User Reviews (21 - 30 of 30)

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Reminds me of J-HORROR, in a GOOD way !!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: March 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

In the beginning of the game, you play a teenager who is looking for his favorite author in an isolated, and creepy mansion. Then, he goes missing. Then, his big sister comes to find him and uncovers a few things she didn't expect.

Imagine crossing a game with the eeriness of RINGU, the disturbingness of THE RING,the scares of THE GRUDGE, and an old camera that takes pictures of spirts. This is exactly what you get.

The scariness of this game just doesn't end. If you are playing it alone, your probably going to turn it off after the first 45 minutes of game play. It can sometimes get down right unnerving, especially in the numberous cut scenes.

The game is also somewhat difficult, for you can get lost very easily, and you may not be taking your "pictures" fast enough.

If you play this game, do the following......................

1) Turn off every single light in the house (Makes for a good atmosphere)

2)Turn volume up really high, or use a surround-sound system if you have one.(Or use headphones)

3)If possible, turn the ringer on your phone to the highest volume.

4)Make sure you have something funny to watch afterwards......

An awesome ride

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: May 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I've always enjoyed games that make your heart beat a little bit faster, or your palms bead up from being scared.. and this game accomplishes that in so many ways. From the first ghost I encountered, up until the end of the game, I was clutching the controller, watching as spirit after spirit came my way. Zapping them with my camera. If you want a game that's not only addictive, but can send a chill down anyone's spine.. this is your game. Highly recommended!!

Wishful thinking

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 10
Date: July 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I love the horror survival genre (it is the only reason I play video games). I will start off on the pro side of the game, it has a creepy look and soundtrack and the concept is really good. The con side is that the game controls like crap! The character is not fluid at all. It turned me off the game. I played for about 2 hours and gave up. The controls are that frustrating. If you have patience, get this game, it is a really great story/concept. I will probably do the same thing my friend did when he tried to play the game, turn around and sell it... So I give this 1 star, the controls ruined the whole game.

Freakin Cool Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: February 28, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I played this game in the dead of night and it gave me nightmares for weeks. If you like scary games and movies, you will absolutely love this game

Scariest Xbox game yet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: March 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User

wow, this game will keep u up at night!! if u haven't tried this yet, i highly recommend that u do!! No wonder this game has caught the eye of hollywood, it's scary. but just to let u know, the mansion and the rituals are the only tru things about this game, the people are made up. but still, this game is great

Don't Play Alone!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: November 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is the most terrifying game I've ever played. Some games in the Survival Horror Genre give you a chainsaw. Some give you a Plasma Gun. This one gives you a camera. Yep, a camera. You start in a Prolouge as the main characters brother, and hey! Geuss what! The house eats you. Then the main character comes searching for her brother who was searching for his Mentor who came with his assistant and his editor. So there are 4 people who got eaten by the house and are coming back in Ghosty Form to eat the main character.
The villan is a little girl that looks like a chipmunk in a kimono. Personally, I can't get past the ghost that the main character thinks is her brother and then turns out to be some creature whith long hair and nails. But whatever, it's still my favorite game and I can't play it alone or in the dark, but Buy it anyways.

If you liked Silent Hill 2 you'll love this one

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: January 28, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Great graphics, scary monsters, lot of puzzles, excellent game to share with family, friends.

Scariest Xbox game yet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: March 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User

wow, this game will keep u up at night!! if u haven't tried this yet, i highly recommend that u do!! No wonder this game has caught the eye of hollywood, it's scary. but just to let u know, the mansion and the rituals are the only tru things about this game, the people are made up. but still, this game is great

Terrifyingly Good

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: March 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Fatal Frame is probably one of my favorite Survival Horror games.
Techmo has done it again... this is the third game released by techmo that is my favorite, other two are DOA series and Ninja Gaiden... The visuals and sound on Fatal Frame are extemely haunting and great for the scare factor. The story is superb in every way, shape, and form... I never got to finish playing Fatal Frame, but my buddy Matt, played it for hours and beat it several times... Acording to him... Kirie is really hot in human form... Is it just me or does Miku kinda look as if she could pass for Kasumi's younger sister... Either way, Fatal Frame is definatly a highly neglected game, all because you can't blow stuff up, but in reality, it's one sweet game.

Chilling, atmospheric, underrated game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I never thought video games could be scary. After all, most games put you in the role of an individual designed to blow up your opponents into pieces. Most scares were cheap shocks and designed to get the adrenaline pumping rather than raise any real dread.

However, that all changed when I tried Fatal Frame, a game that's been around a while. You're put in the role of .. investigating your brother's disappearance inside a Japanese mansion. Over the course of four nights, you'll be led deeper into the mysteries of this abandoned house, and will find that you're not alone.

To fend off the spirits that attack you, you'll have the services of a camera. Remember being told about how certain tribes will not let themselves be photographed because they believe it will take part of their soul? Well that's how things work with the camera obscura, which tears off pieces of the spirit's soul. No guns, grenades or electroplasmic guns.

But wait, you don't just have to aim with the camera obscura, you have to wait before shooting that precious pic. Your camera must charge up, and you can score core shots, or the equivalent of critical hits. Using the camera takes some getting used to, and initially you'll probably be fumbling around with the controls as the ghosts float towards you, and it does take a while to get used to it. There's also powerups which allow you to upgrade your camera, as well as higher grades of film that do more damage.

The ghosts themselves are well designed and fairly disconcerting. The ghost known as Broken Neck flies with her head twisted in an upside down position, while Blind Woman has blood pouring out of her eyes. They also attack differently, and you can't use the same tactics against all of them. For some of them, you'll have to defeat them multiple times, which makes for some repetitious gameplay, but your foes are likely to get tougher with each incarnation.

Exploring itself takes a while, as the house isn't particularly big. There's lots of backtracking, and in the four nights that you explore the mansion you'll find yourselves in the same areas again and again. It makes for occasionally frustrating gameplay, as you try to recall where and what happened. Even worse is some items that were previously inactive are crucial in latter episodes, so you'll find yourself doing click and search to find what items have become suddenly important.

Nonetheless, there's a substantial amount of notes and tapes left around the house as clues for you to unravel the mystery. There's a few puzzles as well, but nothing too complex.

Graphics-wise, the screen is murky-coloured and dull, while things get splotchy when you're using the camera. There's also plenty of cut-scenes, particularly just before a ghost attack. If there were an award for generating mood, Fatal Frame would win it hands down. Even better is the sound design, and vast amount of attention has been paid to how QUIET things are, particularly just before an attack.

Finishing the story unlocks more costumes for .. and a Battle mode where you get to go one on one against a ghost in various environment, as well as more difficult modes. Replay isn't that high, but there is some.

Fatal Frame owes more to the realm of recent Japanese horror movies such as The Ring and Ju-On, and captured the flavour of these movies well. Evoking an atmosphere of mystery and horror, Fatal Frame is definitely one of the most memorable and original games, and proof positive that it is possible to make a genuinely scary game for video consoles.

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