Spirits, spectres and ghosts have been spotted in various pictures throughout the years, enticing conspiracy theories and creating conversation surrounding other realms and worlds aside from our own. The Japanese media is well-known for its own folklore and stories surrounding the supernatural, and in the Fatal Frame universe, the use of cameras to capture otherworldly entities is a primary focus. The brand new remake for Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly puts players in the shoes of Mio, the twin sister of Mayu, exploring a ghostly village to find her sister and battle spiritual entities using the Camera Obscura, a recurring device known for warding off hostile wraiths that dare pose a threat to our protagonist.
First Time?
Embarrassingly, I have never touched a Fatal Frame game in my life, even whilst being obsessed with Japanese horror like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, etc. It has always been a franchise that I have avoided when I was younger due to the atmosphere and gameplay mechanics of capturing ghosts through the lens of a camera that requires close-up, crystal clear imagery of a demon’s face, meaning I have no prior franchise experience to compare it to. Online videos made the rounds in my routine, and I found myself watching gameplay videos rather than taking the controller for myself. Since then, I’ve become accustomed to every horror trait in the book, or in this case, on the screen, and Fatal Frame II has impressed me with its unique style of combat, haunting atmosphere and interesting characters.
Take a Shot
Venturing into the village, Mio is already welcomed by the spirits within as a touching hand grasps her shoulder, giving her the impression that Mayu is behind her, only for reality to sink in once Mayu wanders forward and the hand stays in place. Even from the beginning, players encounter an eerie feeling nestled deep inside their souls as they become trapped inside a village where time has stopped and the sun will never rise. We experience our first combat encounter after exploring an abandoned, desolate house when finding the Camera Obscura, our weapon throughout the game. Damage is calculated through higher fidelity, non-blurry imagery and the number of elements present in the shot. Ghost behaviour depends on the type of entity e.g.: some may hide their faces, some may attack more rapidly, some may teleport more often, etc.
Players can choose to upgrade their camera using prayer beads that improve field of view, reload times and provide special abilities like viewing ghost movements through solid objects, giving more time for Mio to prepare her next shot. These elements make for an interesting combat experience each time a ghost is encountered and changes the perspective of the player compared to other horror titles, particularly through the absence of guns and conventional weaponry.
Lost to the Village
This remake introduces side stories that were not present in the original game, adding a deeper layer of lore to the story that may not be easily told through the main premise. Mio can find documents detailing the fates and tragedies of specific characters that lived in the village before everything went upside-down. Taking time to progress through these stories will reward the player with knowledge and items that can affect the ending we receive, or you can acquire simple upgrade materials and charms that can help to smoothen out gameplay. This is a wonderful addition to a terrifying game that can actually offer the player the chance to discover why the village became cursed in the first place, helping connect us with the characters that became long deceased and entrapped inside.
*Kayako Rattle Intensifies*
The world itself is considerably soaking with haunting atmosphere and terrifying sounds that have stopped me in my tracks from time to time. For instance, exploring homes of the deceased meets the player with creaking sounds, ghostly wails and the occasional spectral threat. These buildings are run down, tattered and completely covered in negative energies that even the most experienced ghost hunter would shy away from. However, traversing these dreaded hallways with Mayu provided a sense of stability. Exploring solo is obviously more dangerous, but as the twins are reunited, there are special interactions that can help players persist through the game i.e.: holding onto Mayu’s hand to recover lost health and willpower, the latter acting similarly to a stamina meter.
One of the only gripes I had at first was the inability to turn off the film grain. Understandably, the developers’ idea was to enhance the horror using filters that may add tension or a fear effect, but alas, it made the game more difficult to play comfortably. Fatal Frame II also introduces an aggravated spirit mechanic that feels more tedious than it’s worth, and on harder difficulties, fighting these unearthly ghouls can take several minutes too long since they are constantly recovering health and becoming stronger. If the ghost managed to defeat me, I would later dread fighting it again through the fear of encountering its aggravated state, leading me to participate in my own time trial to try and banish the bastard as fast as humanly possible.
Smile for the Camera
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is no doubt a frightening entry to the modern gaming libraries, and it filled me with great pleasure to finally give it a shot (pardon the pun). Parts of me would have liked this type of game to release near October for the spooky season rather than the beginning of Spring, but that’s no flaw to the development team’s release cycle, just my own unrelated preference. It’s Japanese horror refreshingly revived for a new audience, and I can’t wait to get back to playing, with one eye open at all times in the dark corners of my house.
Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Windows PC
Release Date: 12th March 2026
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake was provided by the publisher.
