Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir

by Nintendo

• The included "diary of faces" is a gateway into the game's absorbing Story Mode. When viewed through the lenses of the Nintendo 3DS camera, each page of the book displays a variety of augmented-reality experiences.
• Some pages of the book come to life in the form of video segments that reveal past events and shed light on the game's central mysterious soryline. Others appear to send spirits floating into players' real-world surroundings.
• Additional modes let players use the system's camera in spooky ways. In Spirit Photography, they can take photos at their leisure and watch as haunting visions appear within the pictures.
• Players can also use the notebook with their Nintendo 3DS system to face other challenges involving a mix of memory, hide-and-seek and other game play elements all with a supernatural twist.

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B006Y76HY6
• Product Dimensions: 4.9 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches ; 10.4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: April 13, 2012
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,557 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #25 in Video Games > Nintendo 3DS > Games > Action

Product Description

A visceral 3D horror tale unfolds before your eyes: The Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir game invites players to experience supernatural thrills they won't soon forget, using the built-in camera functions and augmented-reality features of the Nintendo 3DS system. The game's mysterious storyline involves a girl named Maya who has been hiding in the darkness of an old house, cursed by a malevolent woman in black. To free Maya from the curse, players must use the "diary of faces" - a 16-page AR notebook included with the game - to view ghostly images and interact with the world Maya is trapped in. The Nintendo 3DS system becomes the Camera Obscura in players' hands and is capable of revealing the supernatural and dispelling evil spirits. The lines between reality and fiction blur in this chilling horror adventure.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing. April 14, 2012

By Bryan L. Stewart

Fun: 2.0 out of 5 stars   

This is the worst Fatal Frame game you will ever play. Now, it did have a pretty good concept: an augmented reality ghost game that plays like Fatal Frame. Unfortunately, one of the first things you realize is that this spooky ghost game requires you to play in a well lit room. So well lit, in fact, that having 2 lamps on in a 30 square foot space is not close to enough light for the game to sense the book.

When it does work, it's moderately cool, but even the effects aren't really that clever. Most of the "puzzles" using the book just require you to flip to the next page. There's a hide and seek sequence that's a little more clever, but I had problems getting the game to notice what I was looking at while playing that section, making it very frustrating. Once you can get optimal lighting and you can get the book to work, be prepared for an experience that has you hunched over and reading for most of the next hour.

There are only around 7 ghosts in the game, and while the Fatal Frame formula is at work here, it doesn't feel quite right... In fact, it feels slow and tedious. Each of the ghost sequences have very simple patterns that are easy to master, and most of the time, you'll only receive damage because you were too slow to snap the shutter, or took too long to find the ghost. The storyline is a pretty tired Japanese ghost story that might as well be an adaptation of Ju-On, complete with a creepy child character and vengeful spirit. And most of the game is talking to your ghostly companion instead of playing the game. The game has you seek her out (she's usually directly to your left) talk with her. And then after you're done talking her, the game will tell you that you need to talk to her again.... I don't know why they didn't combine these sequences, because there's absolutely nothing to do in between them.

Maybe the worst part about this game is the fact that it's little more than an hour long. Sure there's a New Game+, but it just means longer, more tedious ghost fights, and a new costume for your ghostly companion. There are extra minigames to play as well, but none of them are particularly fun either.

Perhaps my expectations were too high with this game, as I really wanted to like it, but I was sadly disappointed. Read more ›

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun but Short April 13, 2012

By Michael A. Kelly

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

Lets get this out in the open: Spirit Camera is a short game, there is no getting away from that fact. 5 hours tops. Now for the good: Impressive AR use, 3D done well on the system and some great mini-games. Fatal Frame series fans and those with a particular love for Japanese horror will be more forgiving with the lack of content. I myself bought the game because of it's superb use of Augmented Reality.

This game is a spin-off from the Fatal Frame series where you defeat enemy ghosts using a camera. On 3DS the system's Augmented Reality capabilities make this much more fun than in the origonal series. The Story Mode is where most of the content can be found. This mode you scan an physical book included with the game to advance the story while you hunt ghosts using your 3DS as a ghost killing camera. The story mode now is sadly only 2-3 hours long. The mini-games flesh it out a little bit more - adding 1-2 hours of extra game play. Overall, the game is fun but short. You can play it additional times on a harder difficulty level - I did this and it did help flesh it out a bit.

