• Publisher: Tecmo
  • Release Date: Nov 8, 2005
Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 46
  2. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. Fatal Frame 3 is horror at its best, minus any cheap scares. It does an outstanding job of creeping you out while spinning a deep and distressing story that will get under your skin.
  2. A fantastic game; you probably won't play a scarier title in the survival horror genre. And if you can forgive the minor niggles you're in for a wholesome and character building experience.
  3. Fatal Frame III really ties the entire series together and provides a good and complex plot with plenty of scares and frantic moments.
  4. A supremely worthy successor to the most-frightening throne.
  5. The actual story is as sad as it is malevolent. [Jan 2006, p.88]
  6. I had a great time with Fatal Frame III despite the aging controls and unoriginal gameplay.
  7. An appealing game for the 13 or so hours that it lasts. The storyline and atmosphere is perfect and the gameplay is solid for the most part.
  8. I loved playing the game--it’s scary as hell. The graphics, gameplay, presentation, and sound are decent and they work very well together.
  9. A quality title that doesn't necessarily stray from the proven groundwork laid down by its predecessors, but still manages to give you a good scare.
  10. A unique approach to the genre, the series proves that an endless supply of undead to fight isn’t always scarier than an empty hallway in a deserted mansion.
  11. A great horror game for PS2 owners and anyone who likes a good ghost story, but fans may find it to be a little too mired in its series's formula.
  12. Those passionate for an escapade into cursed manors and the spirit world will find The Tormented equally as refreshing as its predecessors.
  13. 82
    A little gem of a game, one which proves the power and intensity of effect that some games can exert on the players.
  14. 80
    Tecmo have done an excellent job in creating a truly epic storyline that, while original, also binds together with the other titles in the series.
  15. Standing back from the relatively minor niggles and the impatient desire for Tecmo to push on with the series in a slightly more forward-looking direction, it's still a labour of love playing a title that leaves you lying awake at night pondering on every palpitating detail.
  16. If it is the last in the series it’s truly a shame. But Project Zero 3: The Tormented definitely goes out with a bang... a big spooky bang.
  17. I'll just issue a warning that this game isn't for the faint hearted - don't buy it in haste, or you'll have plenty of time to repent at leisure when it's sat in your PS2, not getting played, because you dare not unpause it.
  18. Who knew the camera could be this powerful? Tecmo comes up with the perfect shot, and you'll be clicking away like a Hollywood paparazzi in this genuinely scary adventure.
  19. Controlling the characters is still quite awkward in that old Resident Evil kind of way but the real treat comes in the form of the Camera Obscura and the fact that you can play as two other characters.
  20. However, "not quite as good as the best ever" is still pretty damn good. [Holiday 2005, p.84]
  21. 100% guaranteed to creep you out, Fatal Frame III combines the best parts of the last two games into a story that helps wrap up most loose ends nicely. It's not terribly new, but it is very, very scary.
  22. Not only are the characters sluggish but the game is very fussy about triggering events. You have to be standing in the perfect spot to do things such as open a door or pick up a key.
  23. 80
    One of the better horror games out there and will definitely give you a fright factor, definitely recommended for horror fans.
  24. 80
    While it's an interesting idea, the abrupt changes in pace really kills the excitement level.
  25. This is great gaming, great art, and a great way to give yourself the creeps while fumbling around with the oddest virtual camera you've ever handled.
  26. 80
    Although Fatal Frame III will simultaneously delight and scare the bejesus out of fans of the series, Tecmo will need to take that next big step in "Fatal Frame IV" to keep this innovative series at the top of the survival-horror heap.
  27. One hell of a game. Fans of the series will find answers to some of their questions and find new ones to ponder over by the game’s close, while gamers unfamiliar with the Camera Obscura would do well to check it out right after the first two. It’s chilling, it’s engrossing and there’s even extra unlockable content.
  28. 78
    In a world with "Resident Evil 4" and "Ties That Bind," its sluggish movement and less responsive controls are becoming harder to forgive with time -- especially when coupled with a heavy amount of backtracking (which The Tormented has) and long moments of build-up between screams.
  29. It's just not very scary. [Dec 2005, p.171]
  30. Enjoyment of the game's dark subject matter is diluted slightly by some awkward controls and strange pacing, but there are still plenty of good chills to be had.
  31. Capturing images of the dead is the name of the game in Fatal Frame, but it's not as easy as it sounds. [Dec 2005, p.63]
  32. A nice departure from the horror game norm. Having a huge arsenal of weapons at one’s disposal tends to give players a sense of empowerment even if all of hell is on their tail.
  33. 75
    In terms of sheer creepiness only "Silent Hill" can give it a run for its money, and Fatal Frame inspires dread in such a different way that it's really worth experiencing.
  34. It has just enough to keep you enthralled despite these shortcomings, yet the relatively low reply value means that it is not a title you’ll keep coming back to time after time.
  35. The Tormented may read more as a mystery than a truly frightening horror story but, if it’s to be a conclusion to this dark and lonely diversion from the beaten track, it will be a fitting and deserving one. [Jan 2005, p.87]
  36. If only the same amount of effort was put into the actual game play as was put into making it so beautifully disturbing to look at, you’d probably have a near flawless result , as it is the lack of mobility and annoying combat situations are just too irritating to ignore.
