PCSX2 Emulation Vs Real PS2 Hardware (2024 Edition) - Affro's Curiosities EX

Today, I revisit PS2 emulation by testing out the newest version of PCSX2 & pit it against real PS2 hardware to see how far emulation has come & what results you can expect when using 4K resolution!
See the results for yourself!
(Note - All games tested are PAL versions! This Used V1.7.5928)
Main Channel - / @theaffroshowgameplay
AetherSX2 Emulation - • AetherSX2 Emulation Vs...
PCSX2 On Steam Deck - • PCSX2 Emulation On Ste...
Chapters -
0:00 - Start
0:09 - PCSX2 Revisit, Settings Used & Real Hardware Output
1:21 - Gran Turismo 4 (576i)
2:38 - Valkyrie Profile 2 (576i)
3:56 - Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix (480p)
5:09 - Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner (576i)
6:03 - Colin McRae Rally 04 (576i)
6:50 - DBZ Budokai 3 (576i)
7:32 - Need For Speed: Most Wanted (576i)
8:48 - Tekken 3 Via Tekken 5 (480i)
9:39 - Tekken 4 (480p)
10:19 - WRC 3 (576i)
11:21 - Soulcalibur II (480p)
12:00 - Soulcalibur III (480i)
12:45 - Outro & Conclusion
#affroscuriosities #playstation #pcsx2

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Here's an updated look at PCSX2 emulation against real PS2 hardware! Being an EX episode, this is not in depth as normal but still should do the job! Also check out PCSX2 on Steam Deck - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYGsZ3aXaZaChLM (Edit: Many, many people are asking me about the background music starting from 01:22! The song is called Barham Battlefield and comes from Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner! Also beware of KZbin's Stable Volume feature, if the audio sounds odd please turn it off for the original sound mix as intended!) Also this video used PCSX2 V1.7.5928 nightly for Mac!

[@jairocolombo4410]

Now they lauched the version 2.0 :) Would be good see the upgrade!

[@J0rdan912]

I'm just happy that PCSX2 finally made it possible (almost) to run games in software mode in it's original form

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It is so much better now and a good number of games run nicely using software mode :)

[@matsunami]

I prefer software mode to upscaling in most games. I don't like what upscaling does to to games and like things playing closer to the original format. However, 2D games look phenomenal in 4k.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@matsunami I agree with you, when I use emulation I use software mode where possible :)

[@BigBoiUltra3741]

Just imagine how good they really get when a ps2 static recompiler becomes available

[@saidevpappu]

but in software mode always shows black screen to me

[@leeshenshun]

This is "how I remember the game" vs "how it actually looks"

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@leeshenshun I still enjoy real hardware graphics despite their age but at least there is a solution:)

[@detdeet]

Tbh if you had a CRT it looked like the emulator, the pixelation is a consequence of modern higher resolution TVs

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I still enjoy my OSSC setup all the same, I don't mind the look at all :)

[@cemsengul16]

I recommend people run the nightly version of PCSX2 since it has a lot of game fixes and a self updater.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This was using the Nightly version of PCSX2 :)

[@Preludedraw]

Definitely but too much effort to use cheat engine on it or i'm too dumb. Seriously, no time to grind stuffs, just wanna experience the stories.

[@cemsengul16]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Oh I couldn't tell because this is the mac version. I game on the Windows one.

[@cemsengul16]

@@Preludedraw pnach cheats are super easy to use. I'm just like you, I hate the pointless grind some games had back in the day. I am actually replaying games from my childhood that I didn't have the patience for back then and finishing them now. So every once in a while if I can't defeat a boss regardless of how many times I try, I will just enable an infinite health cheat and then disable it right after the battle, I am just into the stories.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Ah both are similar now in how they work thankfully :)

[@bpcgos]

Thank to mr sujano for pointing out to this awesome channel and thanks to you for making this awesome comparison...👍🏽

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I appreciate this & thank you for the kind words :) Also thank you to Mr Sujano! I hope that I can continue on this path!

[@byssmal]

I remembered playing ff12 in pcsx2 32bit back then with many performance and graphical issues. Now, the latest version of the emulator was improved significantly and upscaling made the game looks amazing with stable fps/speed and no graphical bugs. It's amazing that Stenzek contributed and improved pcsx2 a lot in just couple of years.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Goes to show how much has changed with PS2 emulation :)

[@waxcutter9813]

I want to note, it may not have fixed it here but I wouldn't use the same settings for every game if you're having issues like in valkyrie. The PCSX2 wiki has a listing for each game generally that contains specific config requirements in case a game needs it. I think it'd be a better representation. Good video!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Oh I know, I even said in the video during the game that I believed the settings could be changed or even fixed if you take the time to look but I like to see how the same settings affect the games :) Sadly I don't have time to show every setting combination possible so as I always say, try it yourself and see what works :)

[@catgirllover666rockstargodmonk]

i aways have artifacts and sound bugs in Vlkyrie :(

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It's still not perfect unfortunately but it will get better as updates continue to roll out :)

[@DebugOctopus]

Hello from Mr. Sujano's channel

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Hello, hello, hello, hello :D

[@AFourEyedGeek]

I accidentally had your video at 720p, I thought it looked nice and crisp. Pumped it up to 4K and :o Good work

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Thank you & on this channel I make everything at the highest quality possible:) Glad you enjoyed!

