The 10 WEIRDEST PS2 Horror Games
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VOICE OVER: Geoffrey Martin
WRITTEN BY: Geoffrey Martin
The PlayStation 2 gave us a great era of weird Horror games. For this list, we'll be looking at some of the most bizarre and off-kilter horror offerings on PlayStation's beloved second console. Our list of the weirdest PS2 Horror games includes “Rule of Rose” (2006), “Siren” (2004), “Kuon” (2004), “Gregory Horror Show” (2003), and more!
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re counting down our picks for the 10 weirdest PS2 horror games. For this list, we’ll be looking at some of the most bizarre and off-kilter horror offerings on PlayStation’s beloved second console. So, be sure to step out of the shadows and let us know in the comments section which horror games on the PS2 you think are the strangest.
While many, if not most Silent Hill games could be considered weird, it’s Shattered Memories that truly takes the icy cold cake. This more experimental Silent Hill game features moments where you interact with a therapist, Dr. Michael Kaufmann, to flesh out the direction of the story, one revolving around Harry Mason, once again searching for his daughter, Cheryl. In tangent with that, the game avoids traditional enemy encounters and instead throws Harry into these linear running sections where you must grapple with baddies and choose routes out of these nightmarish sections. Shattered Memories acts as a sort of spiritual reimagining of the first game, one set in a frozen, snow-laden version of the titular, horrific town. It’s a weird game because it often gives off the feel of a traditional Silent Hill game but deviates from the series’ more grounded gameplay.
Venerable, prolific developer, FromSoftware, has truly covered a wide gamut of game experiences. Enter Kuon, a truly terrifying and bizarre third-person survival horror game set in Kyoto, Japan, specifically the Fujiwara Manor and its surrounding areas. The game centers around three distinct playable characters with each part of the game broken up into exploration, combat, and puzzle solving. What makes this game so weird is that each character must be utilized at different times in the story to successfully progress. There’s a disturbing story at play in Kuon that revolves around spirits, supernatural events, rituals, sacrifices, and more, all with a Japanese flair. On top of the game’s spooky nature, it’s also one of the most rare and expensive PS2 games out there, often coming in way over the $1,000 mark, at least at the time of writing. If you can find and afford this weird horror gem, then it’s sure to keep you up at night.
Fatal Frame, also known as Project Zero, is weird for one central reason: it took the combat element of many survival horror games from traditional weaponry to a completely non-traditional weapon/item, that of a camera: the Camera Obscura to be exact. This unbelievably terrifying horror game turned the genre upside-down with this new mechanic way back at the start of the 2000s. Fatal Frame leans all the way into its Japanese horror influences from the macabre haunted mansion setting to ghost girls with long hair to the surreal and ominous musical cues. However, it’s the Camera Obscura that truly takes the stage in this game since you quite literally have to get up close and personal with the supernatural entities haunting the Himuro Mansion and surrounding areas. Snapping photos of these ghosts is oddly effective but requires you to wait for the perfect snapshot to deal the most damage, and hopefully, as the game’s title implies, a fatal frame.
The sheer idea of playing as a host of high school pals exploring their own ‘now very much monster-infested’ high school is incredibly strange. Add in the fact that you can swap between characters on the fly while exploring Leafmore High, solve a host of tricky puzzles, and battle all manner of creepy crawly baddies, many who were once students at Leafmore, and you quickly realize that Obscure isn’t just your typical, run-of-the-mill horror game. Yes, there is a strong amount of cringe-worthy moments in this game from the stilted dialogue and campy jokes, but these factors add to the uncanniness and weirdness of the game. Back on the PS2, it wasn’t often that you could find a couch co-op horror experience but Obscure offered up just that for those who wanted to share the academic horror together.
Siren, also known as Forbidden Siren, proves that the PS2 horror game catalog is brimming with weirdness. Siren takes place in a fictional Japanese town where a group of strangers seemingly share a unique ability; that of Sightjacking. Sightjacking gives each playable character the ability to see through the eyes of others, specifically of the various zombie-like townsfolk in the game. This, in turn, helps with moving about stealthily, eavesdropping, and learning enemy patterns, since, well, the combat isn’t all that great in this game. The supernatural disaster that is woven into the very fabric of the game’s narrative and character motivations keeps the pace up throughout this slower-paced game. It won’t be for everyone but Siren blends high spook factor and stealth into a strangely enjoyable horror game.
