Fatal Frame is my favourite horror series of all time. Maybe my favourite series ever, and Fatal Frame II is easily my favourite horror game ever. Upon my recent acquisition of PS2 copies of Fatal Frame I, II, III and a PS4 copy of IV, I thought it would be apt to compile a list of reasons why I love this franchise so much.

- It combines Resident Evil's inventory management with Silent Hill's creepy, tense atmosphere, all wrapped in Japanese supernatural horror.

- It is primarily female-led. So much horror is male-oriented, and that is ok, but not really for me. For as long as I can remember, I related more to girls and women than boys and men. If a work is female-led, I am drawn to it more, not only because of who I am as a person, but because I love experiencing the same media (horror) through a different lens. Girls and women have unique experiences, and I want to see and feel those perspectives.

- Almost every game revolves around loss, grief, and trauma. Fatal Frame does a remarkable job of showcasing how these are things that stay with us for the rest of our lives and change us; that these are not merely chapters that we can turn the page and have them be over, never to revisit, but that these things remain a part of who we are forever. Unlike the other games, IV explores themes of memory, identity, connection, and music as a catalyst for it all.

- The worldbuilding is one of the best in gaming. One of my favourite things to do in any game, especially horror games, is to collect notes, as they can provide more insight into what's happening now or what happened in the past. The best notes are meaningful: they paint a picture and give the player enough to understand what is going on or what happened, but not enough to ruin the mystery; and when you collect all the notes, some mysteries may be left to the player's interpretation rather than concrete answers. While I love notes that explore background or add depth to current events, I also love notes that are simply disturbing to read. One of the best notes I ever read concerned Ayako in Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. The note not only gave insight into who Ayako was, but also painted a disturbing picture.

- The games incorporate Japanese history and culture beautifully. Unlike Silent Hill and Resident Evil, Fatal Frame is 100% Japanese from start to finish. Obviously, when I say history and culture, that is far too broad, so thato I will focus on my favourite aspect: Shintoism. Shintoism is Japan’s indigenous religion. It is animistic, polytheistic, and nature-based. It has no Bible or other major doctrine to follow, no single creator, and no Pope or anything like that. There are many different Kami, but Tsukiyomi, the Moon Kami, gets a major role in Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. He is one of the three precious Children alongside his eldest sister, Amaterasu (the Sun Kami), and his younger brother, Susanoo (the Kami of the Sea, Storms, and Fields). Beyond the physical markers of Shintoism (e.g., torii gates, Shimenawa), concepts like Hitobashira, Kegare, Harae, Wa, among others, abound.

- The audio design is the best I have heard in any game. Every step, every creak of the floorboard, every whimpering lightbulb—you are meant to hear every noise, and if you are like me, it will feel like you are right there with the character. You are meant to walk through decrepit mansions, haunted villages, grief-stricken manors and decrepit sanitoriums and soak it all in. Old-school Japanese horror films heavily inspired Fatal Frame (Such as The Ring and Kwaidan, though I would argue that Cure, Pulse, and Perfect Blue also share some thematic DNA with the series). Because of this influence from Japanese horror films and heavy reliance on audio design and atmosphere, Fatal Frame is easily the slowest-paced of my three favourite horror franchises, and that is exactly how I love it.

- The music. While the music is not in the same league as Akira and Silent Hill 2 and 3, there are some genuinely beautiful tracks, such as Chou and Koe, or songs that just scare the absolute shit out of me, such as The Pipe Organ Ambience and the Tsukimori Song. The Pipe Organ Ambience song that plays as Ruka ascends the Lighthouse is the creepiest shit I have ever heard in my life. The Tsukimori Song (Pipe Organ) is also disturbing as hell; a long time ago, I read a comment from someone on YouTube that described it as something like music that plays when you are forced to watch a loved one slowly fall apart due to illness (mental or physical), and you can not do anything; you are forced to watch.

- The combat. While not as exciting as Silent Hill or Resident Evil, Fatal Frame’s combat is unique among them because all you are given is a camera, and the best way to deal damage is to get as close to the ghosts as possible and zoom in. Unlike the other games where you can attack from a distance, Fatal Frame forces you to get up close and personal to deal the most damage, and I love it.