[@antonio_carvalho]

Love these comparisons! Keep up the great work 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Thank you for the kind words :)

[@marcelpursche5339]

It’s amazing how well the artwork of most of the games shown still holds up. With higher resolution and better texture filtering you could sell most as a remaster. It’s just some UI textures that could use a higher resolution and you‘re golden.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

They do upscale well a lot of the games & it gives a new to a lot of them :) The emulator is getting better all the time 😊

[@AlphaProto]

Good information. I don't use emulators often, but this is going to come in handy. Makes some of these games look a generation ahead.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Information can only be good should you try to use it in the future :)

[@SleepyMortal]

Didn't expect someone who also playing Cel Damage Overdrive. Good video!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It was a PAL exclusive for the PS2 and I was lucky to have mine from 2003! Still works 21 years later :)

[@jsr734]

Grant Turismo 4 is missing all the post processing effects like the depth of field effect. Also, didn´t Soul Calibur 3 support 480p? or it was removed from the PAL release?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Yes, I mentioned it was missing some effects during the replays (not sure if it was missing any in gameplay but I bet it was) & yes, Soulcalibur III did have 480p but only in NTSC releases :) My PAL copy has only 50 or 60hz support, no 480p :) Gran Turismo 4 is the same, no 480p or 1080i in the PAL version :o

[@Manic_Panic]

Something people don't talk about often is that under software mode, duckstation, pcsx2 and ppsspp offer 99% compatibility with no issues these days and you can use a dualshock 3 for pressure sensitive controls. The RPCS3 equivalent of that would be "Strict Rendering Mode" but that emulator still in the ~69% compatibility. We're not far from being able to have a "fully backwards compatible PS3" inside our PCs.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Emulation has come along way & it is always incredible to see software leap forward every few months or so :) The retro community doing what Sony & other big video game companies can't :)

[@muchossaugus9927]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial They could but there would be no money in that and they are too busy shutting down emulators and rom websites.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

We can't have nice things for long can we? Shame they won't offer good retro game services instead, that would be the easiest solution!

[@AdriHime]

unfortunately even software render doesn't fix everything, for example the current PCSX2 nightly build has a visual issue in God of War 2 that makes the wind tunnels not render correctly in the Dark Rider sequence, during his second sequence there is a white wall covering the island of creation.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This is correct & that is why there's still work to be done on this emulator but, it is in a much, much better state than ever before :)

[@SRC267]

Found this channel from my recommendations, algorithm in full swing.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Hope you are enjoying the content :)

[@SRC267]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial so far I do. Nicely edited. Might subscribe

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Thank you, I try xD

[@ru_rika]

Thank you for showing Valkyrie Profile 2. It's one of the game and series that's in my heart forever. For VP2 PCSX2 there are some cheats you can enable to fix the beginning zone issues and some other as well.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

PCSX2 also got updated since this video & VP2 has been improved visually:) Hope the other settings & hacks improve preformce further :) & anytime!

[@FBHI]

This makes me wonder even more on why big companies like Capcom doesn't want to release new games from classic franchises like Rival Schools with a PS2 4k graphics just like Tekken 4 and the Soul Caliburs displayed on this video...

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Sadly, many reasons :0 Money, time, audience, etc... Plus some companies just don't want our money I guess...

[@francisquebachmann7375]

Closest you'll get to ps2 graphics of Rival Schools is Project Justice ( sequel to rival schools) for the Dreamcast. Which Flycast runs well.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I have that on real hardware, very good & looks nice with VGA!

[@TheLolwut56]

Great video! It looks amazing!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I appreciate the comment & glad you enjoyed :)

[@dottyorb]

Which version of PCSX2 did you use for the Video? The Stable (1.6.x) builds or the nightly (1.7.x) builds?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This used the nightly build :) This is the Mac version :)

[@goblinphreak2132]

I found THE GAME for testing PCSX2, and that is the game called Frequency. Its a time sensitive musical game. If the settings between graphics and sound aren't correct, you will have a bad time. From stutters, to missing notes even though you pressed at the right time. It took me forever to figure out the best settings for my system. But once I did, every other game played literally flawlessly. its the gold standard for setting up the emulator in my opinion. because all games play perfectly after settings it to play frequency.... on that note, the biggest hurdle is audio settings. timestretch is fine, but you have to reduce the settings. with x-audio2, reduce latency without touching the advanced settings as low as possible before the sound starts sounding like shit. then back up a notch to make it clear again. after that, go into the advanced settings for timestretch and reduce settings to their lowest (sequence 20, seekwindow 10, overlap 5). this will make frequency run PERFECTLY. and thus every other game follows. and yes, audio issues can cause games to lag/stutter when in reality they shouldn't.... for games with tileset issues, there was a fix build into pcsx2.... i remember where they are in the original verison (v1.6) but don't know where the settings are in the new v2.x editions.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Can I mention two points - First, I defiantly will find this game, try it for myself & then see how the rest of my games play going forward :) Second, I wish more people would comment in this manner when suggesting ways to improve our emulation experience, not people saying x system is terrible or that I the creator is dumb lol xD Thank you for pointing all this out & people need to remember I'm still learning about the ins and outs of this great piece of software!

[@PoisonX7]

so u was using ps2 to scar cable or componets and then add mclassic? also if you only do a passthrough ossc will do noting to the game grapics

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

No :) I was using an RGB SCART cable on my PS2 to my OSSC when then went to my capture card :) The OSSC most of the time was in passthrough mode for interlaced content so I used my capture software OBS to deinterlace the image :) In 480p progressive scan games my OSSC was at line 2x mode, doubling the output to 960p for sharper results :) I do not own or use the Mclassic at all :) I prefer passthrough with interlaced content because it looks better, makes it easier to capture a screen shot and the OSSC's bob deinterlacing technique isn't my favourite :)

[@PoisonX7]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial ohh oks , "ossc + mclassic" or "kaiko ps1/ps2 x2 lines + mclassic" helps old consoles for bether image, not as good as emu but close to it

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I'm not a fan of the Mclassic & I much prefer a sharp look to my games but, this is just my preference :)

[@tamodolo]

Nightly version fixed a lot of Valkyrie Profile 2 graphic glitches including the red filter problem. Some depth of field problems still are present though...

