For whatever reason, I passed on the PS2 version of Tecmo's Fatal Frame. However, it was the enhanced Xbox edition that made me a fan, and so, I waited with bated breath for the sequel, Crimson Butterfly, and I'm happy to report that it's just as terrifying as its paranormal prequel.

Just like its counterpart, Fatal Frame 2 has a strong story as its foundation. Twin sisters, Mio and Mayu are relaxing in a forest when a mysterious crimson butterfly flutters past. Entranced by the strange creature, Mayu follows it deep into the foreboding forest, and Mio, frantic, chases after her. The insect leads them past the threshold between our world and the paranormal realm, and they come upon a lost village, rumored to have disappeared on the eve of a special festival. Suddenly, there are voices, moving images seen out of the corners of an eye, and Mayu, who possesses some psychic ability, reveals that they're not alone. The village is populated by horrible entities that are trying to ensure that the gates of hell are sealed by performing the evil ritual, the one where a twin sister kills the other. It's classic stuff, and it'll keep you guessing till the end, but you may need to play it several times to see all of the endings.

What makes the Fatal Frame series unique is its emphasis on story over combat. The game focuses on the plot instead of degenerating into a mindless blast fest, but don't worry, you'll soon stumble upon the Camera Obscura, a strange camera that'll serve as your weapon to fight the hordes of ghosts that'll try and stop you from rescuing Mayu and leaving the village. When a ghost is around, the camera's filament will glow depending on whether the ghost is friendly (blue glow) or hostile (red). For the most part, the game's played in the third person, and you'll move Mio around like any other survival horror game, opening doors and searching for keys and other items that allow you to progress. However, by pressing Circle, you enter Viewfinder Mode, a first person viewpoint seen through the camera lens. When a ghost is within range the Capture Circle glows and you snap its picture, sucking energy from and exorcising it. Stocked spirit power can be stored and used to power up different lenses and the camera's basic functions. As you progress, you'll even be able to snap combo shots that'll perform a series of hits on a ghost. This makes the camera a lot more powerful than it was in the first game, and it raised my confidence meter while traversing the creepy environments.

Speaking of the environments, All God's Village is absolutely beautiful. Aside from the strong story, Crimson Butterfly stands out because of its Japanese locale, which is unlike anything we've seen in a survival horror game (except for the first Fatal Frame). It's run-down wooden houses add to the fear and the belief that evil things creep in the dark, but the moody visuals can't take all of the credit, as they're complimented by one of the best uses of sound in a videogame. Creaking boards and doors, the wind's moan, the booming of thunder and the maniacal laughter of a murderous girl drenched in blood are but some of the many highlights of Crimson Butterfly's feast or aural delights. If you can run everything through a quality surround sound system or if your TV has a headphone jack, definitely take advantage of it.

The real stars of Fatal Frame 2 are the village's paranormal denizens, ghostly apparitions shrouded in mist and beautifully animated. At first they walk in straight lines, angry specters that are easily put down with the camera. However, other ghosts aren't as easily exorcised. They float around, disappear through walls and run and duck before attacking. You'll need to determine which film and strategy is the most effective in order to succeed, if, of course, you have the nerve to get close enough. Fiendish children, men with cuts all over their faces and a woman very similar to the evil girl from The Ring were more than enough to make me jump and run for the exit. Make no mistake about it, Crimson Butterfly is one of if not THE scariest videogame experience you'll have.

Fatal Frame 2 isn't perfect, but what I'm about to complain about is more because it's my job to look for faults and therefore, must be mentioned. Like the first game, transitioning from first to third person is fine except when the ghost is flying around all over the place, making it difficult to snap a combo photo and then run away. Speaking of snapping pictures, while I appreciated the ability to upgrade the camera, being able to do combo shots (while pretty cool) eliminated some of the game's sense of dread. What made Fatal Frame so terrifying was my doubt that the camera was as powerful as it was rumored to be, because let's face it; it's no rocket launcher. However, Fatal Frame's (1 and 2) upgrade system dashes that fear and makes the camera more like a nuclear device than a mess of old metal and film. In other words, when you're about to perform a combo on a ghost, you should be quivering like a leaf in the wind, and not screaming, "HADOKEN!" I did that several times.

In addition to combo shots, repetitive ghosts don't help the designers' aim to disturb. How many times do I have to take photos of the same angry spear-branding townsfolk, or the guy with the cuts on his face that I often encountered in the hallways? It sort of desensitized me, because he'd pop out and I'd go, "Oh. It's you." This doesn't mean he isn't spooky, but I got used to his company and that shouldn't be the case. Don't worry though, other enemies in the game will more than make up for any lack of dread you may feel.

Lastly, and I'm really stretching on this one, some of the game's environmental effects could've used some work. After being spoiled by the swirling fog in the Silent Hill games, Fatal Frame 2's is very lackluster, and while I appreciate the candle flicker when I run past, some extra frames of animation would've made it look really special. I also have an issue with greenery, something that isn't animated at all. I want to see the grass shake with the wind and the tree branches sway in the breeze. Lastly, the rain looks like lines on the television. It doesn't pitter-patter. Surely, while Tecmo shouldn't copy the plots of other games in the genre, I at the very least expect them to employ similar-looking weather effects.

None of my nitpicks hamper the Crimson Butterfly experience, nor will they keep it from being forever a part of your library. Tecmo's outdone themselves, managing to keep the genre fresh while at the same time setting itself far apart from the "me too" survival horror titles that litter store shelves. Kick out your relatives, lock the doors and kill the lights. Fatal Frame 2 is a macabre adventure no horror fan should miss.