Fatal Frame 2 PS2 Review

Tecmo. They also publish the Dead or Alive franchise. Tecmo focuses in closely on the horror-survival genre, with this franchise. The next one is set to come out later this year. This edition isn’t a follow up. It is a stand alone story line that takes place long before the first game. It isn’t ‘more of the same’ either. The subtleties are all there. The graphics are stunning, there is an aura of tension and suspense throughout this game. It is a rare title and it is hard to find and accquire, but well worth it. Fatal Frame 2 is truly a masterpiece. This game is actually scary. I’m a seasoned horror survival gamer and this game actually made me jump in my seat a few times. It’s the kind of eerie scary where your hair stands on end. It is beautiful too. Beauty in the way that a perfect joke is beautiful. Or beauty in the way that the damaged Venus De Milo sculpture is beautiful.

The beginning scene is seemingly innocent. Peaceful river and the falling leaves all look very well rendered. The game - like a great Japanese horror movie gets you going with anticipation. You don’t know what to expect. There are flashbacks and the use of film noir that conveys a very uneasy feeling. You become attached to the two girls and you start to worry about them.
Horror-genre games, like Silent Hill are set in a contemporary environment and that is frightening in a different way. Fatal Frame II follows the Japanese flair for fright. This game is like being a movie such as the Grudge and playing your way through the movie. Then there are the are ghosts. The twins, Milo and Mayu Amakura discover their sixth senses, as they unwittingly trip a sequence of events by passing a forbidden stone marker. Horrors from the past of the “Lost Village” come to life. The terror that has seeped into the land begins to emanate again as it senses the girls coming in. Ancient prophecies are both broken and fulfilled. The girls find the enchanted Camera that both Fatal Frame games center around. The first edition is every bit as good as the second one. There are few improvements or changes to it so Fatal Frame 2 is more of a second volume than a sequel. Armed with this “weapon” they venture forward to find a way out of the Lost Village that they stumbled into. They find clues scattered around about a sacrificing ceremony plunged the entire Village into darkness and evil.

Graphics

The designers of this game master your emotions and lead you deeper into the story and empathy with the girls. It moves almost seamlessly from gameplay to cut-scenes giving the impression that you are immersed in a movie. The light settings are dark, producing eerie effects. Even with the brightness option selected it is still very dark. That is another obsequies element that makes you want to get out into the light and clear air. Insects buzz around the light sources, and the shadows change as you move through them. The ghosts have a wide variety of appearances and character models. Enemies can be devastatingly pretty and gorgeously deadly. Others are grotesque.

For best graphical effect play at night. You’ll find yourself holding your breath as a heart beat pounds away in the dual shock controller. The two little girls walking around in an abandoned village is scary enough, but there are spooky music and voice effects that will scare the pants off of just about anyone.

The music and the graphics are frightening. Fatal Frame II’s theme song, ‘Chou’ or ‘Butterfly’ is sung by Tsukiko Amano. It is chillingly wonderful. The sound effects range from vague groans and distant screams to shaky floorboards that creak. Everything is designed for spine tingling impact. The door hinges squeak unnervingly, unseen things shuffle in the dark. It is a macabre melody that backs this game. Gameplay:

The gameplay is the type where you may be exploring for quite some time. You may even feel that you have it under control. And then a ghost suddenly oozes from a floor or a wall and you suddenly forget what buttons to press as the creepy things startle you. It really tests your bravery and resolve. My guess is that many people can’t finish this game. This game is the dividing line between hardcore horror fans and the faint of heart. Shoot pictures of ghosts. Mio exorcises them with it. Eventually you level up to obtain the Fatal Frame shot which inflicts maximum damage. The camera is a one-of-a-kind feature. There are no other games like it. In some ways it is more realistic than most zombie games. There is a whole division of actual psychic investigation called “spirit photography”. This is all done in a way that is closer to the way actual psychic phenomenon works than most American Horror movies like Friday the Thirteenth and Scooby Doo . If you liked Ringu and The Grudge with Sarah Michelle Gellar, then this game is for you.
Enjoyment:

Not every gamer will enjoy this title. It’s a bone-chilling experience. The spooky atmosphere is meticulous in its detail. It is designed to have an effect on you, and it will. You need to shake it off after playing it for a while. It is probably impossible to get bored. It is a challenging game in a gaming world where there are so few challenges left.

Overall Impression:

Although, I have seen good and bad reviews of this game. I think that some people were so freaked to the point where they put down the game forever. And peed their pants. You have to have a sharp eye to spot key objects that are imperative to the plot. You have to conserve your resources. There are no cheat codes for this game. Players with little patience with find this game aggravating as - well, as hell.

It has superior replay value. There are two different endings. The mission option becomes unlocked after you finish the game for the first time. It makes side-quests for the game, where players can go on short missions. My recommendation is don’t play this one alone. I loved this game. It is the epitome of what a horror survival game should be. It gets a rare 9.5 from me.
Marketing Efforts Towards Women:
There are two female main characters. The story has to do with sisters and twins. While being an adventure, it tells a sensitive story about the lives of several women. The characters are fully dressed in cute outfits. Female NPPCs wear lovely (blood spattered) Kimonos. If statistics are true and women do like survival horror games - then this one is a ruby red gem of a one.

PROS: An engrossing game. Plays like reading a novel and participating in a climactic movie.

CONS: This game will affect you, and it has been known to cause nightmares.

Total Rating -9.5
Gameplay - 9
Enjoyment - 9.5
Graphics - 9.5
Sound/Music - 9
Multiplayer - n/a

Recommended Hardware:
PS2/XBox

ESRB:

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