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This is the nightly build of PCSX2 :) It is the Mac version so, perhaps the Windows version is ahead or works differently :)

[@PseudoWounds]

Wonderful video, emulation is such a blessing

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Honestly, one of the best pieces of software ever made!

[@tort5715]

8:11 that one feeling when you understand that, the icon (clock on top right) has a little arrow shoeing up or down. On ps2 because of resolution I never was able to puzzle it out.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I was using RGB SCART whereas maybe using Composite the icon was to fuzzy to see :) It was a lot easier to see thanks to the resolution boost of PCSX2 when using upscaled resolutions :)

[@lasersauceretroarchives6544]

what version of pcsx2 is this? There are patches to fix those issues especially on Valkyrie.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This was recorded on June 24th 2024 and it while I cannot remember exactly which version this was, I know it proceeded v1.7.5598 if I'm correct which released not long after I published this video :) Updates will always come out after a video like this is published :) (Edit: This was using V1.7.5928)

[@fzz6716]

Is the software mode better? I have a decent PC. Intel i5 12400f and rx 6600XT.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@fzz6716 Software rendering is basically accurate to real PS2 hardware so if you like that look or if certain games aren't working with hardware rendering, give it a go :)

[@losjuegosoficial]

The history of the PS2 is a bit complicated because when it hit the market, the graphics looked great on old tube TVs. However, it was also the transition period to widescreen LCD TVs at 720p, and the resolution didn't feel as impressive. Developers had to navigate these obstacles. I believe that with emulators, we finally have a version of how PS2 games would look in optimal conditions on our screens.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

While I feel this explanation does make sense since many companies wanted to move away from low resolution screens at that time, I still enjoy the look of real PS2 hardware despite everything:)

[@kidrobot.]

nope, the transition would be about 5-6 years later

[@CajunCatguy]

A fair number of flat-screens were in my dorm in 2005, and people were upset that their PS2s were looking shifty. It spurred the PS3 jump in my area. I still have my original release PS2, still play my collection almost daily. I'm more afraid of my tubeTV dying than the console, since I know I can only find flatties these days.

[@mentalhell4846]

I wish the devs include bump mapping/normal mapping shader in the future revisions. That'd be great and game changer.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Never say never and I hope this could be a reality in future updates :)

[@nrg753]

Great video! Are some of the missing effects from using the Metal API? Looks great to my eyes though!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I think it is a hardware rendering problem, same thing happens with OpenGL & Vulcan :) Only software mode restores the effects :)

[@MetalJody1990]

PCSX2 is absolutely amazing. I currently have 68 games that look and run fantastically with this emulator. Some of the shooting games can be played with keyboard+mouse and higher frame rates like normal PC shooters. TimeSplitters, Darkwatch, Black, The Chikyuu Boueigun 2...

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It has come a long way & to see people using it, enjoying it, trying to figure out what graphics work best & of course, ongoing support means this emulator will be the ultimate PS2 experience soon if not already :)

[@TerraFuu]

Can you link the PS2 cables used? I'd also like to record native hardware.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It was the Sony Official RGB SCART Cable but, a better cheaper alternative is to visit Retro Gaming Cables & find a SCART or Component cable there :) Just type it into Google and it will pop right up :) I don't do links due to spam issues but hope it helps!

[@cleangoblin2021]

How's the input lag? Was the ps2 ever than snappy of a console or it had some innate input lag?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Input lag for me has & never has been an issue for me:) On Emulation I cannot guarantee if you'll have any :) I've played the two back to back for years with no problems but I think your system & the display you use may impact this :)

[@SK91NO]

PCSX2 just pushed an update that fixed a lot of the bloom rendering in games like Valkyrie Profile 2 at higher resolutions

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

That might be for the Windows version, this was using the Mac nightly build :) Had a few comments saying this now so maybe the Mac version will get the same fixes very soon :)

[@nit3h8wk81]

For pcsx2 I generally use progressive scan mode for the games that have it and no-interlace patch's for the rest. Gives you a much cleaner upscale less blurry.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

If the games support it, defiantly use 480p :) I don't mind the current upscale since I would use software rendering :)

[@Mike-dr1db]

GT4 is literally an early PS3 game, they used the same accents in the Gran Turismo HD Concept

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Amazing how well the game has stood up :)

[@user-yk1cw8im4h]

What’s an accent

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Think he meant textures :)

[@Mike-dr1db]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I'm not referring to the textures, but rather the 3D models of the cars

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Ah I see, defiantly agreed the cars themselves are still incredible looking in GT4 :)

[@tntboom21]

OMG what is the song at 2:18 ? thanks!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Check the pinned comment if you want to know the song :)

[@Saruchango]

Which song did you used? I remember it from a game, but don’t remember which one!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Many, many people have asked me about the music in this video haha... It is from Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner & the song is called Barham Battleship :)

[@Khazar321]

⁠@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial it is almost like you’re supposed to give credit, when using someone else’s work. 😊

[@bparks2193]

The issues in hardware mode for Valkyrie Profile were just fixed with two new upscaling hack settings. Align to Native HPO and Native Scaling. Download the latest development build and see for yourself.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I've had this comment quite a few times now but I believe this is related to the Windows version currently :) This video used the Mac nightly build so not sure if that one got the treatment but, if not it should adapt the fixes soon!

[@bparks2193]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Mac version should be on the same build 1.7.5948

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

If it is then one day I'll make another video with the updates included with new games tested!

