Review: Fatal Frame

This game has it all... scary as hell atmosphere, a great concept, unique combat, AND gets away from RE 1-3 style controlls! So why the hell did the game fail by my standards?

Graphics: 7

It's blatant this is PS2, as the graphics are very simple... however, they are also both effective and clean, so I will put them at above average and be happy.

Sound: 10

This game is scary, and uses sound to the best it can. You have to hear it for yourself.

Control: 7

Not bad... but seeing as combat forces you to play FPS style with the camera, my own needs knock this one a bit. If you like FPSs on a PS2 controller, the combat system will not bother you.

Gameplay: 3

This is where I have to fail the game. I loved it till I was about 1/4th through the game. Then I hit a roadblock... a boss that is insanely hard. Not wanting to be restricted for a week against one ghost (thats when hard actually just gets boring) I went to lookup help... and my jaw dropped.

Appearantly you iether need to be a god at FPS games on PS2 (analogs... not going to happen), have fought him enough times to memorise his patters (HORROR title... not scary annymore, now just annoying and not fun), or have built your camera JUST to fight him.... so basically, I can iether be bored to tears, or restart a game because I thought building th camera for general improvements was a GOOD idea. I quit in this moment. No amount of atmosphere is worth it if I have to drag myself in and force myself to play the damn game...

Story: 8

The game starts with two syblings who have ESP... the brother's hero was a writer who dissappeared within a haunted house a few weeks ago, so he went to look fro him....

the real game starts a few months later, when the sister went there looking for her missing brother....

Reminescant of the Grudge, but damn good for it.

Overall: 4

For once, atmosphere isnt everything. Poor design kills what should have been an incredible game.

Never played this but I wonder if it is any better on the Xbox? I am sure the controls for the first person stuff would have been better.

So... which version are you reviewing? And yes, it is clearly a PS2 game, says so right on the box :p

The controls aren't that hard to get used to unless the only console FPS you played was Goldeneye. They were simple and functional and it's not like they stood in your way the entire time. As for aggravating bosses, the bosses in RE 1 were aggravating. Like the plant monster that you had to mix everything together for and risked getting killed in the process by the hunters, or the spider that appears out of no where after you've wasted ammo just getting to the attic.

I think it was Resident Evil that taught me to always conserve ammo until you're damn sure you need it. Cause fighting tyrant without the rocket launcher or magnum ammo was damn annoying.

I thought the game was rather easy. :/ Its an excellent series.

Diortem, IMHO the sequel featuring the TWO HAWT and attractive babes/sisters were better than the 1st one, they tweaked the gfx, introduces snappy controls, but kept all the horrific goodness that is the signiture of the series...

So... which version are you reviewing? And yes, it is clearly a PS2 game, says so right on the box :p

That would be the right version, yes...

The controls aren't that hard to get used to unless the only console FPS you played was Goldeneye.

Not even... Metroid Prime 1,2, and 3, and Serious Sam: The Next Encounter with a friend. All other FPSs Ive played were PC.

They were simple and functional and it's not like they stood in your way the entire time. As for aggravating bosses, the bosses in RE 1 were aggravating. Like the plant monster that you had to mix everything together for and risked getting killed in the process by the hunters, or the spider that appears out of no where after you've wasted ammo just getting to the attic.

Never got that far... I never liked the control scheme of RE in general. The whole stick based on where the character is going instead of you has NEVER sat well with me.... not back then, and DEFINATELY not now. Only one I ever gave a chance with that was Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare... and it failed on those grounds alone.

I think it was Resident Evil that taught me to always conserve ammo until you're damn sure you need it. Cause fighting tyrant without the rocket launcher or magnum ammo was damn annoying.

Ammo wasnt an issue... it's having to basically memorize him (annoying, not scary after try 10) or custom make the camera to fight him. You see, if it was a short battle, I would have said "damn, he's hard, but it's over" and moved on or tried again because hey, it at least looks like if I can get my reflexes in gear, I can do this.... the camera BARELY taps his health, and you have 3 hits total against him (well, give or take). So you basically have to do the "hundreds of shots" and know his every move before he does (aka memorize his pattern) and that's not fun. Or you can restart, negate the reason you HAVE save games, and custom make the camera.

I call that piss poor, and if the plant took forever, I would have call that pisspoor too. Same with the spider.

And yeah, I looked at the ratings... Fatal Frame 2 has an almost 20 point lead on Metacritic to Fatal Frame (which stepped in at 67). If I can find it, Ill look into it... but I think the original will be on Half before too much longer.

Ah hell, who am I kidding... this is the PERFECT excuse to try playswitch for me! :)