Though not a universally recognized name like Resident Evil or Silent Hill, Koei Tecmo's Fatal Frame series carved out its niche with unique features, namely a distinct Japanese horror feel in its story and setting, and the Camera Obscura, a very peculiar camera that enables regular people to see ghosts. The end results haven't always been perfect, but the series' unique vibe has made it a darling among many survival horror fans looking for something beyond the most celebrated series.
Following the release of Maiden of Black Water in 2015, the Fatal Frame series returned in 2021 with a remake of the Wii U exclusive followed by a remake of Mask of the Lunar Eclipse in 2023, which made it possible for many to get acquainted with this unique survival-horror series for the first time. With no new entry in the series on the horizon, it will be up to another remake, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake, to bring the series again to modern hardware this March.
For those not in the know, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake is not the first remake of the second entry in the series, which originally launched on PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2003/2004. In 2012, the game made the jump to the Nintendo Wii, blossoming from its fixed-camera state reminiscent of the first few Resident Evil and Silent Hill games into an over-the-shoulder third-person game blended with motion controls via the Wii Remote that suited the Camera Obscura mechanics well. The enhanced visuals also served the experience quite well, making it way more eerie and immersive.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake is another enhancement of the experience, with modern visuals powered by the Katana engine for an even more immersive experience, and plenty of quality-of-life improvements to enhance gameplay to the highest possible degree. Having only played the original PlayStation 2 release once back in the day, it is impossible for me to judge how an early build of the remake I had the chance to try compares to the Wii Edition. What I can say, however, is that this remake, which sits between innovation and tradition, is set to deliver a very engaging experience, if one can look past a combat system that does feel more frustrating than fun, at least in the beginning of the game.
Much like the original, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake stars the twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura, whose relationship has been strained by a childhood accident, as they are led to Minakami Village, a mysterious place where people are said to disappear without a trace, by a crimson butterfly. As they explore the village, the two siblings will discover the mysterious Camera Obscura, which lets them see and fight ghosts, and learn the truth behind the disappearances, which seem tied to an ancient and dark ritual. Like in the original, the player's choices will shape the siblings' destiny among different possibilities, offering great replayability
While I only experienced the recreation of the first four chapters in the game, I couldn't help but remember how gripping Fatal Frame 2 can be from the start. The combination of cutscenes and environmental storytelling, which relies heavily on finding documents scattered throughout the village, has only become more powerful in the remake thanks to enhanced visuals that bring Minakami Village to life like never before. Some of the pre-rendered cutscenes focusing on past events do seem to be a simple upscale of those of the Wii Edition cutscenes as they feature some rather simple character models that starkly contrast with the high-quality new models, but they do not detract much from immersion, being often very filtered.
Focused on offering players a chance to experience Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly for the first time, it's not surprising to see how traditional gameplay feels. Besides featuring the aforementioned documents and journals scattered around providing additional details on the world and lore, the remake of the second entry in the series features every staple of the survival horror genre since its establishment: moderately intricate level design with multiple paths, locked doors requiring keys, and limited resources upon which the survival aspect is based, and a stalker enemy that cannot be defeated. The first few chapters of the game are not very challenging at Normal difficulty, so those who have never played an entry in the series before will have enough time to adjust to some of the quirks of the experience
The one element that distinguishes the Fatal Frame series from every other survival-horror series is the aforementioned Camera Obscura camera, which remains a core element in Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake. With this mysterious camera, Mio can fight hostile ghosts and be guided to the next story objective by more friendly ones.
The game's entire combat system is centered on the Camera Obscura, requiring players to take the best pictures of ghosts to defeat them. With different film types coming with different attack power and reload speed, special shots are possible with any of the four available filters (which must often be used to progress in the story as well) that can blind or slow ghosts, and mechanics that the game's combat system can get rather tactical. However, the in-game tutorials don't offer anything beyond a rough explanation of the combat mechanics, which can lead to frustration.
Thankfully, the remake features a proper dodge maneuver whose addition is quite welcome, as the game wants the player to take pictures of ghosts as they are about to attack for maximum efficacy, thus alleviating some of the combat frustrations. An upgrade system for the Camera Obscura and its filters can also make a huge difference, so, at the very least, the remake offers tools to make combat slightly faster and less frustrating. Those looking to enjoy the game's story with minimal challenge can play it on Easy mode, which I expect will be popular among newcomers to the series.
Although I am not too fond of the game's combat, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake delivers an immediately engaging survival-horror experience. As such, I am really looking forward to continuing the game and deciding the fate of Mio and Mayu when the game launches on March 12 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
PC version tested. Preview code provided by the publisher.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
