Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- PS2 emulator NetherSX2 has released update 2.1, providing a nice performance boost.
- The update also fixes regressions and visual bugs introduced in version 2.0.
- There are two versions with different strengths, so take care to download the correct version.
The PS2 emulator NetherSX2 got a big update just a few months ago, but it didn’t take long for some users to notice that it had a few issues. Rather than improving the overall performance of the closed-source AetherSX2 emulator, it had a few regressions that caused visual bugs in games that previously didn’t have them.
Now, developer Trixarian has released another update, version 2.1, to fix these regressions and improve overall performance. There are specific fixes for the Jak games, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Timesplitters, and more.
Version 2.1 also features updated widescreen and no-interlacing patches, as well as the latest version of Controller DB to improve compatibility with different input devices.
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Like the previous update, there are two versions available to download, and they’re based on different versions of AetherSX2. Build 4248 is recommended for most users, and it has specific fixes for Snowblind engine games like Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, as well as Ace Combat and Jak games.
Build 4248 is recommended for most users, but older Mali devices should use Build 3668.
Build 3668, which is based on an older version of AetherSX2, works better for NASCAR and Colin McRae Rally games. It can also fix rendering issues on older Mali devices, which can cause Vulkan to crash. Neither version of NetherSX2 will work with texture packs from 2024 or newer, since PCSX2, which the app is based on, changed the way dumped textures are named in newer packs.
The reason why there are two builds is that the original developer left the project closed-source, so it’s only possible to make small tweaks to the code, rather than a complete overhaul. However, there’s a new PCSX2 port in the works called ARMSX2 that aims to bring the latest PS2 emulation features to Android. However, it’s still early in development, so NetherSX2 still provides better performance for now.
You can download build 4248 or build 3668 from GitHub, but be aware that you can only have one installed at a time, and saves are not cross-compatible.
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