PCSX2 2.0 is here! - Full PS2 Emulator Guide

Summary

The video offers a comprehensive guide to setting up PCSX2 2.0, a top-tier PS2 emulator for PC. It covers downloading the emulator, installation steps, configuring BIOS and game folders, and optimizing controller settings. The tutorial also delves into enhancing graphics and performance, discussing various renderer options, internal resolution settings, and the use of patches and cheats. Additionally, it touches on adding cover art and playing games, providing viewers with everything they need to enjoy PS2 games on their PCs.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 2.0 version of PCSX2, a top PS2 emulator for PCs, has been released with significant improvements in graphics and performance.
• 💻 The emulator can be downloaded from the official website, with instructions tailored for Windows 10 and 11 users.
• 🔗 A link to the emulator download is provided in the video description for easy access.
• 🛠️ The installation process involves selecting the portable installation type and choosing the installation folder, ideally on the C drive for organizational and compatibility reasons.
• 🚫 Despite potential warnings from Windows, the emulator file is safe to run after confirming it's from the official source.
• 🌐 The setup wizard allows for language and theme selection, catering to user preferences and ensuring a personalized experience.
• 📂 The emulator setup includes specifying the BIOS and game folders, which are crucial for the emulation process.
• 🎮 The controller configuration is streamlined with an automatic mapping function supporting various devices, including DualShock and Xbox controllers.
• 🖥️ Graphics settings can be optimized for performance and visual quality, with options like internal resolution and anisotropic filtering adjustable to match the user's monitor and PC capabilities.
• 🎮 Game-specific settings can be adjusted through properties for tailored emulation experiences, including patches and cheats that enhance gameplay.
• 🎨 An option to add cover art to games is available, enhancing the visual appeal of the emulator's game library.

Q & A

What is the latest version of PCSX2 discussed in the video?

The latest version of PCSX2 discussed in the video is version 2.0.

What improvements have been made in PCSX2 2.0?

PCSX2 2.0 has several improvements for graphics and performance across the whole emulator, including changes that have been present since the nightly build.

How can I download the PCSX2 emulator?

You can download the PCSX2 emulator from their official website by clicking on 'latest stable' and selecting the appropriate installer for your system.

Why might Windows warn that the PCSX2 installer is a virus?

Windows might warn that the PCSX2 installer is a virus because it is a new file that hasn't been checked by Windows yet, but it is safe to proceed with the installation.

What is the difference between the portable and installer versions of PCSX2?

The portable version of PCSX2 keeps all the required files and folders in the same place, while the installer version organizes the files in a more structured manner on your system.

Should I create a desktop shortcut for PCSX2 during installation?

It is recommended to create a desktop shortcut for PCSX2 during installation for easy access.

Where should I place the BIOS files for PCSX2?

The BIOS files should be placed in the BIOS folder within the PCSX2 installation directory, typically located on the C drive.

How do I get BIOS files for PCSX2?

BIOS files are protected by copyright, so you should ideally get them by dumping your BIOS from your PS2 into your PC, or you can try to find them on the internet, but this method is not demonstrated in the video due to YouTube's guidelines.

How can I configure the controller for PCSX2?

You can configure the controller by selecting the 'automatic mapping' option and choosing the appropriate device from the list of available devices.

What is the recommended renderer setting for PCSX2?

The recommended renderer setting for PCSX2 is Vulkan, as it provides the best performance for most games, but OpenGL, Direct 3D 11, and Direct 3D 12 are also good options if Vulkan is not available.

How can I get high-quality cover art for my games in PCSX2?

You can get high-quality cover art for your games in PCSX2 by using the 'cover downloader' tool and pasting the URL provided on GitHub into the emulator.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Introduction to PCSX2 2.0 Setup

The video introduces the 2.0 version of PCSX2, a highly regarded PlayStation 2 emulator for PCs. It highlights the numerous improvements in graphics and performance since the nightly build. The tutorial aims to guide viewers through the process of setting up PCSX2 on a Windows PC for optimal PS2 gaming experience. The presenter provides a link to the emulator's website for downloading the latest stable version and walks through the installation process, including selecting the portable installation type, choosing the installation folder, and creating desktop shortcuts. The video also addresses a common misconception regarding the emulator's .exe file being flagged as a virus by Windows, reassuring viewers of its safety and instructing them to proceed with the installation despite the warning.

