleased with the sequel, and those that never played the first Fatal Frame need to see what they've been missing. At a time when most Survival/Horror games really don't prove to be very scary at all, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly is a welcome, and frightening, good time.
| Visuals: | 4.0 |
| Audio: | 4.0 |
| Gameplay: | 3.5 |
| Funfactor: | 4.5 |
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| Overall: | 4.0 |
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