PCSX 2 0.9.8

PCSX 2 Editor's Review

Computer software emulation for the Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2) has always been hit and miss. In instances where you found some software that worked, it would often be laggy, buggy or generally poor. Enter PCSX2, an open-source emulator for Windows and Linux that offers remarkably high compatibility rate with a broad range of PlayStation 2 games.

One of the main issues that many users of PS2 emulation software found was that without a top-of-the-line processor, the emulation was not playable. PCSX2 does the best job of emulating the PlayStation 2 dual-core processor architecture, out of all the PlayStation 2 emulators. PCSX2 has a long-winded setup process as you have to choose the specifications based on your hardware. As a result, a computer novice may find trouble configuring the software to get a decent setup. The extensive official guides should be able to guide you through the process. Once you have PCSX2 set up and configured, however, all you need to do is launch the program, pop in a compatible PS2 game disc and start playing.

Pro's: Faster than other PS2 emulators, high level of compatibility, still in development.

Con's: Tricky configuration process.

Conclusion: PlayStation 2 emulation has forever lagged behind traditional, cartridge-based console emulation. The extra processing, graphics and general computer power required, made it impossible for many to play their PS2 games on their computers. PCSX2 offers a remarkable compatibility list and does the best job in emulating the required computer power of the PS2.