The beloved PlayStation 2 emulator, PCSX2, has achieved a new milestone with the release of its 2.0 stable build, introducing numerous changes and improvements.
Although the PCSX2 emulator has not required frequent updates like those for more modern console platforms, it already boasts a near-seamless 99.15% compatibility rate with minor issues. Despite this high compatibility, the emulator has been regularly updated with “nightly” preview builds.
However, it has been over four years since the previous 1.6 stable build, making this overhaul a significant update for an already reliable program.
The 2.0 build, available for download from the emulator’s official website, features an improved GUI, automatic game fixes, per-game settings, a big picture mode for couch players, support for community-sourced translations, an enhanced patch format, and more.
To keep up with modern trends, PCSX2 2.0 has replaced its wxWidgets-based GUI with a more modern and efficient Qt backend UI, which I personally don’t prefer. This update introduces a fresh look and new features, including customizable themes that let you personalize your PCSX2 emulator experience.
The new version of PCSX2 also brings several enhancements to improve emulation for all users. One notable addition is the Automatic Renderer, which selects the optimal renderer based on your graphics card’s architecture. It also introduces the Vulkan API, offering a faster backend for newer hardware compared to OpenGL and DirectX.
AMD graphics cards often perform poorly with the OpenGL API, and Intel’s older integrated graphics can crash with OpenGL. This is where PCSX2‘s Automatic Renderer shines, choosing the best option tailored to your hardware, prioritizing stability first and accuracy second. You can rely on the Automatic Renderer to make the right choice.
Additionally, the updated emulator offers graphics and performance improvements by addressing blending and ghosting issues present in many titles. It also features texture replacement, allowing users to extract textures from any game, enhance them, and reload them for a better visual experience.
For instance, Burnout 3 no longer suffers from its infamous “Black Sky” graphical glitch on the PCSX2 emulator. This issue was resolved some time ago in one of the nightly builds, and the improved rendering accuracy significantly enhances playability.
Other troublesome titles that have had graphical glitches resolved include Ratchet and Clank, with its pause menu and main menu now rendering correctly. Additionally, there has been a monumental improvement with Destroy All Humans, which was previously unplayable unless PCSX2 was set to “software rendering.” While still not perfect, you can now enjoy Destroy All Humans! with enhanced upscaled graphics, better colors, improved performance, and more detail.
Right: Hardware
Version 2.0 of the PCSX2 emulator brings enhancements to blending, which is the process of combining two images or colors to create various effects. Texture blending is often used to add detail to 3D models, alpha blending allows for transparency effects, and color blending creates unique shading and lighting effects.
“Shuffles” in this context generally refer to the management of the PS2’s rendering pipeline or its emulated equivalent. This can also involve data shuffling, where vertex data, textures, and other resources are rearranged in memory to reduce cache misses and improve efficiency.
“Clears” involve clearing buffers or resetting parts of the rendering pipeline to prepare for new passes and frames. This process ensures that the rendering pipeline is ready for the next frame, maintaining smooth and accurate visuals.
Improvements in these areas ultimately lead to increased performance, potentially allowing you to play some select titles at a higher upscaled resolution than before. Additionally, problematic titles are now more playable and experience fewer performance issues.
The PCSX2 team specifically highlights the fast-paced Need for Speed series, where shadows, reflections, and lighting effects are now rendered more accurately and consistently, resulting in smoother gameplay.
For the enthusiasts out there, Version 2.0 of PCSX2 now supports RetroAchievements. This community-driven feature brings modern achievements to games released before the concept existed, supporting over 500 games so far. It’s a neat addition that adds a bit of flair to those classic titles.
For instance, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas now features 261 triggerable achievements whereas the PS2 exclusive in Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana now features 101 achievements all thanks to RetroAchievements.
Another major improvement in PCSX2 2.0 is the introduction of Automatic Game Fixes, which replace the previous Plugin feature. This version includes a “game index” that lists all known games and automatically configures them to ensure smooth gameplay.
This eliminates the need for users to manually adjust settings like merging sprites, half-pixel offset, or skipdraw adjustments. Additionally, sound and controller mapping enhancements, including an automatic mapping function, have been introduced.
These improvements are likely to be welcomed by enthusiasts, especially as gamers are increasingly favoring older titles over modern ones. A game industry report from Newzoo found that gamers spent more time playing older titles, with only 23% of playtime in 2023 dedicated to games released in the previous two years.
This trend is partly due to dissatisfaction with modern games, which are often criticized for being filled with “progressive nonsense” and driven by developers’ adherence to global agendas for investment backing.
Retro gaming is certainly on the rise, and this revised version of PCSX2 is the sleekest, most supportive, and best rendition of the longstanding emulator yet. With 99.15% of titles deemed “playable,” there’s no excuse not to experience classic games upscaled and enhanced.
Custom-made translation patches for foreign titles and texture mods provide enhanced detail, making these classic games more enjoyable than ever.
