Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut Hands-On

TOKYO--Tecmo is showing off a near-final version of the Xbox version of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut at its booth at the Tokyo Game Show. The game is an enhanced version of the PlayStation 2 action adventure game that was released late last year. This second installment in Tecmo's distinctive survival horror series sends you off to fight ghosts as a young girl armed with just a mystical camera. While we played a version of the game just recently, we couldn't help but take a second look at the more-polished version on display at TGS.

The biggest improvement in the game since last we saw it is in its graphics, which are noticeably better than they are in the PlayStation 2 version. While we noted the cleaner textures and higher level of detail in our last look at the game, the lighting has come along quite a bit since then. The illumination in the game is much more dramatic and complements the game's eerie tone nicely. This is especially noticeable in the game's new first-person mode, which lets you scrutinize the disturbing scenery around you. As far as content goes, in addition to the first-person mode, the game will feature a survival mode, new unlockable accessories and costumes for the characters, and a second ending.

We spent a modest amount of time with the game on the show floor. The deliberately paced introduction played out well, although it wasn't the best way to showcase the game's virtues. Based on what we know so far, though, it seems as though Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut will be a worthy entry in the Xbox's software library that fans of the survival horror genre will want to try out. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut is set to ship this fall for the Xbox in Japan and the US. For more updates, be sure to check GameSpot's coverage of Tokyo Game Show 2004.