There are only so many times you can slowly walk down an empty hallway or through a watery room before it starts to lose its appeal. While this can be a key component in the kind of classic J-horror that Maiden of Black Water draws from, it?s not nearly as fun when you?re the one in charge of the action. That said, it?s important to remember the second half of what I wrote up there: Maiden of Black Water is a remake of a game that first came out in 2014 on the Wii U ? and not only does it feel like it, it also has a lot of habits that will make it feel even older.īy this I mean that it?s a very slow-moving game. In fact, given how gorgeously creepy the game looks, you could probably even argue that the mechanic has reached new heights for Maiden of Black Water. That?s been one of the essential elements of Fatal Frame going back to the beginning, and it?s done just as well here.

What?s more, its core mechanic ? you?re armed only with a camera, and you need to take photos of all the ghosts lurking about ? is pretty well-executed.

For a horror game, that?s a pretty important aspect to get right. Whether you want to attribute this to the ghostly looking characters (even the non-dead ones), the rickety old buildings, or the general vibe that something unpleasant is lurking just at the edge of your vision, there?s hardly a moment that goes by here that doesn?t feel unsettling.

Whatever its flaws ? and I?ll get those in a moment ? it hits the absolute perfect notes when it comes to atmosphere. If, for example, you read it and instantly zeroed in on either ?Fatal Frame? or Japanese horror, it?s safe to say you?ll be all over this game ? and for good reason, too. And how you react to that sentence will tell you pretty much all you need to know about this game and whether it?s for you. Also on: PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series Xįatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is exactly what you?d expect from a Japanese horror game that originally came almost out a decade ago on the Wii U.

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