Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
Encyclopedia
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, known in Japan
as and in Europe
as Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly, is a survival horror video game developed by Tecmo. It is the second installment in the Fatal Frame
series and is considered by some gaming magazines as one of the scariest video games ever created (see Reception). It was originally released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2
, and a "director's cut" version was released for the Xbox
in 2004 with better graphics and some additional features. There has also been a confirmation that there is a 2011 remake set to release on the Wii in Japan, but no confirmation if it will ever release in the US or Europe.
", an antique camera with the ability to take pictures of ghosts and exorcise them. As "ammunition" the camera uses films of different quality. Type-07 film, the weakest type of film, is unlimited, but the other types have to be collected throughout the game; the strongest ones being the rarest. The camera can be equipped with special functions and with special lenses, all of which grant some special ability useful in combat; these have to be found in-game, or are earned as a result of multiple playthroughs. Finally, the camera's Basic Functions and the special lenses can be upgraded using spirit orbs found in the game, and points earned from photographing ghosts. The points earned from each picture depend on the accuracy of the shot and, during combat, the timing and damage caused, as well as stacked shot bonuses (obtained by using lenses and taking special shots). The camera's features also include the filament, which is displayed in the lower right corner. The filament glows red when facing a hostile ghost, and serves as an indicator of both direction and distance; it will also glow blue when there is a non-hostile ghost nearby.
During the game, Mio must explore the entire village area and its central buildings, and needs to find various objects and solve puzzles in order to advance. Throughout the game, Mio will encounter different kinds of ghosts, some of which appear unexpectedly while some appear during cutscenes. In addition to hostile ghosts, there are numerous vanishing and hidden spirits Mio can photograph for points. The vanishing ghosts often talk, giving some information related to the story, or a hint on how to progress. One ghost is a special case: the ghost of the boy locked in the storehouse, Itsuki, will give clues as to what to do and help Mio. The game is divided into chapters, mostly related to certain areas which Mio visits as she chases after her sister. In the seventh chapter, Mio briefly loses both the flashlight and the Camera Obscura, and has to resort to dodging ghosts and running, with no means to fight back. The total number of chapters is nine, with a special tenth chapter available in Hard and Nightmare difficulty settings.
The game can be saved at red lanterns scattered throughout the village. There is no limit on how many times you can save; however, you cannot save if there is a hostile ghost nearby—in those cases, the lamp will go out and be unusable. Unlike in the first Fatal Frame, there is no way to restore film ammunition; should you run out and use up all the film found in the game, all you will have left is the weakest type.
The game has a new game plus feature, where you can start a new game while keeping your camera with all the special functions, lenses and upgrades from the previous game, as well as all your stored healing items and film. Over multiple playthroughs you can unlock various bonus content, including a mission mode, different outfits, gallery features and special lenses for the camera. In mission mode, the player is presented with a challenge, usually to defeat certain ghosts as quickly as possible or getting the highest points possible, either overall or with a single shot.
The Director's Cut edition for Xbox also has an FPS mode, where you can play through the entire game in first person. This does a lot in fixing the problems inherent with fixed camera locations; at the very worst, there are some small closets which are difficult to walk into, as when the camera switches locations the character will spin around and step right out of the closet you tried to enter. Unfortunately, the FPS mode also takes away some of the game's atmosphere. The Xbox version also has a new feature with gameplay effects: a shop where you can trade points from pictures for healing items and film.
Mayu soon falls under the village's spell and, beckoned by the crimson butterflies, she leads her sister deeper into the village. As Mio chases after her, she slowly learns of the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, the failure of which caused the disaster known as the Repentance, which shrouded the village in darkness. Under the village there is a system of tunnels, and at its deepest point there is a deep hole called the Hellish Abyss, where the souls of the dead collect. In order to keep this hole sealed, a pair of twins born in the village is required to perform a ritual approximately every decade, in which the elder twin strangles the younger, after which the soul of the younger twin stays to guard the village as a crimson butterfly. The last pair of twins, Yae and Sae Kurosawa, tried to escape this fate, aided by Itsuki Tachibana, the Remaining twin of the previous, unsuccessful ritual. During their escape attempt, Sae was caught and brought back to the village, while Yae became lost in the forest. The villagers hanged Sae in a desperate attempt to satisfy the Hellish Abyss, but failed, resulting in the Repentance and the disappearance of the village.
Throughout the game, several ghosts refer to Mio as Yae and seem to expect her to perform the ritual with Mayu, with the exception of Itsuki, whose ghost tries to help her- believing the two to be the Kurosawa twins, he tries to aid their escape from the village again.
Near the end of the game, when Mio is finally reunited with her sister and planning their escape, she discovers a document left by a visiting folklorist concerning the twin order. In the village, the twin born second is considered the elder, as they let the weaker, "younger" twin be born first. This completely reverses Mio's intended fate: instead of being sacrificed herself, she is to strangle her twin sister, a fate which has driven many previous Remaining twins to madness and suicide.
Fatal Frame II has three potential endings, one of which directly leads to a Game Over. The Lingering Scent ending sees Mio escaping from the village without Mayu . The Crimson Butterfly ending sees Mio and Mayu proceeding with the ritual, where Mayu is strangled to death and becomes a crimson butterfly . The Hellish Abyss ending sees Mio rescuing Mayu from Sae, only to become permanently blinded from looking into the Hellish Abyss. A fourth ending, the Promise Ending, was added into the Xbox version, and sees Yae and Sae performing the ritual and freeing the villagers' spirits . According to the events of Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
, a direct sequel of the game, the Crimson Butterfly ending is the canonical ending.
gave the Xbox version 84.52% and 84/100, and the PS2 version 82.41% and 81/100.
The title was ranked second in Gametrailers
' "Top Ten Scariest Games" in 2006, and third in X-Play
's "Top Ten Scariest Games of All Time". Game Informer ranked it number one on a similar list. Ars Technica
published an article about the game in its Masterpieces series claiming Fatal Frame 2 is the scariest video game ever made.
Originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2003, a director's cut
edition was released for the Xbox in 2004. The director's cut added in several updates to the gameplay, such as a first-person
play mode, a survival mode, a new ending, enhanced graphics, and a greater number of alternate costumes to unlock.
Recently a Wii version was announced, with a release date currently scheduled for 2011.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly, is a survival horror video game developed by Tecmo. It is the second installment in the Fatal Frame
Fatal Frame
Fatal Frame, known as Project Zero in the PAL region, and Zero Zero in Japan, is a survival horror video game series consisting of four installments and a spin-off. The first and second games in the series were released for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox, the third has been released for the...
series and is considered by some gaming magazines as one of the scariest video games ever created (see Reception). It was originally released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and a "director's cut" version was released for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in 2004 with better graphics and some additional features. There has also been a confirmation that there is a 2011 remake set to release on the Wii in Japan, but no confirmation if it will ever release in the US or Europe.
Gameplay
Fatal Frame II uses gameplay mechanics very similar to its predecessor, with some changes and updates. For most of the game, the player controls Mio Amakura, except for some short scenes where the player controls her younger twin sister, Mayu. Mayu's scenes are unlike the regular game, however: they are viewed with a gray filter as she moves from one place to the next, giving the player clues as to where to go. In normal gameplay, Mio's health is shown as a bar in the lower right corner, although only during combat and in Finder mode. If her or Mayu's health runs out, the game will end. Life can be replenished using different healing items scattered throughout the game. There is also a special item called Stone Mirror, which restores Mio's life to full once when it runs out, and then breaks; only one can be carried at any time. Mio also has a flashlight, which can be aimed in different directions, although the flashlight will not work in all areas. Mio's only weapon is the "Camera ObscuraCamera obscura
The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is used in drawing and for entertainment, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a hole in one side...
", an antique camera with the ability to take pictures of ghosts and exorcise them. As "ammunition" the camera uses films of different quality. Type-07 film, the weakest type of film, is unlimited, but the other types have to be collected throughout the game; the strongest ones being the rarest. The camera can be equipped with special functions and with special lenses, all of which grant some special ability useful in combat; these have to be found in-game, or are earned as a result of multiple playthroughs. Finally, the camera's Basic Functions and the special lenses can be upgraded using spirit orbs found in the game, and points earned from photographing ghosts. The points earned from each picture depend on the accuracy of the shot and, during combat, the timing and damage caused, as well as stacked shot bonuses (obtained by using lenses and taking special shots). The camera's features also include the filament, which is displayed in the lower right corner. The filament glows red when facing a hostile ghost, and serves as an indicator of both direction and distance; it will also glow blue when there is a non-hostile ghost nearby.
During the game, Mio must explore the entire village area and its central buildings, and needs to find various objects and solve puzzles in order to advance. Throughout the game, Mio will encounter different kinds of ghosts, some of which appear unexpectedly while some appear during cutscenes. In addition to hostile ghosts, there are numerous vanishing and hidden spirits Mio can photograph for points. The vanishing ghosts often talk, giving some information related to the story, or a hint on how to progress. One ghost is a special case: the ghost of the boy locked in the storehouse, Itsuki, will give clues as to what to do and help Mio. The game is divided into chapters, mostly related to certain areas which Mio visits as she chases after her sister. In the seventh chapter, Mio briefly loses both the flashlight and the Camera Obscura, and has to resort to dodging ghosts and running, with no means to fight back. The total number of chapters is nine, with a special tenth chapter available in Hard and Nightmare difficulty settings.
The game can be saved at red lanterns scattered throughout the village. There is no limit on how many times you can save; however, you cannot save if there is a hostile ghost nearby—in those cases, the lamp will go out and be unusable. Unlike in the first Fatal Frame, there is no way to restore film ammunition; should you run out and use up all the film found in the game, all you will have left is the weakest type.
The game has a new game plus feature, where you can start a new game while keeping your camera with all the special functions, lenses and upgrades from the previous game, as well as all your stored healing items and film. Over multiple playthroughs you can unlock various bonus content, including a mission mode, different outfits, gallery features and special lenses for the camera. In mission mode, the player is presented with a challenge, usually to defeat certain ghosts as quickly as possible or getting the highest points possible, either overall or with a single shot.
The Director's Cut edition for Xbox also has an FPS mode, where you can play through the entire game in first person. This does a lot in fixing the problems inherent with fixed camera locations; at the very worst, there are some small closets which are difficult to walk into, as when the camera switches locations the character will spin around and step right out of the closet you tried to enter. Unfortunately, the FPS mode also takes away some of the game's atmosphere. The Xbox version also has a new feature with gameplay effects: a shop where you can trade points from pictures for healing items and film.
Synopsis
Twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura are visiting the spot where they used to play as children, which is due to be swallowed by a dam soon, when Mayu, who walks with a limp after a childhood accident, follows a mysterious crimson butterfly deep into the woods. Mio, concerned for her twin, follows, and the two girls are led to a village shrouded in fog. While it seems abandoned, the twins soon realize that the tortured souls of the dead roam, forever reliving the day of the failed ceremony that trapped them in this state.Mayu soon falls under the village's spell and, beckoned by the crimson butterflies, she leads her sister deeper into the village. As Mio chases after her, she slowly learns of the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, the failure of which caused the disaster known as the Repentance, which shrouded the village in darkness. Under the village there is a system of tunnels, and at its deepest point there is a deep hole called the Hellish Abyss, where the souls of the dead collect. In order to keep this hole sealed, a pair of twins born in the village is required to perform a ritual approximately every decade, in which the elder twin strangles the younger, after which the soul of the younger twin stays to guard the village as a crimson butterfly. The last pair of twins, Yae and Sae Kurosawa, tried to escape this fate, aided by Itsuki Tachibana, the Remaining twin of the previous, unsuccessful ritual. During their escape attempt, Sae was caught and brought back to the village, while Yae became lost in the forest. The villagers hanged Sae in a desperate attempt to satisfy the Hellish Abyss, but failed, resulting in the Repentance and the disappearance of the village.
Throughout the game, several ghosts refer to Mio as Yae and seem to expect her to perform the ritual with Mayu, with the exception of Itsuki, whose ghost tries to help her- believing the two to be the Kurosawa twins, he tries to aid their escape from the village again.
Near the end of the game, when Mio is finally reunited with her sister and planning their escape, she discovers a document left by a visiting folklorist concerning the twin order. In the village, the twin born second is considered the elder, as they let the weaker, "younger" twin be born first. This completely reverses Mio's intended fate: instead of being sacrificed herself, she is to strangle her twin sister, a fate which has driven many previous Remaining twins to madness and suicide.
Fatal Frame II has three potential endings, one of which directly leads to a Game Over. The Lingering Scent ending sees Mio escaping from the village without Mayu . The Crimson Butterfly ending sees Mio and Mayu proceeding with the ritual, where Mayu is strangled to death and becomes a crimson butterfly . The Hellish Abyss ending sees Mio rescuing Mayu from Sae, only to become permanently blinded from looking into the Hellish Abyss. A fourth ending, the Promise Ending, was added into the Xbox version, and sees Yae and Sae performing the ritual and freeing the villagers' spirits . According to the events of Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
Fatal Frame III, known in Japan as and in Europe as Project Zero III: The Tormented, is the third installment in the Fatal Frame video game series...
, a direct sequel of the game, the Crimson Butterfly ending is the canonical ending.
The Ghosts
Almost all of the ghosts featured in the game are victims of a disaster known as "The Repentance". The Repentance occurs if the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual is not carried out correctly, which causes the Darkness to break forth from the Hellish Abyss and envelop the land. In-game there are two kinds of ghosts; there are neutral ghosts, which are indicated by the filament in the bottom right hand corner of the screen turning blue, and hostile ghosts, which turn the filament orange (or red). The neutral ghosts are usually featured throughout the game to help the player progress through the story. The hostile ghosts will attack the player, and can be exorcised due to the special properties of the Camera Obscura. Typically, throughout the game the ghosts can be heard mumbling to themselves, or giving warning to Mio to leave immediately. The ghosts usually mumble or speak about the ritual that apparently "cannot be seen." However there are moments in the game where even the ghosts themselves express fear such as the Man in the Dark who is scared of the Kusabi, or Chitose who admits during combat to be afraid to leave the closet. The only exception from these words are the children playing tag who call to each other and taunt Mio about being unable to follow them. Some of the blue filament, or friendly ghosts, help to explain the storyline and point to hidden objects or doors in one way or another. There are points in the game where Mio's way is blocked by a strange looking ghost that appears to have four faces, and the only way she can move them is by finding them in a place specified by them after taking a picture. After finding the other place they dissolve and the way is free once more. In-game, there are also ghosts who have nothing whatsoever to do with the storyline. There are four different pictures the player can take optionally, the pictures are the result of a contest held to get fans of the original games faces into the sequel as optional shots.Reception
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly has received positive reviews from critics. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the Xbox version 84.52% and 84/100, and the PS2 version 82.41% and 81/100.
The title was ranked second in Gametrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
' "Top Ten Scariest Games" in 2006, and third in X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
's "Top Ten Scariest Games of All Time". Game Informer ranked it number one on a similar list. Ars Technica
Ars Technica
Ars Technica is a technology news and information website created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games. Ars Technica is known for its features, long articles that go...
published an article about the game in its Masterpieces series claiming Fatal Frame 2 is the scariest video game ever made.
Originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2003, a director's cut
Director's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
edition was released for the Xbox in 2004. The director's cut added in several updates to the gameplay, such as a first-person
First person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
play mode, a survival mode, a new ending, enhanced graphics, and a greater number of alternate costumes to unlock.
Recently a Wii version was announced, with a release date currently scheduled for 2011.