Product ReviewsHaunting Ground (Sony PlayStation 2, 2005)

An Excellent Survival/Horror Video Game!

As a fan of other Survival/Horror video games, especially those made by Capcom, I was excited to see a new game in my favorite video game catagory, named Haunting Ground. I saw really nice, full page ads in my video game magazines, and decided this looked like a cool game. After having bought it, I loved it! The graphics are top notch, and really add to the creepy setting. There are parts that will scare you, and with the lights turned off will only add to that. The game is a bit on the short side, but the game does have an option for a second quest which will add more difficulty. There are lots of items and cut scenes to unlock, so playing for those will add more fun to an already fun game. This is also a great game for those who cannot stand too much blood and gore, as it is rarely even present. Overall, I would give it a solid 9 out of 10.Read full review...

One of the best games I've played...

To be honest, what caught my eye was Hewie, the dog. Anyways, this game could be considered "horror" but the characters themselves aren't that scary (except the maid) but the fact that you have to constantly be on your toes. You never know when or where they'll chase you which is very nerve-racking. Your antagonists are also listening for sounds from you. Whether it be your boots hitting the ground or Hewie barking at you, they hear it and it attracts them. Not to mention, you have to run and hide. No solid fighting. ^_~ Just enough so you can get away. It is also difficult because the only thing you can do is kick. Woo! Actually, Hewie, your American White Shepherd, does all of the fighting. There is hardly any gore in the game, at least as far as I've seen. One of the great features of this game is when you beat it. You can unlock four endings, 5 alternate outfits for Fiona Belli (you), and 2 alternate outfits for Hewie. Each outfit gets a different pro/con for Hewie and a different weapon for Fiona. (Cowgirl=Gun, Illegal in some States=Whip, GSD Hewie=Strong Attack, Doesn't Listen as Often) Also the mini-game is a great addition to the ending. You get to play as Hewie and guide Fiona. :) This is definatly a great game worth checking out. Although, it may be hard to find in stores. HG was a limited release by Capcom, meaning only a certain amount was released.Read full review...

The dog had me sold.

Being a lover of the PS2 horror game Clocktower 3, I had come across many raving reviews and suggestions to play Haunting Ground. Let me tell you now, I do not regret this purchase at all. Infact, I'm addicted to the game!

Unlike most thriller/horror games, Haunting Ground revolves around puzzles, hiding and escaping rather than combat. You play as Fiona Belli, a college student who wakes up in a cage deep within a castle basement after falling unconscious from a car accident that killed her parents. From then on in, you try to escape the castle while running and hiding from various stalkers that work in the castle but want to kill you for their own demented reasons. So as you solve the puzzles and get through each wing of the castle, you hide from the current stalker until they show up again!
Another feature that HG shares with the Clocktower series, is that Fiona has a Panic Meter. Meaning, if Fiona is frightened too often, is too close to an enemy or is struck too much, she may fall into a panic. This disorients the screen and causes Fiona to stumle around. You have little control of her until she calms down ot you give her a calming item.
Yet what sold me on this game though was it had something Clocktower 3 didn't; a dog! You find and rescue a dog named Hewie towards the beginning of the game. After that, you work as a team. Hewie can attack the stalkers so you can get away and he can reach objects Fiona is not able to. However, train your dog well. Everything Fiona does determines how close of a friendship you have with Hewie. Depending on your bond, you may get a different ending to the game. So treat Hewie like gold yet scold and praise him when the time calls for it.

Haunting Ground is suspenseful, addicting, twisted, creative, contains no "loading" screens and has beautiful graphics! If you are into these types of games, I highly suggest at least giving Haunting Ground a try.Read full review...

Won’t be giving this up

Despite being a PS2 game, Haunting Ground looks like it could be a PS3 game, and a late one at that. It looks that good.

Puzzle games are always fun, and horror games keep you on the edge of your seat. A little bit of stress to compete you to complete the challenge faster is always a win in my book.

My fiancé has been trying to get his hands on this game for years, and cried out his thank you’s as he chastised me for spending a lot of money on this cult classic from his childhood.

It’s a shame that the game itself is so expensive, because it’s definitely a game anyone who likes horror should play.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: retrostockpile

why won't you let me into your womb!?

if i had to describe this game in one word: innovative.
i picked this up at k-mart for either $10-$15, and it was well worth it.

you're fiona belli heiress to the belli castle. on your way there with your parents, you're in a car crash. you wake up in a cage in the basement, wearing only a sheet.. but the lock on the cage is undone...

this game introduces some new ideas to the survival horror genre, such as befriending a pooch, panic mode (where your character is nearly incontrollable and runs on their own), and unique weapons and combat.

the controls are tight, considering you're maneuvering both fiona and her dog (you only have to call to him to have him follow you). you can strengthen their bond by praise when he does something right, encouraging him when he protects you, and feeding him when he's hurt. he can reach items you can't & open places you can't. good boy!

the graphics are excellent, with tiny details like a bunny hopping away out in the ..courtyard area? highly detailed rooms filled with trinkets and gadgets and bits and bobs occupy the castle. it's possible to get lost, but all the areas look different enough to distinguish your location easily. the puzzles are fun, often requiring a team effort between fiona and hewie.

you'll encounter the inhabitants of the castle, such as the gardener, maid, etc.
if you didn't like resident evil 3 or the second scenarios of resident evil 2, with nemesis and tyrant 103 chasing you, you won't like this game. the occupants of the castle will constantly chase you, making you resort to hiding in random spots (under the bed, in the closet, under a bench, etc). if you hide in one spot for too long or too many times, they'll find you. one of the freakier aspects of the game. if you and hewie can manage to knock them down, they'll drop a weapon or healing item. pick it up and get the hell out of there, cuz they'll get up soon. search them twice and they'll get up the second time.

this game is full of beautiful rooms, amazing cutscenes, fun puzzles, interesting characters, and original gameplay, all wrapped up in a great storyline. if you're a fan of survival horror, you can't go wrong.Read full review...

