When gamers think about the PlayStation 2, and the range of horror games available on the platform, a few generally come to mind, with Resident Evil and Silent Hill are the two most prominent, and with good reason, as each of them is a fantastic. Of course, being released at the right time with a good marketing budget most certainly helped their success as well.

However, with the popularity of the more known franchises, a slew of other games hit the market as well. Some of these were truly fantastic, but for one reason or another, not too many gamers actually played them. Perhaps they were marketed poorly, or maybe it was something else. Whatever the reason, October is upon us, and that means it's time to take part in all things scary. Pull out your PS2, or your PS3 if you are fortunate enough to have a backwards compatible model, and get ready to scare yourself silly with these unknown horror games from the PlayStation 2.

Haunting Ground

This game comes with a very interesting premise. You play as a Fiona, 19 year old women who have no weapons or methods of fighting off enemies. This leads to an incredible sense of impending doom, which in turn leads to the player experiencing something that is not seen too often in games; genuine fear. You do have a dog, and he helps alleviate some of your fears, but only just enough to make things manageable.

Your pursuers in this game are genuinely demented, and they will make you feel uncomfortable, which is exactly what Capcom was aiming for. Some things are a little over sexualized with the main character, but don't let this deter you from experiencing this genuinely scary game that no one seems to have played. If you enjoyed Outlast, a recently released PC game with no combat, this will be right up your alley.

Ghosthunter

Ghosthunter is part horror game, part action game. As the title implies, the game is based around you, the player, entering a scary world and hunting for ghosts. Actually playing the game feels much like a third-person shooter, but what makes things interesting is the ability to control Astral, who just so happens to be a ghost.

This game does a fantastic job of blending horror, drama, and other storytelling genres into one cohesive experience. While not the scariest game you will ever get your hands on, it has its moments, and it features one incredibly cool ending that is well worth sticking it out to see. While this game may not have sold well upon its initial release, it is definitely a perfect one to play to make your Shocktober complete.

Second Sight

This game takes the horror genre and sprinkles in a good bit of Metal Gear Solid in terms of the way the stealth gameplay is handled, and creates a cohesive experience that is quite fun. The game also includes some psychic powers to go along with the standard guns. This shakes things up a bit and makes the game a little more exciting. Stealth is still the optimal way to handle most situations, but when an alarm is triggered and a fight is forced upon you, it's good to know you have these mysterious powers.

Is it the best game on the PlayStation 2? Not by a long shot, but it's still very well done, and it's quite fun. It's also more creepy than scary, but it does just enough on the horror side of things to make it worthy of this list. It's kind of like the more recent game F.E.A.R, which gets most of its scares though atmosphere instead of monsters and the like.

Extermination

This game, which almost no one played, is another example of using stealth in the horror genre. It works well because not only do you have the tension from dealing with the horrors that lurk in the dark, but you also have the added effect from having to do your best to remain undetected. The gameplay itself feels like a traditional third-person action shooter, but what you are doing in the game is clearly horror.

The game takes place at a secret military base in Antartica. An interesting element comes from the fact that you can become infected with the same mysterious disease that is causing the monsters to appear in the first place. This happens by lingering in an infected area for too long. Once you are sick, there are a few rare items that can cure you. Should you fail to find one, you will die. While dated, this game still brings some good scares, and it's a ton of fun.

Conclusion

Watching horror movies not your thing for Shocktober? Well why not pull out that PlayStation and get your scare on with a more interactive medium. You should be able to grab most of these games for extremely cheap, so there is no reason not to give them a shot!

What PS2 horror games do you recommend? Think we left a good obscure gem off the list? Hit the comments section below and let your voice be heard!

Image Credits: Never Leave Me Alone Via Shutterstock, Zak Via Flickr