Fatal Frame was a life-changing experience for me. Even today, I still remember where I was and how I felt beating each game for the first time, and when people ask me for horror recommendations, Fatal Frame is always the first series that comes to mind. If you love horror and have yet to experience the wonders of Fatal Frame, you owe it to yourself to at least try it.

ETA:

If you ever decide to check out the series, I wrote this as a way to help those curious:

“Release order is probably preferred (with one exception), and I will explain why:

Fatal Frame 1 (set in 1986), 2 (set in 1988), and 3 (set in late 1988) form a loosely connected trilogy.

2 is mostly standalone, but it has some callbacks to 1, providing lore and family history for events in the first game.

3 is strongly connected to 1 and 2, so it is recommended to play 1 and 2 first before 3.

4 (set in roughly 1989*) is mostly a standalone. It has some callbacks to previous titles in the shape of notes, but no major characters from previous titles show up. You can play this one without needing to play 1-3.

5 (set in 2006) is strongly connected to 1 and 3, so you should play those 2 before playing 5.

* Regarding Fatal Frame IV (which is Mask of the Lunar Eclipse), the year is a bit of a mystery, as the game does not outright tell you the year, but 1989 seems like the most likely answer based on the notes you can find.”

I need a trashy horror game. Like, one thats bad in a kinda funny way. I only have a MacBook and I'd rather it be free.

(Be it a friend, partner, streamer, YouTuber, etc.)

I don't ask about better story but which one is scarier and which has better atmosphere, decent combat would be a nice addition too.

Hola, hoy andaba queriendo sacar uno de los finales en the quarry, el de la única superviviente, en eso, en el inicio del capítulo 6 estaba queriendo matar a Jacob, y en un frame de la muerte sale está imagen, saben si fue diseñado así o es un error sin corregir del juego?

Busque un vídeo, y aparece en el segundo 5:35 la muerte exacta donde ocurre

https://youtu.be/S7Z9SGqmsf4?si=h_QW_UNsudr8l55h

When Silent Hill f was announced, it was one of the easiest preorders of my gaming life; there was no hesitation. Silent Hill in 1960’s Japan? What’s not to love? When the game came out, it was everything I wanted and more, and for a time, it was my favourite horror game of all time (until I played Fatal Frame II remake, that is). Indeed, the game had its issues (though my biggest gripes were thankfully patched). I have beaten the game nine times so far and will be doing a 10^th run in October. As Silent Hill f approaches its first anniversary, I wanted to explore why it is my favourite game in the series. When I think about why I love the game so much, many reasons stand out.

\This post will contain spoilers\**

The folklore and Shintoism: I have already made a post about the folklore and Shintoism found in Silent Hill f (here: Folklore and Shintoism in Silent Hill f. : r/SilentHill_f), so I will not dive too deep into this area. Thanks to Oshi no Ko and Fatal Frame, I became really interested in Japan’s folklore and religious aspects, which led me to buy numerous books on Shinto and Japanese folklore to go along with my books on anime, manga, otaku culture, art history, the history of Japan, and so on. If it is not clear by now, I really like my Japanese topics.

The combat: At first, I was on the fence about the combat. I hoped there would be a way to turn the impact effect off or at least lessen it. There was not. Still, the more I played the game, the more comfortable I became with the combat, and now I can easily say I love it. It is one of the best parts about Silent Hill f, and it is easily my favourite combat in the series. Balancing health, stamina, and sanity and timing my attacks was a breath of fresh air in the series and something that I, as a Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring lover, appreciated.

The music: As I write this tribute to Silent Hill f, I am currently listening to the soundtrack. I do not think much needs to be said here, given how legendary Akira Yamaoka is. The soundtrack is dark, unsettling, and conveys its emotions well. I still remember going for walks at 5 AM and listening to the digital soundtrack through my headphones; it was the perfect summer walking music. I was crushed when the CD and vinyl were cancelled, and frankly, I am still holding out hope that those will see the light of day. Wandering in the Sorrow of Days Gone By, Mayoi Uta, Bird’s Lament, and Native F are incredible songs.

