Best Japanese PS2 Horror Games

The PS2 was, for gamers at the time, a marvel of technology compared to its predecessors, and many studios created some masterpiece horror games that took advantage of the console’s new capabilities, as well as its limitations. Japanese horror games in particular shaped an entire generation on that console, with many classic series and games debuting from that country. Here are some of the best Japanese PS2 horror games that are sure to spook you even decades after their initial release.

There are several PS2 horror games that have achieved legendary status over the years. Perhaps it’s due to their unique story, or maybe it’s just due to the fact they’re really, really scary. Here are some horror games you definitely need to try if you want to get into this genre, no questions asked:

• Fatal Frame series: Any game from the Fatal Frame series is sure to provide hours of terror. Each one places you in the shoes of a hapless female protagonist who needs to explore haunted locales, armed with only a magical camera for protection. The ghosts are legitimately horrifying with their ghastly and sudden appearances.
• Haunting Ground: Part of Haunting Ground’s fame comes from the fact that it’s next to impossible to find in English nowadays, unless you’re willing to pay hundreds of dollars for it. It amps up the fear of stalkers and sexual violation, and employs a unique style of gameplay in which you rely on a dog to help you survive or solve puzzles. You can read our retrospective of it here.
• Resident Evil 4: Technically, this was a GameCube game, but it later appeared on the PS2. As one of the best-selling Resident Evil games, everyone has surely heard of it, even if they haven’t played it. It’s a more action-focused installment of the classic horror series, in which former rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy faces off against mutated villagers and bioweapons to save the president’s daughter.
• Silent Hill 2: The remake from 2024 is a fantastic adaptation, but the original one is just unforgettable. It follows the story of James Sunderland, who travels to the town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his wife. The only problem is: his wife died three years ago. Other games in the Silent Hill series are very popular as well.

Those are the most obvious recommendations that everyone should check out. But what if you want something more specific, or you’re not feeling up for a specific type of horror? Here are some other Japanese horror games you can check out, provided you can get them on the PS2 or a modern console:

Best Horror Game to Frustrate You: Siren and Siren 2

Siren and Siren 2 are classic J-horror games that have made their mark on history for a variety of reasons. While they’re notoriously frustrating thanks to obtuse objectives and difficult combat levels, they provide an unforgettable experience.

Siren follows Kyoya Suda, a normal teenage boy who stumbles upon a ritual sacrifice in the village of Hanuda. Following the sound of a siren, he and the other villagers find themselves in a supernatural version of Hanuda, in which the water runs red and corpses come to life as Shibito. Using the power of Sightjack—a psychic ability in which they can see through the eyes of other people—they must survive and escape while investigating Hanuda’s dark past. The second game has a similar set-up. However, it has different characters and lore, as well as takes place on Yamijima.

Both games focus more on psychological and supernatural horror—pretty common in Japan. But the main draw comes from the surprisingly deep story and lore, as well as the cast of likeable characters. Both games get so frustrating that they actually stop being scary. So they’re ironically great to play if you want to acclimate yourself to the genre.

Best Horror Game to Make You Think: Rule of Rose

“There is no such thing as bad publicity” is a quote that you can really associate with Rule of Rose. I don’t know about you, but the only reason I even knew about it as a wee lass was the fuss that moral guardians raised over the perceived deviant content of the game. While Rule of Rose isn’t exactly a masterpiece, it combines both realistic and supernatural horror in a story full of twists and metaphors that it’ll haunt you for days after you finish it.

Rule of Rose focuses on Jennifer, a 19-year-old woman who infiltrates an orphanage and finds herself treated like garbage by the girls there. During her time in this orphanage, she meets and befriends a dog named Brown. As a whole, the game is a psychological horror focusing on the mutual fear that can exist between children and adults. It’s impossible to discuss too much of Rule of Rose without spoiling key twists from the game, so I highly recommend you play it or watch a Let’s Play online.

Like The Suffering, Rule of Rose isn’t scary to play, per se. It leans more towards frustrating than anything else. Most of the horror elements comes from its brutal story. It’s one that’ll stay with you for a while. Its many metaphors and symbols can make the game inscrutable at first, but it can be fun to discuss the plot and themes with someone else.

Best J-Horror: Kuon

Kuon is a survival horror from FromSoftware of Elden Ring and Armored Core fame. Its scary atmosphere, as well as its unapologetically Japanese aesthetic, may have vindicated it from its poor reception in the past.

In Kuon, the player takes control of three protagonists—Utsuki, Sakuya, and Abe no Seimei—who explore the Fujiwara Manor during the Heian period of Japan. Using their powers as onmyoji, they defend themselves from the various monsters wandering the estate. Like other games in the genre, survival isn’t the only thing on their minds. They also want to investigate the haunted manor to solve mysteries from the past.

Kuon wasn’t popular at launch. Reviewers at the time criticized the combat and puzzles, among other elements. Today, though, its unique gameplay—a combination of tank controls, projectiles and summons, and stealth—might interest players looking for a break from the ordinary.

Best Non-Horror Game With Horror Elements: Shadow Hearts series

The Shadow Hearts series (specifically the first two games) are JRPGs, but set in a world that wouldn’t be out of place in a Lovecraftian horror. Many of the locales you have to visit in the first one are classic settings for a horror film or game, and a lot of the monsters in the bestiary read like creatures you’d dream up in a nightmare.

Shadow Hearts takes place in 1913, shortly before WW1. It follows Alice, whose father was recently murdered, and Yuri, who is capable of transforming into demons and chooses to protect Alice at the insistence of a voice in his head. Though the game is a sequel to PS game Koudelka, it’s understandable even without playing that first.

As a JRPG, it also stands out for employing the Judgement Ring mechanic, which combines reflexes with strategy. If you want to fully enjoy a horror-like, I recommend only playing the first game. The second game is my favorite, but it starts leaning more into comedy. Meanwhile, the third game plays like a more traditional JRPG than anything else.

Best Text-Based Horror Game: When They Cry

Sound novels differ from visual novels in that there’s a greater emphasis on dialogue and sound effects. As you can imagine, this atmospheric style of gameplay lends well to the horror genre. Chunsoft’s Banshee’s Last Cry pioneered the genre, and since then, there have been tons of similar games in the genre. Of them, I have to admit that When They Cry is the easiest to recommend.

At this point, most people should be familiar with When They Cry. It follows Keiichi Maebara, who moves to the village of Hinamizawa in the 1980s. Though Hinamizawa seems peaceful on the surface, Keiichi soon learns about the string of murders and disappearances that always takes place on the day of the Watanagashi Festival. There are multiple routes and arcs, focusing on the various characters in Keiichi’s friend group, and they all help to uncover the secrets underneath Hinamizawa’s surface.

While the majority of these horror games are available either as remakes or remasters on modern consoles, titles like Kuon and Shadow Hearts are still stuck on the PS2.