I love Gettysburg. I’ve been infatuated with the ghostly town since high school. It’s a weird mix of Civil War days and modern times that has intrigued me. How can a town so full of life be full of ghosts? If I could, I would photograph them all and explore every gritty part of the town. However, instead of going south for several weeks, I have gone on a trip to rural Japan. And be sure to bring plenty of courage as we explore the world in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut.
Fatal Frame II follows the story of twins Mio and Mayu. They spent their summers near a forest located near their home, and Mayu had an accident. She grew up crippled, and Mio felt responsible for it. The twins learned that their home is going to be torn down, so they return and spend the day there, reminiscing. On the way home, they get lost and stumble into a forbidden hamlet known as “All God’s Village.” According to local legend, anyone who enters the grounds instantly joins the milk face club. Furthermore, the town is believed to repeat its LAST NIGHT of existence. Guess what? We’ve just joined that club. Why are the twins trapped there? Why does this little town repeat its last night? And what has happened to the people who were brave (or foolish) enough to visit?
Anyway, you control Mio. She moves around the screen almost like a tank. It can be a pain, but it’s not completely unintuitive. Tilt the control stick in the direction you want, and she moves that way. The camera’s placement influences movement. The Camera Obscura lets you know when a ghost is in your sight. It even lets you know when a ghost is near and is malignant or benevolent. It is this little function that the game helps tell its story, sometimes foreshadowing dangers to come. For example, Mio crosses a bridge early in the game, and the filament vibrates a bright light blue. What she eventually finds is a ghostly face in the water.
Other gameplay function includes the wonderful map function. Fatal Frame II has its menus cleanly designed and lined out. There are tons of “files,” which consist of photos, maps, reels, notebooks (journals and diaries), and gems that hold the last thoughts of their possessors. Some folks might hate the fact that there is so much to read. In a way, they are right. Then again, it helps add so much verisimilitude to the game’s world. It helps flesh out the story and even gives clues to puzzles. It is wonderful as very few games use the written word to their advantage.
Anyway, what was this about “ghosts”? You see, the spirits in the hamlet cannot rest and continue to “live” despite the horrors they have endured. They have their stories to tell, and most of them mean Mio and her older twin harm. Their best bet for survival is based on a camera that has the power to damage (and destroy) ghosts. This purification device is known as the Camera Obscura. By harnessing its power, they can fully explore the hamlet and get to the truth of what happened. But, there is a catch. Like every other camera, you need film. Once you run out, you either need to change types or find more film. Thankfully, there is a low-quality film that never runs out (which is best used in a pinch). Higher-quality film causes more damage to the ghosts than the lower-quality films. Each type has different loading speeds, so adjusting the film to suit your needs is necessary.
Furthermore, just because it’s in the view finder doesn’t mean there will be damage. You have to find an opening to cause damage. Furthermore, the closer Mio is to the ghost, the more damage that can be caused. And if you’re lucky enough to have the ghost as close as possible and in the right position, you might inflict a fatal frame. These rare but brag-worthy shots cause extra damage and “push” the ghost away. While these have the most risk of damaging Mio and inflicting the greatest amount of damage onto the ghosts, they are the safest as it pushes the ghost back and away from Mio. Ah, sweet irony. The greater the fear, the greater the damage that can be inflicted.
It is important to note that sometimes Fatal Frame II will send more than one ghost for you to fight at a time. It makes the game even more intense. The problem is that it can become challenging to keep them all straight and fully take them down effectively. Thankfully, this tends not to be the main trend as Fatal Frame II plays to its strength of sending them to you one by one.
But by far the coolest aspect of the game is customizing the camera. Powering up the camera is done by photographing the ghosts. Each new improvement requires a certain amount of spiritual energy and a spirit orb. Without something to hold the energy, the camera’s improvements would be frivolous. By improving range, you can have more of the ghost in the view finder. You can increase the number of special “attacks” by increasing accumulation. And by increasing sensitivity, the camera can inflict more damage to the ghosts. Lenses are waiting to be found, each with their own intended use. By using the special function, Mio can inflict paralysis on the ghost, track where they are going and even slow them down so photographing them is easier. There are physical improvements to the camera that will help you accomplish certain tasks, such as the fatal frame shots, locating spirits and switching between lenses while using the camera. These parts are found throughout the village and can be easily missed if you do not poke your head into every nook and cranny. By far though, it is the mixture of the physical and spiritual that makes the camera so intriguing.
Graphically, the game could be considered a horror masterpiece. The game feels like an old camera recording images, as it appears dark and grainy. Ghosts are translucent and somehow life-like in a dead sort of fashion. There is this subtle and slowly overwhelming sense of dread. Every inch of the town feels lived in, as it is dank and destroyed by the elements. At the same time, there are these lanterns, candles and lamps seen inside the various houses. The scariest part? Most of them are still lit. Candles flicker in the breeze, and shadows loom larger than life. Furthermore, kimonos are found all over the place, which brings the importance of traditional Japanese woman into play. But by far the scariest parts are when the color is drained from the screen, leaving only a traditional monochromatic look of photography. These parts are the deadliest, when the real horrors come out and play. Ultimately, though, the setting feels like a forgotten village, trapped not only in its last night of terror but in a place forgotten by time.
The sound in Fatal Frame II is a real treat. It ranges from ambiance to subtle orchestrations, keeping the tension tight. You can hear the camera as the shutter closes. The characters’ footsteps reverberate around the various spaces. Moans of the dead are audible, giving them an even more ethereal feel. The voice acting for the characters fit them and adds depth to the world. The only problem I have with the audio component is that it isn’t always as loud as I would like. For example, a lot of the ghosts have breathy voices. This makes it difficult to understand them. But at the same time, the subtitle function catches 95 percent of the dialogue. So this is not as big of a problem as it sounds.
Overall, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut could be and should be considered a horror masterpiece. Like any good work of horror, it slowly works its way into your subconscious. It slowly makes its purpose known to you. Then bam! It suddenly hits you while you are traveling through your life or when you return to the game many days (or even months) later. Even though it has a few of the bad habits of horror games, such as the dramatic camera angles, it is still highly playable. It has you explore All God’s Village and slowly piece the plot together for yourself. Widely considered to be one of the scariest games of all time, it is no wonder that it is such a fun game to play even after the trees have changed color. Released for both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, it ultimately comes down to preference. The main advantage the Xbox has is the little extras. So if you find a copy of this game, grab it and enjoy it regardless of platform. I’m going on a ghost hunt. And I’m going to take a ton of pictures with my camera.
