CD-ROM
New Setting - Brand new, wider settings in a mysterious lost village, opening up new terrifying possibilities. As Mio and Mayu return to a town in which they have spent many of their childhood years, New Main Characters - Mio is a young girl who is gifted with a strong sixth sense and desire to look after her twin sister Mayu, who has a twisted leg and an even darker and twisted curiosity which leads her to follow the crimson butterfly, Real Time Visuals - More horrifying real time visuals to keep you engrossed in the frightening tale, Unique Camera Combat System. The one-weapon combat system is back with the use of an antique camera. The weapon may be the same, but a variety of new features have been added to update the camera making it a more powerful ghost killer than ever before, For 1 player
SummaryDouble the Terror, Double the FunCons: The biggest one is Mayu always seeming to be in the wrong place at the worst possible time blocking shots (the girl makes a better door than she does a window) so you have to make sure you keep the ghosts away from her to get them. The camera angels, while annoying, didn't bother me too much (but I will concede they are annoying). Comparing apples to apples, Mio is actually slower than Miku from FF1 even when she runs (or rather, jogs). I also was disappointed by the lack of a Japanese voice-over - I got my hopes up when I saw the trailer for the game but was let down by the english only (it's minor con, but the ability to choose would have been nice).
Pros: Oh, where to start? This time around, you get to run around an entire village snapping shots of ghosts. The terror tennants from the first game had are still here, but the stakes have been upped in that this time around the whole village was involved in something truly horrid - namely human sacrifice. The ghosts seem more aggressive and you'll often find yourself under attack from two spirits at once (but you can get them both in one shot so you're all on even ground). The controls remain unchanged from the first game, and there are a few extra things thrown in that only add to the mood (namely the spirit stone radio). And the graphics and attention to deatail for both sisters and spirits was awesome (Mio hair actually moves in game when a breeze comes up and Mayu looks genuinely terrified).
Reviewer's Comments
I'm very biased. I love Tecmo's games. Games like the Fatal Frame series are the reason why. When I heard that Fatal Frame was getting a sequel I started foming at the mouth and chomping at the bit to get it - and was totally elated at the result. The Fatal Frame series are perhaps the most terrifying games ever made, and are to video games what The Exorcist and Blair Witch Project are to movies. This is one game I think everyone who likes to have the snot scared out of them (even a little bit) should have in their library. Just be sure to pick up a pair of rubber shorts before you play - you're gonna need 'em.
