Revisiting Xbox (XEMU), PlayStation and PlayStation 2 (PCSX2) Emulation – 2025-04-05 (LIVE STREAM)

#emulation #Microsoft #Sony

Revisiting Xbox, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2 Emulation on PC

The original Xbox, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2 defined entire eras of gaming, shaping the landscapes of interactive entertainment with their groundbreaking titles and distinctive hardware. However, as time passes, these iconic consoles face natural wear, scarcity, and obsolescence, making their preservation a priority for gaming enthusiasts. This is where emulation comes in.

Emulation bridges the gap between nostalgia and accessibility. By mimicking the original hardware’s behavior through software, emulators enable users to play classic games on their PCs or Macs without the need for aging consoles. But why was today the perfect moment to revisit these emulators?

Because I haven’t kept up with recent emulators needed to emulate the Xbox (Xemu), PlayStation (Duckstation) or PlayStation 2 (PCSX2) and 3 (RPCS3) and it is high time to catch up. Emulation technology has advanced significantly, with options for improved graphics rendering, better controller compatibility that make it possible to control these games with just about anything and has the game look even better than originally was intended. Then there is the the digital preservation of games and this becomes more critical as original discs deteriorate and consoles break or become rare and or stupidly expensive. Native backwards compatibility isn’t a given so emulation ensures these cherished titles remain accessible for future generations, allowing these experiences not to go extinct as the companies themselves have no real impetus to make sure the entire backlog of games remains accessible and playable for future generations.

For any avid retrogaming enthusiast, revisiting these emulators is a good thing. It’s good to update them and check out how the games run with the newer versions. All emulators mentioned actually have auto update features as well as built-in options to enhance the gameplay. Emulators can rekindle the magic but also redefines how we interact with and cherish these old console’s legacies.

Emulators:
– DuckStation
– PCSX2
– RPCS3
– Xemu

Hardware:
Windows 11 PC, Ryzen 3000-series CPU, Nvidia 4000-series GPU
OBS to capture the footage
Yeti Blue Microphone for narration
Afterglow XboxOne Controller

Chapters
00:00:00 – Introduction on Emulation of the Xbox
00:00:39 – Configuring the capture to show Xemu website
00:01:26 – The Xemu website and its relationship with Qemu
00:02:03 – Starting Xemu original Xbox Emulator for some gaming
00:02:39 – Halo Combat Evolved (Xbox) – default vs 1080p upscale
00:09:20 – Insignia LactobacillusP
00:09:31 – Outrun2 (Xbox)
00:13:45 – Outrun2 (xbox) at 2x resolution upscale
00:14:25 – Outrun2SP (Xbox) at 2x resolution upscale
00:29:54 – Burnout (Xbox) at 2x resolution 4by3 and 16by9
00:31:39 – Colin McRae 2005 (Xbox) at 2x resolution
00:35:28 – Midtown Madness 3 (Xbox) at 2x resolution
00:37:53 – Project Gotham Racing (Xbox) at 2x resolution
00:44:21 – Project Gotham Racing 2 (Xbox) at 2x resolution Vulkan vs OpenGL
00:49:17 – Need for Speed Hot Persuit 2 (Xbox) at 2x resolution
00:52:11 – Need for Speed Underground 2 (Xbox) at 2x resolution (30fps)
00:56:44 – PCSX2 Sony PlayStation 2 Emulator
00:57:38 – Need for Speed Underground 2 (PS2) (60fps)
01:04:09 – Outrun2 SP (PS2) (60fps)
01:13:06 – RPCS3 Sony PlayStation 3 Emulator
01:14:14 – Ridge Racer 7 (PS3) 1080p60 talking about Ridge Racer games in general
01:26:55 – DuckStation Sony PlayStation Emulator
01:27:20 – Rage Racer (PSOne) more tracks, rendering is rather flat, digital controls
01:33:33 – Original Ridge Racer (PSOne) 2 tracks, rendering is fast but rather flat, jump in geometry compared to competition, digital controls
01:36:08 – R4 – Ridge Racer Type 4 (PSOne) many tracks, gouraud shading, analog controls being a standard for later Ridge Racer games
01:40:50 – Lunchtime & End of Video

Enjoy & thanks for watching
– LactobacillusPrime

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