FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE
Developer KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is a 2026 survival horror game developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo. It is a remake of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, originally developed and published by Tecmo for the PlayStation 2 in 2003. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
399 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 6, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
249 positive · 37 negative
95% range 83–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 249 | 37 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 37 | 2 | 67 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
What players are saying
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 272 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (3,676 of 4,204 positive).
Players praise the remake's beautiful graphics and faithful atmosphere. [1][2][3] Some reviewers criticize the 60 FPS cap and technical issues. [4][5][6]
- [13]
I'm not going to shelf this game because I love Fatal Frame, I've owned every one since the first's original release. I'll play this to the end no matter what, but I am incredibly frustrated by the gameplay changes. I know some people disagree, but I've always found the combat of the older games to be part of the tension: you're forced to stand there staring down the ghosts until you learn through muscle memory to …
- [2]
The issue with the high ghost HP has been fixed so if you're concerned about that I can confirm it's no longer a problem. The game is very enjoyable now. The quality of the remake itself is top notch. Great graphics. The atmosphere is thick. Very spooky. Also, very fun. Recommend.
- [3]
A beautiful remake of a classic horror title As a longtime survival horror fan and a newcomer to the Fatal Frame series, I had a thrilling time with this game. It delivers a richly haunting atmosphere, blending an eerie yet beautiful countryside Japanese setting with a compelling mystery-driven folklore narrative. The story unfolds gradually through scattered documents and well-written sidequests. At its core is the …
- [5]
The game is good overall, but being capped at 60 FPS in 2026 is honestly pretty disappointing. 9/10, still worth playing.
- [1]
People who can't figure out how to disable film grain either shouldn't own a PC or haven't even actually started the game. Game looks incredible visually, but it's trendy to hate every game coming out now so I assume that's why people apparently can't use settings properly and need something to complain about
Summarised from 34 of the 359 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 12, 2026. How summaries are made
87% of the 272 Steam reviewers we collected recommend FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE. The complaint that keeps coming up: 60 FPS cap is disappointing. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake received "generally favorable" reviews for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Windows versions while the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 69% of critics. Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 399 · most liked firstI'm not going to shelf this game because I love Fatal Frame, I've owned every one since the first's original release. I'll play this to the end no matter what, but I am incredibly frustrated by the gameplay changes. I know some people disagree, but I've always found the combat of the older games to be part of the tension: you're forced to stand there staring down the ghosts until you learn through muscle memory to take perfectly timed shots and some of those shot windows were HARD to nail down…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE - Overview Trailer. Demo announced for March 5 (save data will carry over to full game) www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzB5...
neutral · AI labelView post →People who can't figure out how to disable film grain either shouldn't own a PC or haven't even actually started the game. Game looks incredible visually, but it's trendy to hate every game coming out now so I assume that's why people apparently can't use settings properly and need something to complain about
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →FATAL FRAME II REMAKE THOUGHTS: -30fps on PS5? Bummer -Grain filter is WAY too intense. It feels the right style but thank god you can turn it off. Wish it looked right tbh cuz playing with no filter at all feels wrong -God DAMN combat feels good -Excellent controls and the game does look nice
neutral · AI labelView post →Aggravated wrath form on regular ghosts kill the enjoyment of this game alone. Very annoying to deal with hp sponges.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The issue with the high ghost HP has been fixed so if you're concerned about that I can confirm it's no longer a problem. The game is very enjoyable now. The quality of the remake itself is top notch. Great graphics. The atmosphere is thick. Very spooky. Also, very fun. Recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fatal Frame II was the 2nd EVER episode of The Retro Blast Podcast back in 2019. I love that game and it's my personal favorite in the franchise. Day One for me.
