The PlayStation 2 is viewed as one of the greatest video game consoles ever released. Its library of games is a diverse collection of experiences that many consider to be among the best that gaming has ever seen. And while many iconic games were released on the PlayStation 2 back in the day, some games have become rare enough to disappear from the public consciousness. But savvy collectors that know the console well and were able to hunt for those rare PS2 treasures have occasionally added these elusive games to their collections.

But gathering rare games is not for those with weak hearts and weak wallets. Certain PlayStation 2 games are not easily found, nor are they bought for a cheap price when they're so coveted. And yet, those who manage to obtain them will have the bragging rights from collectors for having the crown jewels of the console. Here are the five rarest PlayStation 2 games that you may never get to own in your collection.

Haunting Ground

Alternative survival horror

Resident Evil wasn't the only survival horror game that Capcom released on the PlayStation 2. Back in 2005, the publisher released another game in the genre named Haunting Ground. The main character was a girl named Fiona, who finds herself exploring a creepy castle after being involved in a car accident. Like the classic Resident Evil games, Haunting Ground had fixed camera angles and tank controls that added to the suspenseful atmosphere of the experience. Enemies could hear footsteps and relentlessly pursue Fiona as she explored the castle, solving puzzles and opening up new areas. Getting into encounters could cause the visibility to become impaired, leading to some heart-stopping moments when trying to evade foes.

With just the disc alone, Haunting Ground is often valued at around $250, and can go as high as $300 in some cases. But if you manage to find Haunting Ground complete in its original box, the value can skyrocket as high as $750 in auctions. Some places see Haunting Ground as one of the best survival horror games on the PlayStation 2 that wasn't given the Resident Evil title, but as also a spiritual successor to the Clock Tower series from the original PlayStation.

Blood Will Tell

Demonic manga action

Blood Will Tell is an action game released by Sega for the PlayStation 2 back in 2004. The game is based off the manga series Dororo, but adds a bit more horrifying elements to the story. Dororo must help his ally, Hyakkimaru, defeat forty-eight fiends to recover his missing body parts. The gameplay of Blood Will Tell is a mixture of real-time combat and story cutscenes, with a lot of similar aspects to other action games like Dynasty Warriors and Devil May Cry. While most reviews of the game in North America were average, Japanese reviewers were more favorable, with higher review scores.

While it's not the most expensive game on this list, Blood Will Tell will still cost any collector a hefty amount. Depending on whether you want to own the game complete-in-box or as a loose disc, you'll be paying anywhere from $200 to nearly $400. In some auctions online, Blood Will Tell can reach as high as over $500 for a complete version.

Xenosaga Episode III

Final part of a trilogy

The Xenosaga series is very popular among RPG fans, with a legacy that goes back to the original PlayStation. Xenosaga Episode III is the final part of the trilogy, with the first two entries also being released on the PlayStation 2. The game was also the final part of this era in the Xeno role-playing games, which began with Xenogears on the original PlayStation in 1998, and continued after with Xenoblade Chronicles on Nintendo consoles in the 2010s. Xenosaga Episode III continues the story of the android KOS-MOS and her ongoing battles against the hostile alien race known as the Gnosis. The gameplay was similar to the first two Xenosaga games, with turn-based combat and exploration across multiple dungeons and open environments.

Copies of Xenosaga Episode III can get very expensive. Regardless if a copy is complete with the original box or just the disc itself, collectors should expect to pay a lot for it. A loose disc of this game can go for around $160, with a standard complete-on-box copy being valued at over $200 in total. However, there is a rare lenticular cover version of the game that was sold exclusively at Best Buy stores that is much more expensive. This version of the game can be valued from $400 to as high as $800 in some postings. The boost in the price is due to the lenticular cover having multiple cover arts depending on the angle from which you view it.

Rule of Rose

A rare psychological terror

Rule of Rose is another survival horror game for the PlayStation 2 that was developed by Punchline in 2006. The game was published by Atlus for the console in North America, while 505 Games published it in Europe. The story of the game follows a woman named Jennifer as she tries to survive in a harsh world ruled by the Red Crayon Aristocrats. Unlike other games in the genre, Rule of Rose focused more on psychological horror than gore, even though it had similar gameplay.

One of the big reasons why this game is so rare was because of the controversy that came from its initial release. Many countries banned the game because of its supposed depiction of violence towards children. However, that was greatly exaggerated and was eventually proven to be false statements about it. But the damage was done, and not many copies of the game were made. It's one of the rarest survival horror games for the PlayStation 2 because of this. On average, a loose copy of Rule of Rose can fetch around $500, but a complete boxed copy can go as high as $1,000 when sold.

Kuon

An early FromSoftware game

Before FromSoftware became a household name with the Dark Souls series and Elden Ring, they made a survival horror game on the PlayStation 2 that has become incredibly rare over the years. Kuon was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2004, and follows the story of a monster outbreak during Japan's Heian period. Players take control of three different protagonists as they wander around the Fujiwara Manor, solving puzles and fending off monsters they encounter along the way. The plot of the game can get very dark and is heavily inspired by Japanese ghost stories. Unfortunately, the game did not receive a lot of coverage when it was finally released in North America, which was made worse by reviews that felt the game was average.

Over the years, Kuon has become one of the most valuable and rare games in the PlayStation 2 library. Due to how elusive copies of the game are to find, most copies of Kuon are incredibly expensive. In addition, prices for the game have gone up since the popularity of FromSoftware exploded in recent years. A loose copy of Kuon alone is already a hefty $500. But it gets crazier from there if you're a collector who loves to own games in original boxes. Complete in its original box, Kuon is valued at over $1,000. In some auctions for the game, the price can go beyond $1,500, and sometimes much higher than that.

Finding those rare PlayStation 2 gems

There have been many games in the PlayStation 2 library of titles that have made a major impact on the industry. But not all of those titles are among the most valuable of games that collectors want the most. These rare titles are the gems of the PlayStation 2, which continue to grow more valuable as time goes on. You may not be able to get your hands on any of these prized possessions, but you can still admire them from afar.