Developer: Koei Tecmo Games
Publisher: Koei Tecmo Games
Platform: PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE – Review
In recent years, FATAL FRAME (or PROJECT ZERO for European gamers) has been getting a second lease on life via rereleases and updated versions, allowing a younger generation of gamers to experience these games as well. Now, an actual remake has also been released, namely FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE. This is the remake of the second installment of the series, which was originally released back in 2003 for Sony’s PlayStation 2. With modern consoles in mind and a hefty dose of quality-of-life upgrades, we were curious to see if FATAL FRAME II was still a cool concept over two decades after its initial release. Spoiler: it was.
Story
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE starts rather vaguely, with two sisters in a seemingly abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. Soon, things start happening, where creepy wraiths are lurking around every corner. You, Mio, and your sister, Mayu, are trying to get away from this place. With flashbacks, diaries, and some story exposition, you learn that you are in Minakami Village, where a failed ritual has taken place. Mayu is clearly under the influence of the ghastly entities that are clearly controlling her actions. The story remains rather vague for the most part, but eventually, things will start making more and more sense. Honestly, the fact that not everything is spelled out from the get-go, in combination with the spooky atmosphere, is what makes the game rather interesting.
Graphics
Even though the 2003 original looked great for the time it was released, Koei Tecmo did an amazing job with this remake. FATAL FRAME II has never looked better, and we feel that was no easy feat while still respecting the source material. The character models look amazing, the ghosts look scarier than the original, and the environments look gorgeous. The remake also doesn’t use the fixed camera perspectives of the original, which allows for a better overview of your surroundings. We didn’t notice any stutters or frame drops, and while the game wasn’t necessarily pushing our console to its limits, we were still impressed by the overall visual quality.
Sound
The sound design of FATAL FRAME II is superbly handled. You’ll be treated to a mostly atmospheric soundtrack for the duration of the game, which is supported by creepy sound effects, great voice acting, and some spooky-sounding wraiths. The mood was set mere moments into the game when we found ourselves exploring an abandoned house. The game doesn’t really have to rely on jumpscares to set the mood, and instead relies on a less-is-more soundscape, which works perfectly here.
Gameplay
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is a remake of the 2003 survival horror PlayStation 2 game with the same name. While the core experience revolves around the same thing, namely snapping pictures of wraiths with your Camera Obscura to banish them, the mechanics have somewhat changed. Outside of a slew of quality of life enhancements, the game has ditched the old-school tank controls in favor of modern third-person controls. This means that the game is a lot smoother to control than its PS2 counterpart. It’s your goal to navigate Minakami Village to find Mayu and escape from this hellish place. The offset is clear, but the game does have some backtracking and puzzles to figure out here and there. The introduction does take a while, as you’ll unlock new filters and film for your Camera Obscura that require some explanation, and you’ll also need to learn about the combat mechanics. You’ll get most of these tutorials via text windows, and some parts are actually not clearly explained, such as there being wraiths you can only run from.
For the most part, you’ll roam around the village freely, following clues to unlock doors and new parts to access. Everything feels rather straightforward, but it’ll take some time to get used to using your Camera Obscura effectively. Unlike traditional horror games, where you either have to avoid all enemies or can rely on weapons, you’ll have to do everything here with a camera that utilizes different lenses and film. Luckily, the game does offer different difficulty options, allowing you to ease into the experience. Be warned though, even on lower difficulties, some of the wraiths may still catch you off guard, and you’ll also have to work on your timing as to when you should take pictures to deal maximum damage and stagger your enemies.
Conclusion
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is a great remake, and we honestly loved not having to deal with the wonky controls of the original. The latter alone made the experience so much more precise, intuitive, and simply enjoyable. Outside of the controls, FATAL FRAME II REMAKE has received a beautiful new lick of paint, which is supported by great audio design. If you’re looking for a great atmospheric horror game, you’ll easily find it here. Even if you haven’t played a single game in the series before, this one is still a great entry point. If you’re a series veteran, you’ll probably already have this one in your library; if not, picking this one up is a no-brainer. Here’s to hoping the other games receive the same remake treatment.
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