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Retro Rewind: Fatal Frame
Written by Podunker:rrquinta
In the Retro Rewind series, we will offer you a “preview experience” as if this game were brand-new and being released in a few weeks or months. Relive the excitement, so to speak. Don’t look at Retro Rewind as a review written after playing a game. Instead, look at this as a preview of what to expect and get excited about before you do (play it). The next in our series is chilling survival horror, “Fatal Frame” by Tecmo.
You simply can’t say “survival horror” without thinking of four classic games: Alone in the Dark, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Fatal Frame. While these have all had their sequels, many hard-core horror fans still consider the originals the best of each franchise, and Fatal Frame is no exception.
Set in a decaying traditional Japanese mansion, players are put in the role of a young woman named Miyu, who comes to the house searching for her brother, who disappeared while researching the disappearance of his idol, a famous novelist.
“Dead men may tell no tales,” but that certainly isn’t true, as Miyu soon discovers: the mansion is filled with ghosts, some of them hostile enough to kill her. As Miyu traipses through the haunted house, she encounters objects that trigger visions of those that came before her, and the horrors that befell them.
What makes Fatal Frame so unique, however, is the combat system. You find an old camera in the mansion that can be used to take pictures of hostile ghosts, capturing their souls and destroying them. You also use the camera to photograph elements of the mansion to reveal hidden doors and other secrets not otherwise visible. And, because this is a film camera, you must ration your shots or you may find yourself unable to defend yourself when a ghost attacks.
Most of the game is played in the third-person, over-the-shoulder view, as Miyu uses her flashlight to explore the dark corridors and rooms. However, when a dangerous spirit is nearby, an icon begins flashing and moaning sound effects pick up: this is your signal to switch into the first-person camera mode and get ready to shoot ghosts. The longer you hold down the shutter, the more powerful your attack; but as the game progresses, your enemies will grow faster, so it may be easier to shoot several times rather than trying to hit them with one blow.
As you explore the haunted mansion, you will encounter various ghosts, as well as audio cassettes that help give you clues as to the mystery behind the various disappearances. And Tecmo has certainly done a good job of creating a spooky, edge-of-your-seat atmosphere. As you navigate through the halls, you constantly have a feeling that you are not alone, and that at any moment a ghost could come out and grab you. Occasionally, you will pass a mirror and jump until you realize it was merely your own reflection. The background music, although not as inventive as the soundtrack in Silent Hill, certainly helps induce goosebumps. The dark, often grainy image also lends to a get-into-your bones creepy feeling that only Japanese horror can truly create.
Although this game was released in 2002, it is still one of the scariest games ever made, and certainly one that may have even strongest-hearted among us reaching for that nightlight when we go to sleep after playing this game for a few hours.
Horror fans who may have missed out on this classic may have the opportunity to get their hands on Fatal Frame soon. Rumor has it that Game Quest Direct will be offering a reprint of this rare game for $49.99, perhaps even taking pre-orders as early as June 22, 2009.
Are you ready to be scared? If so, Fatal Frame and the mysterious Himuro mansion awaits: get your shutter finger ready.
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