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:
-
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.
-
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!
Steambot Chronicles is my favorite game of all time. It’s not well known, but absolutely incredible.
Final Fantasy isn’t continuous. Aside from races, the occasional character name, and some thematic elements, the games are not connected at all. PS2 has two of the best: 10 and 12.
Of the two, 10 is a more traditional turn-based experience with notoriously awful-in-a-good-way voice acting and a very typical FF plot. It’s not really a spoiler to say that you end up killing god. It features some of the most egregiously awful mini games to grace the franchise. And if you want some of the best gear in the game, you will be committing a not -insignificant amount of time to frustrating button mashing.
Square tried a whole bunch of new stuff with 12 including realtime, MMO-like combat and a much smaller and focused narrative that is mostly a side story occurring inside a larger narrative. The voice acting is infinitely better than 10’s, and there are no obnoxious mini games.
They’re both still worth playing. The PC ports don’t add all that much to the games over what you can do with them emulated. In fact, I bet save states make some of the mini game awfulness of 10 better.
I did not intend to write an essay…
Some small niche games that I grew up with, that I am playing again with my Steam Deck:
God Hand - A third person beat em up that is funny, and really good. Full of flavor. Complete flop.
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy - A third person shooter with psionic powers used as its main selling point. Good dumb fun on the PS2.
Spyhunter & Spyhunter 2 - A shockingly good reboot of Spyhunter by Midway games, where you have a car that transforms its mode depending on the mission. Part racing game, part spy game.
I-Ninja - A 3d action platformer that has Billy West as the lead, a ninja who accidentally killed his Master and now has to get him back and collect bullshit trinkets. Clearly more “just dumb fun” than anything serious.
007: Nightfire - The best James Bond game ever made. Better than Goldeneye. Plays like its an original movie, with solid gameplay, and I spent as many hours on the local multiplayer as I did with Halo.I didn’t see that, but I wanted to share that I love that game.Evil Dead A Fistful of Bootstick - Still need to play more to see if it holds up, but its an original story featuring Bruce Campbell voice acting.
Ratchet and Clank is the best, and the story is best experienced in order but the first game is a bit clunky so starting on the second game isn’t the worst idea. I personally started with Up Your Arsenal! then got hooked on the series and backfilled.
The Shadow Hearts series! I so badly wish it was remade so I could play it again.
Also, Magna Carta.
Metal gear solid 2: snake eater
I’ll recommend Kinetica. It’s a one-of-a-kind racing game where you race through gravity-defying tracks as a person in a kind of iron-man negligee with wheels while listening to old-school techno.
Shadow of the Colossus is one of my favorite games ever, battling entities big enough that you run around on top of them, subtle storytelling, an enormous map for the time it was made, and fairly large even by modern standards.
The Tenchu games are also good: ninja stealth assassination.
Dark Cloud 2 is a kind of fun game. Smack your way through dungeons with a wrench and use the bits to build villages for your allies.
Bloody Roar is a favorite for fighting games. Fight to BIOS energy then transform into a wilder form, like a mole, a bear, etc. and you can kick people through the edges of the arenas into new areas to fight.
Devil May Cry is a classic.
Ratchet and Clank, classic.
Time Splitters is reminiscent of even older games.
Red Faction 2 wasn’t a bad little shooter.
SSX Tricky, and any of the NBA or NFL Street games, they’re all gas, no brakes. If you can get someone else to play two player (don’t know how well that works on steam deck emulation), check out Cookies & Cream. It’s one of the more clever two player co-op puzzle games, and it’s one of the first games my wife and I played together when we were first dating.
Persona 4 and Clock Tower 3
Do PS2s even work anymore?
They do, of course. There’s also a gigantic scene where people modify the consoles. But check my screenshots, this is using PCSX2 via RetroDECK on my Steam Deck, not native hardware.
I will ALWAYS suggest amplitude (sequel to frequency on PS1). Best rhythm music game ever.
Dark Cloud 2 is a super unique dungeon crawler RPG. I absolutely love that game.
The EA Sports BIG titles are stupid fun. Highly recommend SSX Tricky, NBA Street Vol. 2, and NFL Street 2.
MX vs ATV Unleased is a classic. Great racing game.
ATV Offroad Fury 2 is fantastic, but hard to emulate.
I’m sure I’ll think of more, but those are great off the top of my head.
I’m bias, but Sly Raccoon is such a great series. I thoroughly enjoyed it growing up. I see you have Sly2 in your image. I would suggest starting with the first game and move up from there.
The original Yakuza 1 and 2, though I’d recommend the Restored mods for each because the localizations (especially Y1’s dub) were notoriously awful. Hilarious at first, but that wears off fast.
When I first played the series I played the remakes first, and after going back and playing the originals I understood why so many series vets weren’t happy with the remakes. Y2 especially has some of the best feeling combat in the franchise.