05:03

🔧 PCSX2 Installation and Configuration

The tutorial continues with the PCSX2 installation process, guiding viewers through the setup wizard where they can select their preferred language and theme. It emphasizes the importance of keeping the emulator updated and suggests enabling the automatic update check. The video then delves into the BIOS file setup, explaining the need for these files and the process of obtaining them, albeit without direct guidance due to copyright restrictions. It also covers the creation of a 'games' folder for organizing game files and the automatic scanning feature for new game additions. The controller configuration is also discussed, with a demonstration of the automatic mapping function for various controller types, including DualShock and Xbox controllers.

10:03

🕹️ Advanced PCSX2 Settings for Performance

This section focuses on fine-tuning PCSX2 for the best graphics and performance. It begins with general settings, such as starting the emulator in full screen and hiding the cursor, then moves on to BIOS settings, including the fast boot option. The video advises caution with certain settings that may affect game compatibility. The emulation tab is covered, with recommendations for enabling multithread V1 and instant V1 for optimal performance. The graphics tab is explored in depth, discussing the choice of renderer (Vulkan, OpenGL, Direct 3D), the selection of the graphics card for emulation, and the display settings. The tutorial also touches on the use of internal resolution to enhance game visuals and the importance of anisotropic filtering for improved texture quality.

15:06

🖼️ Customizing PCSX2 with Game Patches and Covers

The final part of the tutorial covers game-specific settings in PCSX2, including the use of patches and cheats to enhance the gaming experience. It explains how to enable these features and the necessity of additional settings for certain patches to function correctly. The video also introduces the process of adding cover art to games within the emulator, utilizing a cover downloader tool and a URL link for high-quality 3D or standard covers. The presenter concludes with a brief mention of other tutorial videos on the channel and an invitation for viewers to support the content through donations. The video ends with a call to action for viewers to subscribe, like, and watch more content.

Keywords

💡PCSX2

PCSX2 is a PlayStation 2 emulator for Windows, which allows users to run PS2 games on their PCs. It's the central theme of the video, as the script provides a comprehensive guide on how to set it up and use it effectively. The video mentions the '2.0 version' specifically, indicating an upgrade from previous versions, and discusses its improved graphics and performance enhancements.

💡Emulator

An emulator is software that mimics the function of another device or system. In the context of the video, PCSX2 emulates the PlayStation 2 console, enabling users to play PS2 games on their Windows PCs. The script emphasizes the importance of downloading the emulator from the official website and selecting the appropriate version for the user's operating system.

💡Graphics and Performance

These terms are crucial to the video's theme as they refer to the visual quality and the speed at which the games run on the emulator. The script discusses several settings and options within PCSX2 that can enhance both graphics and performance, such as selecting the appropriate renderer (Vulkan, OpenGL, Direct3D) and adjusting the internal resolution.

💡BIOS Files

BIOS files are essential for the emulator to function correctly as they contain the low-level software that allows the emulator to boot up and run games. The video script guides users on where to place these files and how to select them within the PCSX2 setup, although it notes that due to copyright issues, the process of obtaining BIOS files cannot be detailed in the video.

💡Installation

Installation refers to the process of setting up the PCSX2 emulator on a user's computer. The script provides a step-by-step guide on how to download, run, and complete the installation, including choosing between a portable and an installer version, and selecting the installation folder and options such as creating desktop shortcuts.

💡Game-Specific Settings

These settings are adjustments made within the emulator for individual games to optimize their performance and compatibility. The video script explains how to access and apply these settings, such as enabling patches and cheats, which can improve the gaming experience by addressing issues specific to certain games.

💡Controller Mapping

Controller mapping is the process of assigning buttons on a game controller to match the controls expected by the game. The video script demonstrates how to use the automatic mapping function in PCSX2 to configure a controller, which is essential for playing games that were originally designed for console use.

💡Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio refers to the proportional relationship between the width and the height of an image or screen. The video discusses the importance of selecting the correct aspect ratio in PCSX2 to ensure that games display correctly on the user's monitor, whether in the original 4:3 ratio or a widescreen 16:9 format.

