Consoles, Games and Emulators.

What with all the fuss over Epic’s Gears of War, little has been shown of Unreal Tournament 2007 since this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. In fact, the only news that we’ve had about the game since May has been disappointing, with the release date pushed back until the first half of 2007. While the demo shown to us at Leipzig wasn’t markedly different to what was shown at E3, the German convention did offer a chance to talk to Epic’s Jeff Morris. We didn’t firm up that elusive release date, but we were able to see the latest build of the game, as well as more of the new vehicles in action. And with the conversation even straying to the PlayStation 3 version, we certainly didn’t stop the talkative Morris from spilling as many beans as possible.

While we have reported on some of the new machinery in the game, the Leipzig demo gave us a chance to see how the two character races differ from each other in more depth. All the vehicles from UT2004 have been tweaked and upgraded for UT2007, and they now form the basis of the Axon Corporation team. With recognisable military roots and suitably high-tech additions to its arsenal for the modern battlefield, the Axon machines will be familiar to UT veterans. One of the Axon vehicles is an air-combat vessel called the cicada. This craft isn’t going to do much damage to other air vehicles, but one of its coolest abilities was inspired by military attack helicopters. The vessel is equipped with a weapon that can home in on any land target and automatically fire rockets at the exact spot targeted. Even if you fire rockets in an opposite direction, they’ll spin around in midair to bombard the selected target.

The epitome of Axon design is the leviathan, an enormous five-man war machine that’s driven by one combatant with up to four other people manning turrets on the side. Drivers sit inside the hulking shell of the tank and are mostly immune to enemy attacks, and they have access to a basic energy weapon that can be fired on the move. Gunners, who sit on the outside of the tank, are more susceptible to enemy fire. Luckily, the turret features an energy shield that can deflect incoming fire, and each of the turrets fires a different type of energy projectile, so you can adapt to each situation. If the driver can’t find anyone to occupy these seats, he can switch the vehicle into deploy mode, which basically turns it into an enormous energy weapon that has unlimited range and can devastate anything in the game. The only problem is that the vehicle has to stop to prepare the weapon, and it must remain stationary while the weapon is being used.

The other team in UT2007 is the Necris race. While it would have been tempting to build exactly the same vehicles for the Necris with only cosmetic changes, Epic has built completely different machines for them to use. The most impressive vehicle at this team’s disposal is a three-legged tripod called the dark walker, which moves like the alien creatures from the recent War of the Worlds movie. Sadly, this tank can’t pick up human players and toss them around like the aliens from that movie, but it’s still a serious killing machine, and its legs let it climb hills quicker than any tank. The dark walker’s main weapon is a laser beam, which can fire for short bursts, and the articulation in the walker’s legs lets the machine bend down and pop up for surprise attacks on the enemy. The Necris also has a smaller vehicle called the viper, which Epic wanted to design as highly manoeuvrable, like a futuristic version of the F-14 fighter. The cool thing is that if you fly the ship toward an enemy and jump out, you turn it into a flaming projectile weapon that can inflict significantly more damage than the craft’s turrets offer. The last Necris ship that we saw was the nemesis, which has snakelike treads that adapt to the terrain as it moves.

With all these new vehicles, Epic had to design maps with enough space for them to be used. However, traversing these maps on foot is a bit of a nightmare, which is why Epic has introduced the hoverboard. Though you won’t be able to use a weapon, travelling on a hoverboard is much faster than going it on foot, and you can even hitch a ride from passing vehicles via an energy beam. Apparently, the team was nervous about putting in such a feature, but after trying it out, the hoverboard sat perfectly with the fast-paced style of the game. In fact, the hoverboard was so popular that it was perhaps inevitable that a basic trick system would be added into the mix. While it’s nowhere near as complex as SSX 3, pulling tricks adds another level to Unreal Tournament’s notorious taunting.