[@DaXzOr]

I love how both Duckstation and PCSX2 share similar UI/UX elements now. And it makes me wish other emulators like xemu or Project64 took notes. Heck I think a games library with covers/tiles is a must, it's almost unthinkable.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@DaXzOr I hope someday the XBOX original emulation scene improves dramatically & if it does I feel many people will play it's versions of games :) Yes, the UI I hope would be like what we currently have with PCSX2 & Duckstation:)

[@FrankenSama]

What's the name of the background music ?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Which one? Timestamp please :)

[@FrankenSama]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Starting from 1:21

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

That's a song from Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runners :) The song is called Bahram Battleship :)

[@rained649]

It'd be nice if you could add your testing of the games to the PCSX2 wiki.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It's not really my scene as I never get enough time to test the games extensively & by the time I do update anything, people are well aware of the issues and the emulators are updated every frequently now :) I appreciate the idea though, never say never :)

[@nathangraves1069]

emulation is getting better, i have the pcsx2 emulator on my steam deck and it looks awesome, but still have my ps2 plugged with component cables on my sony trinitron 27" and still looks fantastic.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

There's a place for all methods regarding retro games & to see you using both an older method and a more updated one shows anyone can get into the hobby more :)

[@Faxiz48]

What song you use on the background?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Check the pinned comment of this video if you want to see what song was used :)

[@gutozardy5568]

In my PC, Valkirye Profile 2 runs perfect and there is no more that red glitch with last version before version 2.0. I put a texture pack and it looks clean and sharp now.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@gutozardy5568 I know, this was recorded on June 25th before V2 & before the fixes for Valkyrie Profile 2 came out :) Stunning game though!

[@tidoblack2054]

Can you get this for Android? I currently have AetherSX2 for my 405M

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

There is a version for Android called Pro PPSS2 :) I think this a new development though so, your best bet for now is AetherSX2 as you currently have :) PCSX2 may come to Android natively soon, I hear it is being worked on as we speak!

[@efrenarevalo2025]

I miss the days when I never notice jagged lines in games.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I don't mind them, never have done but if you want to minimise them, just upscale the graphics and maybe add a bilinear filter to help soften the graphics :)

[@muchossaugus9927]

Whats the music title starting with the gran turismo part called?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Check my pinned comment for the song in question as many people have asked me about it over and over :)

[@spiral7041]

Recognised it instantly. It's from zone of the Ender's 2 in the bahram battleship level

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Most people sadly never played the game, myself included until I got both games this year :) Never had so many people ask me about a background song!

[@eliashowe7115]

Something is really off with this emulator in terms of smoothness in motion. Animations of characters are not as smooth as they should. I think the real PS2 looks better, especially in progressive scan mode.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It might be because these are the PAL versions of games (some were in 60hz or 480p progressive scan though), some games also had performance issues like Valkyrie Profile :) Otherwise, both are worth a look and remember you can use software mode if you want more accurate results from the emulator :)

[@Mr.Coffee576]

Valkyrie Profile 2 is such an underrated game.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It is & to find it for £12 was a steal, very good game & graphically incredible :)

[@Kaim.Argonar]

Song name? Is it from Z.O.E.?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Yes! It's from Zone Of The Enders The 2nd Runner :) Someone asked me the same question I think it is Barham Battleship :)

[@MGrey-qb5xz]

uhm you say better and better but unlike other emulators, the input lag issues seems to be ignored, are we not to play old games where gameplay mattered the most?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

For me I've never had input lag issues & I've been using PCSX2 on multiple platforms & PCs for 8 years now with no problems:)

[@MGrey-qb5xz]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial doesn't mean it doesn't exist, if you try same versions on other emulators like cemu then movement or response is snappier

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@MGrey-qb5xz I'm not saying it doesn't but, for me personally I've had no issues & this is me comparing this emulator against real hardware, both at least with my setup feel the same :) Again, not saying lag is not there but, I can only give my thoughts based on my experiences :)

[@Dino-nz6mr]

Can you tell me the outro music?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@Dino-nz6mr It is from a PS1 game called Shin Senki Van Gale :)

[@roberto1519]

It's quite impressive how well these 6th gen games hold up when upscale, in wide screen and improved performance, they look fantastic. Let's also consider that even 5th gen or other 6th gen 2D sprite based games look better on emulation as well, since the PS2 is notorious for having weird video output, specially compared to the Dreamcast, Game Cube and Xbox, which are much sharper in comparison.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Upscaling can defiantly look good and benefit some games, PS2 to my eyes benefits more than most! Ah I've done extensive work on the video outputs on the 6th generation consoles and here's what I found - PS2 - All regions have 480p support although PAL games had less of them but, overall video output is sharp unless a game had a flicker filter toggle which in all cases can be turned off :) XBOX Original - Sadly, this one is notorious! PAL systems had no 480p, 720p or 1080i options unlike NTSC counterparts unless modded & using standard resolution (480i, 576i) looks terrible especially because all XBOX games have a flicker filter which cannot be disabled outside a few games! Even then, the quality is still not up to par! Gamecube - Same as PS2, only all PAL systems and games did not support 480p without modding & component cables or a HDMI solution is required for 480p unlike PS2 which can use RGB SCART via RGsB or Component for 480p :) Dreamcast - Same as PS2, very sharp when using VGA for its 480p output (or an RGB SCART switcher which has standard output & 480p VGA mode on the same cable) some games do not support VGA mode so RGB is the next best cable :) All this I found using the systems for about a year or more each & I have videos on all of them here on the channel or even on my main channel (theaffroshow) Hope all this explains a few things!

