AetherSX2

About

AetherSX2 is a mobile Arcade game that boasts compelling gameplay and amazing visuals, but is held back by annoying ads and numerous bugs. As a simulator, AetherSX2 offers a unique and engaging experience, making it a must-try for fans of the genre. However, players should be prepared for some hiccups and interruptions along the way.

Genres & Tags

Arcade

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,216 reviews

optimization56 positive mentions

monetization183 negative mentions

The emulator works flawlessly and allows for smooth gameplay of PS2 games on mobile devices.
It offers extensive customization options for controls and settings, enhancing the user experience.
The app is free and does not contain intrusive ads, making it accessible for all users.

Recent updates have introduced ads and decreased performance, disappointing many users who appreciated the previous ad-free experience.
Some users report issues with game compatibility and performance, particularly on lower-end devices.
The app has faced criticism due to the developer's decision to stop updates and the introduction of ads, leading to a decline in user trust.

monetization
223 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
82%
The monetization aspect of the app has shifted dramatically, with recent updates introducing ads despite the original promise of an ad-free experience. Users express disappointment over the performance decline and the addition of intrusive advertisements, leading many to recommend avoiding the latest version and seeking older, ad-free builds. Overall, the transition to a monetized model has negatively impacted user satisfaction and trust in the developer.
- “Not only is it free but it also has no ads, customizable ISO covers, unlimited saves, no paywall, and no nonsense.”
- “What a great app from the devs, kudos to them, no ads, no free-to-play whatsoever.”
- “The best PS2 emulator by far, no ads, no scam.”
- “The developer has specifically updated the app to run slower and contain ads out of spite, thus going against his motto of not gaining money from it.”
- “This used to be great, but now they suddenly added ads even though it was promised to be an ad-free experience, and it runs worse on top of that.”
- “Back then, the dev promised that aethersx2 would be an ad-free app, but now they're taking back the promise and adding ads to the latest version.”
optimization
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
52%
10%
The optimization of the emulator has received mixed reviews, with many users praising its initial performance and ability to run PS2 games smoothly on high-end devices. However, recent updates have introduced ads and decreased performance, leading to frustration among users who experienced lag and glitches, particularly on lower-end devices. Overall, while the emulator shows great potential, it requires further optimization and stability improvements to maintain its reputation.
- “I'm absolutely amazed with the speed and optimization.”
- “Amazing emulator, thank you to all the team involved in the creation. It's somewhat unreal to have this kind of performance on a mobile device; you guys did magic!”
- “Hands down the best, most well-optimized PS2 emulator on Android!”
- “The latest update to the emulator worsened performance and integrated ads into the app.”
- “New update has added ads and overall performance has dropped.”
- “The developer went crazy and downgraded performance and added ads.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
Overall, users praise the emulator's graphics capabilities, noting smooth performance and the ability to adjust settings for optimal gameplay. While many classic titles run well with minimal issues, some users report graphical glitches and performance drops in more demanding games. The flexibility in graphics settings is appreciated, but there are occasional crashes and lag, particularly on lower-end devices.
- “I get to play FF12 on my phone, and the graphics and gameplay are smooth as butter.”
- “When I max out the graphics, it looks way better than the original.”
- “This is an amazing emulator; never thought I'd be playing Need for Speed Underground 1 & 2 on my phone or Bloody Roar 3. The graphics are really good too; I have a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and I'm absolutely blown away by the emulator's graphics.”
- “Destroy All Humans 2 shows some glitches. I tried all graphics settings but can't fix it... please fix.”
- “I can't play Prince of Persia; it has bad graphics and the game starts lagging.”
- “I just one thing when I play God of War 2 on Redmi 7, it crashes every time it goes heavy graphics. Please optimize this game for Redmi 7 with Snapdragon 636.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
29%
13%
Overall, users report that the gameplay experience is generally smooth and enjoyable, particularly praising the emulator's performance with various PS2 titles. However, some users encounter issues such as crashes, slowdowns in specific scenarios (like when facing light sources), and problems with save states after updates. Despite these drawbacks, many still consider it one of the best PS2 emulators available, highlighting its potential for a seamless gaming experience.
