Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Interview
- June 06, 2003 16:45 PM PST
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GamePro chats with Keisuke Kikuchi about the horrific Fatal Frame 2 and longings for a new Deception title.
Keisuke Kikuchi is no stranger to disturbing games. Prior to his work on the Fatal Frame series, he was shocking audiences the world over with the highly underrated Tecmo?s Deception trilogy. GamePro sat down with Kikuchi-san at the recent 2003 E3 to get the full lowdown on Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly as well as the future of the Deception games.
GamePro: Please elaborate on the story behind Fatal Frame 2.
Keisuke Kukuchi: The twin sisters see this Crimson Butterfly and follow it to the clearing of the Lost Village. This is a place that?s not on any map and is normally impossible to find. In this village, there is a sacrificial ritual that has taken place over many generations, where one twin sister will kill the other. The story of the current twins and those of the past start to overlap and thus begins the tale of Fatal Frame 2.
GP: The last game was said to be ?based on a true story?. Does Fatal Frame 2 mirror any real life events as well?
KK: There isn?t any specific story that formed the basis of the game. But the development team studied horror movies and novels from Japan and the West as well as many legends, local traditions, and actual events to extract the most horrific essence of each.
GP: Are there any specific movies that influenced you?
KK: There are many influences that gamers might think they recognize, but no one scene or theme really dominates.
GP: You mentioned the team studied many western horror stories and movies. Was this an effort infuse horror elements that are not as focused as heavily on themes familiar to Japanese audiences as the original Fatal Frame was?
KK: Fatal Frame 2 also takes place in Japan, and still based on a Japanese horror style which is conducive to psychological terror. Unlike other scary games that have an emphasis on action, the purpose of the series is to stimulate the imagination and frighten people that way. One example of the advantage of keeping a Japanese theme for the FF2 are the structures. You might see a shadow on a paper wall, but find there is no one hiding behind it. You couldn?t use that trick in western houses with solid walls. Another example is that traditional Japanese houses have high ceilings with rafters. This is another area where something could be lurking or play tricks on your mind. Of course we have elements that are universal like some techniques seen in the movie, the Shining. There was this one shot in the hallway where the purpose was to elicit a sense of dread of what might happen. This is the sort of thing I enjoy.
GP: Are there any changes in the basic gameplay system in FF2?
KK: There are many new points to the game. The first is the fact that the lead characters are twins who have grown up together and are very close. The older twin, Mayu, has a very strong sixth sense, but she?s got an injury to her leg that was caused by her younger sister. So the younger sister, Mio, feels an obligation to protect her older sister, which creates an interesting dynamic between the two. Mayu sensitivity to the paranormal makes her susceptible to being possessed. Not only do you have to deal with the types of encounters from the first game, but also there?s a sense of urgency when the older sister goes missing. The camera battle system has also been refined, like things you can add to the camera. The specifics are still being tested out right now so I can?t comment too much on that yet.
GP: Have you adjusted the difficulty of the camera battle system?
KK: We got feedback from the very two extremes of people who found it too hard, and others who felt the game was too easy. There didn?t seem to be anyone in between skill levels. We worked very hard to make sure the balance is better this time.
GP: How many hours of gameplay will FF2 have compared to the original?
KK: It definitely will be longer than the first game, but we?re still working on the exact length. There are also many things you won?t see the first time through so that adds to overall play value. The original had four chapters that were very long. This time there are twice as many chapters, but they will be slightly shorter so the story chunks are easier to digest.
GP: Are you involved in the upcoming movie based on Fatal Frame?
KK: I met with the producers of the movie and advised them in general terms. I want them to take the essential components of the game and create a new experience that will make a good movie. A retelling of the game?s story would not be as interesting I think. I have to do what I need to do to make a good game, and I want them to do what?s necessary to create a great movie.
GP: What other games do you like to play in your spare time?
KK: I like Tomb Raider on the PC, and an adventure game that?s only in Japan that changes every time you play. Mostly simulation games and action games.
GP: When will we see another Deception game?
KK: The Deception series is one that is very important to me and have a lot of attachment to. I can?t say whether another one will be made, but I?d want to change things quite a bit if there were another game. The first three were on the PlayStation, and it would be easy to just upgrade everything for the PlayStation 2. I would rather explore different things possible within the world of the Deception series. Hopefully, in the future I can work on something like this.
GP: The story of the second Deception seemed to be the darkest of the series and was a personal favorite. What were your thoughts on that game?
KK: I joined the team during the making of the first Deception title and was wondering what kind of company would make such an evil game. What kind of company is this Tecmo? Then, I became the main director of the second game and found myself trying to push even more boundaries (laughs)!
Thanks to Keisuke Kikuchi for his time and Andrew Szymanski for his translation work.