💡Patches and Cheats

Patches are modifications that fix or improve games, while cheats provide additional features or advantages. The script explains how to enable these within PCSX2 to enhance the gaming experience, such as unlocking achievements or correcting graphical glitches.

💡Cover Art

Cover art refers to the visual representation of a game, often used for display in the emulator's interface. The video script provides instructions on how to download and add cover art to games within PCSX2, which can enhance the visual appeal and organization of the user's game library.

💡ISO Format

ISO format is a disk image format commonly used for distributing games digitally. The video script mentions that games should ideally be in ISO format for use with PCSX2, as it is a widely supported and efficient way to run games on the emulator.

Highlights

PCSX2 2.0, the best PS2 emulator for PC, has been released with numerous improvements.

The video provides a full setup guide for PCSX2 on Windows 10 and 11.

The emulator can be downloaded from the official website, with a link provided in the video description.

The installer version is recommended over the portable version for ease of organization.

Windows may incorrectly flag the emulator as a virus, but it's safe to run after confirming the source.

The portable installation keeps all files in one folder, simplifying organization.

The default installation folder is recommended to avoid potential emulator issues.

Creating a desktop shortcut for PCSX2 is an optional step during installation.

The setup wizard allows customization of language and theme for the emulator.

BIOS files, protected by copyright, should be obtained by dumping from a personal PS2 or found online.

The emulator can scan for games in a designated folder, with an option to scan on startup.

The controller setup includes automatic mapping for DualShock and Xbox controllers.

Game-specific settings can be configured for optimal graphics and performance.

Vulkan is recommended as the renderer for best performance, if supported by the GPU.

The emulator supports HD texture packs and game mods for enhanced visuals.

Post-processing options like FXAA and Lotus CRT are available for visual enhancements.

The emulator can play games online, with a tutorial video provided.

Cover art for games can be automatically downloaded and displayed in the emulator.

The video concludes with a call to action for subscriptions, likes, and donations.

Transcripts

The 2.0 version of PCSX2, the best PS2 emulator  for a PC, has finally been released. A lot of  

the changes and improvements here on 2.0 have  been around since the nightly build of PCSX2,  

and several improvements for graphics and  performance across the whole emulator.  

In this video, I'll show you the  full setup for PCSX2 on your PC  

with the best settings so you can play your  favorite PS2 games on PC. Let's get going!

The first step is downloading the  emulator itself, and it's available  

here on their website. I'll put the link to  this in the description of the video. Right  

here on the main page, you want to click on  "latest stable." It's going to list all the  

systems that this emulator is available for.  This tutorial is for Windows 10 and 11, so I'm  

going to click on the first option, "installer."  There's also the portable version available here,  

but we're going to get the installer one because  it keeps all the required files and folders in  

the same place. Go ahead and click on this one.  It's going to come as a single .exe file like  

this one, so go ahead and double-click on  it. Very likely, you're going to get this  

message from Windows saying that this file is  apparently a virus, but this is just because  

it is a new file and it hasn't been checked by  them yet. But it's safe, so go ahead and click  

on "more info" and then click on "run anyway."  Then it will take us to the installation process.

On the first screen, you want to go ahead and  select the portable installation right here. The  

only difference from this one is that all the  files are going to be kept in the same folder,  

so it's much better for organizing  everything. Now click on "next." Now  

you have to select the folder where you want  the emulator to be installed, and ideally,  

you should keep the installation folder as the  one that it tells you because this emulator can  

have some problems if you install it on external  drives or something like that. So it's best that  

you keep it here on the C drive. That's what I'm  going to do here, so go ahead and click on "next."

