Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake on Switch 2 is as beautifully terrifying as it is clunky and frustrating

Fatal Frame (or Project Zero as it was once known in Europe) has always been more of niche concern in the survival horror genre compared to Resident Evil and Silent Hill, but it's nonetheless had almost as much staying power despite not having a new entry since the Wii U's Maiden of Black Water back in 2015.

Its premise of being primarily young and vulnerable women facing supernatural threats also arguably makes it a lot scarier, especially when the first game came out just around the time that J-horror like Ringu and Ju-on: The Grudge was gaining international traction.

Its sequel Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly has often been considered a fan favourite, not just set in one creepy mansion but a whole village cursed by a failed ritual involving twin maidens, which makes for a spooky parallel with twin protagonists Mio and Mayu.

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It already received a remake back on the Wii, which was also when the series became more associated with Nintendo, despite starting out as a PS2 game. But given that remake was never actually officially released in the US, it's perhaps why it's been picked for another remake, and for another new Nintendo console (as well as other current platforms), giving it a modern HD glow-up on par with the recent remasters.

Yet perhaps due to this new remake targeting the Switch 2 from the start (it was after all announced during the console's initial reveal), it doesn't seem like such a leap from the recent remasters, being remade with Koei Tecmo's proprietary Katana engine, which was also used for the remaster of the previously Japan-exclusive Mask of the Lunar Eclipse.

It naturally looks more realistic and detailed than the previous non-HD versions of the game, although the change from from fixed camera to behind the character was already incorporated in the Wii remake.

Lens flair

The Switch 2 version may have more visual compromises but actually has the same locked 30 FPS frame rate as other consoles, even the PS5 Pro. It also has one exclusive feature that first started with the Wii U game, and that's being able to play in handheld mode with motion controls as if you are holding the Camera Obscura in your hands.

Fatal Frame is full of creepy atmosphere as you explore traditional Japanese houses, where the camera relishes in slowly coming in close just as you're about to open a door or bend down to pick up an object, on the off-chance a ghost's face or hand jumps out at you.

But its real tension lies when having to face a hostile wraith with nothing but a camera that's able to somehow exorcise them with each flash. Besides having to wait an agonisingly long time for the film to reload, you're also encouraged to only take a snap the moment a ghost lunges to attack you in order to score the titular Fatal Frame.

Yet while that might make it sound like Switch 2 in handheld mode is the ideal way to play, I found myself leaning more towards docked in the end. The gyro-aiming never quite felt as accurate as when I played the Wii U entry, as I often found myself having to use the right stick to help with aiming or just turning on auto-aim.

Imperfect shot

A better improvement of the Camera Obscura any version can take advantage of is instead the new lens filters, such as the Exposure Filter, which lets you see hidden things at the right angle and make them reappear, or the Radiant Filter, which can unbind doors sealed by bloodstained handprints. Both the camera and filters can also be upgraded with spirit stones you find, though for very little cost you can also reset your upgrades at any time.

While I found fighting off wraiths challenging, especially as some can now become aggravated where they become more hostile and annoyingly restore their health, the difficulty is also down to awfully clunky controls and animations. Even the 180-turn is laborious to watch, though the worst is a new mechanic where Mio can hold Mayu's hand, which seems impossible to do without her sister spinning around awkwardly in order for their hands to clasp.

This also isn't a 1:1 remake and so introduces new puzzles and environments, though it also means padding and backtracking. This wouldn't bother me too much if the game was just a little clearer with its signposting, but objectives can sometimes be frustratingly vague, and it doesn't help that environments are so narrow, dark (you'd be forgiven if you decide to crank up the brightness settings occasionally) and indistinct that I found myself wandering around the same house hopelessly trying to find the one door I hadn't opened yet, while the map often lacks clarity.

That hardly makes a replay appealing, which is required if you want to unlock the real ending, though at least it's possible to do this in New Game+.

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Given the high prices commanded by both the original game and the Wii edition, this remake is certainly the most accessible version to experience, with improved gameplay features compared to the barebones remasters of recent entries, while the option to play with Japanese audio when the Western releases previously only had the English dub is also a bonus. Just don't expect it to be an experience you'll necessarily love.