I knew going in that the game was very good and very different but short. If you are a Fatal Frame fan or horror fan I say pick it up - you'll be glad you did.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Honestly, it's fun and that's all that matters to me April 20, 2012

By Shado

Amazon Verified Purchase

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

The whole point is a game be fun, it is fun. It's pricey for what it is, sure, but the tech is there, time went into this, effort, but obviously more could've gone into it. A lot more. It's still fun, it doesn't fail as a GAME it fails at QUANTITY of the game. the quality is actually great, however the AR booklet does not read well in dimly lit areas so be prepared to have it under a lamp. Having said that, feel free to keep the rest of your room dark, like I did, for maximum creepiness. It's sort of like a fun game showing off all the uses of the 3ds's augmented reality and yes it does them well (with the exception of the AR booklet lighting thing) BUT it DOES NOT FAIL AS A GAME AT ALL. It fails in the QUANTITY of game involvement. If you were able to look around the room AND walk yourself around a haunted house it would be a lot of fun. But the fact that it's called "spirit camera" and not "fatal frame" should give you the obvious wink that the game was a nervous and short attempt at a 3ds horror game, nothing major. If it were REALLY a fatal frame game it would've been called FATAL FRAME. And yes, the game is too expensive, but 99 percent of games are, and to be completely honest I had more fun with this game than most games I buy at full price so I really don't think there's much in that area to complain about that's new. For me it was worth it because I love the ideas it has and although it doesn't take everything as far as it could've gone it's still an adventure and I really did like it. If you play it with fatal frame in mind you'll be disappointed because that's your fault for your preconceptions, but if you go in with a fun attitude it is fun, that goes for all games though. This one is no different except it does a lot of things other games haven't done all together yet.

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars very fun if you have the right set up April 14, 2012

By Michael Hernandez

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

i heard some bad reviews about the amount of light that you need to play this. here is the breakdown and why it's blown out of proportion, as are some reviews. mind you im a VERY picky adult gamer also and this game was not a problem for me. if a games broken, ill call it out no matter how much i love the game/series, like the new silent hill downpour, it was awful and broken as was the HD collection and i love that series. i played " Spirit Camera" the successor to fatal frame, only in my bedroom with only my lamp on top of my dresser, with the diary laying against the lamp.(diary) i had ZERO problems. people are acting like you can only play in sunlight and thats just ridiculous. half my room was dark, only light from dresser illuminating the closet and edge of my bed. when talking to maya or fighting most ghosts, you need very little to no light. maya requires no light to talk to as she is your spirit guide. i fought many ghosts IN THE DARK, no problems. it was pretty intense especially the hide and seek ghost. that was creepy in the dark and will freak you out. i was actually in my closet sometimes with hardly any light and the fights were pretty creepy and took place in my closet!! you will spin around, back up, and fight in real time. its pretty amazing. wont spoil anything for you, but the fights are very interactive. im a huge fatal frame fan, and this one doesnt disappoint. its just different and very short but lots of mini games and ghost hunting.
Overall, if you take the time to experiment with the right light for the book, your gonna be fine. bottom line is you only need light to use the book, any desk lamp will do. most fights dont require light and yes it was very cool.... Im a new 3DS owner, bought it specifically for spirit camera, zelda and luigis mansion 2, and im very happy I did. i hardly play my ps3 anymore because the 3D is awesome and really innovated gaming in ways a controller just cannot. its a new experience. dont listen to the bad reviews. does it take some adjusting? yes. but once you find it, just like the 3d sweet spot, your gonna have a blast. i only gave it 4 stars because the game is too short, like 3 hours. also it really should have provided hints on more alternative recommended settings that work also. you can also use a flashlight to highlight the book, it works well also. but i do see impatient gamers giving up too easily. thats unfortunate.
i really do recommend it and hope you try it. make sure you dont trip during fights as your turning around and shooting ghosts, you will get into it and its a blast. thanks tecmo and nintendo. sorry your game is misunderstood. but you could have been more elaborate to ensure the best experience, everyones different. Read more ›