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PROJECT ZERO: MAIDEN OF BLACK WATER (WIIU)
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a.k.a. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
Publisher: Nintendo. Developer: Koei Tecmo. Released: October 2015 (Europe). Genre: Survival Horror. Posted 13th December 2023. By Shane Battams © 2023 |
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Always the underdog in a genre dominated by Silent Hill and Resident Evil, Project Zero has maintained a cult following thanks to its great concept and mystique, despite never selling as well as its contemporaries. With cues from paranormal Japanese horrors such as Ringu, the series would continue to thrive in 2015 with Maiden of Black Water. At a time when its competitors had seen better days, this Project Zero, despite some lack of polish and an uneven localisation, stuck to what it knew best, delivering a traditional, slow-burn horror. It’s a game that benefits greatly from the Wii U’s unique capabilities, making for a strong adventure.
Upon initial inspection, players may be quick to dismiss Maiden of Black Water. Especially to those weaned on modern control styles, movement can feel unwieldy as it lands somewhere between the awkward tank controls of classic survival horror and the from-the-hip perspective used in Resident Evil 4. This can cause the camera to become trapped on objects in the environment. There is also a heavy prevalence of backtracking (albeit with different characters) and consequently, the pacing can come off as glacial at times, with minutes of dead space as you wander without encountering a ghost. This is blanketed by an awkward story, punctuated by weird interactions between characters and a lot of stiff dialogue. As a result, it’s a game that burns slowly, forcing the player to persist to reap its rewards.
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With it's camera-as-weapon, Maiden of Black Water was always going to prove a good fit for the Wii U's Gamepad
Maiden of Black Water deserves praise, however, for maintaining a constant sense of unease. This is achieved beautifully through its locale, Hikami Mountain, which is steeped in foreboding lighting and tight corners, and drips with disturbing imagery. After defeating certain spirits, you can uncover their final moments in an optional interaction, leading to some truly dark moments and gruesome imagery. Even picking up an item is tinged with tension, as you can often be grabbed by ghosts and take damage, making picking up items unnerving to say the least. The ghosts themselves, screeching and moving without thought, bear designs that range from unsettling to downright macabre. While there are no iconic moments like, say, the zombie dog smashing through a window in Resident Evil, the persistent sense of dread and deeply dark atmosphere will appeal to horror fans.
Koei Tecmo also utilises the Wii U to great success. The series has always made use of camera-based offence to fend off ghosts, and this ties nicely into the Gamepad. When approached, you can hold the controller to the screen almost like a virtual camera, which allows you to physically adjust your sight. It’s intuitive, and greatly immerses you into the game as you fluster to adjust your camera sight while contending with multiple targets. While gamers can opt to use a more traditional control scheme which uses the analogue sticks, it feels natural to play using the Wii U’s motion control. Maiden of Black Water feels at home on the Wii U, taking advantage of the system’s unique quirks and enhancing the gameplay as a result.
Koei Tecmo also utilises the Wii U to great success. The series has always made use of camera-based offence to fend off ghosts, and this ties nicely into the Gamepad. When approached, you can hold the controller to the screen almost like a virtual camera, which allows you to physically adjust your sight. It’s intuitive, and greatly immerses you into the game as you fluster to adjust your camera sight while contending with multiple targets. While gamers can opt to use a more traditional control scheme which uses the analogue sticks, it feels natural to play using the Wii U’s motion control. Maiden of Black Water feels at home on the Wii U, taking advantage of the system’s unique quirks and enhancing the gameplay as a result.
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Combat also comes with several elements. You take the role of three characters, two of whom use the same Camera Obscura while the third uses his own. Between all three, points earned through gameplay can be used to upgrade your offence. Special lenses such as ones which increase stun length, deal more damage and recover health can also be found. It can make you overpowered and, perhaps, for horror purists, this is the main complaint you can levy: with plentiful health items and infinite ammo for the weakest film type, the game can feel a tad easy on normal difficulty, as you may finish the 15 hour or so game with few deaths to your name. The tension is still present, but by perhaps including more resources, some of the immediate stress is reduced.
But after completion, there’s still plenty to keep you busy. Lengthy chapters can take close to an hour to complete, and once you finish the first playthrough, Nightmare mode is unlocked, which is definitely more pleasing for old-school horror fans. The game boasts eight endings, and though you can earn these simply by replaying the last chapter, extra costumes which run the gambit of comical clothing to Nintendo cameos will please those. There are even extra chapters post-game, putting the player in the shoes of Ninja Gaiden character Ayane, while changing up the mechanics slightly and offering one of the stranger cameos in gaming.
But after completion, there’s still plenty to keep you busy. Lengthy chapters can take close to an hour to complete, and once you finish the first playthrough, Nightmare mode is unlocked, which is definitely more pleasing for old-school horror fans. The game boasts eight endings, and though you can earn these simply by replaying the last chapter, extra costumes which run the gambit of comical clothing to Nintendo cameos will please those. There are even extra chapters post-game, putting the player in the shoes of Ninja Gaiden character Ayane, while changing up the mechanics slightly and offering one of the stranger cameos in gaming.
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The only letdown is a lack of polish in some spots. The game’s engine is certainly capable, drenching the game with macabre lighting. Credit should also be given for the intricate, unsettling map, while the characters look detailed and the engine keeps up with the on-screen action. However, janky animation (particularly the awful running motion) and other bugs undermine the presentation. The localisation is also inconsistent, with some poor English dubbing which leaves cutscenes looking unimpressive at multiple points. But the ambient, quiet music and chilling ghost cries do make up for it, living up to the Project Zero name despite some rough edges.
Though uneven at points, horror fans will appreciate Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water and its adherence to both the series’ tropes and survival horror as a whole. It benefits greatly from the system, with the Gamepad a comfortable fit for the Camera Obscura. While the glacial pacing and lack of polish will turn off those not keen on the genre, both fans of the franchise and horror buffs would do well to check this one out, as it serves as something of a sleeper success.
Though uneven at points, horror fans will appreciate Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water and its adherence to both the series’ tropes and survival horror as a whole. It benefits greatly from the system, with the Gamepad a comfortable fit for the Camera Obscura. While the glacial pacing and lack of polish will turn off those not keen on the genre, both fans of the franchise and horror buffs would do well to check this one out, as it serves as something of a sleeper success.
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VERDICT
"horror fans will appreciate Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water... A lack of polish will turn away some, but genre buffs would do well to check this one out, as it serves as something of a sleeper success for the Wii U." OVERALL: 7/10 |
OTHER HORROR GAMES ON NINTENDO SYSTEMS REVIEWED
Ju-On: The Grudge (2009, Wii)
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Calling (2010, Wii)
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