You kinda missed a crucial detail about the connection between Mio and Mayu and Yae and Sae... That being that the forest they were playing in when they were kids is near the edge of the lost village's territory. As such, it's possible that the spirits of Yae and Sae were influencing them even all those years ago with the kicker being: Mayu is implied to have fallen and hurt her leg on purpose (be it by her own genuine willingness to do so OR from the spirit of Sae influencing her). History was repeating itself again and again... Also, yeah, you may not like the Wii version, but the endings it has are still ways the story could be seen to end and do offer further insight into how twisted the village's rituals were making things and how far-reaching their repercussions had.
My interpretation of the connection between the two games is Yae's soul was trapped in the Himuro mansion but upon completion of the events of that game it was freed to be pulled back the lost village triggering the events of the second game. Her soul being the missing element of the ritual and so needed to seal away the Hellish Abyss. I remember that Sae fell off the path and that she was not against being sacrificed by her sister but I don't recall it being stated anywhere that she _deliberately_ sabotaged her sister's escape plan (it has been quite a while since I last played it though, I do still have it though).
Shortly after this game came out my older sister announced she was having twin girls... my half-hearted attempts to get her to name them Mayu and Mio were always doomed to failure. Especially because their older sister was already called Maia. Ah well, thems the breaks. By complete coincidence my other older sister called _her_ first child Sofia Eleanor, So I took that as a win for Bioshock 2 and gave her a cushion with a lamb on it.
Thank you for this! As someone who hasn't been able to play horror games, I'm always appreciative of analysis like this! And I just wanna point out how much your presentation skills and editing has improved over just the last view videos. It's inspiring!
I love this game so much. Still holds up so many years later and gives me the spooks every time I try to make it through the first few houses. The first time I played it, I remember shutting it down quickly after listening to one too many of those spirit crystals haha!
Thank you for going through all of the trouble to make this video. it may not be "The House In Fata Morgana" but I will accept this video that sounds it was a nightmare to make.
@@GameProfI agree that 5 is pretty good but it's not as terrifying as games 1-4 are oh and there is also a spin off called Spirit Camera The cursed Memori.
@@GameProfNot just dark from the story but even with the brightness boosted up it's still nearly impossible in Movie and Game mode hard to see where You are supposed to be going to or looking for.
@@GameProfEven long before She died Sea is caught clearly already completely insane You can find notes asking and begging Her Sister to strangle Her to death so I guess that She was already a Sociopath or Schizophrenic or something awful like that.
"Each Halloween" well if it makes you feel better, last year we had a "horror week" at the end of February on a twitch channel I moderate because we missed Halloween and then Stuff Kept Happening. You're not alone with Halloween in February ^^b That being said, this is a very interesting analysis (like always!) and I think you were right to bend your rules this time, because it allowed for a more tightly woven interpretation instead of adding a mess like it'd do for lots of other games. Congrats and thanks professor!
Excellent analysis. It is interesting how those games provide so much meaningful message thought it's mechanics and story without sacrificing subtly. We just have to allow ourselves time to think about what the game is trying to say
Still to this the day the scariest game I've ever played, and just about the scariest thing I've ever experienced and I've lived in three houses that had some form of haunting.
So, I'll admit it... I really struggled with understanding Fatal Frame II. I just didn't understand how the Amakura twins were relevant or why the story mattered. After watching this video, I now realize that FFII is less character-centric like most Fatal Frames and is more world-centric. The story mattered because the Kurosawa twins loved each other very much--but one was poisoned by the ideology of tradition. It's a story about the ends of codependency, the selfishness within societal systems, the trauma of forced separation, and the continuing cycle of trauma itself. Thank you for this video. ...But no lie, I really liked the Wii remake, LOL.
Wow, that closing argument was really well done. I hope we get a video of the next two Fatal Frame games soon. I mean, I don't mind if you also cover Fatal Frame 5 as well but man is the story weak on that one.
I know very little about this series, but as a big Silent Hill and Resident Evil fan, I've always had it on my radar in some way. Very interested to get into it after watching.
if I may give a suggestion for a halloween video you should try the Siren series (3 games in all technically) which includes Siren (or forbidden siren), Forbidden Siren 2, and Siren: Blood Curse (kinda subtitle a new translation since it is a remade version of the first siren game)
Just found this channel and this is getting me sucked in. I wonder if you did a take of Rule of Rose yet? Because that game.... yeah, lots of symbolism there.
