Compare Avowed vs Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake

Bug reports varied widely: some reviewers found almost none, while others hit quest bugs, map-edge bugs, or issues that required reloads.

A customer reports the game feeling both clunky and buggy, pointing to rough technical edges.

Endgame content was criticized because the original experience did not allow continued post-story play and lacked New Game Plus at launch.

New Game+ extends camera progression and gives completion-focused players more to pursue after the first ending.

Haptic support was platform-dependent: one PS5 review praised DualSense vibration, while another noted missing haptic and trigger use.

Controller vibration is notably light for at least one player, leaving the remake with less tactile feedback than expected.

HUD clarity improved through options to reduce clutter, adjust opacity, and toggle display elements.

A persistent minimap and interface can feel intrusive for players who want an uncluttered, more immersive horror presentation.

Weapon balance and variety were mostly praised for experimentation and flexible loadouts, but some reviewers felt magic outclassed melee or guns.

Camera filters and upgrades can swing too far, with powerful setups trivializing ghosts after earlier fights feel overly resistant.

Movement feel and parkour were strongly praised for making exploration fluid, vertical, and enjoyable.

Mio is easier to steer than in older versions, but slow, heavy, or stiff movement remains one of the most common frustrations during combat.

Stealth was criticized as underdeveloped or nearly useless, with little support for stealth-focused play.

Running and hiding can create excellent panic, but dark visual filters, unclear hiding spots, and trial-and-error failures make stealth inconsistent.

The tutorial was praised for teaching systems naturally and creating meaningful choices early.

Tutorials explain many systems, but the timing and volume of instruction can be awkward, with some crucial guidance arriving only after failure.

Side characters and companions were highly divisive: some found them memorable and heartfelt, while others thought they were shallow or uninspired.

Some added material gives supporting spirits more context, though not every side story feels substantial enough to deepen its character.

World interactivity was one of the most common criticisms, with many reviewers finding NPCs, theft, objects, and systems too static.

Holding Mayu’s hand is a meaningful, health-restoring expression of the sisters’ bond, though the interaction can feel clumsy or underused.

Enemy AI was considered serviceable but not especially smart; later impressions suggested fights remain engaging without feeling brain-dead.

Holding hands can sometimes confuse enemy behavior, causing ghosts to shuffle awkwardly around the sisters.

Steam Deck suitability was considered playable and verified, but the visual tradeoff was significant.

Handheld play keeps the same general experience, but reduced clarity and blur make the Switch 2 presentation less appealing on the small screen.

Originality was limited; reviewers often described Avowed as familiar comfort-food fantasy rather than a bold genre evolution.

Photography-based exorcism still gives Fatal Frame a distinctive identity that stands apart from gun-focused survival horror.

Character development split reviewers: some found companions distinct and engaging, while others thought characters were bland or hard to care about.

Mio and Mayu’s strained bond comes through strongly, with side stories and hand-holding mechanics adding texture to their relationship.

Innovation was usually described as limited; reviewers saw Avowed as confident and enjoyable rather than genre-changing.

The Camera Obscura remains an inventive horror concept, and the remake takes some smart chances with filters and combat without reinventing the series.

Exploration was one of the strongest consensus positives, with dense maps, secrets, vertical paths, and constant rewards keeping reviewers engaged.

Exploration rewards curiosity with lore, upgrades, and secrets, though backtracking, slow movement, and occasional over-signposting can sap momentum.

Combat was one of the most consistently praised elements, especially magic, responsiveness, and build variety, despite repetition and gear-gating complaints.

Camera-based combat remains distinctive, tense, and satisfying when it clicks, but aggravated wraiths, long health bars, and clunky movement frequently turn fights into frustration.

Facial animations were criticized in later impressions as not matching next-generation expectations.

Character faces look much improved overall, but facial motion can still lack the fluidity and polish of the best modern remakes.

Polish improved over time but remained uneven, with reviewers citing jank, lack of gloss, or presentation limits alongside strong craftsmanship.

The remake looks ambitious but retains noticeable jank, with clunky controls, awkward animations, and performance roughness keeping it from feeling fully refined.

Frame-rate stability varied: some reviewers saw stable performance, while others reported hitches, drops, screen tearing, or stuttering.

Console performance is the clearest technical complaint, with a 30 FPS cap and reports of stutter or drops overshadowing otherwise strong presentation.

