Should I wait for the possible remaster of the first three games?

[Milk Tea]

I've never played nor watched this series but I'm really interested in it. However, I have read that they have a shared universe, so my question is, can I still enjoy the fourth and fifth game without having played the first three?

[Starfisher]

You can play both four and fifth independently. They contain a complete story each.

[VaMp (Zaenyx)]

They're all part of the same universe, however, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse's story is self-contained. Also this one would be the first if we go by chronological order. By all means, go for it! I highly recommend it! It's an amazing horror game!

Maiden of Black Water (the 5th one) has more of a connection to 1 and 3, however you don't necessarily need to play them to understand its story.

In a way, all the games in this series can be played without any knowledge of the others but if you care about all the story details then you'll want to play all of them.

[Milk Tea]

Originally posted by VaMp (Zaenyx):

They're all part of the same universe, however, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse's story is self-contained. Also this one would be the first if we go by chronological order. By all means, go for it! I highly recommend it! It's an amazing horror game!

Maiden of Black Water (the 5th one) has more of a connection to 1 and 3, however you don't necessarily need to play them to understand its story.

In a way, all the games in this series can be played without any knowledge of the others but if you care about all the story details then you'll want to play all of them.

Thank you so much! I will get them both then :) hopefully we will eventually get the first three as well

[VaMp (Zaenyx)]

Chances are, if this one sells well, the next one we'd get would be 2 since it was already remade for the Wii with much better visuals. So here's hoping! Also enjoy the games!

[Soul Nibbler]

Originally posted by VaMp (Zaenyx):

Also this one would be the first if we go by chronological order.

Apparently this has been debunked. It was because of a translation error of the fan translation. It should've been "in the 1980's", but they mistranslated it as "in 1980". The only date we are given in the game is 1977 when the girls were abducted as little children. The main story takes place 10 years after, which makes this game taking place in 1987. FF1 takes place in 1986, which is thus the chronologically first game in the series.

[Soul Nibbler]

You can play either Fatal Frame remaster on Steam first, but keep in mind that Maiden of Black Water is widely considered to be the weakest entry in the series. Mask of the Lunar Eclipse on the other hand is very revered (it's my 2nd favorite).
In case the first three games will get a remaster in the future: I wouldn't recommend playing Fatal Frame 3 first, since it does spoil the first two games ' stories a little. I'd play that after FF1 and 2. Other than that you can pretty much start anywhere, they're very self-contained.

[Milk Tea]

Oh, I just took it that they meant that I should play Mask of the Lunar Eclipse before the Maiden of black water but that's good to know, thank you! I will start with the lunar eclipse then :) and hope for a chronological re-release of the first three games xD

[VaMp (Zaenyx)]

Even if Mask of the Lunar Eclipse isn't chronologically first, its story is still self-contained so starting with it is perfectly fine.