Best PS2 Horror Games

The PlayStation 2 is one of the most popular consoles of all time, with over 157 million units sold worldwide. Due to its widespread success, Sony made sure to keep supplying the console with incredible games, and the PS2 now has one of the most beloved libraries in all gaming. From tactical JRPGs to EyeToy rhythm games, there's something for everyone on the PS2, including horror fans.

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There are a lot of horror titles available on the PS2, and players can expect anything when it comes to these titles. Some are popular stalwarts of the horror gaming universe, while others have slipped under the radar of many fans of spooky games. The monsters are grotesque, the combat is stressful (if available at all), and the scares are constant in these haunted classics.

Updated by Mara Cowley on January 13, 2025: Though gaming has evolved several generations ahead, the PS2 is still a largely celebrated console that was home to some of the greatest hits of all time, especially in the horror category. Franchises such as Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Siren have all released multiple titles for this console, as well as more one-off unique titles that are some of the best PS2 horror games of all time. With so many successful years on the market, there are countless fantastic PS2 horror games that were made available for this console, and this article has been updated to include even more scarily good titles.

34 Galerians: Ash

Witness Mankind's Struggle Against Rogue AI

Sci-fi stories with rogue AI gaining sentience and questioning their allegiance to their creators is not a new and unique story in anyway, yet Galerians: Ash still manages to set itself apart from the rest.

The AI in question, called Dorothy, was destroyed in the events of the first game, but players must still contend with her creations, the Galerians. The main character called Rion is called upon one last time to defeat the remaining Galerians. Though it received middling reviews, fans of anime and early Resident Evil games will enjoy the themes explored and the gameplay on offer, even if it won't scare them as witless as other horror experiences available for PS2 players.

33 Extermination

One Of The Earliest PS2 Survival Horror Titles

Considered one of the earliest survival horror games to be released for the PS2, Extermination may not go down in history as one of the most memorable horror titles in history, but at the time, it was considered an innovative and frightening game.

Set in a remote base in Antarctica, players assume the role of marine Sergeant Dennis Riley who is sent to investigate a distress call, and finds extremely distressing events have unfolded within. There are more monsters than people within its confines, and the game places a large emphasis on survival. Despite his combat training, Dennis will spend more time running for his life than fighting, which only makes the threats he encounters all the more terrifying.

32 Curse: The Eyes Of Isis

Visiting The Pyramids

This game would have flown under the radar of many gamers, though those that did give it a try would have found a diamond in the rough. Though it was a gem that could have used some polishing, Curse: The Eyes of Isis did still offer some scares and fun to players.

Set in the year 1809, strange events have begun to occur in the British Museum after a gang of thugs stole one of the items on display, the Eye of Isis. A mysterious fog has rolled through the building, killing or transforming everything it touches. The game will take place for the most part in said museum, but Curse will also take players on trips to the coast and even the pyramids in Egypt.

31 Gregory Horror Show

A Unique Take On Horror

For those not in the know, Gregory Horror Show used to be a CGI anime in Japan, proving popular enough to warrant a horror PS2 game. The gameplay is rather simplistic, which sees players gathering the soul bottles in the possession of the guests, who will flee with the bottle if they are spotted. More bottles will increase the number of guests and rooms, as well as increasing the difficulty of sneaking up on guests.

While not as in-depth as some other horror games available on the PS2, this game was still viewed favorably by those who did play it, as it offered a fun and unique take on horror.

30 Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2

Survive Another Outbreak With Brand New Scenarios

Survivors from the first Outbreak are back for round two in Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2, with five new scenarios to play through: Wild Things, Underbelly, Flashback, Desperate Times, and End of the Road. Players can choose to play this alone or with friends, which elevates the enjoyability of any game. The characters awaken infected with the T-Virus, placing a pressing deadline on them to escape the city before they join the legions of infected roaming Raccoon City.

While not as frightening as other RE installments such as the first game or Resident Evil 7, Outbreak File #2, it is still a fun game to play with satisfying controls and plenty of challenges to keep players coming back for more. Special scenarios, a checklist for each chapter, and difficulty modes ensure plenty of replayability.

29 Glass Rose

A Different Kind Of Gameplay Experience

Another Capcom hidden gem, Glass Rose is a unique point-and-click psychological horror game. In it, reporter Takashi Kagetani explores an abandoned building with his friend before he is knocked out, and awakens seventy years in the past. To escape back to his own time, Takashi must explore every nook and cranny of the mansion, and speak to its inhabitants, unfurling the mysteries hidden beneath the tasteful furniture.

This unique time travel plot, the mind-reading abilities, and point-and-click gameplay set Glass Rose apart from the rest. While this risky innovation may not have always worked in the game's favor, Glass Rose promises a unique and fun horror experience for the PS2.

28 Echo Night: Beyond

Ambitiously Combines Sci-Fi And The Paranormal

Before games such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring launched it into fame, FromSoftware was responsible for Echo Night: Beyond, a PS2 horror game, which would be a much different experience for Soulsborne players. It focuses more on horror and survival, telling a tale that ambitiously combines sci-fi and ghosts to create a wholly unique experience.

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By  Ritwik Mitra

Honeymooners Richard and Claudia embark on a shuttle to the Moon when supernatural forces cause engine failures within the shuttle as it comes to land, causing a deadly crash that kills many passengers who then become ghosts that flood the base. It's up to Richard to free the spirits that are now trapped in the base, without joining the legion of the dead himself.

27 Manhunt 2

The Title Drew Controversy, But Its Gameplay Was Praised

With the first Manhunt being such a success, garnering the praise of critics and gamers alike, a sequel was inevitable, and was just as shocking with its gratuitous violence. Parts of the game had to be censored for it to be released on consoles at the time, and once it was, it exceeded many people's expectations.

Playing as the escaped patient of a mental facility, Daniel's amnesia slowly begins lifting once he returns to his ruined home. The other patient he is with, Leo, is the manifestation of another part of himself awakened by a research project to create the perfect assassin. The twist is just as surprising to the players as it is to Daniel, and the battle in his mind against himself is one to be remembered.

26 X-Files: Resist Or Serve

Based On The Popular Horror Sci-Fi Show

Most fans know that game tie-ins based on movies and TV shows tend to be about as successful as movie adaptations of games — which is to say, not successful at all. But fans of The X-Files may have been pleasantly surprised by this more than adequate X-Files video game, with a writer and actors from the show onboard for the project.

Set during the seventh season of the show, Resist or Serve aimed to deliver three 'lost episodes' into the timeline of the series, which all revolved around what the show is most known for: aliens. The writing and story delivered a frightening and solid experience, cementing itself as an excellent addition to the PS2's library of horrors.

25 Forbidden Siren 2

An Episodic Horror Game

A direct sequel to Siren, Siren 2 returns with its episodic style game, and survival horror elements as the characters must survive the dangerous inhabitants of the island. While it retains the aspects of the heart-racing gameplay of the original, it loses some of the difficult and trial-and-error gameplay that plagued the original game, creating an altogether more pleasant yet terrifying game.

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By  Via Erhard

The game takes place on Yamijima Island, where the entire population vanished during a blackout in 1976. A journalist working on an article, a ferry containing a few other passengers, and a squad of soldiers all find their way to the island, where they are subjected to the dangers and horrors lurking there.