Fatal Frame (known as Project Zero in Europe, Zero (零) in Japan.) is a survival horror video game series, so far consisting of two games. The first edition was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, while the second edition was only available on the PlayStation 2. The series deals with exorcism, dark Shinto rituals, and most of all, ghosts.

Created by Tecmo, Fatal Frame is one of the more highly received horror video games to date, largely due to the atmospheric music, dark and claustrophobic environments, and the variety of spirits encountered during the course of the game. The main focus of the game is to solve a mystery which is linked to old Japanese superstitions. The player's main enemies are ghosts; a few are friendly, but most are not. The only form of defense is a camera obscura, which allows the player to exorcise ghosts by taking a picture of them.

Fatal Frame (2000)

On a dark September night in 1986, a young college student called Miku has come to the Himuro Mansion to find her missing brother. Her brother Mafuyu went to the mansion to find his friend and mentor, a mystery novelist called Junsei Takamine. Armed with a flashlight and a mysterious box camera, Miku enters Himuro Mansion, which has a long history of bloodshed, curses and horrific rituals.

A version of the game was released for the Xbox as well. New features/ghosts were added to the game on this edition.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly (2003)

The second game in the series is actually a prequel, taking place years before the events in Himuro Mansion. Twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura are wandering around in an old forest when Mayu, who walks with a perpetual limp after a childhood accident, follows a mysterious crimson butterfly deeper into the woods. Mio, concerned for her twin, follows Mayu, and the two girls are led to a lost village. As they investigate, they discover the camera obscura and are set upon by ghosts. Separated from her sister, Mio becomes determined to save Mayu and escape before they meet the same cursed fate as the village's former residents.

Originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2003, a Director's Cut edition was later released for the Xbox in 2004.

Fatal Frame III (planned for release in 2005)

Not much is known so far about the next episode of the Fatal Frame franchise, apart for some sibylline declarations from series producer and creator Keisuke Kikuchi that it will be "completely different" and that some "might not even recognize it as a Fatal Frame game at first".

Film

On October 1, 2003, DreamWorks SKG and Tecmo announced a movie adaptation of Fatal Frame has been fast-tracked. Details on the movie released at the 2003 Tokyo Game Show stated that it is a major priority for DreamWorks and that writer/producer John Rogers has signed onto the project as its producer and Steven Spielberg has a first-hand role with the project.

External links

• Beyond the Camera's Lens - Fansite with detailed analysis
• Shadow Obscure - Fansite, not as much info as BTCL, but it's still upcoming.