Writing quality was widely praised for lore, companion dialogue, and sharp prose, but a minority found it wordy, pretentious, or mid.

The restrained exposition and improved translation let the mystery unfold naturally without burying the player in long explanations.

Progression systems were divisive: some liked flexible builds and added points, while others found midgame growth stagnant or too gear-dependent.

Camera progression gives exploration a satisfying sense of growth and makes later encounters more manageable.

Animation feedback was mixed, with stiff NPCs and less impressive presentation keeping the game from feeling fully modern.

Character and ghost animation is generally expressive and improved, though some movement still looks stiff or less polished than modern peers.

Difficulty balance was one of the most debated areas, with some finding it fair and flexible and others criticizing gear checks, sponginess, or uneven scaling.

Difficulty is uneven: early fights and aggravated wraiths can spike sharply, while later upgrades or patches can swing combat toward trivial.

Gameplay mechanics were generally praised as streamlined and flexible, but a few reviewers felt RPG systems lacked depth or reactivity.

Modernized mechanics add depth and convenience, yet the extra systems sometimes feel overcomplicated or at odds with the series’ vulnerability-first horror.

Camera-related options were appreciated, especially the ability to adjust head bob and camera shake for comfort.

The over-the-shoulder view makes exploration easier to control, but some players feel losing fixed angles weakens surprise and dread.

Visual effects, especially magic, were repeatedly praised for impact, color, and satisfying feedback.

Lighting, fog, shadows, and spectral effects strongly reinforce the horror, but aggressive film grain can muddy an otherwise impressive image.

Most reviewers praised the bold, colorful, alien fantasy art direction, though a few disliked the cartoony look or felt presentation was uneven.

The remake’s moody J-horror look is widely effective, but the heavy film-grain treatment is divisive and can obscure the cleaner visual upgrade.

Returning Eora fans often felt Avowed was faithful to the Pillars of Eternity world, while still accessible to newcomers.

The remake preserves the tragic story and Fatal Frame identity well, while modern camera and combat changes divide purists who preferred the older feel.

The Living Lands’ vivid tone, music, and dreamlike spaces were repeatedly praised for creating a distinctive atmosphere.

Minakami Village is the remake’s defining strength: oppressive darkness, fog, lighting, and eerie spaces keep the experience tense even between fights.

Companion combat AI was mixed: some found companions self-sufficient or improved by patches, while others called them weak or unnecessary in fights.

Mayu can reinforce the sisters’ bond without making escort sections unbearable, yet she is often too passive or becomes a liability during fights.

Environmental detail was strongly praised through dense secrets, vistas, caves, and handcrafted spaces, even by some otherwise mixed reviewers.

Houses, streets, textures, and small lived-in touches make Minakami feel convincingly decayed and unsettling.

Reviewers noted useful accessibility and comfort controls such as camera, subtitle, difficulty, and arachnophobia-related options, though colorblind support was called out as missing.

Settings cover useful basics such as subtitles, control choices, lock-on, and vibration, but PC keyboard support and customization are uneven.

Enemy variety was a recurring concern; many reviewers felt the same bears, spiders, skeletons, and humanoids appeared too often.

Ghosts have memorable designs and behaviors, but repeated encounters can make the roster feel less varied over a full playthrough.

Lore depth was consistently praised, especially the in-game books, history, politics, and reference systems that made Eora feel rich.

Journals, spirit traces, side stories, and new locations deepen the village’s ritual history and make its ghosts more tragic and memorable.

Aiming and first-person spell placement drew criticism when ground-targeted abilities were hard to place precisely.

Aiming can still feel awkward when the Camera Obscura gets hectic, even with the remake’s extra focus and targeting tools.

Learning support was helped by reference and lore systems that made Eora’s terminology easier to understand.

The camera system needs some adjustment time, but combat becomes more natural once focus, timing, filters, and Fatal Frames click.

Fun factor leaned positive overall, especially for combat and exploration, though some reviewers found the experience merely solid or underwhelming.

Most players still find the remake enjoyable and compelling, but prolonged combat and technical friction can turn tense encounters into chores.

Upgrade systems were sharply divisive, with some liking gear longevity and many others criticizing tiers, scarcity, or number-go-up design.

Camera and filter upgrades can be rewarding, yet balance is shaky: some boosts feel unclear or weak while others eventually trivialize enemies.