positive · AI labelView post →When Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo randomly announced the remake of Fatal Frame II Crimson Butterfly, I honestly couldn’t believe it This was the game I used to watch my big cousin play back in 2012 when I was a kid Back then I never got the chance to play it myself, I could only watch So finally being able to play it now feels really special. The game starts with that legendary cutscene where Mio and Mayu enter the village The real gameplay begins after you get the Camera Obscura One thing I liked…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A beautiful remake of a classic horror title As a longtime survival horror fan and a newcomer to the Fatal Frame series, I had a thrilling time with this game. It delivers a richly haunting atmosphere, blending an eerie yet beautiful countryside Japanese setting with a compelling mystery-driven folklore narrative. The story unfolds gradually through scattered documents and well-written sidequests. At its core is the bond between two twin sisters—complex, emotional, and just as central to the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Foresee the game being very divisive. I will probably be on the minority for this one. So far I like it, I agree locking the game at 60FPS is dumb. You can change the controller input buttons, it took all of two seconds to do it in the menus so the reviews stating you can't change it are just flat out wrong. I played the original, love it, but I will always be in the minority camp of I understand the appeal of fixed camera angles but I think over the shoulder is good. Game runs well for me, but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another classic title ruined (like Nioh3 ruining Nioh2's combats) Team Ninja(TN), you don't have to make every single game of yours into a souls game. I am a big fan of this series and have played all the titles except Spirit Camera on 3DS. I've played Crimson Butterfly(赤い蝶) and its Wii remake(真紅の蝶) for more than 15 times, and enjoyed its story, character development, atmosphere, art design and combat system. The fatal frame and combo shot makes the combat system my favorite and it's also one…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As someone who has been playing the Original since childhood (aka a very long time) I want to say this Remake is very faithful and extremely beautifully done. To me it's almost a 1 on 1 copy with improvements for modern day gaming. I honestly can't stop playing. It's as tragic and terrifying as ever. I don't find the changes bothersome at all. Both versions of the game still exist. If you wanna play the OG PS2 copy, go ahead. But don't come bringing this one down! Be grateful instead that we…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is good overall, but being capped at 60 FPS in 2026 is honestly pretty disappointing. 9/10, still worth playing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Old fart fan of FF series here. I owned and beat all games in the series except Spirit Camera (3DS), also owns the Japanese version of FF1-4 as my collection. When KT announced FF2R I nearly had a heart attack and was beyond happy now that I finally got to play it. This is the most advanced and beautiful FF game in terms of graphics, and aside from nixing the fixed camera angle, everything was almost the same as the original. It's still beautiful, atmospheric, with memorable frights and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I first wishlisted this game about a month ago purely because it has a good-looking foil badge. And last week, I caught my friend playing it on Xbox, then the game itself grabbed me. So I finally bought it on Steam. A little pricey, but for such a unique experience, I think it's worth it. Homework May Help I like watching people play horror games, but I barely touch them. And I'm not familiar with Japanese games either. So, before this, I knew almost nothing about the series or its story. But…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The profound meaning of "Crimson Butterfly" for Mayu & Mio aligns with the title of this series. I'm quite satisfied with this remake of the "Fatal Frame" franchise, but the original PS2 version still can't be surpassed in its overall aspects. The horror ambience is felt through the improved environment building, but in terms of ghost design, it's okay, nothing special. The switch filter, switch photo film, and dodge mechanics provide a decent experience, and if have time, I'd definitely…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been a huge fan of Project Zero since I was a teenager and I really, really hate giving this game a negative review. I just can't recommend this to anyone. Pros: - Graphics are nice, game looks very beautiful. - Stays true to the original. - I can hold my sisters hand. - They moved the final save point to the end of the corridor right before you go fight the final boss. In the og you had to run through a long tight corridor full of mourners and then fight the final boss without being…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →News of this game's difficulty are greatly exhagerated, as are any claims of "dark souls-ification" or any such nonsense. Fatal Frame has had a dodge function since FF3, and a score function since the first game. Combat has always been a huge part of this series, it's why it stood out among the others. It had a lot of combat, while still remaining a scary, creepy game, and this game is not an exception. During the beginning of your first playthrough the first ghosts will be a challenge with…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wow they managed to fix something that was never broken. That combat system is total ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and makes the game incredibly frustrating. Also whos Idea was it to make enemies heal themselfs back up after you have to fight them what feels like forever. Im not even gonna talk about the stupid stamina system... Very dissapointed I was looking forward to this Remake.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For fans of the original, don't be afraid to dive in. The gameplay is different to the original, but overall an improvement. If you played other Fatal Frame games, this one is still the best in the series. New game plus unlocks an entire tier of new upgrades as well as multiple new endings and side quests for replayability. If you're a fan of survival horror in general, give this one a try. It's more of a personal journey than most. The world isn't in danger. The village is already…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Me and twin going for a light jog in our sensible footwear around the haunted shinto village
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wrote 3,500 words on Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake for @ign.com, in which I try to unpack how a remake can both be a better game than the original and diminish itself as a piece of art at the same time. Thank you to @tomrmarks.bsky.social for putting up with me on this one.