Now, this is the option if you want to create  a start menu shortcut for this one as well. I'm  

just going to go ahead and click on "next" right  here. Now it's going to ask you if you want to  

create a desktop shortcut. I'm going to go ahead  and checkmark this one. Now you can review your  

settings. When you're done, go ahead and  click on "install." This should only take  

a few seconds here. Then finally, we can launch  PCSX2. So make sure this one is checked here and  

click on "finish," and we now have arrived at the  setup wizard window. Some options here to select  

the language and the theme for this emulator.  This emulator is available in multiple languages  

right here, so just select the one you want to  play. I'm just going to select the default one,  

which is English. You can also change the theme  as well. I'm going to keep mine on "dark fusion  

gray," but if you click on them, you can see how  they look right here. You have a bunch to select  

from, but in my case, I'm just going to keep this  one here. You can also make the emulator check  

for updates every time you start it. That's  up to you. I would recommend leaving this  

on actually so you can get the latest fixes and  enhancements. Now go ahead and click on "next."

Now here you have to select the folder where you  want the emulator to scan for the BIOS files,  

and because I selected the default installation,  they are all located right here on the C drive.  

There's a PCSX2 folder and then the BIOS folder.  I already navigated here on my computer where this  

is located. Once again, PC > Local Disk (C:) >  PCSX2. So this is going to depend on where you  

choose to install everything. Right here, inside  the PCSX2 folder, there is the BIOS folder inside,  

and this is where you're going to be placing  the BIOS file. The BIOS files are protected by  

copyright, so ideally, you should get them by  dumping your BIOS from your PS2 into your PC,  

or you can try to find them on the  internet. But this is something that  

I can't show you here on the video because it  is against YouTube's guidelines. If I share a  

link for BIOS download or just show in the  video how you can get them on the Internet,  

YouTube will delete my video. So when you finally  have them with you, you're just going to drop the  

file here in this folder. It's going to  look something very similar to this one,  

a bin file, but it can also come as a different  file type here. So you're going to drop it in  

this folder. Now you're going to go back to the  installation setup here, and you're going to click  

on "refresh list." Then if you did it right,  the BIOS file will be located right here. Now  

you just have to click on the BIOS file once to  highlight it. Now go ahead and click on "next."

This time you're going to select the folder  where you want the emulator to scan for games.  

For this one, what I like to do here is to go  back to the PCSX2 folder, and I like creating  

a new folder here by clicking on the folder with  the right button. Then you click on "new" and then  

"folder," and I simply just create a new folder  here called "games" like this. Now you're going  

to go back to the emulator, then you're going to  click here on "add." It should open the previous  

folder where you were. In my case, it was the  BIOS folder, right? So now I'm just going to  

navigate to the emulator folder, and then I'm just  going to click on the games folder once and then  

click on "select folder." Then it will ask you if  you want the emulator to scan this folder every  

time you open it. Go ahead and click on "yes,"  so every time you put a new game in here, the  

emulator will recognize it as soon as you start  it. You can also select multiple folders here;  

it doesn't have to be just a single one. You  can just click here on "add" and keep adding  

more folders where the game files are going  to be. Then when you're done, click on "next."

Now we have to configure the controller. This  emulator has an automatic mapping function,  

so if you already have the device you want to  use plugged into your computer, you're going  

to make sure that you have DualShock 2 selected  here. Then you're going to click on "automatic  

mapping," and it's going to list all the available  devices to be used as a controller. In my case,  

I have an Xbox controller, so I'm going to click  here on SDL-0, and just like that, it's ready.  

This emulator supports all the DualShock  controllers and Xbox controllers as well,  

and even third-party controllers if you can make  them be recognized as Xbox controllers. You can  

use your keyboard as well if that's what you want  to do. Later on, I'm going to show you how to  

further configure your controllers, but for now,  if you want to also use the port two controller if  

you want to play games locally, do the exact same  thing here for controller port two. Now go ahead  

and click here on "next," and we're done with the  setup installation. Now click here on "finish,"  

and it's going to take us to the emulator itself,  which is going to look something like this. This  

is blank because I haven't added any games to the  folder, right? If you followed exactly what I did  

here and you also have the games folder with you,  this is where you're going to be dropping your  

game files. One of the best and most common  formats for PCSX2 is having the games as an  

ISO format like this. And just like the BIOS,  I can't show you here on the video where to  

get them. Ideally, you should get them by dumping  your copies of your game into your PC and having  

them as a single ISO is enough here for this  emulator. So now you're going to go back to PCSX2,  

and you're just going to click here on "scan for  new games," and just like that, the games in there  

are going to show up here. Now we're going to  configure the emulator settings for the best  

graphics and performance. I'm going to start with  the general settings of this emulator and then  

we're going to do the game-specific settings. So  start by clicking here on settings and then click  

on the first option available: interface. On this  first tab, there are some options here, but they  

don't affect the performance or the quality of  the emulator. Stuff like starting the emulator at  

full screen if you want to do that. Also, hide  the cursor in full screen as well. Actually,  

this one is pretty good. I'm going to use that.  So configure this one in the way you want it.

