Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse Reviews
Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is very eerie experience, but some clunky controls and dated mechanics do hold it back a little. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have fun playing and it does nail that eerie vibe that the series is so beloved for, but it could have done with just a few more refinements to help it stand its own amongst the modern horror releases. Is it a bad game? Definitely not, and I have no doubt that fans of the genre will enjoy it. Just expect some sketchy controls and a bit of backtracking during your creepy adventure through Rougetsu Island.
Despite my issues with the game, I’m still delighted that everybody outside of Japan finally got a chance to check out Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. It’s a gorgeous and horrifying remastered adventure with scares aplenty and an engrossing, dark story. While the old-school controls can occasionally be irritating, and the difficulty is often a bit overwhelming, it still does a fantastic job of telling a truly scary story. If you’re a fan of horror and need something scary before Halloween, I’d say this is your game. And even if you have a hard time with spooky stuff, this is still a worthwhile adventure—just one you’ll probably need to digest one small bite at a time.
An intense atmosphere and intriguing story which is unfortunately marred by the age the game was created in. Looking past the clumsiness of the movement, it is still one of the most accessible and fun Project Zero games.
Mask of the Lunar Eclipse mixes fiction and folklore in a blend that can entertain and frighten even 15 years after its original release. The remaster could have been technically better, but at its core, it's still a good game, of which there are not many on the market today. The biggest problem now is mainly the clumsy and awkward controls.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The same goes for some of the ghosts, with certain encounters like the sadistic child Ayako repeating several times with multiple characters, which tends to get annoying after the third occurrence or so. Fans of Fatal Frame who want to experience this lost title in the series will likely find enough atmosphere and story to keep their interest, but newcomers may find some of the game's shortcomings to be a turnoff as their first experience. That being said, you can put a hat on your character that's a big Camera Obscura, so in a way, maybe it all balances out in the end.
For those that clamour for the modern world of over-the-shoulder shooting and action horror, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a hard sell. Your character moves at a glacial pace and the small bursts of action are broken up by a lot of backtracking, puzzles and hunting for shiny objects in dark rooms. Ghost fights can also become an exercise in tedium, especially on higher-difficulty settings.
The Fatal Frame that time forgot finally gets its time in the spotlight, showcasing just enough of the legacy’s qualities, alongside being a perfect introduction to the series itself.
The Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse remaster is a constantly creepy, often infuriating survival horror game that has the misfortune of following the superior Maiden of Black Water on the Switch. Fans of the series and Japanese horror in general should be glad they finally get to play it, but those with low patience thresholds will do better to not step foot on Rogetsu Isle.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is worth looking into for fans of the series and the genre, especially since this is its first official release in the West, but be warned that it's a game that's held back by several significant issues.
For better or worse, Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse brings an underplayed fifteen-year-old horror game to Western audiences in a well-preserved state. There's a fantastic atmosphere and the horror is well-framed and executed with impressive restraint, but control issues of the time carry through to this remaster.
As a remaster of a Wii game only released in Japan, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse struggles not to show its age and seemingly ancient mechanics. But beneath the grainy surface is a moderately chilling horror game with a unique way to tackle terror.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is an impressive remaster of a flawed, but highly original, photo-based horror game.
Mask of the Lunar Eclipse continues the path of what was seen in Black Water. It is a classic horror game that continues to offer that touch of before.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is remastered version of a cult classic that brings you everything you would expect, including some old and questionable design choices like the save system and slow doors opening animation. But at the same time Mask of the Lunar Eclipse can feel like a true gift for every hardcore horror fan out there.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Creepy and compelling, the game is finally officially out of Japan and offering a good time for series fans. Even if the controls and movement speed still leave a lot to be desired.
If Mask of the Lunar Eclipse has the same success found with Maiden of Black Water's port to modern platforms, then remasters of other Fatal Frame games or even a new game would have a better chance of being released. There is a lot of potential for renewed interest in the franchise, and despite gripes to be had with Mask of the Lunar Eclipse's remaster, the game itself still holds up as a solid horror game.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse doesn't set out to reinvent the franchise or radicalize what it means to be a Fatal Frame game, but with updated visuals and modernised controls, it does a great job of making an entry in the series from 2008 effortlessly feel like a modern, current-gen debut. The slow and sometimes repetitive pacing of the game will not be for everyone, and some long-winded animations and awkward loading-waits only serve to make that pacing even more of a slog, but if you have the patience for that, you're in for a solid Japanese horror experience that will keep you guessing until the credits roll.
Project Zero Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is probably one of the best episodes in the long-running horror franchise, and even if this remaster leaves something to be desired, it does not fail in brin bringing anxiety and disturbing matters to new audiences.
Review in Italian | Read full review
To sum it all up, Fatal Frame/Project Zero The Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a wonderful game to enjoy, be it your first time or every successive run as you go for full completion. The gameplay is great, the atmosphere really draws you in and leaves a great mark on you, and the visuals on the areas are well done, all wrapped up in one great package. In the immortal words of Joe Bob Briggs, “Four stars, check it out!”.
With a spectacular staging that will undoubtedly please all fans of Japanese horror, we finally get Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. Despite being a remastering, it is not a big change from the Wii version.
Review in Spanish | Read full review