Fatal Frame Review

Japanese horror games are very prominent in our universe of gaming. So what makes Fatal Frame different?

Unlike other horror games, Fatal Frame brings a unique experience to the player. Because you don't use guns or swords. Instead, your only weapon is a camera. A camera that steals a ghost's life force when you take a picture of it. And to heighten the thrill, you can only deal maximum damage to a ghost if it's face to face with you. As you progress through the game, you can pick up stronger lenses, stronger film, and upgrade your camera (using Spirit Points, which can be gained through taking pictures of ghosts) to fight the ghosts. The ambience of the game will give you chills, and so will the background music. Plus, random ghosts may pop up as you explore, so you there isn't a safe place wherever you go.

Fatal Frame tells the story of Miku, a young girl who goes to the haunted Himura Mansion to search for her missing brother Mafuyu. There she discovers that the mansion was once used to perform the Strangling Ritual - a ritual wherein the chosen priestess will have her neck, wrists, and feet tied to cranks, and when the cranks are turned, will cause the ropes to be pulled taut, strangling her. The ropes are then dipped in the priestess blood and used to seal the "Gate of Hell". However, one ritual went wrong, causing the whole mansion to be cursed with the restless souls of those who lived there. Miku will also have to face the Rope Priestess herself, who is now a malevolent spirit.

Like Tomb Raider, the player will have to solve puzzles to progress through the game, and sometimes the items you need are in different rooms in the mansion. And of course there will be ghosts waiting for you. Not all of them are evil, some are helpful and may point you in a helpful direction, others are guards - you must take a picture of them to move on - and still others are just ghosts who just appear and disappear quickly. By taking their pictures, you can complete the Spirit List, which unlocks different costumes and other stuff for Miku. Ghosts fights can happen often, but you may evade some of these by running into another room.

All in all, Fatal Frame demonstrates an excellent horror game. The ambience, music, graphics, and ghosts all contribute to the scare factor. I dare you play it with the lights off. 10/10.

Spoiler:

Pretty good review, usually I'm not much on the horror genre. I'll play one every once in awhile like Silent Hill or Resident Evil. The new take on the pictures is a new one, but I think I'd rather shoot enemies with a gun than take pictures and destroy them with my lens. I can't really stand stuff to gruesome and I hate getting the chills in a horror game. Really good review. I know it sounds wussy, but I don't play many horror games because of the chill factor. I get too involved and I start screaming like a bitch when something suddenly comes out and start mashing buttons.

hahaha, that was how i played it the first time xDDD

Wow well that is really reassuring. I don't mean screaming like a banshee. It's more like a temporary screen then mash the attack button and beat the crap outta those freaky legged freaks.

Lol, harder if the ghost teleports xDDD

"click" Ugh I couldn't take your picture cause you teleported. Now stand still. "click" ugh there you go again. Quit moving! "Click, click, click!" Whooooo! Ugh Casper!! I mean it, stop moving! "Click!", damn, missed again...

Then the ghost teleports in front of your face, eats you and you die, gameover.

LOL xDD

check out the vids on youtube, it shows you how to take their picture properly xD

there's also a "Track" function, which allows you to face where the ghost appears, and slow lens to slow down the ghost xD

Busts out T Mobile camera phone. HEY! HEY GHOST!? Where you at?! Let me get a pic so I can bust your ass! I aint scared of no ghost!

LOL xDD

i think there's a spin-off in which you use a camera phone but i think it's nothing compared to fatal frame xDD

Fatal Frame 5 : Boost Mobile

lol xD

they're currently working on a fatal frame 5, but no definite storyline and other stuff are revealed yet :p

I recently checked out the game at gamestop.... If you were here, you wouldn't believe this... but, the owner said they took the game back because they couldn't play it. Literally because it was too scary. They couldn't stomach the game psychologically.