I’ve been sinking further and further into the RetroDECK time-sink of setting up my emulators just so, and having the most fun doing so. The PS2 is a largely unknown system to me, I neither had one nor spent much time before now playing through some titles.
So…this is what I have so far! Most have either HD texture packs (Rule of Rose for example, and also Silent Hill 2 has a incredibly big 29GB of HD textures, I added after taking this screenshot), or mods applied (Gran Turismo is Spec II)
I haven’t got MGS3 there, as I’m waiting for the remake to arrive, but…
Can anyone suggest any titles which are ‘must adds’ for me? I’d appreciate it!
Ps2 Mortal Kombat games were the best, they have beem sliding ever since.
Deadly Alliance is a slog for story/Konquest but a fun game.
Deception is so so good, one of my favourite games ever. Doesnt really hold up as well as Id like but it has brilliant features that I miss in every modern iteration. Namely the best konquest implementation. Chess Kombat.
Shaolin Monks, another one on par with Deception. I have to replay this next.
Armageddon is carnage, just fun fun all the way through. Every character from the entire run of the franchise is playable, it is everythimg.
Fatal Frame II
Mister Mosquito
Gitaroo Man
Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance 1 and 2, Champions of Norrath, Star Wars Battlefront 1 and 2, Burnout 3, Jak and Daxter, Rachet and Clank, SSX3, Twisted Metal Black, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3. I am sure I forgetting some other amazing games.
I’m just gonna say that KH2 on the PS2 isn’t even the best one. The HD remake was better bc it was the English release of the final mix. And you can play that natively through steam. Even with mods on the steam deck.
Play Need For Speed: Most Wanted for the PS2. It’s such a great cops vs racers game. It’s perfect for emulation bc shop should save state before selecting the winning card since there is one with a pink slip every time. Back in the day, we would just need to reset the whole system and make sure we saved before 3 full races, and just redo them. Emulation is the way to play this game! I’m surprised no one has recommended this since it’s the most popular need for speed game.
Okami is native on PC, so I’m curious, why not run that? This is coming from someone who does a lot of emulation but I’ve never seen the need to emulate when a native port was the option. Even bad ports I find are often better because of community made mods that fix a lot of issues. Its possible I havent found the worst port though.
Star Wars: Racer Revenge is probably the best racing game I’ve played to-date. It’s very similar to, and often confused with, the N64 podracing game, but it’s way more polished, and the driving physics are chef’s-kiss perfect. Like, the N64 game, the pod and two engines all move together as one unit; basically a car racing game with a pod racer skin. The PS2’s Racer Revenge actually feels like you’re in a pod that’s being pulled by two distinct engines.
Try playing in 1st-person view and set the controls (if you have a PS2 controller) so the left joystick controls the left pod and right joystick controls the right pod - so to turn left for example, you’d pull back on the left stick to brake the left pod, and push forward on the right to accelerate the right pod; since they’re tethered together, the right one arches around the left a bit, and it pulls the pod to the left. It’s harder to play that way vs the usual ‘press X to accelerate’ mechanic, but after the first couple laps you’ll have the hang of it, and it feels so satisfying.
Unfortunately, the last time I tried to run a rom of this game, it did NOT emulate well, to the point of being unplayable. That was probably at least 10 years ago though, so hopefully advancements since then mean it won’t be an issue for you; but heads up.
Most of the good stuff’s been mentioned, so some B-Sides:
If you like JRPGs, the Xenosaga series
NBA Street 2
Don’t think I saw Jak and Daxter mentioned, they’re great
Freedom Fighters is flawed but so fun
Edit: forgot Zone of the Enders
Loved the Xenosaga series, shame they never actually got to make the 6 games they wanted.
Jak and Dexter games absolutely, but I actually prefer the later ones that aren’t just platforming like the first.
Beyond Good & Evil. Legendary, Ubisoft firing on all cylinders. Weird and French and beautiful. HD remaster is also a fine option but I like it on PS2.
Ace Combat 4, 5, and Zero are great. The music in zero is legendary.
SSX tricky
Timesplitters
Final Fantasy X unless you want to do the HD remaster, which is a great way to play tbh.
Devil May Cry holds up incredibly well and IMO is a must-play.
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System
LOTR games are good fun.
Armored Core 3 is pretty great if you’re into the series as a whole.
GTA Vice City/San Andreas. 3 is fine but VC is better.
Shadow of the Colossus obviously
Final Fantasy X unless you want to do the HD remaster, which is a great way to play tbh.
Yeah, I’d argue that the HD PC port is actually the definitive way to play the game. They fucked up Tidus’ face, but virtually everything else about the game is better. And you can just install a mod to change his face back to the way it used to be.
It’s Tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that’s right on time It’s Tricky…it’s Tricky (Tricky) Tricky (Tricky)
SSX. All of them.
It’s crazy to me that we don’t get games like SSX anymore. Games can’t just be a goofy fun time now, for the most part. Even indies don’t tend to do things like that.
That may because they actually don’t sell, but I doubt it. It’s just going to not make as much money, and most studios only make games with too much budget now instead of allowing smaller games to be made with less risk.
…from what I’ve read and seen in the past, that game can be rather risky on one’s thumbsticks due to all the efforts in making yourself look as amazing as possible.
(sounds worth it, tbh, thanks!)
Luckily since you have a Deck, you can realistically change your thumbsticks should they get damaged.
