By Jordan Campbell As someone who only really plays horror games very sporadically and is quite selective with the genre, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE caught my attention. A revival of the original 2003 release, it’s now available to all on Xbox Series X|S. This Japanese horror classic has had significant work done on its presentation to bring it up to today’s standards. I didn’t manage to have the pleasure of playing the original game, so forgive me for not drawing too many direct comparisons. How does it fare in 2026, though? Keep reading our Xbox Nation review to find out.
The remake remains true to the original and retains its atmospheric, horror-survival vibe. Sticking it right in the same category as titles such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Here in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE, you’ll be wandering around Minakami Village through derelict houses, shrines, and a maze of paths. It’s all about exploration, solving puzzles and plenty of backtracking. Throughout the nine chapters of the game, it doesn’t hold your hand much, and you may be left scratching your head at how to get behind a locked door or where to go next.
Combat here is very unique, and you won’t be armed with a pistol or shotgun like other horror titles. Instead, you’ll be exorcising spirits with camera obscura. These moments always have you on edge and uneasy, which is intentional, as the atmosphere is creepy. The difference in this adventure is having to tackle the horror head-on with the camera. By pointing your camera at spirits and timing shots, you’ll damage and slay the spirits. Usually, the most effective shots are when they are about to attack you; it requires nerve, patience and balls of steel.
Different types of camera film can be used with varied effects. Type-07 film is unlimited snaps, but weak and sluggish to reload. Stronger film types will allow for faster reloading and higher power shots against the ghosts. Some encounters with wraiths further into the game become a bit of a challenge to the point I sacked the game off and tried the following day again, but eventually I got through these difficult portions.
Visually, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE does an exceptional job in performance on Xbox Series X. For my fifteen or so hours with the game, the framerate was buttery smooth with crisp 4k visuals. Obviously, having not played the original title twenty-three years ago, I wasn’t sure how the game fared back then. After doing research and watching several comparison videos on YouTube, it’s clear to see that the development team have worked hard on even the most subtle of details.
From the rubble on the ground to the foliage surrounding you, there are clear night and day differences in how the game now presents itself. That said, though, it has been over two decades, so you would expect the remake to come on leaps and bounds. It isn’t a next-level presentation like the recent Resident Evil Requiem, but it does look like a solid current-generation experience. Whilst mechanically it appears more fluid than the first outing, there are still the odd glaring bugbears that I’d imagine were still in the first game. It was rare, but the odd camera angle and some of the moments of backtracking frustrated me somewhat, but not enough to push me away from playing.
The audio in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly is excellent, especially through a great headset. Playing with all the lights in the room dimmed, the immersion I felt throughout my time in Minakami Village was mainly through how great it sounded. Audio cues such as footsteps, distant sounds, creaking of floorboards, and more are enough to have you constantly on edge. Strangely, though, I felt more uneasy about everything being in silence, with spirits being the enemy; you don’t always directly see them.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is a remake that brings the game up to date both in mechanics and visuals. If you’re a fan of the original, then you’ll likely enjoy this enhanced and refreshed version of the game. There are still some of the bugbears from the previous title, but it is still a delightful remake that looks brilliant on a big 4k screen. Bringing its unique camera combat to a creepy and terrifying Minakami Village, it is a nightmarish experience horror fans won’t want to miss. If you’d like to grab a copy for Xbox Series X|S, you can purchase it HERE.
Score 75%
Pros
- Great visual upgrade compared with the original experience
- Solid performance on Xbox Series X
- Some modern additions to the mechanics bring more fluidity to the gameplay
- Faithful to the first game
Cons
- Some clunky moments and awkward camera angles
- Backtracking and challenging fights with wraiths can be off-putting
- Combat takes some getting used to
Fletcher Wilkinson