Primal is a bonkers PS2 horror game that most certainly leans into action and adventuring more so that outright scares, however, it’s in the game’s story, characters, imagery, and ambiance where things get creepy. I mean heck, you play as a character named Jennifer who just wants to find her boyfriend but does so by searching through various demonic realms…you know…normal stuff. However, you aren’t alone: you get to take on this fantastical horror quest with a gargoyle-like creature known as Scree, who also just so happens to also be a playable character. Utilizing both Jennifer and Screen is vital to solving tricky puzzles, platforming sections, and battles. Interestingly, Jennifer is able to take on various primal-like demonic powers to aid her in her quest, with her appearance very much showing these changes. The game certainly isn’t all that polished and there is a strange feeling of fantasy that permeates the game world. But, being able to play as Scree, who by the way is actually invincible, opens up new gameplay options, whereas Jennifer explores about and pummels baddies like most other action-horror titles.
The idea of a horror-themed RPG sounds crazy, right? Well, in the case of the JRPG Shadow Hearts, it works perfectly, and more developers should take note. For the uninitiated to this niche series, the first Shadow Hearts is all about Yuri and Alice who explore nightmarish locales in the early 1900s. Yuri is a unique character since he can absorb and turn into all manner of monstrosities to utilize in the Judgement Ring-based battles. These turn-based battles utilize a ring system where you must line up a spinning arrow over points on the Judgement Ring to dictate the power of actions. The horror in this game comes from the myriad supernatural elements that revolve around various specters, monsters, and even divine beings. Heck, there’s even a central location that Yuri returns to is known as the Graveyard. While the sequels to this game, Covenant and From the New World, ditched the horror elements, they at least retained the quirky characters, alternate history settings, and Judgement Ring battles.
This Japan and Europe exclusive PS2 horror-adjacent game definitely fits the weird moniker. Fans of the anime series will likely feel right at home in the PS2 version of Gregory Horror Show since it has a similar feel, style, and vibe. What’s most interesting about this strange game is that it blends mystery, stealth, and survival elements together where your character must explore and learn the patterns of Gregory House, the hotel you find yourself in after getting lost in a deep fog. The name of the game here is spying on and sneaking around hotel guests in order to obtain their soul bottles. The game and hotel will open up for further exploration as you gather more bottled souls and interact with more guests. It’s a bizarre premise for a game and while it isn’t outwardly scary, it’s more uncanny and bewildering, again, especially for fans of the anime. Running and hiding is certainly an option in this game but playing things stealthy can mean the difference between success or failure. Afterall, it’s Death, who you meet in a dream, who tasks you with this bonkers quest. Just beware Neko Zombie’s true intentions.
One of the truly weirdest horror games just so happens to also delve into the sci-fi arena, Echo Night: Beyond might have one of the craziest opening premises of a game. You see, this sci-fi ghost story quite literally involved a honeymoon to the actual Moon. Given that it’s a horror game, you can bet your bottom dollar that things don’t go quite as planned… and you guessed it: you get stranded on a creepy space station to fend for yourself, off to find your spouse. One of the very few first-person horror games on the PS2, Echo Night: Beyond often feels like a walking simulator tossed in with a jumpscare factory. Coming across ethereal specters will keep you on the edge of your seat and you must utilize the ship’s monitoring system to track activity and find key items and areas. If you have a penchant for all things sci-fi and horror then this could be up your alley.
Hmmm, where to start with this one? Rule of Rose not only happens to be one of the weirdest PS2 horror games but is also one of the most controversial…oh, and one of the rarest and most expensive as well. In Rule of Rose, you take on the unfortunate role of Jennifer who finds herself bound to a frankly disturbing group of children known as the Red Crayon Aristocrats. This creepy cult of kids is hell bent on taking control, much to Jennifer’s chagrin. To address the crudely drawn elephant in the room, Rule of Rose wasn’t well received by many since it leaned too heavily into psychological/moral issues, over-the-top and out-of-place violence, and even obscene moments of various unfiltered content. This, of course, led to the game being banned in many places. The game itself played out like most other similar third-person horror titles like Silent Hill or Clock Tower, for better or for worse. This one really gets its weirdness from the moral issues and controversy surrounding it. Regardless, the Red Crayon Aristocrats make this horror title one that can’t easily be forgotten.
