You love our rare top ten lists so much we’ve decided to do the same for rare PS2 games!
Have a watch of the video or read the article below or treat yourself and do both!
Over 1,850 games were released for the console, with many worth no more than a bag of chips! However, like any console, there are a handful of extremely rare and valuable titles which are now worth a small fortune. Are you lucky enough to own any of the top 10 rare PS2 games listed below?
If you like this, please check out our rare N64 games, rare SNES games, rare NES games, and rare Mega Drive/Genesis games top tens!
10. Dragon Blaze
Dragon Blaze is top down shoot ’em up, and was originally a Japan exclusive title. The version that’s the rarest is the PAL release. It was released across Europe as a budget title and in small quantities.
In the game you ride huge dragons to help bring carnage against your foes. It’s colourful, frantic and good fun. Dragon Blaze was originally a very popular Japanese arcade game.
Copies of the game are usually sold for around £125.
Chances of finding a copy? Your search will likely drag-on and on.
9. Haunting Ground
Haunting Ground is a highly respected survival horror title created by Capcom and was released in 2005. The game has many connections to Clock Tower 3, and is often regarded as a spiritual successor to the series.
The story follows Fiona Belli, who awakes in a castle’s dungeon, following a car accident. Fiona quickly joins forces with Hewie, a White Shepherd who’s often at hand to help Fiona escape the castle.
Haunting Ground boasts stunning graphics and the fun dog mechanics add an extra layer to the game. The game’s story has been criticised though, as being too repetitive and predictable.
PAL copies of Haunting Ground can sell for around £130, whereas North American copies can sell for anything over $600.
Chances of finding a copy? Haunting Ground? More like Daunting Ground!
8. Xenosaga Episode 3
Number 8 on our rare PS2 games list is this classy science fiction-based RPG developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco. Xenosaga Episode 3 is the final entry in the Xenosaga trilogy and overall series.
The main protagonists of the game are Shion Uzuki and KOS-MOS (a battle android). It was praised by critics, but received mixed reviews from players and failed to sell a lot of copies.
Xenosaga 3’s lukewarm reception actually led to the development of the highly acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles. You can pick up a copy of Xenosaga Episode 3 for around £150.00.
Chances of finding a copy? It’ll be a real saga to find this game!
7. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is a survival horror game published by Konami. It was released on the PS2 in 2010.
The game is a controversial reimaging of the first Silent Hill game. You take control of Harry Mason, and again, aim to find your missing daughter. But this time set in a fictional universe with different characters and a whole new plot.
The game boasts five (five??) different endings. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories gained mixed reviews and remains a divisive title in the series to this day.
A complete in box version of this game sells for around £220.
Chances of finding a copy? Your dreams will be shattered.
6. Blood Will Tell
Blood Will Tell: Tezuka Osamu’s Dororo is a Sega game based on the popular Manga series Dororo and also number 6 in our rare PS2 games top ten!
The game tells the morbid story of Hyakkimaru, who has most of his body stolen by forty-eight enemies. Your task is to defeat all 48 of these evil body harvesters.
Blood Will Tell is a highly action orientated game, full of sword fighting and samurai action.
Overall, the game received lukewarm reviews. It sells for around £250.00.
Chances of finding a copy? You’ll need to sell some of your body to afford a copy.
5. .hack Quarantine
.hack is an innovative series of games made by CyberConnect2. The four games released were .hack Infection, .hack Mutation, .hack Outbreak and finally .hack Quarantine. The final instalment being the rarest and sought after.
All of the .hack games feature a “game within a game”, a fictional MMORPG called The World. An extra twist to this series is that the MMORPG is not connected to the internet, instead the game is simulated. The player controls Kite, an on-screen character, from a third-person perspective and was praised for its originality and unusual setting. However, poor camera controls and repetitive environments did tarnish the game for some players.
.hack Quarantine and its previous titles arguably suffered for being ahead of their time.
A good condition copy of this game can sell for around £400.00.
Chances of finding a copy? You’ll go dotty searching for a copy!
4. Ocean Commander
Number 4 in our rare PS2 games list is actually best known as a Wii title, however it was released in very small numbers on the PS2.
Ocean Commander is a low budget side scrolling shoot-em up, based underwater in the year 3011. The game is mediocre at best and received poor overall reviews. This cute looking, yet flawed title was made by a Dutch team, yet, was only released in Italy! Hence, why the game is now so rare.
Ocean Commander now commands a fee of around £450.00.
Chances of finding a copy? You’ll need to travel to the deepest depths to find this game.
3. Michigan: Report From Hell
Developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, Michigan: Report From Hell is quickly becoming one of the most sought after titles on the PS2. Only ever released in Japan and Europe – the game was never released in North America (yet being set in Chicago) due to the title’s minimal gameplay.
The game follows a news crew investigating Chicago after a mysterious mist covers the city following a plane crash. It’s a combination of an adventure title mixed with survival horror elements – think Pokémon Snap mixed with Silent Hill. Michigan: Report From Hell’s overall ending is influenced by what the player actually captures on film.
Copies of the game can sell for around £480.00.
Chances of finding a copy? When hell freezes over…
2. Kuon
Nudged only just into second place in our rare PS2 list, Kuon is another classy survival horror title to make the cut!
This 2004 game was developed by FromSoftware and is one of the hardest titles to find in the PS2’s library. Set in Japan’s Heian period, Kuon follows three protagonists during a monster outbreak.
The aim of Kuon was to create a dark narrative around Japanese ghost stories. The major plus points of the game include its atmosphere and graphics. However, it did receive some criticism for its poor controls and gameplay.
Copies of Kuon can now sell for around £600.
Chances of finding a copy? Here today, Kuon tomorrow…
1. Rule of Rose
Rule of Rose is not only the rarest and most expensive PS2 title in the world, it is also one of the most controversial games ever released!
This survival horror title (what a surprise!), was developed by Punchline and released in 2006. Set in England in 1930, Rule of Rose revolves around a nineteen-year-old woman named Jennifer who becomes trapped in a world ruled by young girls. They subsequently put in place a dark hierarchy system, aptly called the Red Crayon Aristocrats.
The game focuses on traumatic childhood memories, with each level taking place over a month. Early in the story, Jennifer befriends a dog called Brown, who then accompanies her throughout the game. Brown can respond to your demands and help locate key items in each level.
Rule of Rose takes inspiration from fairy tales by Brothers Grimm and Edward Gorey. Just before its release, it was the subject of a moral panic across the globe. European Union’s justice minister Franco Frattini attacked the game as containing “obscene cruelty and brutality.” The game was subsequently cancelled in numerous countries, which made Rule of Rose extremely difficult to find.
This has made the game extremely rare and now worth a small fortune.
Mint copies of Rule of Rose can sell for over £650.
Chances of finding a copy? He who dares not grasp the thorn. Should never find the rose.
Other rare and expensive PS2 games include: The Getaway: Limited Edition, Futurama, Kingdom Hearts (first print), God of War (first print), Hard Knock High, Samurai Western, The Silent Hill Collection, ObsCure, Ibara and Marvel Vs. Capcom 2.
Adrian
Now you’re done here, check out our top ten SNES racing games.