@@GameProf Yeah, I do hope you can get hands on one (without needing to pay an arm and a leg for those crazy prices) because the story - while deeply tragic - is a very good one. Too bad I can't say the same about the gameplay though... it really needs a remake.
Just found your channel today. I’ve really enjoyed your videos on Fatal Frame and hope you release ones on 3 and 4 before long. I’m am curious if you took in Japanese culture in your critique of the endings. As you talked about in the first video some things are so ingrained in culture that it’s hard to understand from outside it. My understanding is that part of what drove the developers to make the series was a desire to have something strongly reflect Japanese culture, folklore, and architecture. So, to me, seeing the endings through Japanese culture’s strong ideas of familial and societal duty makes the endings a bit more understandable
I played this game when I'm in my 5th grade I'm now 32 ur old, I totally agree with you all the series from 5the even the 2 remake never beat this one..❤
On the off chance you’ve never heard of or played it, you’ve got to do a literary critique of the “Pathologic” games. The original game was incredibly strange. Hiding within this game, with mechanics and graphics that were dated even back when the game was first released, is some of the best writing in the history of gaming.
Not dead, just had kind of a creative crash after the attempt to go full-time didn't work out. Aiming for at least a video per month this year (the February 1st release of this video notwithstanding)!
You know why is it when have survivial horror series the 2nd game always the best one, silent hill 2, resident evil 2, dead space 2, and fatal frame 2 lol!!!!!! Either ones follow that are mixed or steadily go down hill afterward!
I'm going to have to disagree with your take away from the first game. I've never seen it as an endorsement of the strangling ritual, Kyrie staying to block the Hell Gate doesn't show that it was necessary, only that it works. There's, at least, one other way it can be done. And that leaves open the possibility that there could be another method, some way that involves no sacrifice at all. I've always read it entirely as her making the choice to stay, then and there, because it will save people, not because she has to
That's fair, you're not wrong about that. I suppose I might have gotten that same feeling if it actually explored alternatives, but the actual solution at the end still sorta felt like playing into it to me. But I certainly like your interpretation better. In any case, the third is pretty clearly a denouncement of the associated rituals, so I'm excited to get to that one.
@@BobfishAlmightyThere are several notes and audio logs that prove that even long before She Sae kept begging Her Sister to kill Her. I think that She said something like to feel your hands upon my throat why didn't You kill Me back then? I kept waiting ever since We were born for You to do so. So obviously there was definitely something majorly wrong with Sae
Hot take: The Fatal Frame games decrease in quality with every entry. While individual improvements may be made, the overall experience never gets better than the first game. It surprises me that people hold up Crimson Butterfly as the best in the series. It makes some of the problems from the first game worse, adds some new issues, and its improvements really aren't enough to offset the positive developments. The repeated ghost encounters and recycled plot are the worst aspects in this regard. That said, FF2 is still one of the better horror games out there, and I do quite like it.
Honestly, I shared that opinion before replaying 2 for this analysis. I do think the degree to which the second one improved on the first is exaggerated: Fatal Frame already had everything that made it great from the get-go. But on replay, I do think there are improvements in storytelling and level design that make the second one an overall improvement. And the third one is my favorite simply because the story is, I think, far and away the best of the trilogy in just about every regard. But I'll talk about that next Halloween.
@@GameProf Different strokes! I had the opposite experience - I remembered II as being overall the best entry until I replayed I & II a few years ago. Though I agree with your point that II's ending is more thematically consistent. I look forward to the next video - I'm curious to hear why III is the best!
You kinda missed a crucial detail about the connection between Mio and Mayu and Yae and Sae... That being that the forest they were playing in when they were kids is near the edge of the lost village's territory. As such, it's possible that the spirits of Yae and Sae were influencing them even all those years ago with the kicker being: Mayu is implied to have fallen and hurt her leg on purpose (be it by her own genuine willingness to do so OR from the spirit of Sae influencing her). History was repeating itself again and again... Also, yeah, you may not like the Wii version, but the endings it has are still ways the story could be seen to end and do offer further insight into how twisted the village's rituals were making things and how far-reaching their repercussions had.
My interpretation of the connection between the two games is Yae's soul was trapped in the Himuro mansion but upon completion of the events of that game it was freed to be pulled back the lost village triggering the events of the second game. Her soul being the missing element of the ritual and so needed to seal away the Hellish Abyss.
I remember that Sae fell off the path and that she was not against being sacrificed by her sister but I don't recall it being stated anywhere that she _deliberately_ sabotaged her sister's escape plan (it has been quite a while since I last played it though, I do still have it though).