The amount of time between Unreal Tournament 2004 and 2007 has let technology catch up with Epic’s dreams for the game’s weaponry. Considered to be the main ‘character’ by the designers, this time around the weapons have a much more tangible quality, while still retaining their outrageous functionality. The weapons are now made up of 40,000 to 50,000 polygons, which is nearly as much as an entire level from the last game. The extravagant design for the new rocket launcher, which can fire up to three rockets simultaneously, has been fleshed out with great animations that make you believe that the weapon could actually exist. The rocket launcher can now also fire three grenades. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait and see what other weapons Epic is including in the game.

UT2007 features more realistic gravity, which in turn should limit some of the more acrobatic movements that could be made by advanced players in the previous game. Epic was concerned that novices didn’t know how they were being killed, so they wanted newer players to at least be able to see who’s firing at them before they die. Epic is also aware that around 50 percent of Unreal Tournament players never took the game online, and even though broadband adoption has increased dramatically since 2004, the company still wants to cater to the offline market. To that end, the artificial intelligence has been improved to better mimic a human player. Previously, the AI was programmed to deliberately miss shots, but it will now think in a much more advanced manner about hunting you down. Geis joked about a Turing test for the new AI, to see if regular players would be able to tell the difference between real players and the UT2007 AI. Also, offline players will be able to bark orders to their AI-controlled teams if they have a headset, and individual computer-controlled enemies will hold grudges and make taunts after kills.

One-on-one matches also proved to be a very popular mode on UT2004, but because of the problems in setting a game up and waiting for just one other player, it was rarely practical online. The answer has been to adapt the mode for UT2007, giving it the new name of survival. Survival mode will create a lobby for players to drop into, and a winner-stays-on scenario will commence, where new challengers can come in and take on the reigning champion in a one-on-one scenario. Also, the full Unreal Engine 3 toolset will be shipping with the game to let people customise the game and release mods online.

We also asked Geis about the PlayStation 3 version, which is being developed alongside the PC game. The Dell XPS system that was used to demo the Unreal Engine 3-powered game was certainly no slouch, but we can hopefully expect even more graphical effects when UT2007 reaches the PS3. Geis commented on how the two versions differ in control. Controlled with the mouse on the PC, fast movements with sudden stops are possible, but vehicle control on the keyboard isn’t all that smooth. On the PS3, the opposite is true–vehicle combat is much more refined with two analog sticks, while the shooting control is not quite as quick or precise as a mouse. He was bullish about the PlayStation 3 game’s quality, though, and although we didn’t see it on show at Leipzig, he said that played against other PlayStation 3 users, he feels right at home.

While Epic’s lack of a definitive answer on a release date for Unreal Tournament 2007 is annoying, the developer is notorious for its stringent quality control. The it’s-done-when-it’s-done mentality will hopefully maximise the game’s chance of success. We just hope that all the new additions will enhance the gaming experience, while still delivering dependable first-person shooter thrills.

