By Dwayne Jenkins , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Scary horror adventure remaster stumbles but entertains.
Parents need to know that Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a downloadable single-player survival horror game available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows-based PCs. This is a remaster of 2008's Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, which was previously…
Though the game has very little blood and no gore, there are many scares and hor
Sex, Romance & NuditySome girls have revealing outfits players can unlock, with some attires simply b
"Damn," "hell," and "bastard" are rarely spoken by the characters – more so seen
Products & PurchasesThis is a remaster of 2008's Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, previously
Drinking, Drugs & SmokingThere are minor references to drugs sprinkled throughout the game, but nothing o
The main characters are all trying to help someone – or at least have a history
Diverse RepresentationsFeatures Japanese characters in an old sanitarium – takes heavy inspiration from
Positive MessagesThere's an underlying thread of friendship and togetherness within the game, but
Ease of PlayMoving your character around can feel like a slog as you're always moving slowly
Though the game has very little blood and no gore, there are many scares and horrors of ghosts popping up out of nowhere to intimidate and challenge the player.
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Some girls have revealing outfits players can unlock, with some attires simply being undergarments with the torso, arms, and legs exposed.
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"Damn," "hell," and "bastard" are rarely spoken by the characters – more so seen in the many notes and documents players will come across.
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There are minor references to drugs sprinkled throughout the game, but nothing obscene or visibly seen.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Features Japanese characters in an old sanitarium – takes heavy inspiration from the architecture of Japanese hotels and houses. Also features girls as the main representatives of the game.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.There's an underlying thread of friendship and togetherness within the game, but that's secondary to the thrills and chills of ghost-related scares.
Moving your character around can feel like a slog as you're always moving slowly – not only while creeping around the different areas of the sanitarium, but also when reaching out for crucial items and resources. Additionally, any given engagement with a ghost can lead to some frustration, especially when forced to engage them in cramped areas where you already feel much heavier and more sluggish than you should.
Parents need to know that Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a downloadable single-player survival horror game available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows-based PCs. This is a remaster of 2008's Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, which was previously a Wii exclusive. Players will rotate through a few characters who have all found their way to Rougetsu, an island where a great tragedy occurred eight years prior to the beginning of the game. Then, the ghosts arrive to prevent your characters from learning the truth, which boils down to either scaring characters or trying to bring them into the afterlife. There's little blood and no gore, but the game can be immensely scary during some moments. Much of the game's setting takes inspiration from the architecture of Japanese houses and hotels, and the main cast itself is largely Japanese with female characters making up the bulk of the playable protagonists. As for the controls, moving your character around can be a task as they move incredibly slow, even while running. Encounters with ghosts can also be cumbersome as you'll have to constantly manage where your character is vs. where the ghosts are, then fumble with the camera with the hopes of coming out on top.
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In FATAL FRAME: MASK OF THE LUNAR ECLIPSE, two girls, Misaki and Madoka, return to Rougetsu island in an effort to find out the truth of their past. Neither of them can quite remember what happened to them on the island eight years ago, and two of their friends have died terribly under mysterious, bizarre circumstances. Soon, they find themselves coming face to face with the ghosts of those who came before, and it quickly becomes clear that something unspeakably horrible happened – not just to the girls, but to all the island's former inhabitants. Things spiral out of control, and a few more souls find their way to the island with hazy memories and a desire to uncover the truth. Will Rougetsu's morbid secrets come to light, or will those who seek answers end up suffering the same fate as the ghosts that haunt their former home?
When it comes to older games being updated, some survive and even flourish, while others end up feeling outdated in a landscape that's long outgrown them. Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse falls directly in the middle of that spectrum with controls that feel two decades out of style while being so utterly unique that it's difficult to write it off completely. Controlling the protagonists can feel useless, especially when you're wielding your ghost-slaying camera in a cramped hallway and vicious wraiths are breathing down your neck. In those instances, your character moves like a tank rather than a person. While there's a quick-turn option, you can only use it when you aren't actively holding the camera, so you'll constantly have to leave the viewfinder mode, reorient your character, and go back to the viewfinder. If you find yourself facing two or more ghosts, it becomes less about fearing rogue specters and more about fighting to even get a ghost in the camera's sights.
That being said, if you let yourself get used to the dated controls and ghost encounter headaches, there's an endearing game beneath the surface. It may not be as "scary" after the hundredth time a cutscene telegraphs a ghost appearance. But for an older survival horror game where storytelling often took a backseat to the scares, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse has a captivating plot with many dark twists, turns, and tragedies. The ghosts are presented as if they'd had extensive lives and strong personalities before their untimely demise, adding a great deal of character. Also, as you progress, new mechanics are introduced that keep the gameplay fun and exciting. Even the initial frustration you may feel in the opening hours eases up once you understand what you're doing, which makes some of the ghost encounters simultaneously terrifying and oddly rewarding. Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is far from perfect, but it has a lot of heart and spirit if you're willing to pick up that camera and give it an earnest try.
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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