A good start of a great series with plenty of fun and scares to leave you coming back for more.
Graphics - 8/10
I must admit that the detail of the ghosts are somewhat lacking when compared to the other two games but that's to be expected, I think, since it's the first in the series to begin with. The atmosphere are genuinely creepy and the character models look good as well. Cutscenes look very nice as well.
Characters - 8.5/10
This game has my two personal favorite characters of the series: Miku and Mafuyu. In short, the characters aren't extremely developed but you still care about them and what they are going through. Even some of the ghosts (besides Kirie) have a background and story which really helps with the development of them.
Plot - 8/10
Most have probably a story similar to it but you play as Miku who is going to search for her brother Mafuyu after he has gone missing while visiting a "haunted" mansion. It may not be the most unique premise but it still keeps you hooked and makes you curious about it, especially once the important ghosts begin to make their appearances.
Gameplay - 7/10
The gameplay hasn't changed much throughout the series, starting from the first game. You fight using a camera, snapping photos of ghosts to attack their spirits. I found this one to be the hardest of the Fatal Frames and the camera controls, while not too bad, can be a little clunky and hard to get used to. Fatal Frames and Zero Shots are also must harder to take in this game, and if you wait for them, you're likely to be killed quite a bit. Health items seem to be much scarcer, along with film. It isn't impossible to do but it requires a tad more strategy and tact when it comes to fighting than in the other two games.
Voice Acting - 7.8/10
It was decent enough though at times, it felt a little flat. Overall it wasn't bad and was for the most part, it was still believable.
Music - 6/10
There really isn't much music while you're exploring the mansion, which is how it's supposed to be. Obviously, if you have music playing in the background, it will probably take away from the eerie and awkwardly silent areas. When there is music, however, it does a decent job of filling the role but there weren't many amazing moments. The sound effects, however, do a good job of making you feel the fear and tension.
Replay Value - 7.5/10
There are other endings that you can get, other difficulty modes, costumes, and similar goodies you can earn. However, I would say that the other two games have better "goodies" for accomplishing different tasks.
Overall? An excellent horror game that will definitely give you enough scares that you won't want to play it alone in the dark. If you have played either of the other two Fatal Frames and enjoyed them, this is a must. If you didn't, this is definitely a great place to start with the series.