“Silent Hill: Shattered Memories” (2010)
While many, if not most Silent Hill games could be considered weird, it’s Shattered Memories that truly takes the icy cold cake. This more experimental Silent Hill game features moments where you interact with a therapist, Dr. Michael Kaufmann, to flesh out the direction of the story, one revolving around Harry Mason, once again searching for his daughter, Cheryl. In tangent with that, the game avoids traditional enemy encounters and instead throws Harry into these linear running sections where you must grapple with baddies and choose routes out of these nightmarish sections. Shattered Memories acts as a sort of spiritual reimagining of the first game, one set in a frozen, snow-laden version of the titular, horrific town. It’s a weird game because it often gives off the feel of a traditional Silent Hill game but deviates from the series’ more grounded gameplay.
“Kuon” (2004)
Venerable, prolific developer, FromSoftware, has truly covered a wide gamut of game experiences. Enter Kuon, a truly terrifying and bizarre third-person survival horror game set in Kyoto, Japan, specifically the Fujiwara Manor and its surrounding areas. The game centers around three distinct playable characters with each part of the game broken up into exploration, combat, and puzzle solving. What makes this game so weird is that each character must be utilized at different times in the story to successfully progress. There’s a disturbing story at play in Kuon that revolves around spirits, supernatural events, rituals, sacrifices, and more, all with a Japanese flair. On top of the game’s spooky nature, it’s also one of the most rare and expensive PS2 games out there, often coming in way over the $1,000 mark, at least at the time of writing. If you can find and afford this weird horror gem, then it’s sure to keep you up at night.
“Fatal Frame” (2001)
Fatal Frame, also known as Project Zero, is weird for one central reason: it took the combat element of many survival horror games from traditional weaponry to a completely non-traditional weapon/item, that of a camera: the Camera Obscura to be exact. This unbelievably terrifying horror game turned the genre upside-down with this new mechanic way back at the start of the 2000s. Fatal Frame leans all the way into its Japanese horror influences from the macabre haunted mansion setting to ghost girls with long hair to the surreal and ominous musical cues. However, it’s the Camera Obscura that truly takes the stage in this game since you quite literally have to get up close and personal with the supernatural entities haunting the Himuro Mansion and surrounding areas. Snapping photos of these ghosts is oddly effective but requires you to wait for the perfect snapshot to deal the most damage, and hopefully, as the game’s title implies, a fatal frame.
“Obscure” (2004)
The sheer idea of playing as a host of high school pals exploring their own ‘now very much monster-infested’ high school is incredibly strange. Add in the fact that you can swap between characters on the fly while exploring Leafmore High, solve a host of tricky puzzles, and battle all manner of creepy crawly baddies, many who were once students at Leafmore, and you quickly realize that Obscure isn’t just your typical, run-of-the-mill horror game. Yes, there is a strong amount of cringe-worthy moments in this game from the stilted dialogue and campy jokes, but these factors add to the uncanniness and weirdness of the game. Back on the PS2, it wasn’t often that you could find a couch co-op horror experience but Obscure offered up just that for those who wanted to share the academic horror together.
“Siren” (2004)
Siren, also known as Forbidden Siren, proves that the PS2 horror game catalog is brimming with weirdness. Siren takes place in a fictional Japanese town where a group of strangers seemingly share a unique ability; that of Sightjacking. Sightjacking gives each playable character the ability to see through the eyes of others, specifically of the various zombie-like townsfolk in the game. This, in turn, helps with moving about stealthily, eavesdropping, and learning enemy patterns, since, well, the combat isn’t all that great in this game. The supernatural disaster that is woven into the very fabric of the game’s narrative and character motivations keeps the pace up throughout this slower-paced game. It won’t be for everyone but Siren blends high spook factor and stealth into a strangely enjoyable horror game.
