Best PSP Horror Games

The PSP is one of the most beloved handheld gaming systems of all time, mostly because it was Sony's first attempt at a mobile gaming console, and it provided something different from what Nintendo was offering at the time. The PSP still has an impressive software library, and there are many classic games to be found on the system.

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By  Jonathan Rodriguez

While horror games surely aren't the first genre that comes to mind when thinking about the PSP, there's actually a great selection of horror games to be found on the console. Some come from well-known IPs, while others are much less-known games. But what are the best horror games on the PSP?

Updated June 3, 2024 by Jason Wojnar: It is not easy to scare gamers. It's even more difficult to do it on a handheld console. Still, the games below managed to elicit some frights from players through a variety of means. If jump scares do not do the trick, then more psychological thrills are likely to get under people's skin.

In this update, a few more games from the PSP's library were added. The fact such good horror games came out for this console serves as an excellent reminder of just how versatile the system's library was.

1 Manhunt 2

Metascore: 62

The first Manhunt was a console game through and through. The sequel came out at the tail end of the PS2/Xbox generation, so it made its way to the Nintendo Wii and the PSP.

The game retains the same gameplay as its predecessor but puts a more psychological spin onto its narrative above the prior game's story of just killing for the pleasure of a sadistic filmmaker. Unlike a lot of ultraviolent games, Manhunt 2 is focused on stealth, meaning players are forced to kill enemies in an up-close and personal way. The interesting thing about Manhunt 2's horror is that the player is a monstrous participant in it, and not just a person being hunted by deadly creatures.

2 The Third Birthday

Metascore: 71

The third game in the Parasite Eve series came out years after the first two games and ended up as a PSP exclusive. It changes a lot about the turn-based format established by the original games, but it still retains the creepy atmosphere.

The mitochondria that transform people into beasts are as gruesome as ever despite the PSP's limited hardware capabilities. The gameplay uses more real-time elements than its predecessors and allows players to give orders to other NPCs. Despite these changes, there are still plenty of RPG elements connecting it to the prior entries.

Some fans were turned off by it not being on a console and failing to meet their expectations of what a third Parasite Eve game should have been. Still, it received decent reviews and is a solid addition to the PSP's catalog.

3 Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles

Metascore: 80

This PSP game is a bundle of two prior classics in the Castlevania series. The main attraction is the first Western release of Rondo of Blood, though in this release it is a remake. Then, there is a remaster of Symphony of the Night with new voice acting. Both games are side-scrolling action titles, but the atmosphere sucks players in and can become creepy with its old, gothic vibes.

Rondo of Blood is a fairly straightforward Castlevania adventure in terms of gameplay. Symphony of the Night, by comparison, is a Metroidvania with heavy RPG elements. Players even increase their stats as they defeat more enemies and level up.

4 Hysteria Project 2

Metascore: 52 (iOS)

Hysteria Project 2 is a very peculiar game and a nice time capsule of the era. This is an FMV survival horror adventure, where players take the role of a nameless protagonist who wakes up tied to a hospital bed, where doctors are seemingly doing some experiments with him. The protagonist is the same as the first game, but playing it is not necessary, more so because it's not as good as this second entry in the series.

Gameplay-wise, this is a very simple adventure, where players will have to constantly choose how to progress through the story without being noticed by enemies. Other than some minigames, there isn't real gameplay here, as the game is mostly a visual novel, but it's creepy enough to be worth playing for horror fanatics. Plus, it's set in a hospital, which is a very fit location for horror games.

5 Obscure: The Aftermath

Metascore: 66

Obscure: The Aftermath is also known as Obscure 2, and it was originally released on PlayStation 2, Wii, and PC before coming to the PSP. This is a very basic survival horror game, where a new drug is turning the population of a University into mutants. Players will have many weapons to choose from, as the game is heavily reliant on action much more than survival.

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Obscure: The Aftermath is really nothing to write home about as a survival horror in itself, but what makes it worth playing is the co-op mode. Players could connect their PSP systems to play the whole adventure together, a feature that was quite unique at the time but has become much more common nowadays.

6 Corpse Party

Metascore: 71

Corpse Party is a visual novel series that originated in Japan, but it came to the West for the first time thanks to the PSP. The game tells the story of a group of high school students who get transported to an alternative version of their high school, which is haunted by the ghosts of other students who were killed there before them.

The game is played in third-person from a top-down perspective, as players will need to figure out a way to make it out of the school alive. While there's nothing ground-breaking about the gameplay, Corpse Party was met with acclaim by horror fans thanks to its tense atmosphere and gore. While the game has been ported to other systems over time, there is still something quite charming about playing it on the PSP, as it was meant to be played in the beginning.

7 Silent Hill: Origins

Metascore: 78

Silent Hill: Origins is a prequel to the first Silent Hill game, which tells the story of Travis Grady, a trucker with a troubled past who happens to be the one rescuing Alessa from the fire that burned her house and (almost) killed her. While this may not be on the same quality level as the first games in the franchise, Silent Hill: Origins is still widely regarded by fans as one of the best post-Team Silent games, thanks to its atmosphere and creepy rendition of the Other World.

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The game is also notable for being first released as a PSP exclusive. While it would later be ported to PlayStation 2, a common practice for developers at the time as PSP struggled with sales numbers, this is still how the game was envisioned by the development team, and players should aim for this version if they get the chance to do so.

8 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Metascore: 73

PSP was graced by another Silent Hill game, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, made by Climax Studios, the same developers behind Silent Hill: Origins. This is a reimagining of the first game in the series that takes a very different approach, focusing more on the psychological aspects of Silent Hill instead of the cult plot that can be found in the original game. However, Harry Mason is still the protagonist, much to the joy of fans as he's one of the most beloved playable characters in the franchise. Despite being so different, it's still a worthwhile addition to the franchise, mainly because of how much it doubles down on its psychological horror aspects.

In this case, however, the game was initially conceived for the Wii, with the PSP version developed alongside it. When playing through the game, it's clear that Silent Hill: Shattered Memories wasn't developed primarily for the PSP, but this is still one of the best horror games on the system and a good way to play the game for all those who can't have access to the better Wii version.

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