Fatal Frame
If you're a person who loves to get the crap scared out of them, this game series is definitely the one to check out. If you like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, I guarantee that you'll love this game. It's even better in my opinion. The first game of this survival horror, Fatal Frame, released back in March 4, 2002. I wish I had gotten my hands on this game earlier; I hadn't even really known about. Anyway, this game's creepy ghosts, story, and music are bound to make you stay at the edge of your seat.
It first starts out with explanation of how many people have mysteriously disappeared inside Himuro Mansion. When you first take control, you'll find yourself playing as a young man named Mafuyu Hinasaki. He first arrived at Himuro Mansion set on finding a renowned author named Junsei Takamine, who is Mafuyu's idol. You learn that the author had originally came to the mansion to study its mysteries and bloody history. However, Takamine along with his entire team disappeared and haven't been seen since. As the prologue with you playing as Mafuyu is ended quickly, you realize that it was only the past. The screen fades into a young girl standing in front of the mansion, narrating about how her brother disappeared here. In fact, the girl is Mafuyu's sister named Miku Hinasaki. Determined to find her missing brother, she enters the mansion. This is where the real scare show begins...
The controls and gameplay are quite straightforward. When you first play as Mafuyu, the controls and such are explained rather thoroughly. You find out that your weapon is a special camera given to the character by his mother. The camera has the ability to see "unusual things," meaning ghosts. With this camera you are able to drive away/kill the ghosts that confront you. When in the position to shoot, the screen will go into first-person view. This aspect might turn you off, but I tell you...it's a very unique and fun way of doing it. Also, it can be quite scary if the ghost suddenly transports right up to your face! Now, the actual layout of the area of the mansion mostly consists of long hallways with puzzles. As you guide the character around the mansion, the camera will be fixed in one spot. However, if you ever want to get a better look in front of you all you have to do is go into camera mode.
About the voice acting....from what I've heard, it isn't so bad. But since it's a horror game, who gives a crap?! I mean, all I want is to get scared. Anyway, the ever-so-little voice acting is tolerable at best. Sometimes, after a sentence, they'll over exaggerate a long pause or something. Also, they sound boring a lot of the times. But, this doesn't mean that it's to the point where you can't stand it.
To get to the soundtrack, I have to say that it's rather interesting. It definitely fits in the game in all the parts! The atmosphere it gives is astounding, and some of the ones which makes a sudden jolting noise after a long silence definitely is great. All tracks go so well with the imagery on the screen! But, I don't think it would be the greatest alone, and I think that's why there isn't any soundtrack for sale.