[@roberto1519]

Interesting, but honestly, PAL was never suited to video games, aside from very rare occasions, so, when we talk about video outputs, we are considering the NTSC standards. In that regard, the PS2 is the worst of the 6th gen, heck, even the Dreamcast features VGA output and will look sharp enough, while hooking a PS2 to a modern TV shows how bad it actually is. This is why my comment above applauds how well these games end up looking using emulation, beating the original hardware not only in video output, but performance and enhancements.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I mean it is interesting because it depends :) As explained before, here in the PAL countries the PS2 & Dreamcast were the best whereas in the NTSC regions, the others beat the PS2 in video output but, the big selling point of the PS2 was the games & plenty of them still looked incredible in my opinion despite the others :) I know emulation can defiantly help now & there's other interesting hacks using emulation that can also make certain games more playable now thanks to CPU overclocking :)

[@03chrisv]

Good video, though I personally prefer playing most games on original PS2 hardware connected to a CRT TV via s-video/component video. PS2 era games were not designed for 4k resolution on a LCD/OLED display so they look pretty terrible IMO when texture and geometry flaws are so readily sharp and clear to see. CRT TVs do a great job hiding the shortcomings of those games, not to mention devs leveraged the fact that CRTs have a natural anti-aliasing effect. I recently emulated Resident Evil Code Veronica and Silent Hill 2 and they looked terrible at 4k on my OLED TV, though on my CRT running on native hardware, they still hold up, especially Silent Hill 2 with its more gritty artstyle, it still looks beautiful even today.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It's quite interesting because I actually do not mind seeing the image flaws using my OSSC on my 4K as I love the sharp look of RGB SCART, S-Video or Component video but, I understand the thoughts and as I tell everyone, we can all play as we wish thankfully :)

[@03chrisv]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I can understand that, some people really love having a sharp clean image. My only issue is that the artists and 3D modelers never intended for the game to be viewed at such high resolutions and purposefully designed the assets around the strengths and weaknesses of a CRT TV so it tends to break the visual makeup for me when viewed with modern displays and conventions. PS2 games for example look more visually and technically impressive when viewed on an era appropriate CRT TV vs upscaled to 4k on a modern TV.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Hmmmm I don't know xD I agree they were made with CRT's in mind no doubt but most people say you must use composite video :) Try a CRT with S-Video or even RGB and wow! Also, I always ask, if they were made with composite in mind, why do the consoles support other cable types? I feel RGB or S-Video was the intended look but composite was the most common and they had to keep this in mind at the time in my opinion but however you play or display retro games, as long as you have fun and enjoy what you see, it is a win win for everyone :)

[@03chrisv]

@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Most people only had access to composite video so they simply didn't know better. S-video was superior due to better signal separation which made the image look its best within the confines of 480i resolution (which is the key here). Regardless if someone played with an RF connection, composite, or s-video the resolution was always 480i. Emulation, on the other hand takes the original source that was intended for 480i on a CRT and upscales it to resolutions never intended on displays that it was not designed for. Of course if people are happy playing that way it's fine, everyone has their preferences, but to me the textures, models and the effects of PS2 games simply don't hold up when played that way. Maybe 2D sprite games fair better, or simplistic cel shaded 3D games don't look that bad, but most other games do IMO.

[@ojmachine9545]

i personally dont worry about the intention of someone around 20 years ago in this media because art is subjective. i have a crt and ps2 with component out. i still run emulation for slower paced games like rpgs that dont need better latency or streaming since compatibility with my set up is more desirable.

[@OnlyEpicEmber]

I used to love emulation but as I've grown up I've realised more and more how much of a compromise it is. Yes, it is very close, but the amount of games that have slowdown or missing effects is rather annoying, and upscaling games comes with a host of issues like incongruent textures and HUDs. I'll always love emulation for preservation, especially of obscure systems, but real hardware on a CRT is the way to go for me. Unless it's a handheld, in which case I can overlook these issues.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I love real hardware although I've switched to upscalers because of HDMI, no matter how you play, CRT or otherwise, there's a place for all hardware & best part is you can softmod the PS2 for cheap :) I will soon invest in a Memory card SD adapter so I can download Roms onto the PS2 & play them that way on the actual hardware :) I agree with your assessment of PS2 emulation but it really has come along way & many games fuctiom well & if you want more accurate PS2 graphics, simply use software rendering :)

[@enricojeremias5425]

Mr.Sujano send me here ...

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Greetings and thank you for stopping over!

what would happen whit Ps2 2D Games like Castlevania ? would it look better ?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It would just look a bit sharper as you saw with the Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix section :)

[@BlueEyedVibeChecker]

If you run the emulator at 640 × 480, you're upscaling it. The internal resolution of the PS2 is 512 × 448i/224P, and if you select this resolution, the emulator will look 1:1 with the PS2 for a more authentic look.

[@nikodem123asdf]

It's true for many games but not all of them. Most common resolution modes are 512x448 and 640x448. The emulator has an option to play with underscan in integer resolution but you still need to pay attention to the resolution I think.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

To me, I'm not too fussed with getting the exact look as I usually play with real PS2 hardware and I don't mind a slight upscale using emulation in software mode :) But the choices are there to make the PS2 emulator as close or as far away from real hardware as possible :)

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@nikodem123asdf It only matters if you want to use emulation to replicate the PS2 experience as much as possible but for me, it is not a concern :)

[@nikodem123asdf]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial It actually helps for recording at native resolution since loads of games change their rendering resolution depending on whether it's cutscene, menu, battle system etc. From there I can use integer upscaling to get very sharp image for upload. I record longplays so these small details matter a lot for me. I have yet to use PCSX2 to record one but I have done some tinkering about.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I can understand & yes that is a good point as not all parts of games run in exactly the same resolution :) For me, I never notice anything substantial from this as everything appears sharp to me using the settings I use but, I know for the best results, monitoring everything is key :)

[@Kennosuke88]

I have a pnach code which fixes most if not all problems with Valkyrie profile 2

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

If so that would be a game changer :)

[@afr_gem]

i try my best to just play on actualy hardware, but its great for the certain games that are outside your region :). i do love the fact we can play these games in the highest resolutiion possible, like it would have looked as they were developing them. sadly a bunch of games run into graphical issues. ghosting etc.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@afr_gem I feel the emulator has become so good that soon it will become the default way of trying or playing PlayStation 2 games:) They are getting less & less & software mode can be used instead if you do run into problems:) I also still love using real hardware where possible, I've always enjoyed the PS2 :)

[@afr_gem]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial true they are getting better and better as time goes on!