Grind level was a common complaint tied to gear upgrades, resource hunting, and spongy combat loops.

Repeated ghost fights and health regeneration can grind the pacing down, especially when ordinary enemies take too long to finish.

Dialogue quality ranged from standout and well acted to overly wordy, forced, or limited in the options it offered.

The unusual line delivery fits the uncanny tone and helps the sisters’ conversations feel appropriately unsettling.

Emotional impact came mostly from moral choices, consequences, and companion moments, though some endings or fallout felt muted to critics.

The themes of sacrifice, guilt, loss, and the sisters’ bond give the horror a melancholy weight beyond its jump scares.

Pacing was mixed, with slow starts, downtime, filler quests, and late-game repetition weighing against an otherwise easy-to-follow story.

The story’s slow-burn rhythm often works beautifully, but backtracking, optional material, and overlong ghost battles can make stretches drag.

Onboarding was praised when it taught by doing, though lore-heavy openings could feel steep for newcomers.

Lock-on, dodging, difficulty choices, and clearer navigation make this an approachable entry point, though some guidance arrives awkwardly or feels excessive.

Narrative quality was usually a strength thanks to mystery, choices, and world stakes, but some reviewers found the main plot predictable or underwhelming.

The tragic mystery of Mio, Mayu, and Minakami is consistently praised as a major strength, with new material generally expanding the story without disrupting it.

Graphics quality was divisive but often positive, with praise for stunning vistas and vivid visuals alongside criticism of poor or compromised visuals on some platforms.

Detailed environments, lighting, character models, and ghost designs make this the best-looking Fatal Frame for many, despite some film-grain and performance complaints.

Resource balance divided reviewers: some liked the meaningful economy, while others felt crafting materials and upgrade resources were too scarce.

Limited film and healing supplies create useful survival-horror pressure, but health-regenerating enemies can make resource loss feel unfair.

Immersion was helped by dense worldbuilding and atmosphere but hurt for some by static NPCs and limited world reactivity.

Sound, lighting, village detail, and the sisters’ vulnerability pull players into Minakami, while busy HUD elements and gamey upgrade systems can break the spell.

Reviewers liked the dense zones and amount of side content, although some felt the scope was restrained rather than sprawling.

New side stories, areas, collectibles, and endings give returning players meaningful extra material, even if a few additions feel secondary.

The core loop was divisive: strong combat and exploration were often undermined for some reviewers by gear-tier repetition and open-zone structure.

The photography-and-exploration loop can lose momentum when repeated ghost encounters interrupt the slow-burn horror too often.

Crash stability varied by platform and version: some reviewers reported no crashes, while another had severe startup crashes before fixes.

One tested run reported no crashes, even while other performance limitations remained.

Platform-specific support was praised for PS5 performance modes, Sony-platform feel, and PC features such as DLSS.

3D audio can noticeably strengthen the horror, but missing gyro support, HDR/film-grain issues, and console limitations make platform features inconsistent.

Save reliability was a concern for at least one reviewer who needed more careful saving because of bugs.

Reliable autosaves pair well with generous checkpoints, making progress feel secure even when combat suddenly turns punishing.

Value for money was mixed: reviewers praised Game Pass or lower pricing but questioned the original premium price for the scope.

For horror fans, the expanded content and strong presentation generally justify the purchase, while performance-sensitive players may prefer a sale or patches.

Replay value improved with choices and post-launch New Game Plus, though some reviewers felt repeated runs changed too little.

Multiple endings, New Game+, higher difficulties, missed ghosts, and collectibles give strong reasons to revisit Minakami.

Mission design drew criticism when quests felt repetitive, fetchy, or like back-and-forth errands, though some standout missions remained.

Optional side stories often add worthwhile character and lore context, though some feel redundant or less naturally integrated than the main path.

Level design was praised for verticality, density, handcrafted routes, and spaces that felt larger than their footprint.

Minakami’s dense houses and winding paths build strong tension and familiarity, though some corridors and chase spaces can feel restrictive or confusing.

UI options such as text sizing and subtitles were appreciated as useful interface support.

The interface is serviceable, but persistent HUD elements and a few menu choices can feel visually intrusive in such an atmosphere-driven game.

Boss design was criticized as disappointing, with bosses feeling like tougher versions of regular enemies rather than unique encounters.