neutral · AI labelView post →Did you miss my explanation for what Fatal Frame has to do with Mario? I gotchu with this clip ❤️ FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterly REMAKE was a great time tonight! It's def a challenging game, but I'm so excited we got to see through Chapter 4 👻📸 Thank you again KOEI TECMO AMERICA for the key! 🔑
positive · AI labelView post →I want to recommend this game but the combat is just too annoying. The graphics is great though takes more gpu power than the graphics looks even on max. Not a well optimized port. Story in the beginning makes more sense than the original. But ghost encounters happen more frequently and because the combat is so clunky and ghost are photo sponges that all have the exact same pattern of attacks. They become annoying rather than scary.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE successfully revives one of survival horror's greatest classics, preserving the emotional story and oppressive atmosphere of the 2003 original while modernizing its visuals and gameplay. Although not every change is universally successful, it remains one of the finest Japanese horror experiences available today. The game follows twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura, who become trapped in the haunted Minakami Village, a cursed settlement haunted by…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake was my first game in this franchise. As a huge Silent Hill 2 fan, I had heard so many people praising the series for years. I never had a PlayStation 2, so when Koei Tecmo announced the remake, I was genuinely excited. From the very first minutes, the game pulled me in with its thick horror atmosphere, Japanese vibes, and unsettling sense of mystery. And the deeper I got into the story, the stronger the feeling of horror became. I got the exact same…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Please undo the patch that made this game too easy, or release a difficulty setting that was the launch version's difficulty. I've never played a fatal frame this easy and I was hoping for something aligned with the difficulty of the original. The remake is beautiful and adds interesting elements but dumbing the game down to make it a cakewalk shouldn't be the solution, it should be optional.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☑ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☐ Decent ☑ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Playing the original Fatal Frame II Crimson Butterfly on the Steam Deck!
neutral · AI labelView post →Horror game fans are eating good this month. Let's check out the Fatal Frame II remake. Thank you Koei Tecmo for the game key! www.twitch.tv/th4tgamerchick
neutral · AI labelView post →Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake Review - Frustration Behind The Camera - Game Informer. The reviewer is Kyle Hilliard, which I personally do not know but his thoughts echo mine from playing the demo. The game is still fantastic, but really just.. overdoes it? It's like they wanted to crank everything up to 11, but it ends up lessening the actual horror elements significantly by cheapening them.
neutral · AI labelView post →I've enjoyed it immensely, and urge you to not trust reviews saying this remake somehow ruined the game. The original PS2 version is clunky, and not fun to play. It's dated, it NEEDED quality of life improvements that are present here. At some point we have to admit that while the PS2 era of horror games were amazing, they aren't games you want people to suffer through now. Siren is another example. This game is a great modern remake of an under-appreciated gem. It's not even a 60$ game,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is not Fatal Frame 2 and it's not a remake, it's the vision from someone else who thought he knows better than the original talents that made this awesome horror game. Absolutely not recommended, they cut half or more of the content out of the game, no interactables with text boxes anywhere, pretty much any ghost (jumpscare) that you can't make a picture of cut, level design cut down so much that you reach chapter 2 in 5-10 minutes when playing slow. Tons of missing sounds, from scary…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game ruined by unnecessary changes and a messy PC port Fatal Frame II on PS2 was one of the scariest survival horror games ever made. The remake should have been an easy win, but instead it manages to lose part of the original’s charm while also shipping with questionable technical decisions. First problem: the atmosphere. The PS2 version felt darker and more oppressive. Limited visibility and heavy shadows made every hallway feel tense. The remake looks cleaner and brighter, which…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE might be the first Game-Key Card release I've seen go out of print? resale price is skyrocketing...