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It is always advised to check back with emulation every few months, the improvements are vast & worthwhile :)

[@anengineerandacat]

Man VP2 really needs a remaster... would be a strong seller I feel.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Not sure if it would be a strong seller but I agree I'd love to see it remade! :)

[@gatike7887]

Soundtrack is from zone of the enders 2nd runner

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Yes & the song name is in my pinned comment if you want to know exactly which one :)

[@tigrisrgn4062]

tekken 4 is still such a BEAUTIFUL game, even on native hardware (in progressive scan)

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It is one of the best examples of PS2 games looking incredible with 480p :) It was released in 2002 so it is an earlier title for the PS2!

[@PabloB888]

I still have a SD CRT and real PS2 hardware for sentimental reasons, but these old PS2 games run and look better on the emulator and modern display. I played "black" at 60fps on the PCSX2 emulator and it was a much better experience (aiming at 30fps on the real PS2 feels laggy). Also, the CRT phosphor mask (I recommend guestHD CRT mask) allows me to get way more detailed and sharper image compared to SD CRT (PVM-like picture quality). For example, on my SD CRT I can barely read anything on the GTA SA map, however on my LCD monitor everything is perfectly readable despite the same 480i resolution. I always thought PS2 games looked best on my SD CRT, but I just wasnt aware of how much detail I was missing because of that extreme CRT blur.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I know I responded to this on my main channel but, it shows there's a lot of choices on how you can tailor your PS2 experience now thanks to both knowledge & the technology we have today :)

[@TheRandomGuyTheFarNoGameCat]

Yo, how were you playing Tekken 3 Arcade!? 👀

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It was included on Tekken 5 in the arcade history section which has Tekken 1, Tekken 2 & Tekken 3, all arcade versions :)

[@ForzaHorizon3-ln5vu]

Honestly for some reason, for these older games, I still prefer the blurry textures especially when playing on bigger screens.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@ForzaHorizon3-ln5vu In that case, real hardware or software mode on emulation is the answer :) I love how PS2 games look & I almost always use software mode personally :)

[@j25-games96]

this makes me what to get a crt monitor to see how emulation at a higher res would look like

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

If you get a VGA one that would be absolutely incredible :)

[@TOCS94]

You should enable trilinear and anisotropic filtering for better quality. It doesn't affect performance on a modern machine.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@TOCS94 I'm not a fan of trilinear filter & I only use anisotropic when playing games that have a visible seam as you play (Gran Turismo 4 is one example) :)

[@rafa.farinha]

My VP2 don't have these graphical glitches on PCSX2, there was already some fixes for these problems and some more others

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@@rafa.farinha This was recorded on June 24th & I know, had many people tell me & I can confirm the game is now improved with less gitchy visuals :)

[@rafa.farinha]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Yup, i use the nightly pcsx2 so the updates came early, i also use the vp2 4k remaster v2 texture pack that makes it even better

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@rafa.farinha This was using the nightly build :) I just recorded it too early & sadly no matter when I post, the emulator will update :)

[@TheExFatal]

as a huge fan of Zone of the Enders, it's nice that PCSX2 can emulate the second game just fine, but I highly, HIGHLY recommend the MARS remaster - it's practically flawless and only adds to the game

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@TheExFatal I definitely want the remastered version someday but, I love the PS2 original & to have it on PCSX2 on my Steam Deck makes it a great way to play on the go :)

[@xover-ken7801]

what's the name of the video music

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I've had this question a lot but, it is from Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runners & the song is called Barham Battleship :)

[@MrSamPhoenix]

Were you using a Mac?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Yes :) I did say I was using a MacBook, the M1 Pro 16 to be precise :)

[@MrSamPhoenix]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial 4sho

[@deathdoor]

I thought latest PCSX2 version had fixed most of the effects on Silmeria.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It has but this is the Mac version & I'm not sure if the fixes applied to this or the Windows version :) This video was recorded on June 24th 2024 so I think I just missed the update that fixes the game a bit :)

[@bigbadaboomcz3551]

Hello,can i run pcsx2 on i5-10500h 6 cores, RTX 3050 8GB,16 gb ram?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

@bigbadaboomcz3551 Yes, easily :) As long as you don't go overboard with the settings your PC can run PCSX2 with little trouble 😁

[@bigbadaboomcz3551]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I tried Black and when i looked out from window in the first mission,it slows down ee is high,i should add that it's a laptop not desktop gpu thus it's slower than desktop rtx 3050.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

The Steam Deck I use played Black no problem with no errors :) I don't know your settings but on Steam Deck I either use software rendering or if you want to enhance the graphics, try OpenGL Hardware rending, keep everything stock vs the resolution output (try 2x or 3x) & it should be good :) Your laptop is more powerful than the Steam Deck so it should work fine :)

[@bigbadaboomcz3551]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial i use OpenGL renderer,internal resolution 3x Black runs great with OpenGL.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Yes, I use OpenGL just like in this video :) A great all rounder for hardware rendering :)

[@TheLolwut56]

Why are you using Mipmapping?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I'm using the default settings most beginners would use so they can see the difference:) Of course if you want me to go further in depth with settings, I can in another video :)

[@cajampa]

Don't forget that we can run the lossless scaling app to interpolate the 60 hz emu output to 120 hz for an even smoother look.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I never knew this was a thing & although my Macbook indeed has a 120hz screen, I'd rather play at the native hz of the game, but it sounds interesting :)

[@cajampa]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial If there was an similar app on Mac I think you would prefer to run them interpolated to 120hz, it is surprisingly seamless. With only a tiny bit of extra latency and some extra artifacts showing. But the extra motion resolution is absolutely worth it in most cases. Check out some videos on it Digital Foundry have one for example.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I'll certainly look into it & if it does indeed work on Mac, I might showcase it if I feel it warrants a look :) But I will say, even if I do like it, more likely than not I'll just play the games natively, that's just me xD

[@cajampa]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Just to be clear. As far as I know this is not available on Mac yet. But the same shaders could run on Mac hardware without any problem if someone makes them available. As far as I know it seem to be based on AMD's FSR3 and that code I think is open source. So it is possible someone port a similar solution.