Major apparitions can be memorable and terrifying, but early mini-boss spikes and drawn-out encounters make boss quality inconsistent.

Puzzles were generally light but appreciated when they used environmental elements, timing, and exploration paths.

Puzzles provide welcome breaks from combat and generally fit classic survival horror, but some are simple while chase-related problem solving can become trial and error.

Sound design was praised for impactful effects, combat feedback, and strong weapon audio.

Creaks, distant cries, spatial audio, and oppressive silence are standout strengths that make the village feel hostile before anything appears.

Quest design ranged from excellent side stories and meaningful follow-ups to fetchy, inconsistent, or repetitive tasks.

Side stories can deepen the village and its spirits in rewarding ways, although a few players find the quest-like structure artificial or poorly integrated.

World-building was one of Avowed’s clearest strengths, especially its politics, cultures, history, and Eora continuity.

Minakami’s architecture, rituals, journals, spirits, and side stories form a cohesive folk-horror setting that grows richer the more it is explored.

Map and navigation design was mixed, with missing custom markers criticized before later updates added them.

Maps and signposting usually keep objectives readable, but guidance ranges from welcome clarity to hand-holding that some players find excessive.

Performance optimization varied sharply across versions, from stable and improved after patches to demanding, stuttery, or poorly optimized on some PCs.

Technical performance is a weak point, especially on consoles where stutter, frame drops, and limited performance options are repeatedly criticized.

Soundtrack reception was generally positive but often stopped short of calling the music unforgettable.

The music supports both the story’s melancholy and its tension without overpowering the quieter environmental horror.

Controls and combat feel were commonly praised for responsiveness, impact, and keybind flexibility, with a few targeting frustrations.

Modern controls are easier to live with than the originals, but stiffness, awkward bindings, and slow combat inputs remain recurring complaints.

Menu and ability-wheel usability was mixed; some quality-of-life systems helped, but radial wheels and limited hotkeys disrupted combat for others.

Menus are functional for most needs, yet customization is limited and at least one player considers the UI a major downgrade.

Voice acting was mostly praised as strong or outstanding, though one reviewer found performances unable to save weaker writing.

The English dub receives unusually strong praise, with the leads selling fear and emotion well; the Japanese track remains an appealing alternative.

One reviewer specifically framed Avowed as more appropriate for older teens and adults because of its complex themes and mature material.

Character creation was generally praised as solid or deep, with later updates adding more races and appearance options.

Mio’s vulnerability and determination suit the story well, though her slow movement and dependence on Mayu-related systems can be frustrating in play.

Higher battle settings can balloon enemy health enough to make encounters feel excessive rather than meaningfully tougher.

The companion roster was often seen as small or limited, though some reviewers still liked the four supporting characters.

Generous checkpoints reduce the sting of deaths and keep difficult sections from forcing long replays.

Build and class flexibility was praised because Avowed lets players mix archetypes freely, though balance sometimes favored magic or specific styles.

Crafting was mixed to negative, with several reviewers calling it threadbare, expensive, or too tied to gear-tier progression.

Fast travel was viewed as convenient and generous, making it easy to revisit areas without friction.

The remake remains intensely creepy and often terrifying, although greater player control and overlong fights can occasionally dilute the fear.

Loading can interrupt the experience in spots, adding another small layer of friction to an already deliberate pace.

Loot opinions were mixed: unique items and progression could be satisfying, but many chests and rewards felt predictable or unexciting.

Most physical copies arrived sealed or in excellent condition, but several customers received loose discs and a few reported damage.

Platforming precision was a pleasant surprise, with simple mantling and vertical puzzles adding a welcome exploration layer.

This is broadly seen as a strong, visually striking modernization that respects the original story, but combat balance, camera changes, and console performance keep it from being definitive for everyone.

Sandbox freedom was limited compared with full open-world RPGs, though some reviewers still appreciated freedom in story choices or builds.

Skill trees were praised for flexibility but criticized by others as simple, shallow, or uneven across archetypes.

Several customers expected preorder bonuses and were disappointed when the promised extras were missing.

Post-launch support was viewed positively, with free updates improving stability, customization, build options, and quality-of-life features.

Open-zone design split reviewers: many liked curated, dense hubs, while others found the world restrictive, lifeless, or not interactive enough.