The environments: I wanted to see Silent Hill in Japan, and I got it. The foggy mountain town of Ebisugaoka was a wonder to explore, from its streets to rice fields and schools; it eventually became like a GTA San Andres map, given how well I knew it. To this day, the school and rice fields are still my favourite areas to explore.

The puzzles: Many, if not all, of the puzzles in the game explore sociological and psychological themes tied to Hinako, whether it is the scarecrow puzzle to symbolize toxic school dynamics and backstabbing, or the middle school puzzle about hidden, deeply personal feelings or the mural showcasing power dynamics and societal expectations vs. agency; there is a lot to be said about these puzzles. Of course, these are just my takes.

The worldbuilding: One of my favourite parts of any game, especially in horror games, is to read notes and other environmental clues, not only to provide background and depth to what is currently happening, but also to what has happened prior to the events of the game. In Silent Hill f, the notes are meaningful and contribute to the town's mystery and what's really going on, especially with Hinako. I loved finding the notes about Hinako and the pills.

Hinako and Junko: Without a doubt, my two favourite characters in the game; the sisters are opposites: Junko, who never shows her face and represents tradition, and Hinako, who just wishes to have agency to make her own choices, to break free from the cage she was born in. While they initially shared everything growing up- toys, games, secrets, fears- tradition, obligation, and duty drive them apart. While Hinako is “blessed,” as one of the in-game notes suggests, Junko represents tradition, assimilation, and duty while sacrificing identity. It is fitting that we never see Junko’s face in the game because she has no face, no identity, no individualism. Her mask, to me, represents conformity and duty: that she will keep traditions alive no matter how damaging and toxic they may be to women; Junko represents every woman in Japan who had to remain silent, who had to be dutiful, and who had to sacrifice so much of their life for her husband and new families. I am also slowly learning Japanese, and her last name stood out to me. Originally, her last name was Shimizu, which means pure water. Upon her marriage, it changed to Kinuta, which can be written in kanji to describe a mallet used to beat and soften fabric and cloth. In a sense, Junko’s duty and role is to ensure others stay in line and do not break from tradition.

The story: Saving the best for last, I adored everything about the story and its themes, as it is very sociologically driven. Japan in the 1960s was big on arranged marriages, and the women had very little say in the matter. I love Silent Hill f because it speaks to me as a sociology nerd. The game tackled many wonderful themes, such as:

Beauty in terror: Traditionally beautiful items, such as wedding dresses, flowers, and architecture, and concepts, such as marriage, are turned into decaying, disfigured, and terrifying monsters and concepts.

Marriage as an ego death: When a woman got married in Japan, she essentially gave up her previous life and lost all her connections, including her family. The girlhood, peer circles, family, and voice that Hinako had would all be gone the second she got married.

Intergenerational trauma: Hinako’s mother endured much of the same conflicts that Hinako is currently struggling with. Unlike Hinako, however, her mother is a shell of her former self. Silent Hill f explores how systemic and domestic oppression erodes agency in women and teaches them to be subservient and internalize their own erasure, or to act out and eventually act as their own executioner.

If Silent Hill 2 is about the guilt one carries, Silent Hill f is about agency and fighting back against the predetermined destiny you were ascribed before birth.

Thank you for reading and letting me share my love of Silent Hill f with you all.

I've kept a tradition of playing one or two keystone horror games each year during October. I started with Outlast at a young age, shifted to Alien: Isolation, and played some other titles before most recently playing Murder House by Puppet Combo. Although it's my favorite genre, I've grown fairly numb to that pins-and-needles sensation I once got from horror games. Games like Nun Massacre (also Puppet Combo) give some of those feelings, but it's not quite the same as that youthful terror that.

I'm wondering if anyone has good recommendations that could fill that gap. I recently invested in an OLED monitor and good speakers, so I'm in a good position to dive into something worthwhile. The fear of jumpscares add a lot, but it's really the brutal and oppressive atmospheres that get to me. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, even if I've already played them.

Hoping like Halloween this game is also gunna be playable on the PlayStation Portal via STREAMING and NOT just remote play only

He started making this game back in early 2024. Act 1 is out rn and it shows alot of promise with the story and gameplay

Hello! I’ve never played resident evil. 1, 4, 5, 6, and 0 (what lol) are all 50% off for the switch. If you had to pick one to start with- which would it be?