I got through phases of games, and right now I’m in the one I like to think of everything-modern-is-making-me-angry-so-I’ll-turn-back-to-vintage-games - and that’s in the form of PCSX2 on my Steam Deck.
Playing the PS2 generation on the Steam Deck is kinda the ‘perfect’ generation: I can upscale the resolution without a performance hit, I can apply HD texture packs, Retro Achievements and I can drop the TDP to extend the battery life.
Anyway, I never had a PS2 (it was just a touch before my time), so there’s so many games I’m yet to discover there. I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have for what I can play on there:
Just a couple notes:
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No GTA games because they’re better with the PC versions. While I’ve bought the games, the account that Rockstar demands people have to play their games makes me angry on principle (a single-player game forcing an online check each week to be able to play it? No thanks), so I’ve got cracked versions to play.
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No Final Fantasy because I’m not even sure where to start!
So if anyone was around back in the PS2 era, and has some recommendations for games they’ve loved, I’m all ears. I’ve been having such a fun time playing these.
Some big thanks to my friends who made and run RetroDECK (my choice for emulating on the Steam Deck), and to the PCSX2 team (who I’m chatting to right now actually, so keep an eye out and in a week or so I’ll share that chat with them all about creating and maintaining the PS2 emulator!)
Also, if you do have a Steam Deck, and want to play with the HD texture packs I do, then it’s really simple. Just download the pack, and name then according to their game’s I.D. code - SLUS-20743 for example, then place it in the texture_packs folder:
From there, go into PCSX2, then right-click the game, select properties, graphics, texture replacement and tick the two boxes I have:
Then you’ve got the games looking the best they can be!
Here’s a link to a stack of pre-done HD textures for a lot of PS2 games, to help you on your way!
What are the minimum requirements for running the emulator? I guess it might be game based, but is there a general idea of which processor or graphics card might run some of the less heavier games? (I have an i5 10th gen, GeForce GTX 1060, 16GB RAM)
I enjoyed okami very much! Also need for speed most wanted
Starwars: Racer Revenge was by far my favorite racing game. Not to be confused with the much more popular N64 game “Episode 1 Racer” - the PS2 version was kind of an unofficial sequel that made a lot of improvements. Most notably the physics: the PS2 version actually feels like a pod being pulled by two separate engines, vs the N64 kinda felt like you were driving a car that just looked like a podracer. The physics especially shine if you play in 1st person and set the controls so the L joystick controls the left engine and R joystick controls the right - i.e. to turn left, you don’t just push the sticks to the left, you pull the left stick back and push the right stick forward so the right engine accelerates faster and the difference makes you turn. It’s super satisfying, if a bit more difficult.
Full disclosure: relying on my memory from shortly after its release in 2002, so I honestly have no idea if it’s actually as good as I remember, or if I’m just wearing the nostalgia goggles. Grain of salt.
Shadow of the colossus is a must
I found Ratchet and Clank 3 in the thrift store today, they gave it to me free because I bought a large stack of large plant pots too
I played Shadow of the Colosses on my Potato PC with PCSX2. Took a bit of fiddling with the settings but it ran great afterwards. It’s one of my all time favourites. It’s an open world boss battler where you defeat giant climbable monsters. They are only vulnerable in specific spots though so in order defeat them you need to figure out how to reach those. The atmosphere is incredible though and the best part of it. If you want try it I highly recommend being hesitant to look up hints for this one since figuring out bosses is the most fun part.
Thank you!
I have got it on my Steam Deck, but rather the PS3 version (using RPCS3/RetroDECK), and I’m wondering which one I should play when I do try it! Everyone speaks so highly of it, I’m looking forward to!
I’d just play the ps3 version then, it plays like how my nostalgia filter made me remember the original. do ico also if you haven’t.
Imho the remaster looks too ralistic. Haven’t played it tho
@PerfectDark Oh man, I have so many… The PS2 was probably my favorite actual console before the Switch and even then I have so much nostalgia… I think I have a few recommends you may not hear as much elsewhere and a bunch you probably will. Should I dig out my HD and remind myself of things?
Here are what immediately come to mind:
Ar Tonelico 1 & 2 - beautiful RPGs, deep stories, music that blows the mind. Undub of course.
Persona 3 FES & Persona 4 (undubs preferable)
The Burnout games are good to work out some things, lol.
Katamari games of course.