neutral · AI labelView post →A remake that refines the visuals with a sleek modern touch while leaving the tragedy and sorrow intact. Still beautiful and still haunting.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →More scary than you think it is. Game filled with heavy themes and heavier ghosts. Thats what I love about Fatal Frame franchise is how still unique it feels. This game proves that Koei never stops to innovate and bring back the best of the best gameplay experience to you. But its not just a game but the whole plethora of experience that you endure through out the whole journey. On the plus side this is one of the greatest titles from a bunch. Beautiful friendship of characters that push…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After about 3 hours of playing Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake, I’m honestly blown away. The atmosphere is incredible and constantly keeps you on edge. The visuals and lighting make the abandoned village feel hauntingly real, and every ghost encounter is genuinely tense. The sound design is amazing too—sometimes the silence is even scarier than the ghosts. If the rest of the game keeps this level of quality, it’s going to be amazing! Absolutely loving it so far. 👻🎮
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty good overall. Beautiful graphics. The ghosts are very strong. Has some technical issues 60fps lock and it feels kinda janky. V-sync don't seem to work.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was really looking forward to this game, having never had a chance to play the original, but much like a lot of other reviews, while the game's story is great, the combat is dreadful. It's very hard to do much damage, making the combat sections very long at parts. This might be fine if enemies did not enter an enraged state if the combat takes too long. So all in all, unless the health bars of enemies get patched, or you can do more damage, I really can't recommend this. For reference, I can…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly ~ Director's Cut. Best Version of this game. One of the best horror games of all time.
positive · AI labelView post →This is my favorite horror game of all time, even over Silent Hill and I *love* Silent Hill. It was my favorite when I played it back in the day, and it's remained my favorite all this time, and replaying it did not diminish the charm at all. What an incredible ending! And if you play crappily like I do, it'll be so bad that you'll want to play again just so you can have a smidgen of hope returned to your heart. What can I say, this game does the 'you have a pet with you in a horror…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good news: We can play FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE. Bad news: The Devs have botched this game, just like they’ve botched all their other games. Is this game a horror game or a Soul-like game? Lastly, could Devs please stop having the flashlight flash constantly? It just hurts my eyes and makes me feel irritated.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros: -The game is genuinely beautiful and when it isn't having stuttering issues it runs as smooth as butter. It blends this interesting mix of PS2 graphical filters with completely modern, upscaled meshes to create something that feels at once nostalgic and paradoxically new at the same time. As someone who has felt that modern horror lacks the necessary 'punch' of older titles in part due to how 'clean' the graphics look, (like how Majora's Mask remake, while not quite horror, loses a lot of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When I got the chance to preview the opening chapters of FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE, I was excited to be reintroduced to the familiar tale. What immediately struck me, though, was just how thorough and considered a reconstruction this really is.
