With Silent Hill receiving a revival, it might be time for Fatal Frame to receive one next. Fatal Frame as a franchise is in a state similar to Silent Hill in that it hasn’t seen a new mainline game released in years, and its most recent entry wasn’t very well-received. However, Resident Evil has seen a successful revitalization, Silent Hill is attempting one, and maybe it’s time for Fatal Frame to try returning to the horror scene with a new title or a remake.
The last Fatal Frame game released was a Wii U exclusive for a while, which didn’t help it in attracting a large audience and selling copies. However, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water‘s clunky horror had more issues than being an exclusive at launch, such as lackluster gameplay and problems with story pacing. It isn’t too late for Fatal Frame to reevaluate the formulas of games players enjoyed and work to reboot the series.
Fatal Frame’s Developers Haven’t Given Up On The Series
Developers and producers have limited power in decisions about the franchises they work on as a whole, and ultimately publishers often hold the power over gaming studios. With Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water having released in 2014, reviving a series after nearly a decade could be seen as too much of a financial risk in Nintendo’s eyes, especially after the last game didn’t do well. While Fatal Frame‘s producer hasn’t given up and would like to add more entries, he doesn’t have the publishing rights or the power to make that decision himself.
Fatal Frame takes a different approach compared to survival horror games in that the primary weapon for the main character is actually a camera. This can create a feeling of helplessness from not having a traditional weapon for defense, but there can also be a sense of terror from having to defeat ghosts by looking at them through a camera lens and taking their picture. The rich history of Japan being the setting for the game can lend the series a layer of uniqueness since Western players might be more unfamiliar with the ghost stories from another country.
The Fatal Frame slot machine isn’t the series return that most players would expect, and a slot machine doesn’t allow for a story or the use of the iconic camera obscura. After the cancelation of Silent Hills, the SH franchise was left with an uncertain future, and Fatal Frame has been left in a similar position with players wondering if there will ever be a remake or a revival. While the future still seems uncertain, a successful Silent Hill revival could inspire Nintendo to revisit Fatal Frame and give it another chance.