[@cajampa]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial By the way, how strange my previous answer was hidden in the thread but you got it anyway. KZbin's censor is wild these days.

[@applenine991]

Even today Valkyrie Profile Simeria remains unfixed in PSCXS2 .... guess i have to wait forever 😮‍💨

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I wouldn't say unfixed, clearly a lot of attention has been paid to the emulator & I can confirm this game is running so much better now :) Also, was updated, if you see my PCSX2 video on the Steam Deck, although still not perfect, the game has seen great improvements :)

[@JanoschNr1]

Well NGL if you wanna see real hardcore change you should test MoH Frontline, not the remaster tho, let alone the FPS change is worth it + you can make the textures crisp unlike the blurry original

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It shows how emulation can improve games over real hardware sometimes and this cannot be overlooked :)

[@ailtonpassos9020]

Nice man but your gran turismo 4 and valkyrie profile 2 are the european version in this version, if you use the 1080i in both version your video gonna be the maximun, too bad you use s-video cable, and only japanese version of valkyrie profile 2 have 1080i with the code after hold triangule and X.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Well I only own PAL games being from the UK & I did explain in the video that I'm aware of those games and even Tekken 5 supporting progressive scan on NTSC versions :) I used RGB SCART, not S-Video, I even showed the cable at the beginning of the video :)

[@ailtonpassos9020]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial i thought it was s-video cuz is gray color so i think was a ps1 version of the cable.

[@ailtonpassos9020]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial if have the chance try use valkyrie profile 2 japanese version.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This was a PS1 RGB SCART cable, might explain the confusion although the OSSC only accepts RGB SCART, Component & VGA :)

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

In a future video I might, although the lack of an English patch for it makes it hard to justify :)

[@niezzayt3809]

We still need a reliable one but for XBox 360

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

One day, one day xD

[@damasake]

Valkyrie Profile 2, the only game I want to play on the PS2 that i cannot play on my old laptop.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It is a tougher game to run unfortunately, maybe one day it'll work better with newer builds of PCSX2 :)

[@Matiasiortiz]

the future of emulation it's becoming more and more accurate than in the future they will be better than the real hardware, thanks to the AIs

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It means soon everyone can play their favourite games no matter the system or device used, real hardware is also getting nice modifications too :)

[@ohajohaha]

4:34 it kinda looks better when it's softened

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It's personal preference, all other versions are actually sharper but I like the crisp look :) Nothing wrong with the softer look if you prefer it :)

[@NaldzHobbySide]

with PCSX2 (nightly build) im enjoying more PS2 games 👌👌

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This was the Nightly build of PCSX2 :)

[@DezuKiwami]

Shoutout to ZoE2 OST

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Yes, many people wanted to know the song in question & I had to pin it xD

[@JFD62780]

dude... NFS:MW might as well be the PS5 version, it's that improved! Never expected a buttery-smooth framerate! XD

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Wouldn't say PS5 but I do understand where you are coming from :) Of course & even better, if you want to you can actually overclock although this was not used for this video :) Similar to how PPSSPP does the same with its games!

[@symphony137]

Why would you use 50Hz PAL versions for comparisons? There's pretty much zero reason to play PAL versions these days unless it's a PAL region exclusive game. Not to mention, NTSC versions offer 480p much more often than their PAL conversions, and I'm not even talking about all the other downsides of many PAL games when they were badly optimized for 50Hz output. Fyi, with Free McBoot you can play any PS2 game on any console, irrespective of the console's region.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I'm from the UK & to ensure fairness in the test, it was only natural to use PAL games so people can see the differences :) Like you, when I use emulators I also use mostly NTSC-J or NTSC American games for the reasons you pointed out but PAL software is not to be ignored & again PAL gamers shouldn't be ignored :) Also not true, I have Free MCBoot and it does not make a console region free. I have a Japanese game I tried & it did not work on my PS2 using the software.

[@symphony137]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I didn't mean booting discs from other regions, although there is a method for that too.. look into MechaPwn (at your own risk). But with FreeMcBoot, or more specifically OPL (the actual game loader) you can essentially play any PS2 game ISO from either USB, network, or hard drive. I don't recommend the USB method though, it's too slow. I personally use an SSD in my PS2 and it plays pretty much any game from any region on my PAL PS2.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Ah I did have the PS2 MC2SIO memory card which allowed SD cards to go into the PS2's memory card slot & then I used OPL but, sadly the games I tried most did not work & now there's a newer version so, in the future I will attempt it again & fingers crossed it will be more successful :) If it works, I could look into playing NTSC based games on my PS2 legit and using those to show the true potential of certain games, especially when using the GS Mode Selector :)

[@AquaticMammalOnBicycle]

The PCSX2 or PS2 label should be MUCH BIGGER and more visible, not tiny font at very bottom of screen. You should have title card labels onscreen for each game. Also you should emphasize and highlight what "special effects differences" you observed, instead of simply mentioning it and skipping past it. For example you should be comparing both Software mode in PCSX2 and advanced renderer modes, because that is where differences in effects become noticeable where they still exist. It's not useful to show an upscaled version and say it looks better than original low res jaggies and blur.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