Shortly after this game came out my older sister announced she was having twin girls... my half-hearted attempts to get her to name them Mayu and Mio were always doomed to failure. Especially because their older sister was already called Maia. Ah well, thems the breaks.
By complete coincidence my other older sister called _her_ first child Sofia Eleanor, So I took that as a win for Bioshock 2 and gave her a cushion with a lamb on it.
I think it is tragically ironic how in the ending with Mio blinded it is suddenly her who is dependent on her sister.
This was worth the wait. Thank you professor!
I like your thorough look at this game. Your theory makes me appreciate this game more.
Thank you for this! As someone who hasn't been able to play horror games, I'm always appreciative of analysis like this!
And I just wanna point out how much your presentation skills and editing has improved over just the last view videos. It's inspiring!
I love this game so much. Still holds up so many years later and gives me the spooks every time I try to make it through the first few houses. The first time I played it, I remember shutting it down quickly after listening to one too many of those spirit crystals haha!
Thank you for going through all of the trouble to make this video. it may not be "The House In Fata Morgana" but I will accept this video that sounds it was a nightmare to make.
Don't worry, The House in Fata Morgana is coming! Hopefully next month, though it's frankly a colossal undertaking so. Here's hoping lol
@@GameProfI agree that 5 is pretty good but it's not as terrifying as games 1-4 are oh and there is also a spin off called Spirit Camera The cursed Memori.
@@GameProfNot just dark from the story but even with the brightness boosted up it's still nearly impossible in Movie and Game mode hard to see where You are supposed to be going to or looking for.
@@GameProfEven long before She died Sea is caught clearly already completely insane You can find notes asking and begging Her Sister to strangle Her to death so I guess that She was already a Sociopath or Schizophrenic or something awful like that.
"Each Halloween" well if it makes you feel better, last year we had a "horror week" at the end of February on a twitch channel I moderate because we missed Halloween and then Stuff Kept Happening. You're not alone with Halloween in February ^^b
That being said, this is a very interesting analysis (like always!) and I think you were right to bend your rules this time, because it allowed for a more tightly woven interpretation instead of adding a mess like it'd do for lots of other games. Congrats and thanks professor!
Thank you for this. I can’t wait for you to cover the third entry this “Halloween” 😅
Love your insightful analysis into this. Keep it up!
Excellent analysis. It is interesting how those games provide so much meaningful message thought it's mechanics and story without sacrificing subtly. We just have to allow ourselves time to think about what the game is trying to say
Still to this the day the scariest game I've ever played, and just about the scariest thing I've ever experienced and I've lived in three houses that had some form of haunting.
This geniunely made my day, i missed these!
Amazing video as always!
So, I'll admit it... I really struggled with understanding Fatal Frame II. I just didn't understand how the Amakura twins were relevant or why the story mattered. After watching this video, I now realize that FFII is less character-centric like most Fatal Frames and is more world-centric. The story mattered because the Kurosawa twins loved each other very much--but one was poisoned by the ideology of tradition. It's a story about the ends of codependency, the selfishness within societal systems, the trauma of forced separation, and the continuing cycle of trauma itself. Thank you for this video.
...But no lie, I really liked the Wii remake, LOL.
Yo, I'm glad this is finally up. :)
Great video
Oh snap! I've been looking forward to this one!
PROFESSOR!!!! Welcome back!!!
Great video, as always!
Very enjoyable video, subscribed!
Thanks for another great video!
Looking forward to #3 and hope you breakdown Alan Wake 2 at some point. Would love to see the analysis. Have been enjoying that game.
Welcome back!
Wow, that closing argument was really well done. I hope we get a video of the next two Fatal Frame games soon. I mean, I don't mind if you also cover Fatal Frame 5 as well but man is the story weak on that one.
love your games as lit series, super excited to watch this one. odst would be neat
I know very little about this series, but as a big Silent Hill and Resident Evil fan, I've always had it on my radar in some way. Very interested to get into it after watching.
Great lesson as always, teach!
Oh I can't wait till we talk about Miku Ghost Pregnancy haha.
Wait a min if Yae died at Himuro did her spirit split like Kirie?
Terrifying, even just having the footage and audio of the game while doing something else was scary! I will absolutely never play it, 10/10 video
if I may give a suggestion for a halloween video you should try the Siren series (3 games in all technically) which includes Siren (or forbidden siren), Forbidden Siren 2, and Siren: Blood Curse (kinda subtitle a new translation since it is a remade version of the first siren game)
While I do normally enjoy darker endings, I wasn't too crazy about the idea of Mio killing Mayu being the canonical one. It just didn't feel right.