- “I get to play FF12 on my phone, and the graphics and gameplay are smooth as butter.”
- “Great setup experience and I experienced no lagging and extremely smooth gameplay on my very first game I tried.”
- “Aethersx2 is one of the best PS2 emulators; I love this app for its very smooth gameplay and no lag issues.”
- “The setup process is quite slick, but patch codes don't seem to work in any game, and app updates completely wipe save states if you don't make copies, so your gameplay is limited by small memory cards.”
- “While I was playing DMC3, the emulation was running fine, but it suddenly crashes. I tried lowering the settings, but it still crashes after minutes of gameplay. Please fix it.”
- “The problem is games slow down a lot when you turn the camera towards a light source like the sun. When I'm playing Soulcalibur 3, I can't play in some locations because of how slow it gets when the camera turns towards the sun; otherwise, it's fast gameplay.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
Overall, users report that the emulator offers a generally stable experience with smooth performance on mid-range devices, though some games exhibit graphical glitches and occasional frame rate drops. While many praise its functionality, particularly for a free app, there are notable bugs and stability issues, especially in newer versions, indicating that it is still in development and may not be perfect for all titles.
- “Rhythm games feel on-point and everything runs great in general.”
- “Runs great on SD845.”
- “Its free! I don't know about those 1-star reviews though; they might have used cheap low-end phones. Currently playing Yakuza right now and it runs great on my Infinix Note 12 G96 with no lags or other issues whatsoever.”
- “Destroy All Humans 2 shows some glitches. I tried all graphics settings but can't fix it... please fix.”
- “It's still not perfect, and there are certain glitches and FPS drops, but most of the time it runs smoothly.”
- “It's a buggy mess. I get it, it's new, but there are tons of games that don't run well or at all. I tried to play Battlefield 2 and faced an awful experience.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Users express mixed experiences with the story aspect of games on the PS2 emulator, highlighting issues such as crashes during cutscenes and difficulty progressing in story mode due to technical glitches. While some users successfully played titles like Front Mission 4 without problems, others faced significant challenges with games like Dragon Quest VIII, indicating that performance issues can hinder the overall storytelling experience. Overall, the emulator shows promise but requires further updates to enhance stability and compatibility for a smoother narrative experience.
- “Thank you so much for this app, I was able to play Front Mission 4 without having any problems.”
- “I hope there's a light touch option though I literally got stuck on a quest where I have to light tap my O button to proceed into the next quest. After a couple of hours of searching, I finally found what I was looking for, the 'pressure' button. Thank you for making this app, by the way!”
- “I can't proceed to the next mission because it's stuck on the bridge where the Icarus cutscene should appear.”
- “I hope there's a light touch option though I literally got stuck on a quest where I have to lightly tap my O button to proceed to the next quest. After a couple of hours of searching, I finally found what I was looking for, the 'pressure' button.”
- “Why can't I play Front Mission 4 and 5? Maybe this app has a selected game for small MB. Please help for Realme 8.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have noted that while some games in the series remain playable, recent updates have introduced crashes in previously stable titles, potentially affecting overall replayability.
- “The most recent updates have been crashing in some of the games that were playable in the older version.”
- “I checked the Ratchet and Clank series, God of War, and Deus Ex, so all of them are playable.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express a deep emotional connection to the game, with one reviewer noting that its flawless performance nearly brought them to tears, highlighting the game's impactful experience and the developer's commendable efforts.
- “The fact that it runs perfectly almost made me cry. Keep up this awesome work; you are a hero to me. Thank you!”
- “This game touched my heart in ways I never expected. The story and characters felt so real, I found myself deeply invested in their journeys.”
- “I was overwhelmed with emotion during the final scenes. The way the narrative unfolded was both beautiful and heartbreaking.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the reviews is highlighted by a particularly amusing yet absurd comment from a one-star review, where a user expresses frustration over a bug in the emulator, showcasing a blend of irony and silliness that resonates with other players.
- “I just found one comment that is so funny yet so stupid in the 1-star section. It said that he is pissed because he found a bug in your emulator. LMAO, I was like, whattttt? Are you for real???”