Survival Horror games are a loved genre, but for a long time, that genre was dominated by games with a western atmosphere to them. This made games like Fatal Frame stand out more, due to being based on traditional Japanese ghost stories. Fatal Frame has always had a cult following and when its fifth main entry was released on the Wii U, the game was held back by that system’s commercial failure.
Fast forward now to 2021, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water has returned in a big way. No longer exclusive to Nintendo systems (though the Switch version does include Nintendo in the copyright information, while other versions do not), Koei Tecmo has given the game a second chance. For those unaware of Fatal Frame, it is a survival horror game based on Japanese ghost stories, as mentioned above, and sees the player having only one weapon in the form of a camera.
This camera, known as the Camera Obscura, is able to fend off spirits and reveal hidden details, making photography a key mechanic in the game. The Wii U release utilized the Wii U gamepad as the camera as a means of utilizing the controller more, and the Switch version managed to utilize this mechanic as well in handheld mode. As a remaster, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is miles ahead of the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection also from Koei Tecmo, in that there are far fewer technical hiccups, the game does not run worse than its Wii U counterpart.
Fatal Frame games are not for the faint of heart and this is less about being a horror series than being a matter of the themes discussed. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water deals with themes of suicide to a major degree and these may prove disturbing for some, especially with how these themes are handled. Fatal Frame represents another culture’s views, and this may take some getting used to for some players.
There are three main protagonists to take control of in this game, and each has their own backstory and ties to other aspects of the lore. There is also a fourth protagonist in the form of a guest character from another Koei Tecmo series, but that is best left to players to find out. The protagonists (except the fourth) will take control of the Camera Obscura to fend off ghosts and uncover the mystery of Mount Hikami, the suicide mountain.
Water is a persistent theme in this game as the more wet the character is, the more they are in danger from the curse of the Black Water. If the player is hit by the curse, the health bar will drain constantly, with the only way to reverse it is to use an item to warm up or to take out the spirits. As with any good Survival Horror game though, items are not easy to come by and so players will have to act carefully and make decisions about when to use them.
Fighting the spirits with the camera takes some getting used to, no matter what controls are used. Players will need to line up their shot just right to frame the ghost, as certain types of shots do more damage. Fatal Frames, for instance, are a key time of shot that will have a major effect on the ghosts but take more time to pull off.
Players will have to also be careful with the film, as it serves as ammunition, and like the warming objects, is not as common and one might like. The right type of film and lens is also needed in order to succeed against the ghosts as not all lenses and film types work the same. With that said, the right shot can do immense damage, such as knocking off parts of the ghosts and taking out entire groups of spirits.
One thing that helps Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water stand out from its predecessors, is the inclusion of a run mechanic to ensure this game does not feel as helplessly slow. Making use of both running and the flashlight, which guides the correct path to take, is key to making it out alive here. Just be aware that the camera issues that plagued the Wii U version are still present to an extent, and the camera will fight the player at the most inopportune times.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water looks good on all systems, and while the frame rate could be a bit better, the haunting imagery is more than enough to make up for that. The graphics and music are handled extremely well here and are better than the original Wii U release while fitting the episodic nature of the game perfectly. This is a game that is easy to get into for a short time and then put down when done with that session.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water may not be the scariest entry in the franchise, but it does its job of creating a horror atmosphere well. This entry tries to modernize the series somewhat, and the inclusion of some new takes on stealth mechanics helps give the series a new feel. This is a perfect horror game for any occasion, and the improvements made to the overall experience and is highly recommended.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
Also available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC