Fatal Frame IV
Encyclopedia
is a survival horror video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture
and published by Nintendo
for the Wii
video game console
, and the fourth game in the Fatal Frame
series.
. They were eventually rescued by Chōshirō Kirishima, a detective pursuing the criminal. Several years after the incident, two of the girls, Marie Shinomiya and Tomoe Nanamura, died mysteriously. The three remaining girls, Ruka Minazuki, Misaki Asō and Madoka Tsukimori, all now 17 years old, return to the island to recover their lost memories and find out more about their kidnapping. Chōshirō also returns to find Ruka in her mother's request.
and Nunchuk to aim the camera and flashlight, creating a more realistic and tactile experience. Not all spirits encountered are hostile, and the player will be able to tell the difference depending on the color of the glow of the on-screen Ghost Filament. As with the previous titles in the series some photos of "seals", or "mists" on doors, may offer clues to progressing further in the level. A new filament, the Item Filament, was added, used to direct the player towards items they may pick up. The more accurate the aim/distance to the item, the brighter blue the filament will glow.
The currency for upgrading in Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen is spirit crystals - blue for the Basic Functions and red for the lenses, for both Camera and Flashlight. There is a shop at which various healing items and films can be purchased for points.
The Ghost List returns from the previous three games, as does Mission Mode, although the ghost list cannot be completed because of a bug in the game. A new addition to the series is the Doll List; there are a total of 79 in red kimonos scattered around the island that, when photographed, unlock costumes and lenses after clearing the game.
, commonly known as Suda 51, from Grasshopper Manufacture. Although the game appears to be a joint effort between Tecmo, Grasshopper and Nintendo, the latter published the game and this is the final Fatal Frame game to be developed by the former before their disbandment.
Initially the project was delayed, apparently for the release of Grasshopper's No More Heroes
, which was subsequently released toward the end of 2007. Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen was eventually released in Japan on July 31, 2008.
Official Nintendo Magazine had announced that Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen was going to be released in Europe in February 2009. Nintendo later released a statement saying that this was false, and that although a May 2009 release for the game was initially envisaged, all localization and release efforts have been canceled for Europe.
Tecmo has stated that Nintendo has decided not to publish the game in North America. However, a team of developers have released a unofficial patch to allow it to be played on U.S. and European Wiis with English text and subtitles. The fan translation was developed to make use of the Wii's SD slot, allowing only the use of original copies of Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen. The patch was released January 17, 2010. However since then a way to use the patch on a non-retail copy has surfaced.
Fatal Frame IV will be released in the United Kingdom
November 18, 2011.. However this is highly questionable since it was officially cancelled by Tecmo in 2010. It is more likely that someone is planning to sell a fan translated copy of it online.
rated Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen 34/40. Edge
gave the game an 8/10, praising its "unprecedented horror interaction".
As of December 7, 2008, the game has sold 63,489 copies in Japan.
Grasshopper Manufacture
Grasshopper Manufacture, Inc. is a Japanese video game development house founded on March 30, 1998 in Suginami, Japan. Grasshopper gained mainstream attention in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 game Killer7...
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
, and the fourth game 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.
Plot
10 years ago, five girls were kidnapped by Yō Haibara, a suspected serial killer, from their rooms in a mysterious sanatorium on Rougetsu Island, located south of HonshuHonshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
. They were eventually rescued by Chōshirō Kirishima, a detective pursuing the criminal. Several years after the incident, two of the girls, Marie Shinomiya and Tomoe Nanamura, died mysteriously. The three remaining girls, Ruka Minazuki, Misaki Asō and Madoka Tsukimori, all now 17 years old, return to the island to recover their lost memories and find out more about their kidnapping. Chōshirō also returns to find Ruka in her mother's request.
Characters
Gameplay
Following the premise of the previous installments in the franchise, the player is expected to fight off hostile spirits using the signature "weapon" of the series, the "Camera Obscura", along with a new weapon- the Spirit Flashlight, a "torch" with the power to exorcise spirits using moonlight. The player uses the Wii RemoteWii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
and Nunchuk to aim the camera and flashlight, creating a more realistic and tactile experience. Not all spirits encountered are hostile, and the player will be able to tell the difference depending on the color of the glow of the on-screen Ghost Filament. As with the previous titles in the series some photos of "seals", or "mists" on doors, may offer clues to progressing further in the level. A new filament, the Item Filament, was added, used to direct the player towards items they may pick up. The more accurate the aim/distance to the item, the brighter blue the filament will glow.
The currency for upgrading in Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen is spirit crystals - blue for the Basic Functions and red for the lenses, for both Camera and Flashlight. There is a shop at which various healing items and films can be purchased for points.
The Ghost List returns from the previous three games, as does Mission Mode, although the ghost list cannot be completed because of a bug in the game. A new addition to the series is the Doll List; there are a total of 79 in red kimonos scattered around the island that, when photographed, unlock costumes and lenses after clearing the game.
Development
The game was developed with the help of Grasshopper Manufacture, with Nintendo also playing a role in the game's development. Directing was shared between Shibata Makoto, who has previously been involved in the direction of the Fatal Frame series and Goichi SudaGoichi Suda
, is the CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture. The "51" in his nickname, Suda51, is a pun on his given name. In Japanese, "Go" means 5 and "ichi" means 1. His works include Moonlight Syndrome, The Silver Case, Flower, Sun and Rain, Michigan, killer7, the No More Heroes series, and most recently, Shadows...
, commonly known as Suda 51, from Grasshopper Manufacture. Although the game appears to be a joint effort between Tecmo, Grasshopper and Nintendo, the latter published the game and this is the final Fatal Frame game to be developed by the former before their disbandment.
Initially the project was delayed, apparently for the release of Grasshopper's No More Heroes
No More Heroes (video game)
, is an action video game for the Wii video game system. It was directed by Goichi Suda , developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Ubisoft and Rising Star Games...
, which was subsequently released toward the end of 2007. Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen was eventually released in Japan on July 31, 2008.
Official Nintendo Magazine had announced that Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen was going to be released in Europe in February 2009. Nintendo later released a statement saying that this was false, and that although a May 2009 release for the game was initially envisaged, all localization and release efforts have been canceled for Europe.
Tecmo has stated that Nintendo has decided not to publish the game in North America. However, a team of developers have released a unofficial patch to allow it to be played on U.S. and European Wiis with English text and subtitles. The fan translation was developed to make use of the Wii's SD slot, allowing only the use of original copies of Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen. The patch was released January 17, 2010. However since then a way to use the patch on a non-retail copy has surfaced.
Fatal Frame IV will be released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
November 18, 2011.. However this is highly questionable since it was officially cancelled by Tecmo in 2010. It is more likely that someone is planning to sell a fan translated copy of it online.
Reception
FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
rated Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen 34/40. Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
gave the game an 8/10, praising its "unprecedented horror interaction".
As of December 7, 2008, the game has sold 63,489 copies in Japan.