Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake Review: A Solid Remake that is Held Back by Frustrating Combat

3 hours ago 1

Published Mar 9, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT

Christian has over three years of experience writing in the gaming industry, including guides and reviews, for publications such as DualShockers, Attack of the Fanboy, and PC Invasion. He has been an avid gamer since he was a kid, viewing it as the best possible art form and medium. Some of his favorite genres include Survival Horror, Soulslikes, and RPGs, but he finds joy in almost any type of game.

The survival horror genre has seen many remakes of classics over the past few years. We got the remake of Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 in 2023, the remake of Silent Hill 2 in 2024, and a remake of the original Silent Hill is coming on the horizon. As we wait for Bloober Team's highly anticipated title, it's Team Ninja and Koi Tecmo's time in the spotlight with Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake.

The Fatal Frame series can be considered as a niche survival horror classic, meaning that it was highly praised, but wasn't as popular as the heavy hitters mentioned earlier. Still, those who played and loved Fatal Frame absolutely adored everything it had to offer. In other words, the series can be viewed as a "cult classic," rather than a mainstream hit.

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When it comes to the original Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, some survival horror fans have deemed it as one of the scariest games ever made. That reputation is hard to live up to and puts a ton of pressure on the remake to do it justice in all the right spots: atmosphere, scares, and story, three aspects that are essential to improve upon in a remake. So, does Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake live up to the hype? Let's talk about it in this review.

Nostalgic Horror that Lost Some of Its Bite

Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly Remake Scares

If you aren't familiar with the Fatal Frame series, it focuses on the supernatural and puts players up against ghosts. This may sound like a small detail, but it actually makes Fatal Frame stand out as a unique entry into the genre as most other survival horror games focus on zombies and monsters. There's something very creepy and depressing about ghosts, and Fatal Frame does a great job at capturing that through the cries and moans of the supernatural beings.

However, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake isn't as scary as the original that released in 2003. That's not to say it isn't scary at all, and it definitely has its moments, but the updated camera has somehow removed the surprise factor. You see, the original Fatal Frame II had fixed camera angles, making it tough to see around corners, or spot what's lurking in the shadows. This simply made progressing through to the next room or corridor more terrifying, because you never knew what was waiting for you.

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Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake opts for an over-the shoulder third-person perspective, giving the player more control and self awareness. This makes it easier to peek around corners, look through windows, or see what's directly in front of or behind you. Since this is a possibility, there are fewer surprises and jump scares throughout the game, at least when it comes to exploration.

It could be that I'm a grown man now that makes the Fatal Frame II experience less scary, since I was barely a teenager when I first played the original, but I don't think I'm willing to give it that benefit of the doubt. There are still games that are released today that scare the bejeebers out of me, such as Resident Evil Requiem and Silent Hill 2 Remake, so it's not like Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake didn't have its shot at me.

Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly Remake Survival Horror

Still, the game has its moments in the scare department that shows true signs of greatness. For example, when you're being chased by an unkillable ghost, and you have to run to find somewhere to hide. Since your character moves so slowly in this game (more on that later), running to find a hiding spot, knowing that there's a malicious entity right on your tail, is exhilarating and a great way to get the heart pumping. I found myself yelling "Run! Go faster!" to the screen as I desperately tried to find a place to hide.

The over-the-shoulder camera makes it easier to peek around corners, look through windows, or see what's directly in front or behind you. Since this is a possibility, there are fewer surprises and jump scares throughout the game, at least when it comes to exploration.

Another cool way the game tries to scare the player is through the opening door and picking up hidden items animations. Every time you go to open a door or pick up an item in a hard-to-reach spot, the game zooms in as your character completes the animation. The reason it does that is because there is a possibility that there's a ghost on the other side of the door, or a ghost waiting to grab you as you collect the item. Since a odds of a ghost actually being there is very low, when they do pop up, it's very surprising and often makes you jump out of your seat.

At the end of the day, it makes sense as to why the developers chose to go over the shoulder for the remake. I mean, we are in 2026. Still, there are great games being made that use the traditional fixed camera angles, such as Tormented Souls, that are scarier because of it. Part of me wishes that Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake kept the same camera angles as the original, since, as it turns out, ghosts are just not as scary with full control.

Atmosphere and Story Remade for the Fans

Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly Remake Review

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly follows a pair of twin sisters, Mio and Mayu, trapped in a village riddled by ghosts. As anyone would naturally do in a haunted village, the two sisters work together to make it out alive. While the premise sounds simple, the story goes deeper and has dark hidden meanings that lore enthusiasts will eat up.