So now we're going to head over here to the BIOS  tab. In here, we have the option to enable fast  

boot on the emulator, and this will skip the PS2  startup screen whenever you start a game. This  

is useful if you just want to get to your games  fast, and there's also a fast forward boot as  

well so you can start the game even faster. But  these options can break some games, so I would  

not recommend using this one—only the fast boot  really if you want to skip the startup screen.

Now we're going to head over to  the emulation tab, and right here,  

the only options that you want to make sure you  have enabled are enable multithread V1 and enable  

instant V1. The rest you don't have to change. In  fact, it's best that you don't because this will  

affect the gameplay speed, and you should only  use this if you really know what you're doing.

The next option is the graphics tab, and this  is where the fun is going to start. Right here  

on top, where it says renderer, there's a few  graphical outputs we can select. Vulkan is the one  

that performs the best for most games out there on  this emulator, but if your GPU is outdated, it's  

not going to show up in here. If that's the case,  the second best, in my opinion, is OpenGL, but  

Direct 3D 11 and 12 are also pretty good in here.  So if you're not sure what to choose from, you can  

go ahead and leave it on automatic, but if you  have Vulkan, I would definitely recommend trying  

with this one on. But if you don't like it, choose  either OpenGL or Direct 3D. I'm going to leave  

Vulkan selected here. And here on adapter, you  want to choose the graphics card that you want the  

emulator to use if you have a multiple GPU setup.  That is, in my case, I only have the GeForce RTX  

3070, so that's what I'm going to select here.  Now on display, there's only borders full screen  

to select here on full screen mode. And here on  aspect ratio, this is the option that you want  

to use if you want to stretch the image of your  game. Some games on the PS2 are only available  

on the 4:3 aspect ratio, but some of them also  have an option for widescreen 16:9. If you select  

widescreen and the game does not have support for  that, the emulator will stretch the screen of the  

game to fit your monitor. But there's something  very nice about PCSX2, which are the cheats, and  

a lot of games have support for widescreen patch  on this emulator. So I'm going to cover this later  

on in the video, but if you don't know which one  to select for now, keep it on auto standard here.

The next three options, the FMV as raw,  the interlacing, and bilinear filtering,  

you don't have to change. They're good to go on  the default option here. Now let's head over to  

the rendering tab, and the first option here,  internal resolution, is one feature that can  

make games look much better here on the emulator.  You can either play your games on their native PS2  

resolution here or you can change all the way  to 5K resolution. And ideally, here, you want  

to select the resolution option that matches  the resolution of your monitor. In my case,  

I have a 1080p monitor, so ideally, I want to  leave it here on 3x native. But if you have a  

powerful PC and you want to go beyond that, you  can select a resolution that is higher than your  

monitor. The emulator will render the game at  that resolution, but it's going to be fit to be  

displayed on the resolution of your monitor. For  the remaining options, the only one that I'm also  

going to change here is anisotropic filtering.  This one will make your games look much better,  

and it has minimal impact on your GPU, so you  can go ahead and select 16x with no trouble.  

The remaining options ideally you want to  leave them on the default here unless the  

emulator tells you. That's because when you start  the game, the emulator will tell you what are the  

best settings that you should use on rendering  in order to get the best emulation out of the  

game. But be aware that these options can affect  the performance on the emulator, especially on  

the CPU. This option here, blending accuracy,  is one that's particularly heavy on the CPU,  

so use this one depending on the specs that  you have and what the emulator tells you.