The first point I agree with because there was a couple of times where it was hidden & it is tough to size it correctly in certain games :) I will certainly try something different in future videos :) I didn't because I want viewers to see if they could spot the differences themselves, after all, not everyone will pick up on it & some may not care while others will :) It is useful because I was testing hardware rendering & I wanted to show the most upscaled version to show viewers what PCSX2 can really do :) Software mode is the most accurate to a real PS2 but no worries, I plan on making a video soon seeing how well the software renderer compares to real PS2 hardware to see how accurate it is :)

[@jonhard12]

Good that the team pushing higher accuracy for it The good thing they did is gamedb

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

The games work better for it and to see PCSX2 work on modest hardware is the best part :)

[@Bot-en3xj]

We can't blame aether We can only support the team with videos of emulations Spread words of emulation love

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I know but I had to mention it as the team has not brought it back and we need to be thankful PCSX2 is still going strong :)

[@Myako]

Actually, we can. The programmer started getting rude, alienated even their fans and left a last version riddled with adware without telling anyone.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

This is why we have to support teams who are great to the community & are working on fixing or improving emulators that we use!

[@Myako]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial we can thank the devs that took over after Talreth's childish tantrum and not only removed the adware but keep improving It in the form of NetherSX2.

[@mrhappy8966]

It kind of annoys me some of my must have games aren't running well on pcsx2 after my ps2 collection disappearing over the years, but hopefully in the few years or so they all get fixed its a tall ask being how many games there are.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Many games that never worked or were having issues now work properly so, it is only a matter of time before the emulator improves along with game compatibility :)

[@mrhappy8966]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial very true

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Keep checking for updates and one day, the games will work nicely! :)

[@mrhappy8966]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial 😁

[@sonnymastrangioli]

Need to redo this for v2 and up. Its night and day better difference

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Sadly, no matter what I do, the emulator will always update :) I could make a new video on it tomorrow & it would be outdated shortly thereafter :)

[@Neonagi]

basically turns ps2 games into ps3 titles with the upscaled resolution

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

That's one way of looking at it or it makes soft looking games sharp just as they should be :)

[@friedzombie4]

You can't compare passthrough against upscaled. If you're determined to use 4k you should have used an RT4K or if you're planning on 1440p or lower then the RT5X would have also been a good comparison. This 576i vs 2160p nonsense is silly.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Actually, it is a good comparison because most people will still play PS2 games without using an upscaler or using one with minimal upscaling :) It shows the difference between real hardware at native resolution vs what can be done with emulation:) Yes, my OSSC can upscale & many others but, I'm not the biggest fan of it's bob deinterlacing method so passthrough was for me better since I can deinterlace the footage myself:) 480p games got a 2x boost to 960p, but that still isn't enough :)

[@friedzombie4]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial well that's the OSSC, I had one for 4 years and used FirebrandX's page to make custom timings for all my consoles. The RT5X/4K uses motion adaptive deinterlacing that avoids the jitter bob has and I personally do not see artifacts although on a technical level the y axis gets a bit softer in motion. Either way I still think it's a missed opportunity and would love a follow up to this video if possible :)

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I'm always up to make a follow up video in the future & any suggestions on settings to use to help make real hardware look as good as can be would be appreciated :) Sadly, the Retrotink 5x & 4K are far too expensive & since I'm from the UK, importing them will only be even more expensive! I will try to get the 5x next year if all goes to plan!

[@paperclip9558]

2:04 and? what's the mising effects?

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Depth of field & if you keep watching, a side by side appears which shows it off better :) It starts from 2:16

[@paperclip9558]

​@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficialOh i see! Thanks for pointing that out. Man, i cannot wait for the time when these emulators are finally able to perfectly render everything with 1:1 accuracy to its original system. Those dof effect would look gorgeous on higher resolution.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Software rendering is the answer to this :) I does everything 1:1 if you want accurate PS2 graphics and effects :) However yes in terms of hardware rendering we still have some way to go before every effect is captured and upscaled properly :)

[@firzaprama7]

Honestly I'd prefer PS2 graphic on it's original form. Upscaling only made the graphics look "cheaper" in my opinion. Unfortunately, I don't know what settings should I use in PCSX2 to preserve the original look.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Simply use the software rendering mode if you want a more accurate to PS2 look as possible :) I use it more than the hardware rendering mode personally :)

[@firzaprama7]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial thanks for the tip, I'll try it.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

No problem, hope you enjoy!

[@firzaprama7]

@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I've tried it and it works well, it looks good and doesn't have performance problem either. Software mode improvement is very noticeable compared to 10 years ago.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

I love software mode & it has indeed improved over time especially with the optimisations with recent PCSX2 builds :)

[@raitoningusutoreto9851]

Still need work but i see the improvements through the years. Many games also need blending accuracy set to high and they can drop frames

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

It will never be perfect but to be at this stage is incredible :) Indeed however, more games are playable, especially on lower end hardware :)

[@JeffreyM641]

I was wondering why the PS2 seems to be so much harder to emulate than the PS1 or many other consoles.

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

The PS2 was very well known for being difficult to develop games for due to its architecture & as a result, emulating the Emotion Engine & the various components of the PS2 was not easy! Thankfully, the emulation team behind Duckstation has contributed to the emulator & has made huge strides making this now a great emulator :) Sadly, the Original XBOX is proving to be the hardest to emulate & it is a shame because many of its games are still fun today :)

[@zbf]

I want this 4k graphics on Chinese portable consoles on ps2 with stable 60fps! 🎉

[@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial]

Maybe one day...