![]() ![]() It’s said that even back in 1996, Nintendo was able to create an AI that adapted to a player’s skill level, playstyle, and even desires. ![]() There are plenty of good horror games out there, but this one of the few-if not the only-masterpieces of horror gaming.Did you know every copy of Super Mario 64 is personalized? Fatal Frame 2 is always out to scare and unsettle players brave enough to play, and it's very successful at doing just that. I won't ruin anything else from the game, as you can still buy it on the cheap, but suffice it to say the ending scenes will be stuck in your brain for years. It's also the ending I achieved in my first playthrough, and after revisiting the game it's the ending I consider to be the best. The game features multiple endings, but there is one that Fatal Frame 3 takes to be canonical. You are not an unwelcome guest here, you have been invited in and then trapped. In fact, the village seems to be the primary character, and the remnants of the villagers themselves are just animated scabs that crawl over its surface. There is no place to run or hide, and the village is as much a character as anyone or anything you encounter while playing. Fatal Frame 2 is unrelenting when it comes to knocking you off balance and keeping you from feeling safe through the entire experience. It's very hard for any form of media to keep you scared for an extended period of time even good horror movies have their ups and downs. This is the classic moment where you realize the needs of the few are nothing compared to the needs of the many-and you're one of the unfortunate few. You are cut off from the hope of anyone's help, and as you piece together the story of the village you begin to understand why things are the way they are, and the idea of "good" and "bad" characters is nicely subverted. The game is so affecting because of how well it tightens its grip on the characters as you explore the village and find out what went wrong, and why twins are so important to its history. One character even helps you in your quest. The game takes place in a world where ghosts not only exist, but they will speak to you. If you're a fan of the first game, it's also interesting to learn exactly where the camera came from, and how it gained some of its special properties. The odds always seem stacked against you, no matter how many ways you have to dispel the spirits you come across. There are also different ways to upgrade the camera to increase your abilities in combat. The camera has an unlimited amount of the low-grade film that doesn't do much damage, but you'll also find and use a limited amount of higher-quality film that does much more damage. Since you're trapped inside a village that seems to be lost in time, you're completely alone, and you watch your sister begin to lose her mind as some force begins to work on her. During the course of the game, played in third person, you'll explore an entire village instead of the single haunted house of the first game, and the way the story slowly unfolds is masterful. The first Fatal Frame is also a classic of horror gaming, but the second game ramps up the scope of the series while improving on the mechanics and storytelling. A prequel that improves on the first game in all ways It soon becomes clear that something terrible has happened, and you may need to do something just as terrible to get out. The tension increases as you learn about the village and why it called to you. You find a camera that can see things your eyes can't, and this acts as your weapon in the game. One of the sisters seems to be falling into the thrall of a mysterious force inside the village, and the hunt to solve the mystery of why this place is locked in darkness begins. ![]() only to have their way out blocked when they investigate. We begin with twin sisters who are out exploring in the woods, and they find what appears to be a village. It layers a scary setting, creepy characters, frightening mechanics, and a twisted concept to create a game that is completely unsettling and fun to play. Fatal Frame 2 on the PS2, and later the original Xbox, excels at everything good horror needs to accomplish to be truly scary. The visuals and sounds of good horror may stick with us, but it's the ideas behind them that truly take root in your head and refuse to leave. The scariest movies are those where what they show you is never as scary as what happens in your mind. Image courtesy of Gamefaqs reader comments 62 with ![]()
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