On the threat of sounding repetitive, what else can anybody say in regards to the mighty PlayStation 2 at 25? The very best-selling console ever, Sony’s follow-up to the unique PlayStation outlined a console era, gave the DVD format an enormous enhance, and gave us numerous hits, each horror and in any other case. And everyone knows the big-name horror titles on the console. Heck, we’ve talked about them a number of occasions over time.
However what in regards to the video games that don’t get the popularity? The proverbial “hidden gems”, if you’ll. There are many them, seeing because the console noticed over 4,000 titles (you learn that proper) throughout its 13-year life. So somewhat than concentrate on the apparent ones (Resident Evil 4, Deadly Body, The Factor, Silent Hill 2, and so forth), right here’s small record of titles you need to take a look at if you happen to’re a fan of the Sony’s monolith.
ObsCure
For Josh, Stan, Shannon, Kenny, and Ashley, life at Leafmore Excessive College hasn’t been simple. A number of college students have inexplicably disappeared, and the college appears to be hiding one thing. When Kenny goes lacking, the opposite 4 mates resolve to unravel issues and search the campus after courses have ended. Nonetheless, after being locked within the faculty, the group shortly discovers that they aren’t fairly alone on the campus.
As near The School as PS2 followers would get and tacky as all get out, ObsCure does supply up a number of distinctive touches. For one, the sport gives up a two-player mode, which was a rarity for Survival Horror titles (and nonetheless is, sadly). Additionally, every character has their very own distinctive traits and skills, comparable to with the ability to run sooner or with the ability to extra effectively choose locks. The sport additionally sports activities a crafting system, which lets you even tape your flashlight to your gun (take that, Doom 3). Be ready to pay out the nostril for this one, until you’re okay with the Steam model.
Chilly Concern
When a Navy SEAL workforce is mysteriously worn out whereas aboard a Russian whaling vessel, a misery name is distributed out for every other authorities ships to research. Coast Guard veteran Tom Hansen and his workforce picks up the decision, and heads to the ship. When his workforce additionally meets their demise, Hansen boards the ship to find out what occurred.
Launched across the similar time as Resident Evil 4 on the PS2, it’s no shock that Chilly Concern stood no likelihood. That, and the truth that it shared similarities in its plot with Capcom’s juggernaut, dooming it additional. It’s a disgrace, since there’s loads of capturing to be completed, and the sport utilized in depth animations to imitate the ship’s actions within the water, together with having the accompanying physics for the objects on the ship (in addition to aiming your gun). Issues admittedly fall off a bit when you do go away the ship, and the ending is extraordinarily lacklustre. Nonetheless, Chilly Concern has a cool setting, and makes for an attention-grabbing romp for followers of RE4.
Extermination
U.S. Marine Corps Power Recon member Sergeant Dennis Riley and his Staff Crimson Mild squad have obtained a misery name from a prime secret American analysis facility in Antarctica named Fort Stewart. En route to research, the aircraft malfunctions, scattering the workforce and crashing into the tundra. As soon as Riley arrives at Fort Stewart, he discovers the ability’s analysis right into a mutant pressure of micro organism has resulted in some surprising outcomes.
One of many first Survival Horror releases for the PlayStation 2, and it reveals. Extermination doesn’t precisely conceal its inspirations (notably within the dialogue division), and the story lifts the plot of John Carpenter’s The Factor. Nonetheless, the sport mixes up the Survival Horror system for the time by presenting you with a much more agile protagonist, in addition to providing third and first-person modes for fight. Extermination additionally employs an an infection mechanic that requires you to be cautious of the bites and bile from the monsters, requiring you to hunt out antidotes to forestall whole an infection and having your well being lower considerably.
Michigan: Report From Hell
A heavy fog descends upon Chicago, which quickly engulfs all the metropolis and begins spreading even additional. In response, the federal government requires a right away evacuation of all the metropolis and for everybody to hunt refuge the place attainable. The ZAKA TV crew, who, sensing an excellent story, heads to Chicago to report the phenomenon. Nonetheless, upon arriving, they shortly understand that issues have taken a much more horrifying flip.
Yep, it is a Suda51 sport. Painfully tacky dialogue that flops between the “so dangerous it’s good” and “simply plain dangerous” apart, Report From Hell gives up the distinctive mechanic of you being behind the TV digital camera. You not solely select what to movie, however also can “direct” the opposite characters what to do by specializing in particular factors, but in addition “ramming” them with the digital camera (with hilarious outcomes). This was by no means launched in North America, so if you happen to’re trying to import, be ready to pay via the nostril (and have a Japanese/European PS2 as well).
Ghosthunter
What began as a easy report of unusual occurrences at an deserted faculty has develop into one thing rather more for rookie cop Lazarus Jones. After arriving on the faculty along with his associate, Anna Steele, Jones unwittingly unleashes a whole bunch of ghosts from their containment facility within the faculty’s basement. One ghost additionally kidnaps Steele, leaving Jones to enter the ghost realm with the intention to recapture the ghosts, but in addition rescue his associate.
Just a few years earlier than obtained a brand new Ghostbusters sport from Atari, SCEE Cambridge Studio gave us this. Whereas it’s admittedly a product of its time as a third-person shooter and from a gameplay standpoint, Ghosthunter regarded fairly darn good upon launch, and it nonetheless does at present. It’s a brisk 10 hours of gameplay, and very like the title sounds, it leans extra on the lighter aspect somewhat than leaning exhausting into horror. Plus, for the 80s youngsters, you’ve got Rob Paulson because the voice of Lazarus.
