Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water Reviews

Koei Tecmo’s Fatal Frame (or Project Zero as it’s known in my part of the world) is a rare franchise, for the last few instalments the games have been mostly exclusive to Japan and when this happens fans look forward to seeing the franchise make a glorious return. We had a seen a small spin off game a couple of years back for the 3DS but Spirit Camera was not the same, fans needed a true new game and Koei Tecmo delivered. It was a moment of excitement when Maiden of Black Water was announced, and even more so when it was revealed the game was headed our way as a Wii U exclusive and I must say that was a very smart move.

By the time I discovered the Fatal Frame series it was near impossible to find copies of the first three games on PlayStation 2 anywhere. No one wanted to part with these niche Japanese horror games for a price that was compatible with my wallet. The Wii U’s Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water coming to current gen consoles as a port did pique my interest, and I finally a chance for me to experience this popular franchise myself.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water may not have been the best entry to remaster but it still does a solid enough job delivering a chilling enough experience with unique combat.

This port of the clever and under-appreciated Wii U J-Horror game might feel a little old, but is a terrific example of a familiar genre given a unique spin.

Ultimately Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water ends up being a boring slog more often than a tense horror experience. The remaster will likely be welcomed by fans of the series, especially those that never had a Wii U to check out the original. However, any future Fatal Frame titles will have to evolve to feel at home in modern times.

Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water (or Fatal Frame) brings a supernatural story to all platforms this Halloween, but a multitude of factors keep the game from reaching its full potential.

We tell you, it’s a good game! It’s not average! It might have some problems here and there, but you have to admit it is a “Good” game.

As should probably be expected of what's basically a port of the Wii U version, this iteration of Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water offers a decidedly average horror experience. The story of Mt. Hikami and those tied to it is rather intriguing, and it is able to create a heavy, disquieting and even chilling atmosphere at times. The fundamentals of combat are strong too, but the entire experience is undermined by pervasive slowness and a not-so-great English dub. Fatal Frame fans will likely enjoy it regardless, as will those looking for a subtler horror game to play for Halloween. For everyone else, though, it might be better to either give Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water a pass or wait until it eventually goes on sale.

An effectively creepy atmosphere combined with an intriguing story and unique combat, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is well worth picking up. It can slog some when it forces you to revisit the same areas that you just saw and the movement is clunky and awkward, but those can't sink the rest of the enterprise into the mire.

Fatal Frame/Project Zero is a cult classic survival horror franchise originally released on the PlayStation 2. Fans of the franchise often regard the second entry, Crimson Butterfly, as one of the greatest horror games of all time, and I have to agree with them. However, I never had a Wii U, so I missed out on the fifth entry in the series: Maiden of Black Water. Now with it finally making it’s way to modern platforms, I can finally play this so-called underrated gem. I also really hope the...

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a disturbing tale well told. While the GamePad brings the series’ camera-as-a-weapon concept to life in a way that feels very natural, the combat lacks real mechanical variety, which, combined with overly repetitive encounters, undermines the impact of its most terrifying enemies. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of darkness to be found, with some of the most unsettling and stylish scares I’ve experienced in a while.

Shutterbugs with a flair for the paranormal have waited seven years for a new core entry in the Fatal Frame series. Apart from one entry on the Wii, the bulk of the Fatal Frame franchise still remains on the PlayStation 2 (watch us play the original Fatal Frame on Replay). The latest title, Fatal Frame: Maiden of the Black Water for the Wii U, turns the Gamepad into your very own Camera Obscura. Despite that new novelty, it still has one foot firmly planted in a PS2-era grave.

Fatal shame.

Nintendo seemed hesitant to bring Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water overseas, and I’m sure it’ll be monitoring how it sells to gauge interest. Twelve-year-old me would be upset with this review, and he’d blame that asshole Zack Furniss for condemning the series to death with a damning review. He’d be in the comments below telling me that I wasn’t playing it right, or that it wasn’t my type of game. All I would have to say to him is this:

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a genuine disappointment, and easily the weakest entry in the series to date. With big holiday season games like Star Fox Zero delayed to next year, the Wii U could ill afford a flop, but that seems likely for Fatal Frame. Featuring a plot filled with illogical characters, gameplay bogged down by sluggish controls and combat, and a severe inability to scare, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water simply does not live up to the legacy of its predecessors.