Haunting Gound PS2~Awesome game that won't fail to deliver!!

Hi everyone;
I've only played:Haunting Ground as of yet.So this review for now is based on this game only....I'll review:Rule of Rose; after I play it...
Haunting Ground; It's a very compelling game,your edged on by wanting to figure out the next clue,how to advance to new area,discover hidden items/secrets.I had played this until I reached the end~ONLY to learn it wasn't the end!! I never played any game like this before,I been trying to think of a game to compare to,and I can't.There is no other game like this out there,similiar maybe,but not like this.
Haunting Grounds,you wake up,confused,befriend a dog,meet enemies around every corner it seems.They are driven to stalk you,hunt you down.You need to learn to be quiet~when to stop running so they do not hear you~feed and protect your dog as he does you~to to find items you need and to use them at critical moments ~~not so easy to do I'll tell you !!~You'll need to learn how to trick your enemies~how to distract them ~AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW to hide under things to use for your advantages!
I was drawn into this game,as a spooky game,and that it wasn't an easy game,that'd take less than a week to complete.It actually took me few weeks to complete.I played 3-5 times a week,for hours.I searched every nook and cranny I could find.I tried hard to solve every clue,every warning.I am not a pro'gamer,more medium core.I don't know game lingo,but I am learning my games.I just do not use guides or internet sites to help/aid/cheat.I enjoy playing games to thier fullest~whether they deserve it or not.
There is so much to this game,don't ruin it for yourself,by using guide book or internet to search for game clues.This game deserves your 100% attention and hard work.It's quite a adventure,and horror wrapped into 1 game.
I rated this 5 stars,as it delivered and ending really shocked me.It's quite a game,graphics-story line-sounds-kept my interrest I never once felt"oh my goodness will I ever reach the end of this game-not once!it's a really great game.As I was told:Play it at night time,to fully get into the gsme and storyline.
OH~I almost FORGOT to mention this:when I popped this game in,I had a wireless controller,and it would not recognize the memory card.I popped a PS2 wired controller in,and it started to play perfectly.So,if you go to play the game using,a wireless controller and you come across this-just pop in a wired controller.
I do HOWEVER STRONGLY suggest,this is NOT FOR YOUNG game players! I'm not saying this to entice young players,as a play to make them curious to go get this.IT"S really NOT suitable for minors! If your buying this for a young player,play it prior.rent or buy used copy to play PRIOR to gifting this to them.OR read a lot of reviews on this game.It's due to content of game/story line.Read full review...

An excellent survival horror game for the fan of the genre.

Haunting Ground is a strange entry by Capcom. Sadly, this entry was short-lived, Capcom pulled the trigger on the whole thing, stopping any further republishing of this game, and it's sad really...>
Haunting Ground is a nice survival horror game with a touch of eeriness that -it seems- only Capcom can manage to create. You play as Fiona, a teenage girl with little to no knowledge in self-defense. She can kick, she can hide, or she can put obstacles in her pursuer's way. Her only help is Hewie, an albino German Shepherd, which she saves early in the game. Hewie also brings a new level of gameplay in the game, since his effectiveness in battle and to help Fiona find what she needs to proceed depends entirely on his bond with her. So to have a good Hewie, you got to bond with him, and he's the most adorable virtual dog I've seen in a videogame... except in NintenDogs, but that doesn't count.

The game is mostly about solving puzzles, evading your pursuer's grasp, and make sure that Fiona doesn't panick and ram into a wall... because that's what she is bound to do if you're not careful.

The setting is in the mansion of an alchemist, alot of alchemy, dark magic, strange practices around, and -since it's Capcom-, weird home design choices.

It HAS shocking scenes, or elements that might offend some people. When they say "suggestive themes", they really mean "suggestive themes". Nothing too graphic, thankfully, but the doubt is often there.

When you try this game, do not expect any kind of "Kick in the door" approach to gaming. It's something I don't even recommend.

Haunting Ground is, to me, vastly superior to Rule of Rose which came not so long afterwards. In Rule of Rose, same gimmick, but the dog litterally pulls you by the nose to get what you need to find. In Haunting Ground, it's simpler, but your brains actually serves a purpose.Read full review...

Finally get to play this game!

I finally get to play this game since my sister, though had a copy, had to sell it due to being tight on money. It works perfectly so far and am already half way through what is technically the first chapter with no lagging or skipping. Game case is still in great condition when it came in, and it came in a whole 2-3 weeks earlier than expected, as well! Overall, a fantastic experience all around!Read full review...

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Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: videogamegopher

There is not one thing I dislike about this game.

If you are into eerie, mysterious, and hair-raising games, you will fall in love with this game. The game play is non-weapon based, other than the action of kicking your foot. You do find a helpful little friend along the way that helps you find certain items, and attacks the bad guys who are constantly trying to find you. The game play also includes puzzles you have to figure out to move forward in the game. This game has multiple different endings, but not to many. Had just the right amount so you don't feel the stress of having to collect every cut scene, and 2 mini games after you beat it. It is a truly fun game, especially to play with friends and have a good scare/ laugh with them.Read full review...

Truly a Rare Gem

I managed to snag a cheap copy of this game a month back (cheap in terms of what it usually sells for), and ever since I started playing it, I've been highly invested so far. Some things annoyed me about it, but for the most part, it's a veru fun experience.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: milbowle-0