Shadow Hearts
Set in 1913, Yuri Hyuga is a younger Harmonixer: a person with the power to seize and rework into monsters. He meets Alice Elliot, a younger British lady whose father was brutally murdered, and is being chased by a mysterious warlock who calls himself Roger Bacon. Throughout their journey to Shanghai, they’re hunted by the Japanese military and Dehuai, a strong sorcerer obsessive about acquiring energy over a darkish god.
Lovecraft followers did certainly have a collection on the PlayStation 2 to get their cosmic horror repair with Nautilus’ Shadow Hearts. Director Matsuzo Machida drew inspiration from Lovecraft and Go Nagai‘s Devilman manga for the premise of the sport, with the previous being a supply for the monster designs. Mixing issues up additional was the Judgement Ring mechanic, which added a little bit of complexity to the turn-based fights, requiring you to hit areas on the ring because the pointer passes over them to attain a profitable assault.
Darkwatch
You might be Jericho Cross, a seasoned outlaw. In the hunt for the massive haul, you raid a secret treasure practice. Unbeknownst, to you, the practice belongs to the Darkwatch, an historical group devoted to defeating supernatural evils. The cargo of the practice will not be cash or jewels, however the captured vampire lord Lazarus Malkoth. Jericho finally ends up liberating Malkoth, solely to be bitten by him as a reward. Now Jericho search out Maloth earlier than succumbing to the chunk and changing into a vampire himself.
Filling that area of interest of Wild West horror FPS fairly properly, Darkwatch gives up some nice ambiance, in addition to the distinctive mechanic of its protagonist being a vampire. All through the sport, and relying in your decisions, you’ll achieve supernatural skills, which incentivizes replayability. That, and the truth that you’ve got two endings, once more relying upon your decisions. The PlayStation 2 model additionally has split-screen multiplayer shenanigans, or you may workforce up in co-op motion within the sport’s story mode.
Haunting Floor
Fiona Belli is an 18 yr previous school scholar who, after a automotive crash which claims the lives of her dad and mom, awakens in a cage within the dungeon of an odd fort. Shortly escaping the cage, Fiona wanders across the fort, ultimately uncovering the thriller behind her kidnapping. She additionally befriends a white German shepherd named Hewie, who defends her from the fort’s disturbed residents.
Most likely one of many extra well-known “obscure” video games, Capcom combined up the Survival Horror system with the addition of Hewie. Not solely does he operate as an offensive software to distract foes, however he additionally helps Fiona with the assorted puzzles discovered within the fort. Haunting Floor additionally emphasizes Fiona’s vulnerability as a protagonist, particularly when she enters panic mode and begins appearing irrationally, making a higher sense of pressure in the case of fight and, properly, survival. Coupled with a forged of disturbing characters that every have their very own type of obsession over Fiona, and among the best-looking environments you’ll discover on the PS2, Haunting Floor is one Survival Horror title that you need to look to expertise. Sadly, these costs on eBay aren’t getting any decrease.
Rule of Rose
Jennifer is a younger lady who has misplaced her reminiscence and now finds herself on a bus, holding an unfinished storybook given to her by a little bit boy. Following the boy into the darkish countryside, Jennifer discovers the dilapidated Rose Backyard Orphanage. Quickly she finds herself trapped on a dirigible managed by a gaggle of twisted orphan youngsters often called the Crimson Crayon Aristocrats. Jennifer is made a member of the society, though she is the considered “filthy”, and made to undergo beneath the principles of the hierarchy. She should not solely survive and escape, however re-discover her personal previous.
Launched simply two months earlier than the PlayStation 3’s debut, Rule of Rose turned an unlucky blip when it was launched. It additionally most likely didn’t assist that the sport garnered controversy within the UK on account of an ethical panic concerning alleged sexual content material. Nonsense apart, those that truly performed the sport discovered it to be atmospheric and a narrative that whereas disturbing, caught with gamers. Nonetheless, gameplay is sadly irritating, as fight is clunky, and your adopted canine companion sucks the enjoyable out of exploration by main you straight to the merchandise you want every time. And don’t get us began on the second-hand value…
Echo Evening: Past
Within the yr 2044, Richard Osmond and Claudia Seifer take a flight into area with the intention to be married on Earth’s Moon. Nonetheless, the shuttle crashes throughout touchdown, and Richard wakes up disoriented and alone. Richard quickly begins seeing ghosts of the individuals who have been killed within the crash wandering the moon base, together with an odd mist that has permeated the bottom. He has to search out Claudia earlier than it’s too late, and determine what’s happening.
Steeped in ambiance the place you’ll be spending an excellent portion of the sport looking out the bottom with only a flashlight at nighttime, Echo Evening: Past is a uniquely tense expertise. There’s no fight, and no well being restoration. As a substitute, the principle sport mechanic revolves round your coronary heart fee. In case you occur to even be within the neighborhood of one of many ghosts, it’ll begin to go up. Let it get too excessive, and also you’ll go into cardiac arrest. Due to this fact, you’ll have to make use of the assorted cameras to verify the coast is evident earlier than you’re employed to dissipate the mist, which is the one means of “preventing” the ghosts. Coupled with a narrative that comes throughout as extra sentimental than sappy, Echo Evening: Past is a pleasant break from conventional Survival Horror fare.
