I was kinda curious about the fatal frame series since I often hear that it is scary because of the ghosts in a creepy mansion popping out of nowhere along with a few creepy noises, but then again I also hear games like resident evil and doom 3 are scary which I have played and didn't really find them scary at all. The reason was always the same that the scares were just too obvious.

So to get to the point I would like to know why exactly anyone who has played it found it scary (not as in did it make you jump a few times, but did it seriously make you want to just turn off the console it was that kind of scary). You know as in did anything seem obvious or did the silly idea of taking pictures of ghosts kill the scare factor.

I have played about 4/5 of Fatal Frame II, and I find it average.
I was absolutely terrified in the beginning of the game. Like nothing I had ever experience. But after the first level or so, it boiled down to average horror level. I think it was because I got the camera and means to protect myself. I felt so vulnerable before I picked that thing up.

It's perhaps the scariest game I have played yet, but not by lengths. It's still good in my book though. Definitely interesting. However, heed my advice; they do something really stupid. Several times, you have to search a large area for the same ghost 5 times in chronological order. This can take ages without a guide, and it can be pretty damn stressful.


You might want to hear some other opinions though. Apart from me and Chris from Chris' Survival Horror Quest, most people seem to find it a gem. Some say it's the most scary game ever, discounting Silent Hill.

In my opinion, Fatal Frame is waaayy more scary than any of the Silent Hills.

I was able to look at that site you were talking about plus a few other places and I think that this game seems pretty interesting. If there are people who can say that this game is at least close to silent hill's scare factor then I will definitely check it out when I get the chance.

Thanks a lot.

For full effect, you need to play it at night. With no lights. Seriously.

About that gimmick, I'd like to have a discussion going on it. I am personally starting to stop doing it because I feel the chance in atmosphere is too light to be worth the pain in your eyes and ears.

I can be at home, it can be past midnight, and it can be loud, in my headphones with surround sound, but not alone. Is that change ruining it all? Can there be something else I am missing?

Or you can play it all by yourself way out in a strangers house in the country, at night of course.
Also is this game really the scaryest of them all? i knew one kid on the intraweb who said fatal frame was scaryier then all the other horror games.

It is a different kind of experience is all, it's not as psychological as silent hill, but it's not exactly going around guns blazing like RE either.

It is pretty scary to start with till you learn to expect where some of the surprises are going to come from. I do like how the ghosts can follow you through walls which makes it feel less "safe" than a lot of survival horror games.

The thing I like most about the series though is the storylines, I love all the small town atmosphere and the bizarre rituals etc.

I'm basing this opinion on the first two games as i've yet to play 3 or 4.

I think they're quite creepy and scary.

Also, alone with all lights out and sound cranked up is the only way to play horror games. Anything else and you're cheating yourself out of the experience. I also find being wired on caffeine and being slightly cold helps improve the feeling of tension also. Yeah, I'm all about the mood and atmosphere.

Oh, and the first (and last) time I ever took Ambien (prescription sleep medication), I was playing Fatal Frame 2 (I thought it'd take a while to take effect). I started hallucinating and seeing things coming out of the TV. That was definitely disturbing while playing an already creepy game. After that, I saved and went to bed ASAP and fell into what felt like a coma rather than sleep. No more Ambien for me!