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Say cheese....or just stand there and moan

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: April 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Anyone who's ever enjoyed being scared out of their wits by a good horror movie can appreciate the creepy pleasure of a game like Fatal Frame. Considered by some to be the scariest game ever made (sorry, Silent Hill), it's a worthy example of modern J-horror -- that subgenre of raven-haired ghost women and unsettling sound effects that's been so lucrative in Hollywood lately. (See: The Ring, The Grudge, Pulse, etc.) Alfred Hitchcock would have approved of the Japanese horror tradition, which relies heavily on suspense, build-up, and slow realization. In a way, it works even better in a video game because you're the one walking down that dark hallway, nerves on edge, awaiting the inevitable scare. And Fatal Frame is nothing if not scary.

The setting of the game is quintessentially frightening: a vast, decaying old mansion somewhere in the Japanese countryside, formerly owned by the mysterious Himura family but now abandoned. (Something about an evil cult and bloody moonlit rituals...the usual.) The player assumes the role of Miku Hinasaki, a doe-eyed young woman with (of course) psychic powers who comes to the Himura mansion searching for her brother, Mafuyu. Mafuyu, in turn, was hunting for his mentor, renowned novelist Junsei Takamine, who came to the mansion to research his latest book, accompanied by his assistant and editor. The trio vanished without a trace, and now, so has Mafuyu. If Miku doesn't want to be added to the list of disappearences, she's going to have to think fast and run faster. Fortunately, in the entrance hall of the mansion she finds the one thing Mafuyu brought with him: a battered old camera. Turns out the camera has the ability to harness and absorb supernatural energy, or something, which makes it an effective weapon against angry ghosts -- good thing, because the mansion is crawling with them. Herein lies the true brilliance of Fatal Frame: instead of fighting by conventional means, your survival depends on you taking photos, and good ones at that. The phrase "killer shot" takes on a whole new meaning.

Gameplay is very straightforward. As Miku, you wander and explore the many rooms, passageways, and grounds of the Himura mansion, revealing new areas on the simple but well-designed game map. Scattered here and there are helpful items such as film, health restoratives, and mystical "Spirit Stones" that enable your camera to perform special functions. You'll also find a variety of clues -- news clippings, cassette tapes, journal pages, fragments of research notes -- that shed light on the sordid history of the Himura family and the fates of those who came before you. A handy device called a filament throbs and pulses when you're near an important supernatural clue, or when a ghost is close. When ghosts appear -- which they will, very frequently -- it's time to enter the first-person camera mode and start snapping. Getting good photos hinges on getting the ghost in the middle of the frame; the longer you can "center" the ghost, the better your score and the more damage done. Some ghosts merely flicker and fade away, but others will actively try to kill you. Taking wild, random shots will only deplete your film; you need to have strong nerves and a steady hand. Besides defeating the ghosts, good photos will earn you points that you can use to upgrade your camera's basic performance and unlock bonus features. It's a good system, and one that makes the game unique.

The design of the game is very low-key, but therein lies its success. Himura mansion is a wonderfully creepy edifice, the gloomy Japanese architecture and crumbling plaster rife with menace. Your flashlight surrounds you with deep pools of shadow, and the outside world seems like a dream. As with much of J-horror, the sound design is particularly effective: creaks, thuds, whispers, clatterings, distant voices and unsettling mechanical throbs will have you simultaneously straining to hear and wishing you didn't have to. The few snatches of music are low and ominous. The ghosts are quite scary; with twisted faces and glaring eyes, they waver and slither and flicker into sight before lunging at you like snakes. Some ghost attacks are distinctive and advance the plot, but many are simply randomized to keep you on your toes as spirits that you thought you vanquished come back for more. (That chick with the broken neck just won't give up!) The backstory is rather convoluted, and piecing together the clues into a coherent narrative can make your head spin, but it's worth it as you gradually realize that what's been happening at the Himura mansion is much, much more disturbing than just ghosts. The game has some puzzle-solving elements, mainly revolving around the unlocking of doors. For instance, take a picture of a locked door and you may see, in the developed photo, a completely different location where you'll need to photograph an elusive ghost to unlock the door. The puzzles aren't too hard, but they will make you think a bit, which is nice.

A couple quick tips. First, fleeing from ghosts is pointless. Not only is Miku's "run" downright pathetic, but the ghosts will float through walls and follow you doggedly until you face them. Better to get the fight over with quickly. Second, save often! There are several save points scattered throughout the mansion. Memorize their locations so you can run to the nearest one after anything important happens. If you get killed, you'll have to repeat everything you just did, and who wants that? Thirdly and very importantly, DON'T WASTE FILM! You'll be surprised at how quickly it vanishes once you've got it. If you run out, you'll have to backtrack and scour the mansion for more rolls of film hidden in drawers and cupboards and the like. If you have no film and you meet a violent ghost, you're basically screwed. I've learned this the hard way -- don't make the same mistake! I don't care how pretty something looks; film should only be used for ghosts and important clues.

How scary you'll find Fatal Frame depends on what frightens you as an individual. Personally, I find the game "fun scary" rather than "keep-me-up-all-night scary," but I imagine that many people will be more affected and choose to play a ghost-free game instead. However, if you enjoy thrills and chills and want a game with an expert design and an innovative combat system, you could do a lot worse than Fatal Frame. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequels.