On the texture replacement tab, these are the  options that you want to change here if you're  

going to install one of those HD texture packs  for your game. This emulator supports that,  

and you can find these texture packs out  on the Internet and also if you just want  

to mod your game. Next, you're going to  head over to the post-processing tab,  

and you have some options here like sharpening  with FXAA, and it usually looks pretty good on  

the emulator. There's also features here too,  like, for example, the Lotus CRT. This one is  

useful if you want to play your games like if  you were playing on an actual old television,  

like if you were playing on an actual CRT monitor.  So if you want a look that tries to be faithful  

to an actual PS2, this is the option here.  There's also some other stuff if you want to  

mess with them and have fun. This is up to you.  Next, we just have the OSD and recording tabs,  

and this is just stuff if you want to show the  FPS on your game if you want to get rid of the  

notifications it shows up on the top left  corner of the screen as well, and also for  

recording too if you want to do actual gameplay  recordings without using external software.

We now only have the audio tab here that you  should leave as default unless you know what  

you're doing. Here also is the memory cards tab  here if you want to format or use a different  

memory card or use a memory card that you got from  the Internet that has a specific save file from  

the game you're playing. You can do that here  as well. And also the network configuration,  

this emulator can play games online, and I  actually have a video here on the channel  

showing you how to play online on PCSX2. I'll  put the link to that one in the description of  

this video as well. And that's pretty much  it here for the standard settings of PCSX2.

Now for the game-specific settings. With your  games loaded in here, in my case, I'm going to  

use Black as an example, you're going to click on  your game with the right button and then you're  

going to click here on properties. It's going to  open a window that's very similar to the one that  

we were messing with just now, but we now have  the patches and the cheats tab available. And  

to patch your game, you simply have to click here  on patches, and the emulator will find the patches  

available to your game. And to activate them in  your game, you just have to click here on enable,  

and the next time you start, it's going to enable  those cheats. Be aware that some of them will have  

additional settings that you have to change in  order for them to work properly, like the 60  

FPS code for Black, for example. You also have to  enable the overclock under the emulation tab here  

in order to make sure that this one works  properly. And there's the widescreen patch  

that I talked about before. Most games will have  this one here, and if you're going to use that,  

make sure that you go to the graphics tab here and  then change the aspect ratio to widescreen 16:9.  

Not every game will have their patches available  here because they actually have to import those  

into the emulator database, so there are some  that might be missing. And if that's the case,  

you have to manually add them yourself, and I  happen to have a video here on the channel that  

covers that as well. So I'm going to leave the  link in the description of this video as well.

Now the next thing that I want to show you here is  the option to add cover art to your games. Right  

here on the options, you're going to click here on  this icon that has these four squares right here,  

and it's going to switch to the cover art  display. There's nothing selected here, and  

there is a fast way that you can get high-quality  cover art to all the games that you currently have  

on the emulator. First, you're going to click  here on tools, and then you're going to select  

cover downloader. Now on this window, we just  have to input the URL to download covers from,  

and there is one that was made just for PCSX2,  and it can be found on this post right here on  

GitHub. It's simply called PS2 covers. I'll put  the link in the description of the video as well,  

and they have a software that works really well,  but it's much better for us to just grab the URL  

and just paste that on the emulator. And  they give us an option here to download  

covers in the default format and also 3D  covers. In my case, I'm going to go with  

the 3D covers here. So you're going to copy the  URL here provided, or you can just click here,  

just copy that for you, and now go back to  the emulator, and you just have to paste the  

link right here and then click on start. And in  just a matter of seconds, depending on how many

games you have here, it's going to download the  3D cover art for you or the standard format if  

you select that. If you want to change from the  3D format to the standard one or the other way  

around, you have to delete the covers first. And  you can find them here on the emulator folder,  

right here on the covers folder. Then  you just have to delete those from here,  

and you just have to repeat the  process again of selecting the  

tools here and then cover downloader. But  this time, you're going to paste the link  

of the standard cover folder or the 3D  one, depending on what you had before.

Finally, when you're ready to play your games,  you just have to simply double-click them here  

on the emulator, and they will start as  such. I have many other tutorial videos  

like this on the channel, and if you want  to directly support me with a donation,  

the link will be in the description of this  video. Make sure to subscribe to the channel  

and also leave a like on this video. Thank  you for watching, and I'll see you soon!