  37. It's not perfect but it's creepy. The mix of investigation and scores easily outweighs the clunky controls and occasional lulls in the action. [Mar 2006, p.105]
  38. Yes, the atmosphere is thicker than Pete Burns' lippy, and sure, this is fantastic hairraising fare, but it is hard to shake the feeling that the bare bones of The Tormented - spooky exploration mixed with shadowy combat - has been done much better elsewhere, and this feels antiquated and cumbersome and in comparison.
  39. Genre fans will rejoice in its depth and should grab it straightaway.
  40. Frame's spooky atmosphere and subtle use of ambient noise and music build a sense of mounting terror that makes the actual enemy and cutscene scares all the more pants-wetting.
  41. It isn’t 2001 anymore and what once seemed fresh is now starting to whiff a bit; the play mechanics are beginning to creak with age and consequently you may ultimately find yourself more irritated than terrified.
  42. It's certainly a quality product, but the stiff controls, the back tracking, and the predictability is soooo 2004.
  43. The slow pace may not be to everyone's taste but this game is a must for horror buffs.
  44. Most adventure gamers will enjoy the frequent scares and pretty scenes of Fatal Frame III. However, the slow pacing and general lack of innovation to gameplay, scenery, or story keeps this picture just slightly out of focus.
  45. 60
    This game is strictly for die-hard fans of the Fatal Frame series and graphics whores everywhere. Everyone else can easily find better offerings in the survival horror sub-genre.
  46. 60
    The sights, sounds, and feel of the game are so similar to the last two games that you’ll find the entire thing less scary. Enemies will feel less threatening, locations will remind you of past locations, and the whole thing will lose some of its edge.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. Instead of pumping lead into the undead or blasting a zombies' brainless head clean of the neck with a shotgun, the protagonist in Fatal Frame forces his or her way through a huge number of ghosts and spirits by taking...pictures of them. Four years after the original Fatal Frame, the 3rd installment was released, starring the 23 years old freelance photographer Rei Kurosawa. Her fiancee was killed in a car accident, and she was drawn into the Fatal Frame premise because she could see his image appearing on one of the photos she had taken during a "haunted house" assignment. There is a major change in the game-play compared to the first two games, being that the actual adventure that takes Rei through and old Japanese manor only takes part in her dreams. While being awake, you can walk freely through her own house, interact with people and pets, check all kinds of books and tapes you find during the game and even develop photos in a special darkroom. With the whole day and night setup, the game is divided into "hours" that can be regarded as missions and "nights", basically a new night begins every time you go to sleep. In certain missions, you may even leave the dreamworld and continue the mission during the next night if desired. Another change is that you take control of different characters (unlike Fatal Frame 2, only one at a time). Regarding the control scheme and overall interaction with the surroundings, items and ghosts, nothing about the formula has been changed. There are always those complaining about too little innovation but I say if it ain't broken don't fix it. As known from the first two games, all playable characters sooner or later get hold of the "Camera Obscura" that can be used to see things invisible for the human eye and actually deal damage to hostile ghosts. So basically you have to make your way through a very old and very dark and creepy Japanese manor and defend yourself against a huge number of ghosts that want you dead while trying to find out the secrets behind the incidents that took part at the manor and the reason why you are there. Taking all that, the Game is inspired to a huge extent by Japanese history and culture. The very well thought about story is not only told within the game itself, but also through various forms of writings such as newspaper articles, diaries and so on. Let me say it directly, there is a LOT to read, and the game really develops its full potential when you take your time to fully dive into its world and actually read the very interesting material that gives a lot of background information and links between the characters. On a different note, you might as well skip all that and just play the game, and still enjoy it. The enemy design in this game is fantastic and contained what I love most about fighting in video games: Getting my ass handed back to me on a silver plate the first time around and come back with a new strategy (or several ones if necessary) to become victorious. The harmful ghosts appear in a large variety with different attacks and attack pattern. I got scared by suddenly appearing ghosts and creepy sound/visual effects many times, the tension when walking through the dark corridors of the mansion is constant and lets the neck on your hair stand up when playing alone or at night. The manor is old, it is dark and mysterious, and that makes it a great surrounding. The fact that many rooms and areas look similar to others gives you a feeling of being lost, which does become better over time since you will be walking back and forth collecting items a lot. You will feel alone and vulnerable, and that is basically what creates survival horror. Some enemies are very tough, this game is no walk in the park, you will have to adjust your strategies and keep up a good item management, even though the game is quite fair with re-spawning healing items and film rolls (the ammunition for the camera so to say, it comes in different types and strengths) in certain places that you might be visiting frequently for that reason.While you might chose to run away from some extremely powerful enemies, you will love to fight some of them again and again as the battle system is very rewarding for learning and improving it. The overall play time on my first walk-through was about 15 hours. I found it very well-balanced, and the way the climax is built up is nearly perfect. As in the first two games, a "mission" mode in which you have to defeat ghosts from the game as well as new ones in a certain time or with the highest score you can get in order to unlock new missions or items. You can also use the points achieved through good photos to buy additional costumes or gimmicks. And who does not want to see glasses or cat-ears on his favorite female (game) character? Full Review »
  2. It is really awkward game control and the only satisfying thing in this game is that the atmosphere has a scary views . The uses of language that not really common that this game was originally Japanese , also made the game is hard to understand..

    It is a good game but not Outstanding though
    Full Review »
  3. DanielPereira
    9
    So so scary!! I tell you i can´t play it by myself in the dark! I completed the game playng in daylight. I can´t play it at night. It creps me out. But some day i´ll do IT! Anyway this game is so crepy but also a great game! Fantastic game really. Full Review »