Afraid of ghosts? No? Prove it! Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is available now for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, transporting fright fans to the eerie Mt. Hikami, a sacred location haunted by bizarre and unfortunate occurrences — and a place where the water is believed to be housed by vengeful spirits. Think you have what it takes to repel the deadly ghosts and uncover the mysteries surrounding Mt. Hikami? Here are 12 tips and tricks to help you get started on your scary journey.
Tip 1: Follow the Shadows
Once you’ve arrived at Mt. Hikami, it’s time to put your senses to work. Hold down RT to focus and heighten your senses, allowing you to see a silhouette that shows you the path to your next destination. Those silhouettes are called traces — shadows of the past which were left behind by beings who are not part of this world anymore (at least, most of the time). Explorer beware! The traces might lead you the right way, but they can’t protect you against the countless threats roaming across the mountain!
Tip 2: Prepare to (not) die
Exorcism isn’t tourism! Before beginning each chapter, make sure to grab all the necessary items — from different film types to healing items — by trading points you acquired during the previous missions. Preparations are a given when you have to face beings ready to return from the dead.
Tip 3: Lock and Load
A hostile ghost is in front of you. You can damage it by taking pictures using your Camera Obscura. Here are a few things to remember when facing a hostile ghost: by holding LT you can lock on a ghost that was in the center circle of your Camera Obscura. While locked on, the camera will automatically follow the ghost and keep it in the center of the screen.
Tip 4: Ghosts in shambles
After shooting a hostile ghost once, you will notice fragments flying around it. Those are called Spirit Fragments and are parts of the entity that were scattered following your attack. Those can be extremely useful for one main reason: Spirit Fragments are considered targets by the Camera Obscura and, when there are five or more photograph targets in the capture area the entire capture area will turn red. Taking a photo at this time will trigger a Shutter Chance, causing major damage and driving the ghosts back.
Tip 5: Professional Photographer
During the game, you will obtain additional lenses for your Camera Obscura. These lenses all have special effects. Use the Up and Down buttons on the D-Pad to switch between them and press RT to use the current one. Using these Lenses consumes Spirit Power but will prove useful to defend yourself against powerful entities.
Tip 6: Fatal Frame
The hostile ghost is still here. You see it coming. Drawing near, only a few feet away from you, but hang on! To repel it in the most effective way you must wait until the last second before it attacks you. Can you hear it? Can you see it? Your viewfinder became red and an alarm-like sound is ringing. Now is the time to press down the shutter. What you did was a Fatal Frame, a powerful attack causing major damage and driving the ghost back. But it is not over yet, the Fatal Time has just begun. Smash the shutter as many times as you can! Fatal Time allows you to take pictures in quick succession without consuming any film.
Tip 7: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger Pictures
Standing in front of you is the strongest ghost you have ever faced, and even though you landed multiple Fatal Frames, you were not able to repel it! What do you do now? Keep calm and change film. You can change the type of film of your Camera Obscura by pressing the left or right direction on the D-pad when aiming. 7, 14, 61, 90 … the higher the number the stronger its power to repel spirits. Be careful though, only the Type-07 can be used without concern for quantities, but it lacks in power and is slow to recharge. The others film types have to be bought or can be found scattered over the mountain. Rumors also speak of a Type-Zero film! What power could be hidden behind this name?
Tip 8: Feel the power
When aiming the Camera Obscura, you will see a gauge on the bottom left of the screen. This gauge represents your Spirit Power which will increase as you take photos of ghosts. The more damage you deal, the more Spirit Power you absorb.
Tip 9: “I prefer the mountain over the sea” said no one in this game.
When there are items, spirits, or other clues nearby, you will see a white filament on your screen. Go in its direction to find something worth noticing. However, be on guard. If the filament is not white but red, that means a hostile ghost is nearby. Get your Camera Obscura ready before it is too late! Or you can also flee. Remember, not all battles are worth fighting.
Tip 10: Be careful, you will catch a cold … or a ghost.
On Mt. Hikami, water is nothing like normal. In various circumstances, such as being grabbed by drowned ghosts, this will cause your character to get wet and will fill a gauge called the Wetness Gauge. When it is full, it is time to be extremely careful. Ghosts attacking you will be far more dangerous. However, the damage you will be able to deal and the amount of Spirit Power you absorb will also increase. Be careful – being wet makes it easier for ghosts to appear.
In addition, certain special ghosts can use attacks that will make your Wetness Gauge turn red. Be extremely careful as this will increase the damage you will receive as well as gradually decreasing your health. However, it also means your attack power and ability to absorb Spirit Power will increase even more.
Tip 11: Item finder
The Camera Obscura has a lot of secrets and can help you in ways other than repelling hostile ghosts. When there is something that can be seen only through the Camera Obscura, it may begin to react. Focus in on what it’s reacting to by pressing LB to lock on, and then turn the Camera Obscura to match the angle of the object. The capture area will turn red once you have found the correct angle. Press RT to take a photo that will reveal a hidden place or object.
Tip 12: Good reflexes for a good Ghost hunter
You spotted a useful item on the ground and you reach out to grab it when, all of a sudden, a ghostly white hand appears from nowhere to grab you. If you quickly release the grab item button, you can avoid it, but if it does grab you, quickly move the left and right sticks from left to right simultaneously to break free.
That’s enough talking about Fatal Frame. Go play the game! Hope these tips help out in your ghostly adventure.
FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water
KOEI TECMO AMERICA
☆☆☆☆☆
5
★★★★★
$39.99
[Early Purchase Bonus]
– Yuri Exclusive Costume: Ryza Outfit, Ryza Hat
Note: This content is included for free with purchases made before November 11th, 2021. It is possible it will be sold separately at a later date.
“FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water” comes to Xbox for the first time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the horror-adventure series FATAL FRAME.
[The Story]
Mt. Hikami was once revered as a spiritual place.
It housed a unique religion based on beliefs and customs of worshipping water as a deity and is said to have been a site of many gruesome incidents and mysterious phenomena.
This mysterious and intertwined story follows three protagonists—Yuri Kozukata, Miu Hinasaki, and Ren Hojo—as each of them explores the ominous Mt. Hikami, a place where many came to die, and the secrets it hides.
[Gameplay]
Players use Camera Obscura, a special camera capable of repelling vengeful ghosts and sealing away their powers, to explore Mt. Hikami and the numerous incidents that took place there in the past.
The story is divided into separate missions, and each mission is led by a new protagonist.
In addition to sealing the evil spirits that attack you, Camera Obscura can be used to reveal other things that can’t be seen with the human eye and will help in the recovery of lost items.
[New Elements]
– Improved screen resolution
– New outfits and accessories
– New Snap Mode where you can freely place characters and spirits for creative shots
– Updated Ghost List
– Updated controls
and more.
Note: “FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water Digital Deluxe Edition” that includes the main game and bonus content is also available for purchase. Please be careful to avoid making a redundant purchase.