Kyoufu Shimbun Heiseiban Kaiki! Shinrei File

Platforms: PS2 Release Date: 2003-08-07 Regions: Japan Translated by IGN as “Kyoufu Shimbun (Heisei Version): Mystery! Spirit File.” This game sounds like a blend of Kamaitachi No Yoru and Fatal Frame. The game is based on a manga series about a mysterious newspaper that reports on deaths and calamities that will occur in the future. […]

Resident Evil: Dead Aim

Also known as: BioHazard – Heroes Never Die Platforms: PS2 Release Date: 2003-06-17 Regions: USA Japan Europe Technically a gun game, but since it has a strong 3rd person mode I’ll include it here.

Resident Evil 4

Also known as: Biohazard 4 Platforms: GameCube, PS2, Wii Release Date: 2005-01-11 Regions: USA Japan Europe Chris’s Rating: ★★★★ This fantastic transformation of the Resident Evil franchise manages to revitalize the series without losing its thematic core. While the roots of the survival horror genre can be traced back to early game systems, it was […]

Hungry Ghosts

Platforms: PS2 Release Date: 2003-07-21 Regions: Japan From 1Up.com: It’s hard to imagine a darker adventure game than Hungry Ghosts. As the game begins, you are dead, and what’s worse, you were such a bastard in life that although you’re currently tooling around in the land of the dead, your ultimate destination is Hell. There’s […]

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly

Also known as: Rei: Beni Chou Platforms: PS2, Xbox Release Date: 2003-12-10 Regions: USA Japan Chris’s Rating: ★★★☆ This sequel perfects the format defined by the first Fatal Frame, and its unique game mechanics are complemented by fantastic art and atmosphere. If you liked the first Fatal Frame, you’ll enjoy Fatal Frame 2. The mechanics […]

The X-Files: Resist or Serve

Platforms: PS2 Release Date: 2004-03-16 Regions: USA Europe Chris’s Rating: ☆☆☆☆ A textbook example of what you get when you treat game design as a list of features taken from other popular games (hint: it’s not good). X-Files: Resist or Serve is sort of a mess. I can see the feature list on some producer’s […]

RLH: Run Like Hell

Also known as: Run Like Hell Platforms: PS2, Xbox Release Date: 2002-09-27 Regions: USA Europe Chris’s Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Resident Evil Outbreak

Also known as: Biohazard Outbreak Platforms: PS2 Release Date: 2004-04-01 Regions: USA Japan Online version of Resident Evil. Announced by Capcom in early 2002.

Siren

Also known as: Forbidden Siren Platforms: PS2 Release Date: 2003-11-06 Regions: USA Japan Europe Chris’s Rating: ★★★★ Extremely innovative–and extremely difficult–entry into the horror game hall of fame. A masterpiece for those who can muscle their way through it. Siren is a really interesting game. It is quite clearly survival horror, and yet it is […]

The Suffering

Platforms: PS2, Xbox, PC Release Date: 2004-03-08 Regions: USA Europe Chris’s Rating: ★★★☆ Action-centric horror done right; The Suffering is an excellent American response to the Japanese genre heavyweights. The Suffering is very much an American response to the Japanese horror formula. The game has clearly been influenced by the likes of Devil May Cry […]