“Primal” (2003)
Primal is a bonkers PS2 horror game that most certainly leans into action and adventuring more so that outright scares, however, it’s in the game’s story, characters, imagery, and ambiance where things get creepy. I mean heck, you play as a character named Jennifer who just wants to find her boyfriend but does so by searching through various demonic realms…you know…normal stuff. However, you aren’t alone: you get to take on this fantastical horror quest with a gargoyle-like creature known as Scree, who also just so happens to also be a playable character. Utilizing both Jennifer and Screen is vital to solving tricky puzzles, platforming sections, and battles. Interestingly, Jennifer is able to take on various primal-like demonic powers to aid her in her quest, with her appearance very much showing these changes. The game certainly isn’t all that polished and there is a strange feeling of fantasy that permeates the game world. But, being able to play as Scree, who by the way is actually invincible, opens up new gameplay options, whereas Jennifer explores about and pummels baddies like most other action-horror titles.
“Shadow Hearts” (2001)
The idea of a horror-themed RPG sounds crazy, right? Well, in the case of the JRPG Shadow Hearts, it works perfectly, and more developers should take note. For the uninitiated to this niche series, the first Shadow Hearts is all about Yuri and Alice who explore nightmarish locales in the early 1900s. Yuri is a unique character since he can absorb and turn into all manner of monstrosities to utilize in the Judgement Ring-based battles. These turn-based battles utilize a ring system where you must line up a spinning arrow over points on the Judgement Ring to dictate the power of actions. The horror in this game comes from the myriad supernatural elements that revolve around various specters, monsters, and even divine beings. Heck, there’s even a central location that Yuri returns to is known as the Graveyard. While the sequels to this game, Covenant and From the New World, ditched the horror elements, they at least retained the quirky characters, alternate history settings, and Judgement Ring battles.
“Gregory Horror Show” (2003)
This Japan and Europe exclusive PS2 horror-adjacent game definitely fits the weird moniker. Fans of the anime series will likely feel right at home in the PS2 version of Gregory Horror Show since it has a similar feel, style, and vibe. What’s most interesting about this strange game is that it blends mystery, stealth, and survival elements together where your character must explore and learn the patterns of Gregory House, the hotel you find yourself in after getting lost in a deep fog. The name of the game here is spying on and sneaking around hotel guests in order to obtain their soul bottles. The game and hotel will open up for further exploration as you gather more bottled souls and interact with more guests. It’s a bizarre premise for a game and while it isn’t outwardly scary, it’s more uncanny and bewildering, again, especially for fans of the anime. Running and hiding is certainly an option in this game but playing things stealthy can mean the difference between success or failure. Afterall, it’s Death, who you meet in a dream, who tasks you with this bonkers quest. Just beware Neko Zombie’s true intentions.
“Echo Night: Beyond” (2005)
One of the truly weirdest horror games just so happens to also delve into the sci-fi arena, Echo Night: Beyond might have one of the craziest opening premises of a game. You see, this sci-fi ghost story quite literally involved a honeymoon to the actual Moon. Given that it’s a horror game, you can bet your bottom dollar that things don’t go quite as planned… and you guessed it: you get stranded on a creepy space station to fend for yourself, off to find your spouse. One of the very few first-person horror games on the PS2, Echo Night: Beyond often feels like a walking simulator tossed in with a jumpscare factory. Coming across ethereal specters will keep you on the edge of your seat and you must utilize the ship’s monitoring system to track activity and find key items and areas. If you have a penchant for all things sci-fi and horror then this could be up your alley.
“Rule of Rose” (2006)
Hmmm, where to start with this one? Rule of Rose not only happens to be one of the weirdest PS2 horror games but is also one of the most controversial…oh, and one of the rarest and most expensive as well. In Rule of Rose, you take on the unfortunate role of Jennifer who finds herself bound to a frankly disturbing group of children known as the Red Crayon Aristocrats. This creepy cult of kids is hell bent on taking control, much to Jennifer’s chagrin. To address the crudely drawn elephant in the room, Rule of Rose wasn’t well received by many since it leaned too heavily into psychological/moral issues, over-the-top and out-of-place violence, and even obscene moments of various unfiltered content. This, of course, led to the game being banned in many places. The game itself played out like most other similar third-person horror titles like Silent Hill or Clock Tower, for better or for worse. This one really gets its weirdness from the moral issues and controversy surrounding it. Regardless, the Red Crayon Aristocrats make this horror title one that can’t easily be forgotten.
