Thanks to Wolfman and Hamada for helping with edits.
As some of you may know, I adore horror films (John Carpenter’s 1981 classic Halloween is my all-time favorite) but am fairly inexperienced with horror games. I’ve written about Outlast and Layers of Fear, but they’re the only entries in the genre I’ve played in recent memory. For this October, I rummaged through my collection to find a title that satisfied the spirit of the month and this column. That ultimately brought me to my unopened copy of Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir for the Nintendo 3DS, a spin-off of Koei Tecmo’s venerable Fatal Frame series. So I fetched my handheld, freed the game from its shrink wrap, and finally began playing through it.
In terms of positives, Spirit Camera is blessed with brilliant sound design and an eerie soundtrack by Ayako Toyoda. (Image: Nintendo/Koei Tecmo)
Spirit Camera hit the dual screens in January 2012, about a year after the 3DS itself launched. Set in a first-person perspective, Spirit Camera‘s entirely designed around the 3DS’s gyroscope, camera, and Augmented Reality features. Producer Keisuke Kikuchi believed the portable was the “perfect hardware” for the series; the first pitch for a 3DS Fatal Frame was shot down, though the desire to create an entry unique to the platform evolved into Cursed Memoir. You’re presented with three modes upon booting up the game, with “Fatal Frame: The Diary of Faces” serving as the story mode and main attraction. Those seeking additional thrills can discover minigames in the other two sectors, “Haunted Visions” and “Cursed Pages,” although there’s little of value therein. However, as there is a significant dearth of content in this package, they’re welcome bonuses nonetheless.
All copies of Spirit Camera came bundled with a sixteen page booklet, a real-life copy of the Diary of Faces. The Cursed Memoir requires you to use it, though Nintendo also kindly posted a PDF of the book online; the latter’s more reliable to use, but neither work anywhere near as well as they should. You’re frequently asked to shift through the diary to find whatever page is currently pertinent, and a cursor appears when Spirit Camera senses you’re viewing the correct image. However, the camera’s ability to read anything is easily impaired by inadequate lighting or if you’re at an off angle, meaning it’s often a struggle just to get Spirit Camera to register images properly. By default, this is crippling; it’s impossible to facilitate a haunting atmosphere when you’re forced to play in a bright room while jerking your system and a book around. Someone’s ability to play this title at all could easily be impeded if they have limited space or a physical disability, and it’s certainly not a game one can savor during a train or bus commute.
Graphically, Spirit Camera looks nice and some of its AR tricks are cool. Sadly, that’s where its strengths end. (Image: Nintendo/Koei Tecmo)
“The Diary of Faces” starts with the player opening a package containing the titular book. As luck would have it, they’re also in possession of Fatal Frame’s trademark tool, the Camera Obscura, and the two magic items work in conjunction with each other. After scanning a page, the protagonist is transported to a dilapidated house where he meets Maya, an amnesiac woman who’s connected to the abode. Both you and Maya catch the attention of the Woman in Black, a sinister spirit who’s searching for someone and curses intruders by stealing their faces. There are a few other characters too, but they hardly matter; most of them are sacrificed to the Woman in Black, become mindless bosses to fight, and give the illusion that Spirit Camera’s story is more involved than it really is.
Spirit Camera’s campaign is split into thirteen chapters, though it’s altogether a quick affair that can easily be finished in an evening. Considering that, it’s almost impressive how monotonous Spirit Camera manages to get. You begin each scene by chatting with Maya a few times, and then you scan a page or two, watch an admittedly nifty AR trick, speak with Maya, and possibly get treated to a boss fight or cutscene before finding a note and having one last talk with your partner. Unsuccessful attempts to play with the formula occasionally arise, usually by giving the player a new camera lens that’s utilized but a handful of times. This all builds towards an incredibly predictable plot revelation: the Woman in Black is an evil, ghastly version of Maya.
Speaking as someone who fancies Corpse Party, Jo-On: The Grudge, and Ringu, Spirit Camera’s vengeful ghost lady is boring and completely outshined by her spiritual forebears. (Image: Nintendo/Koei Tecmo)
Channeling similarly undercooked software like Pokémon Dream Radar and the 3DS’s built-in Face Raiders app, you move the system to find and “shoot” the bosses. All of the ghosts circle you, forcing players to turn around until they spot the specter, though a cursor helps point you in the right direction. Once the ghoul is in view, the Camera Obscura’s reticule becomes yellow and charges Spirit Power orbs, which start to disappear once the spirit is out of sight. When an opponent begins launching an attack, the reticule briefly becomes red. Damaging foes is done by taking a photograph, which is achieved by clicking the L or R button; extra damage is dealt depending on how many Spirit Power orbs were accrued and if the photo was taken when the reticule was red. Their health meter is located on the top-left corner of the screen while yours sits on the bottom-right. As with everything Spirit Camera has, the bosses are barely fleshed out; they all have similar movement patterns and – save for one fight that’s interrupted – are dispatched identically. Only the concluding confrontation against the Mayas even tries to tweak the ritual.
Though Fatal Frame has continued, its 3DS offshoot faded from the public consciousness; the biggest acknowledgment it’s received since was through a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. Using the 3DS’s gyro controls, camera, and AR technology conjointly as the series’ iconic Camera Obscura is an interesting idea on paper, and the project’s goal of providing scares through stimulating the player’s imagination is laudable. Unfortunately, Spirit Camera‘s execution left me screaming – not out of fear, but out of frustration at how poorly its concepts were realized. If Cursed Memoir had been released within the 3DS’s launch window or as a budget title, I’d be more forgiving of its shortcomings, but it’s nevertheless a game I can’t recommend.
I’d joke about how this image works as an allegory for how I felt upon beating the game, but I made a joke like that once before. So, uh, I guess I’m glad you had a fairly happy ending, Maya? (Image: Nintendo/Koei Tecmo)
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though how would it be if thier was a fatal frame collection?
That would be pretty cool! Spirit Camera‘s atmosphere was strong enough to make me want to try the mainline Fatal Frame games, especially II since that’s supposed to be the best one. I’d definitely buy a collection if they ever release one.
In the meantime, I just got the Ringu Blu-ray collection, and that’ll fulfill my ghostly needs for a while.