Just found this channel and this is getting me sucked in. I wonder if you did a take of Rule of Rose yet? Because that game.... yeah, lots of symbolism there.
Tbh I haven't even played it for myself. It's really hard to get a copy these days, unless there's a port I missed. But I'd love to play it sometime!
@@GameProf Yeah, I do hope you can get hands on one (without needing to pay an arm and a leg for those crazy prices) because the story - while deeply tragic - is a very good one. Too bad I can't say the same about the gameplay though... it really needs a remake.
Thanks for the vid
Just found your channel today. I’ve really enjoyed your videos on Fatal Frame and hope you release ones on 3 and 4 before long.
I’m am curious if you took in Japanese culture in your critique of the endings. As you talked about in the first video some things are so ingrained in culture that it’s hard to understand from outside it. My understanding is that part of what drove the developers to make the series was a desire to have something strongly reflect Japanese culture, folklore, and architecture. So, to me, seeing the endings through Japanese culture’s strong ideas of familial and societal duty makes the endings a bit more understandable
Really wish for more high budget serious horror games
It cost 140 dollars but I finally got a fatal frame game worth it
I played this game when I'm in my 5th grade I'm now 32 ur old, I totally agree with you all the series from 5the even the 2 remake never beat this one..❤
On the off chance you’ve never heard of or played it, you’ve got to do a literary critique of the “Pathologic” games. The original game was incredibly strange. Hiding within this game, with mechanics and graphics that were dated even back when the game was first released, is some of the best writing in the history of gaming.
Another gem
Hey you're not dead! Woohoo!
Not dead, just had kind of a creative crash after the attempt to go full-time didn't work out. Aiming for at least a video per month this year (the February 1st release of this video notwithstanding)!
Ever consider doing Disco Elysium? It's already half book
Wow UA-cam refused to show this to me lol
You know why is it when have survivial horror series the 2nd game always the best one, silent hill 2, resident evil 2, dead space 2, and fatal frame 2 lol!!!!!!
Either ones follow that are mixed or steadily go down hill afterward!
@Games As Literature why no video of ff7 remake
You're not kidding about nightmares: this game *messed up* the woman I was dating at the time!
Woot
☺️👍
I'm going to have to disagree with your take away from the first game. I've never seen it as an endorsement of the strangling ritual, Kyrie staying to block the Hell Gate doesn't show that it was necessary, only that it works. There's, at least, one other way it can be done. And that leaves open the possibility that there could be another method, some way that involves no sacrifice at all. I've always read it entirely as her making the choice to stay, then and there, because it will save people, not because she has to
That's fair, you're not wrong about that. I suppose I might have gotten that same feeling if it actually explored alternatives, but the actual solution at the end still sorta felt like playing into it to me. But I certainly like your interpretation better.
In any case, the third is pretty clearly a denouncement of the associated rituals, so I'm excited to get to that one.
I think it was more intended to show hope, but that things were still fugged. Centuries of abhorrent behaviour aren't just fixed overnight, after all
@@BobfishAlmightyThere are several notes and audio logs that prove that even long before She Sae kept begging Her Sister to kill Her. I think that She said something like to feel your hands upon my throat why didn't You kill Me back then? I kept waiting ever since We were born for You to do so. So obviously there was definitely something majorly wrong with Sae
Only 40 mins? I want 3 hours lol
Hot take: The Fatal Frame games decrease in quality with every entry.
While individual improvements may be made, the overall experience never gets better than the first game. It surprises me that people hold up Crimson Butterfly as the best in the series. It makes some of the problems from the first game worse, adds some new issues, and its improvements really aren't enough to offset the positive developments. The repeated ghost encounters and recycled plot are the worst aspects in this regard.
That said, FF2 is still one of the better horror games out there, and I do quite like it.
Honestly, I shared that opinion before replaying 2 for this analysis. I do think the degree to which the second one improved on the first is exaggerated: Fatal Frame already had everything that made it great from the get-go. But on replay, I do think there are improvements in storytelling and level design that make the second one an overall improvement.
And the third one is my favorite simply because the story is, I think, far and away the best of the trilogy in just about every regard. But I'll talk about that next Halloween.
@@GameProf Different strokes! I had the opposite experience - I remembered II as being overall the best entry until I replayed I & II a few years ago. Though I agree with your point that II's ending is more thematically consistent. I look forward to the next video - I'm curious to hear why III is the best!
Honestly I prefer the wii edition