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Fatal Frame 2 - Crimson Butterfly

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    Fatal Frame 2 - Crimson Butterfly

    This was always going to be one of my most wanted games after loving the original Fatal Frames new take on the horror genre so much, and after an hours play I am pretty satisfied with this sequel.

    Its much like the original, in style, gameplay and visuals, with similar sound effects, a typically grainy feel and rather crudely animated central charecters, Mio and Mayu. The partnership is quite endearing, and I expect and hope this is exploited to its full potential as the game pans out. You take control of the younger sister, Mio, whom after following Mayu who was chasing a crimson butterfly (of the games title nonetheless!) through the woods of a place they used to play together in, ends up in a deserted place known ominously as the Lost Villiage. All thats known up to now is that this place once was subject to a entire towns massacre, which is hauntingly repeated every year.

    Initially the control confuses, but then this wouldnt be a survival horror game were it not for the clumsy control system would it. Using the left stick to move about is easy enough, but when coupled with the right stick which is used to move the camera as well things get tricky to say the least. Also, Mayu has an annoying habit of getting in the way at the most inopportune moments.

    Id rather not focus too much on the bad, as what Ive played so far has been most enjoyable, and needless to say, very creepy and dare I say it, scary, indeed. Sound is often an overlooked aspect in many games, yet here its used to good effect, with quiet whisperings abound heightening an already tense atmosphere. Mayu can also be helpful, often indicating times which will trigger the next event for progression, calling you when you drift too far away from her and letting you know she feels a presence which will no doubt turn out to be an enemy of some sort. Enemies, of which I am yet to do real battle with, so far its been a case of simply warming me up with harmless ghosts you have to snap before they fadeoff into obscurity. But Ive played the original, I know what horrors to expect to follow throughout the game. So long as there are no dolls with knives Im sure I can take it. Possibly.

    I recall the original, someone asked why the game was regarded as being so frightening, I then asked how he played it to which he replied "on a big screen, in my living room with the lights on". If you are going to play this game and want to appreciate it, please do so by switching the lights off, turning the volume up and if you are able to, sit in front of an open door (beleive me, this works for added shocks!).

    Not for the faint of heart.

    #2
    Is the voice acting as dire as the originals?

    Comment


      #3
      Yes! I love this game! I got the japanese version when it came out, I'm on chapter 8.

      Now I am a horror fan but this game truely scares me! The ghosts are a bit like in the movies ju-on and kairo.
      It came to a point where I was scared to go across a few rooms to get to the save point, it's that bad!
      There is an immense sence of claustrophobia and helplesness, from the whispering of the ghosts, and to them randomly phasing in and out of the levels.
      There ghosts are also much better than in Fatal Frame 1 they look more vivid and have a lot of motion blur etc.
      This honestly makes silent hill like a disney movie!
      I got Siren also but it didn't scare near as much as Fatal Frame 2. Sure there is tension in siren but in Fatal Frame you just get terrified!




      K

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by marcus

        Its much like the original, in style, gameplay and visuals, with similar sound effects, a typically grainy feel and rather crudely animated central charecters, Mio and Mayu. The partnership is quite endearing, and I expect and hope this is exploited to its full potential as the game pans out.

        .

        Yeah later on it becomes almost like Ico.(Don't want to say too much and spoil it for you!)

        Also if you complete the game on hard mode(you have to beat hard mode to get the proper ending) you unlock, knightmare mode, plus there are a lot of unlockable costumes etc.

        Comment


          #5
          I want this game, but I was too scared to finish the original.

          That's kind of sad, isn't it?

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Duncan
            I want this game, but I was too scared to finish the original.

            That's kind of sad, isn't it?

            Not at all! considering the first one is based on a true story and Hamuro(Sp?) mansion i about 30mins outside Tokyo!

            K

            Comment


              #7
              Is there any word on an XBox release for this?

              Thanks for the impressions by the way, I didnt realise there was so many chapters, perhaps thats indicative of a much larger game than the original?

              Comment


                #8
                I wasn't too taken by the first game. This was due in part to the poor voice acting (which killed the atmosphere stone dead) and the fact that ghosts were nowhere near as frightening as the (oft imagined) psychological horrors of the Silent Hill games, to my mind.

                However, I am interested in seeing how this will turn out. My main bugbear with the original was how it punished you for not being able to predict the future. I found myself restarting twice because I ended up in a situation where I had no ammo to fight off bosses, having used it on persistent, respawning ghosts.

                I eventually gave up.

                From what I saw at the meet, this sequel looked nice. If they've addressed the ammo problem, then I'm definitely in. can anyone confirm or deny?

                Comment


                  #9
                  When I originally played Fatal Frame I was the same, getting stuck with no ammo. Although when I took care the second time round, I finished the game with plenty of ammo and health packs to spare. If you take it carefully you should find the game is sufficiently fair on the player, go at it gung-ho by wasting ammo then it will be quite the opposite.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Off topic I know, but I always conserve ammo in the Biohazard games, usually by dodging alot. I always end up with rounds and rounds of Magnum bullets left over.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      You get quite a lot of normal strenght ammo, and strong types: 71 and 90+.

                      When you battle the ghosts you should always wait untill the last momment to try and get a "zero hit". Also using lower strenght ammo on bosses can help level up your camera and conserve ammo.


                      K

                      Comment


                        #12
                        [quote="Kei"]
                        Originally posted by marcus
                        Is there any word on an XBox release for this?

                        Thanks for the impressions by the way, I didnt realise there was so many chapters, perhaps thats indicative of a much larger game than the original?

                        AFAIK there are around 12 - 14 chapters. Also when you compelte the game on easy or normal mode you unlock Mission mode which has 25 missions. You also get the maid outfits for the girls when you complete all 25 missions

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Kei
                          Originally posted by Duncan
                          I want this game, but I was too scared to finish the original.

                          That's kind of sad, isn't it?

                          Not at all! considering the first one is based on a true story and Hamuro(Sp?) mansion i about 30mins outside Tokyo!

                          K

                          The mansion is a real place? (Or at least, based on one...) Cool!

                          What's the "true story" then? Is it close to the story of the game?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by tiddles
                            Originally posted by Kei
                            Originally posted by Duncan
                            I want this game, but I was too scared to finish the original.

                            That's kind of sad, isn't it?

                            Not at all! considering the first one is based on a true story and Hamuro(Sp?) mansion i about 30mins outside Tokyo!

                            K

                            The mansion is a real place? (Or at least, based on one...) Cool!

                            What's the "true story" then? Is it close to the story of the game?
                            cool article on the story:

                            Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Got to admit, not impressed with it at the moment.

                              Like marcus, this was one of my most looked forward to games, but Tecmo's dropped the ball.

                              Puzzles are stupidly simple, lots of photo oppurtunities are lost because your sister gets in the way and 6 hours in and the plot's still not a patch on the first game.

                              Sure, it looks nice but the use of a second character is poorly implemented (about 3 hours in and Tecmo suddenly realisis she can help you out in puzzles).

                              The first title may have been startingly original but games like Forbidden Siren has stolen its thunder.

                              Comment

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