Pop’n Music 11-14
Disgaea 1 & 2 (undubs)
Shin Megami Tensei III (Nocturne)
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza
Tenchu Fatal Shadows (best one in the series IMO)
Tales of the AbyssOh geez, I need to dig out the HD. I need to reinstall anyway
@PerfectDark (I’ve got a lot more and I want to remind myself, but sites like Mobygames are giving me a hard time. Anything good for just a simple list of games?)
Tenchu!!! I like the look of this one, will do!!!
Having played Persona 4 and 5…will 3 still be worth my time?
@PerfectDark There are two Tenchu games on the PS2, but I loved that one because the one character (Rin I believe was her name) was a lot more fun to play somehow. Couldn’t say how, just was.
It’s a stealth game though, so if you don’t like stealth you probably won’t like Tenchu. You can technically play it without stealth, but it’s not going to be much fun…
Persona 3 is excellent. I think, depending on preferences, 3 and 4 are the best in the series. 5 had its moments, but it was like 75% of 4 to me story-wise. Between 3 and 4 it depends on what you like. 4 is a bit lighter-hearted and more “Japanese culture” whereas 3 is much darker and more directly “save the world” type stuff.
@PerfectDark Got my HD hooked up. I need to reinstall some stuff among other things, so now was a good time.
Add to my earlier list:
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
Dragon Quest VIII (don’t worry, zero connection between DQ games of this range, so it doesn’t matter where you start)
Drakan - kind of fun game, but don’t play on disc, use a harddrive
Need for Speed Underground 2
Odin Sphere (hard to believe this is a PS2 game graphically! But sadly gameplay does get grindy and repetitive. Heck of a story and graphics though.)
R-Type Final
Rule of Rose (might be hard to find)
Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim
Baroque translation
Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter
Phantasy Star Universe (undub)
Star Ocean 3 (undub)
Wizardry - Tales of the Forsaken Land
Rogue GalaxyThere are more!
Shadow of the Colossus is one I have for RPCS3…should I instead opt for a polished HD texture PS2 version? From what I read, there was some big frame-rate issues on the PS3 version
Rule of Rose is one I already have on my emulator! You can see it in the picture there, and the HD texture pack I got for that was like…one billion GB, so the textures are phenomenally polished!!!
One of my favorite games of all time is Dark Cloud. It starts feeling completely alone, and you bring the world to life. The atmosphere and soundtrack are top tier.
Plus, Dungeon Golf!
Black.
Mortal Kombat. The one that actually plays like a linear world story, not limited to arena.
Shaolin monks? Or maybe Deception?
Shaolin Monks is the one.
Easily the best mortal kombat game, assuming you aren’t a fighting game lover to begin with.
Exactly my sentiment. I still remember the experience glitch in one area where you have to break the stone guards shields before you can actually damage them. But while the shields are up, you can farm XP indefinitely.
The .Hack series and SSX Tricky
Just a side note on Final Fantasy games: you can literally start anywhere. They are all (except like X-2 which is explicitly a sequel to X, and the first time they did that) completely independent of one another.
And since you’re talking PS2, I think most people would tell you to start with FFX. It’s a fantastic game and a great representative of the PS2 era. The graphics hold up surprisingly well.
Dark Cloud
agreed!
beat Dark Cloud 1 a year or two ago, and now I am ready for Dark Cloud 2 soon!
Neopets: the Darkest Faerie
My favorite was spider-man 2. The story is meh but the combat and swinging physics make exploring the open city SO MUCH FUN. I don’t even think the new spidey games manage to replicate the sense of control and speed this game did. Check it out. If you don’t want to deal with the story and unlocking all of the moves and upgrades, enter the name “HCRAYERT” without quotes as your new game name. It will give you lots of money, put you part way through the story, and give some upgrades. It’s a good way to just jump in and start swinging fast without tutorials or story.
That’s an amazing idea!
I love the cheat code, and the idea of the game. Thank you for this, I’d never have looked at it (more of a Batman fan than Spidey), so this is a perfect recommendation!!!
Check Ultimate Spider-man as well, although you can also try getting a PC version from abandonware sites and modding it for better experience. For me it felt like a better Spider-man 2, swinging is a bit different but style and story are unmatched.
The holy trinity of PS2 platformers is, in my order of preference: Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet and Clank.
For Jak and Daxter and Sly Cooper in the first game in the series is pretty different from the rest so if you bounce consider giving the sequel a go.
