Fatal Frame takes a usual premise and setting and adds a flavor of its own for wonderful results.
+ Very scary atmosphere
+ Camera upgrades add a few surprises
Cons
- Movement is painfully slow
- Camera controls can be a little awkward
The survival horror genre has been dominated by Resident Evil and Silent Hill since the conception of the style of play. But with all the zombies and foul beasts roaming the genre, there has never been a really good ghost story. Enter Fatal Frame, Tecmo's foray into the terror scene and a solid and accessible game that will be enjoyed by the fans of the genre.
The first thing that will strike out from Fatal Frame is that is actually based on true Japanese rituals, and the way it is presented works wonders within the game world. You start the game as Mafuyu, a beginner writer in search of his mentor who has disappeared while investigating an abandoned Japanese mansion for his next occult book. Armed with only a notepad and a mystical camera, is not long before Mafuyu finds himself against the restless spirits populating the state and he himself goes missing. Miyu, Mafuyu's younger sister takes it upon herself to find out the mysteries behind the disappearances. Along the way, she'll run into the camera left behind by Mafuyu and encounter several notes, both from her brother and the other missing people, guiding her into the depths of the mansion.
Fatal Frame takes a usual premise and setting and adds a flavor of its own for wonderful results. Though you'll find some similarities between this and other games in the genre, Fatal Frame stands out for doing things a little differently. Besides the usual notes and tapes laying around, giving you insights as to what to do next, Miku counts with a sixth sense that lets her feel both, mysterious auras and foes alike. You'll see a little blue light on screen when you are near a point of interest or find yourself close to either, a tormented or helpful spirit. The camera, your main source of attack is also your main source for solving these puzzles. The game makes smart use of the camera in this regard, as taking a picture of a suspicious item, will reveal another picture as to what is it that you need or where you might need to go next. There are also some combination puzzles where you'll have to rely on clues found on notes. These can be a little more tedious, as they can be exponentially hard if you haven't found the particular note containing info on said puzzle.
In combat, you'll also make use of the camera. While on the camera viewer, you'll move into a first person mode that allows you to aim at your foes. Basically, the closer and clearer you can get a picture of a ghost taken, the more damage and experience you'll get. There are some different types of shots, with a fatal frame being the most powerful variant of the bunch. The camera has some good indicators as to when to shoot if you strive for the best pictures, but the movement and patterns of the ghost really differ. Most will be the passive, slow type, but every once in a while you'll come into some really cunning, fast foes. The camera also has some other functions, such as slow motion shots, pushing shots and more. The more experience you spend on your camera, the more useful I'll become. The camera mechanics has a few issues however, mostly that it can be really awkward to move and control and the snail pace in which you'll move will force you to put down the camera and come back into it again after you have positioned yourself better. Dodging is also an issue while on camera mode.
Fatal Frame's graphic and sound really bring the haunted mansion to life. The mansion is highly detailed and shows that it's been abandoned for centuries. The characters themselves look nice, though some of the animation can feel a tad stilt. The ghosts are amazingly detailed though, and vary from your standard ghost, to more disturbing ones, such as a little girl whose neck has been turned 180 degrees. Voice acting in the game is not particularly engaging and I wonder why wasn't the Japanese track kept, as a game that takes place in Japan, it would make more sense. The ghost sound pretty good though, and the ambient sounds give the already stellar backdrops an eerie sort of life to them.
Fatal Frame has some control issues, but the entire product holds up quite well and is worth the experience. The game features plenty of unlockables and difficulty modes for the perfectionists out there, and even if you only play it once, it will be a worthwhile adventure.