positive · AI labelView post →From being a kid playing Fatal Frame on PS2 to being a grown up finally getting to experience the remakes, this series has always felt so special to me. When I first saw that Crimson Butterfly was getting a remake I was so insanely excited and couldn’t wait for it to finally come out - and it didn’t disappoint me even a little. I’m currently on my way to 100% the achievements, and I’ve had the time of my life playing it. I also have to mention how unbelievably beautiful everything in this…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They finally did it!!! They finally made FATAL FRAME fun I just kick in so will update after the full run and this review is dedicated to those who are still wondering whether or not they should buy this game: Freaking buy it already!! It is like they relist everything in the Maiden of Black Water and Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, and a slight bit of Nioh(which is weird but guess why they listed adventure and action game tag before survival horror) and only kept the good part. It is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm excited for Fatal Frame II Remake, but at the same time, it's one of the scariest games ever and I never had the guts to play it myself 😂 (always watched my friend play) But I think I'll try anyway, it's such a wonderful game 🦋❤️
positive · AI labelView post →Once again, a new game saved by upscaling. Here’s my "amateur benchmarker" review: In my opinion, I wouldn't strictly say it's "unoptimized," even though the settings are weird (2K "maxed to the left"—yes, it's strange, but the max settings are on the left here). However, given the recommended system requirements mentioned an RTX 2060 6GB, I figured it would struggle even at native 1080p. It’s incredibly heavy, man; just to hit 2K 60fps, it's pulling over 200W. Fortunately, there’s DLSS 4.5.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First off, the original game on Playstation 2 is one of my favourite horror games of all time. This remake involves the same disturbing story as the original. You control a pair of twins in Japan that stumble across a creepy village, and the village is full of ghosts. This game has a deep and engrossing story to discover. Gameplay involves exploring the village and battling / taking pictures of ghosts using a "Spirit Camera". Eventually you must find the source of the ghosts and a way to escape…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played the original on PS2, and this version is officially, in my opinion, the definitive way to play FF2CB. Granted, I don't approve of the censorship because I'm a believer that the original vision of the developers should be retained. That said, it didn't take away my enjoyment of the game. The graphical improvement over the PS2 original is definitely aesthetically pleasing. But I wish we had more graphical options like more modern upscalers, unlocked fps and even ray tracing support.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am one of those guys who refused to patch their game, and deliberately played on the depatched version, so I am expecting that a lot of folks will likely hate this input, but here goes. I absolutely LOVED my experience. If you want the short version of this review, I think that modern horror needs to find a way to retain the tension that was present back in the day, and this game NAILED it. . . At least at release. The game has been patched to be easier for people, but I want to advocate for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →very good level design, beautiful world, 0 bloat, good combat, films arent TOO hard to come by and the story is interesting, also the performance is very good and i basically love everything about this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nostalgic game for me, This is one of the best story games I've ever played, it exceeded all my expectations. Amazing! hope Koei Tecmo remake Prequel & Sequel of this game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very enjoyable fresh horror game where your only weapon is taking fashion photos of spirits. Very haunting game with an amazing atmosphere that is very creepy at times. Play with headphones, it's a must! Really dug the ghost mechanics getting grabbed at doors randomly (that build up) and them just teleporting around you to throw you off. Plot is solid, definitely read everything you pick up, which I enjoy games that reward you for doing so.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Having just finished my Nightmare playthrough of the game, I feel like there is a LOT to say with this one. I guess I'll start with this - it's good, and it gets better the longer you play and the more you get familiarized with it, but I do think the opening hours are a bit rough, and I think both newcomers and veterans are going to have different journeys, different peaks and valleys here. Skip to the end for the summary if you like. To preface, I'd consider myself a series veteran, beaten…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What i’ve always loved about Fatal Frame franchise is that it’s more than just a series of horror games. It's never been only about scares and ghosts but also about feminine sadness, grief, loss and the way these feelings can haunt a place or a person long after the living are gone. This remake truly captures that beautifully. It’s scary, it’s beautiful and it's genuinely heartbreaking </3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's getting a lot of hate, but I think it's generally great. I love the combat systems, the village is detailed, creepy, and interesting to explore. The story is intriguing, and I love all of the classic survival horror touches like backtracking and key hunting. If you like this genre, grab it. Runs perfectly on max settings with DLSS quality, however I had to override DLSS in the NVIDIA App. For some reason I got really poor FPS with the in-game DLSS option. Edit: This game rules, Buy it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game #9 Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake. What a game! Late chapter 8 & the final chapter got infuriating due to an excessive amount of respawns/encounters towards the end. They were right, though. Best one in the franchise 😌 Story kept me seated! Perfect for first-timers of the series
positive · AI labelView post →Game 274: Fatal Frame II Crimson Butterfly I'm not going to mince words here, this is one of the best survival horror games ever. The atmosphere, the exploration, the story, the unique photo-based combat, that makes you feel vulnerable, but also just strong enough, everything about it is fantastic.
positive · AI labelView post →
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