GitHub Tool Could Help Classic PS2 Games Run Natively on Today’s PCs

PlayStation 2 fans could soon see native PC ports of classic games thanks to PS2Recomp, an indie tool from GitHub user Ran-J that automates parts of the PS2 recompilation process. The gaming YouTube channel Pixel Cherry Ninja shared details about the project in a video on Tuesday.

PS2Recomp converts instructions from the MIPS R5900-based Emotion Engine CPU into C++ code. This code can be compiled into native programs that run on newer machines. It differs from standard emulators like PCSX2, as it translates console instructions at runtime and incurs CPU overhead. Native recompilations remove this overhead by translating code before execution, which, in return, lets games run faster on newer hardware. Native recompilations run directly on PC hardware, letting developers add features like ultrawide support, higher frame rates, and custom content more easily than emulation permits.

Released last week, the project is in its early experimental stage, with Ran-J mentioning ...