Great Scary Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 26, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Game Fatal Frame Is A Great... Game! It's Scary..., the story is good and so are the characters, the way they made it was very good, the sounds are really scary too! and the ghost's are great the design the area and background give you the eerie mood, playing the game a night is defintly taking a chance, i would recomend this game to anyone who likes adventure/ Scary games, you won't be dissapointed.

Run ... take a picture ... live.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 12, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the most scariest and creative games ever!!!
Instead of having enough arsenal to blow up Tokyo and the surrounding area, all you have is a mysterious camera and your nerves to make it through Himuro Mansion alive.
As Miku Hinasaki, you must find your missing brother Mafuyu and solve the terrifying mystery that has befallen the residents of Himuro Mansion, who are now evil ghosts bent on stopping you.
The real shining star of this game is what sets "Fatal Frame" apart from "blow everything up as fast as you can" games: all you have is a camera that captures the ghosts inside of it. Nothing else. Period.
"Hmmm ... all I do is take pictures you say?, what fun is that?" WRONG!!! It's up to you to build up your camera to unlock bonuses that make it more powerful. If you take low scoring shots and don't get a grip on how to use the camera, you will not be able to buy the bonuses. Not to mention that you have an absorbing mystery to solve and soul-sucking death at every corner!!!
What I also liked was the fact that it's not so much what you see on screen, it's what you don't see. At any moment a ghost can appear, and I found myself gripping my controller and my nerves on edge!!!, the only way to play a horror survival game!!!
Great story, great graphics, great scares. Just to let you know, "Fatal Frame 2 - Crimson Butterfly" comes out in November, and promises to be just as terrifying.

Telling yourself "It's only a game." doesn't help..

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

You know you've done it during a scary movie. "It's only a movie, it can't hurt me." In the case of Fatal Frame, it just doesn't help. You will be scared, either way. The first time I played this, I couldn't sleep for nearly two days. But with the curiosity of what is going to happen next, and the purely addictive gameplay, you force yourself to play some more. The atmosphere of the game is genius; you truly are scared of this mansion, and the apparations hiding in its dark corners. The graphics are stunning; everything looks as if you could really touch it. The camera is awesome. I definitely don't miss the machine guns and pistols used in other survival horror games (such as Resident Evil.) Armed with only a special camera and a small flashlight just makes everything so much scarier. Bright side: Even if you had guns, the ghosts would kick your ass anyway, because such weaponry obviously wouldn't do you a bit of good.
Recommendations: Playing this game. With the lights on, for the faint of heart. With the lights off, for the brave.

One scary game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 23, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I rented "Fatal Frame" yesterday from the video store. I was really excited to play it. I didnt think it would be as scary as Resedent Evil because of the Teen rating but I was way wrong. It was dark out when I started playing and the game made me so tense that I jumped at everything {even Miku's reflection LoL}. I'm a big fan of survival horror games but after beating RE Zero and playing RE on the gamecube the whole guns and ammo thing got annoying and repedative. I reccomend Fatal Frame to ANY surrvival Horror fan.

Truly unique!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

After finishing the atmospheric, grotesquely beautiful 'Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly', I was eager to play the game that spawned it. Needless to say, as you could guess from former reviews, I was not let down in the least.

This is an *exquisite* game. The graphics are not as fluid or haunting as they are in the first one, but this manages to make the ghosts even more frightening. When the man with the long arms started after me, mouth agape, I was squirming in terror. Often I had to take a break and pause the game, coaxing my heart beat back to a normal rate.

The storyline is a little formulaic, and neither of the endings are quite satisfying (but then again, it *is* a horror game), and Miku and her brother didn't pull at my heartstrings the way Mio and Mayu did. Still, it's an excellent game, a classic in the history of horror.

Be Warned

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is a really great game. BUT BE WARNED, NOT FOR KIDS UNDER 13, IT IS VERY VERY VERY SCARY. Like in one cutscean, you see the family master use "the blinding mask" on his own daughter, but the real reason is the scream she gives out. My advice: DO NOT play this at night or alone, it WILL scare you. I'm 19 and it gave me and my buddy nightmares for a week. And I do not get scared easly. So play it if your feeling bold.

Don't buy this, wait for Fatal Frame 2 : Crimson Butterfly

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: September 14, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Don't go buying this game thinking it is fun because it is only a little bit of fun compared to the sequel Fatal Frame 2 : Crimson Butterfly that is coming out November 15, 2003. Go to www.gamespot.com and watch the trailer and look at the screenshots and you will know what I am talking about. Fatal Frame Crimson Butterfly takes place before Fatal Frame and is about two sisters who follow a Crimson Butterfly into a abandoned village where a blood ritual took place and the ritual is about two twin sisters and the older twin has to kill the younger one ( the two main characters are twins ) you play as the younger sister Mio who wants to protect her sister Mayu. You will also learn the story behind the camera. I hope this was helpful to you.

The Scariest Game of All Time

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: August 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I just bought this game on Friday, August 10, 2007 and let me tell you I haven't been addicted to a game like this one in a long time. The story is well written and the game play itself is great the controls are easy alot better than Silent Hill 2 & 3. The atmosphere is pure evil in the mansion and the cut scenes are very scary. When I play this game at night I am terrified and I'm 25 years old. When the ghost attack and get a hold on me I literally get chills on my legs and i'm not lying I do! I also bought Fatal Frame 2 and 3 at a used game store. So if you like scary games with awesome storylines then this is the game for you.

Don't turn off the lights

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: May 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is by far the scariest game I'd ever played...and I've played many games of this genre. Once I played it late at night and believe me I had to stop...too much for me. Highly recommend, It really worth the bucks

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