The story starts out with the two girls hanging out by a small stream near their village, where they are confronted by a crimson butterfly. Mayu takes notice of this butterfly and decides to follow it, leading to the village of Minakami, and Mio follows suit to check on her sister. Unfortunately, Minakami is no ordinary village, and the sisters soon find out after doing some exploring. They discover that the village was once a site of a Crimson Sacrifice Ritual, an event that has one twin kill the other to satisfy vengeful spirits. It's genuinely disturbing.

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The story of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly has always been the appeal of the game, and the remake does it justice, even better than the original. Without going into spoiler territory, the game tackles emotional themes such as the bond between siblings, consequences of past actions, and sacrifices that one must make to keep going, even if it could be viewed as wrong. There is so much to unpack here, and while the story mostly remains unchanged, I believe fans of the original will be pleased at the slight differences the remake offers.

Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly Remake Atmosphere

The dark tone of the story is complimented by the dreadful atmosphere of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake. The atmosphere is arguably my favorite part about this remake, as it has been recreated in such a beautiful, yet genuinely uneasy way, that makes the world of Fatal Frame feel more alive and creepier than ever. The darkness of the village, dimly lit rooms of a life once lived, and the moaning of ghosts who once dwelled there, all combine to create a surreal atmosphere that feels like a dream. This is where the game truly shines.

While playing this remake, I found myself slowly walking through its environments to take in the surrounding atmosphere. The player is not wanted in this village, and the game does a great job at reminding you of that through subtle environmental cues, such as a mask falling off a wall by itself or a lamp turning off with seemingly no one in sight. Like I said, it all feels very surreal and replicates the supernatural phenomenally.

The darkness of the village, dimly lit rooms of a life once lived, and the moaning of ghosts who once dwelled there, all combine to create a surreal atmosphere that feels like a dream.

The atmosphere and story are two reasons why this remake deserves to exist. These two are considered almost perfect in my eyes, and are the main reason why I enjoyed my time with the game. Unfortunately, what I did not enjoy, is the combat. Let's delve deeper into why.

Clunky Combat and Movement Speed

For those who are new to the Fatal Frame series, let's discuss what combat is all about. On your journey through the haunted village, you will eventually get a Camera Obscura, a device that can be used to take pictures of ghosts and deal damage. Bringing up this camera and taking the perfect shot, such as having the right draw distance and sharpness, will deal more damage than taking a bad picture. It's a very cool concept, but definitely not for everyone.

My least favorite part of my time with Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake was the combat, not because it's bad by design, but because the game is way too clunky for its own good. Clunkiness can be found in the movement speed and the control scheme, both of which feel so outdated that it can lead to a frustrating experience depending on your tolerance level.

First off, Mio moves unbearably slowly, almost as if she's walking even when you are pressing the sprint button. I understand why the choice was to make her move so slowly, as it can create some tense moments like being chased by an unkillable ghost, but it does not help out combat encounters whatsoever.

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There will be times when you have to face three or four ghosts in combat, all of which can disappear and reappear, surrounding your character from all directions. When they surround you, expect a handful of attacks and grabs to come your way, leaving you with no choice but to take a ton of damage.

In these situations, the speed at which Mio moves just feels unfair, as she can't even come close to getting away and getting to safety. You can try to run away in these encounters, but she runs so slowly that the enemy will just reappear nearby, either damaging you from behind or popping up in front of you.

Then there is the frustrating control scheme. A common combat encounter involves taking out a camera (L2), adjusting its zoom (Triangle + Up and Down on D-Pad), adjusting its lens (Up and Down on D-Pad), swapping between camera filters (Right and Left on D-Pad), waiting for a ghost to get into frame, and then snapping the picture to deal minimal damage (R2). All of these button inputs combined can be very exhausting.

The combat does have its moments that I enjoyed, such as its Shutter Chance and Fatal Time mechanics, with the former being a way to deal extra damage to an overly exhausted ghost, and the latter allowing you to take multiple photos without having to reload. These can be tricky to pull off, but once you do, it feels very satisfying and more fast-paced than the rest of the combat.

Also, I loved that there is an upgrade system in place. Players can find Prayer Beads through exploration, which can then be used to upgrade your character further. This includes faster reload times, increased damage, or specifically increasing the efficiency of special shots for each filter. This alone makes exploration well worth it and adds a sense of progression to the game.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake. While it may not necessarily be as scary as the original released in 2003, it does have its moments of greatness when it comes to scares, and there will be times that even the biggest survival horror fans have to take a breather. The stars of the show here are the atmosphere and story, both of which are so incredibly well-made, do the original justice, and validate the need for this remake to see the light of day. However, the combat is a major let down and definitely won't be for everyone. The controls feel outdated, the movement speed is excruciatingly slow, and those two mixed together can make for a rather frustrating experience at times. Still, if you were a die-hard fan of the original Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, you'll enjoy what Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo have created here.