When I was a kid and up to no good, my mother would punish me send me off to my room. It wasn’t too bad because all of my toys were in there, but for Henry Townshend, being stuck in his room takes on a whole new meaning. In Konami’s Silent Hill 4: The Room, toys are the least of his concern, because unlike me, he can’t actually leave, and when he finally does, it’s to terrifying places out of our worst nightmares. What we have is another chilling tale in the successful survival horror series, but it appears that Konami’s finally stretched its formula a bit too far, as Silent Hill 4 strays into a repetitive dimension from which it never returns.
Henry Townshend awakens to discover that his phone cord has been cut, mysterious items are lying about his apartment, and someone or something has strapped enormous chains to his front door! Even worse, he can see out of his windows but cannot open them, and tapping on the glass to get other peoples’ attention is a complete waste of time. Oh yeah, and there’s a giant hole in his bathroom that leads to places both you and I would never want to visit. Henry decides to travel inside and see if he can find a way out, and what ensues is classic Silent Hill, a macabre adventure filled with bizarre monsters, things that go bump in the night that aren’t really there but are meant to screw with your head, and items to pick up. Like its predecessors, The Room may scare the hell out of you. However, it all depends on whether you’re familiar with this series, as well as whether you’re content to put up with the same old shenanigans.
Before I go into what’s the same about this Silent Hill, let’s first take a look at what Konami has done to keep things fresh and exciting. For starters, the story is definitely original. Games of this type usually involve roaming around towns searching for stuff, but here, the general claustrophobia that’s produced from being trapped inside of one’s room, especially when scary things reside there, is fantastic (though you do get to leave eventually). Also, while The Room is a third person adventure, you maneuver Henry around in the first person while in his apartment. The game also features a ton of weapons and items including an axe, a chain saw, and guns (I think SH4 contains the most weapons of any of the previous games), but far more interesting is how you select them. Rather than pausing the action to choose what you want from an inventory screen, you can now change items and weapons on the fly by pressing SQUARE. Lastly, the combat has been improved. While it’s still a tad stiff, Henry moves much faster than other characters in the series, making Silent Hill 4 the first game were I actually wanted to take a stand and fight instead of running away.
Also positive is the game’s visual and sound departments. The graphics are what we’ve come to expect from the series, gritty, run-down bloody locales that are sometimes laced with fog and conceal horrible abominations in the darkness. The monsters are super disgusting, though personally, they’re all starting to look the same. I’m not saying that I’m desensitized, but for a videogame, how many twitchy weird things am I expected to bash with a pipe? Let me cut their heads off for a change.
Aurally, the soundtrack is perfect for this type of game. The opening theme is spectacular, and the rest is pure survival horror poetry. Adding to the tension, it alone is reason enough to lock all of your doors and keep your eyes wide open, and it’s definitely worth purchasing.
Unfortunately, even with these new features, Silent Hill 4, despite being technically sound, falters in the fun department. That’s not to say that I’d describe any of the SH games as being “happy fun”, but its biggest problem is how quickly it becomes boring. Despite the fact that the story is original, the gameplay remains exactly the same. However, Konami is to blame for a lot more than The Room’s stale playing experience. Unlike Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise, the Silent Hill series is games about unrelated people with zero connections other than the town itself, and the games lack focus. I’m willing to play Resident Evil because it revolves around a central theme, but I’m sick and tired of saving different people from the same damn, foggy place. By now, everyone should know that Silent Hill isn’t a fun to place to live and to STOP MOVING THERE! I mean seriously, read a Zagat Survey or something!
Even though Silent Hill 4: The Room feels like the other games before it, that doesn’t mean it’s any less frightening. True, it’s using the same concept, but it’s still a fun survival horror experience from a company that seriously knows how to mess with our heads. If you’re new to this series, The Room is a great place to start, and if you’re a fan, at least find comfort knowing that Konami has employed the same successful formula without taking any damaging steps that could’ve ruined it. Wait until dark and turn off all of the lights! Silent Hill 4 is so scary, you may be too terrified to leave even your own room.

Though many game pundits have called the face off between the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii the “next-generation console war,” one of gaming’s leading lights does not see the conflict in such terms.

“Nintendo is not working on a next-generation console,” said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in an interview with Japanese news service Nikkei Business’ Tech On! spinoff. “‘Next-generation’ implies that the console is an extension of previous installments. We believe that extending our current line will not lead to larger markets and could possibly even lead to smaller markets.”

In the Tech On! interview, Iwata further distanced the Wii from other next-gen consoles with some familiar arguments. He said the increasing complexity of gameplay has put many novices off, and that the Wii was going after said novices with an interface that “would appeal to anyone.”

As proof, Iwata cited the success of the DS as a reason for the Wii controller’s existence. “When Nintendo opted for the dual screens for the DS, more people were shaking their heads,” he said. “Yet the market turned out favorable to the DS…I feel that this had led to more people looking upon our new [Wii] controller favorably.”

Still, the decision to go with the so-called “Wii-wand” form factor was a difficult one. “Some of our staff disagreed with changing it,” said Iwata. “Yet after some hands-on time with the prototypes, we knew we had a working formula.”

Iwata also told Tech On! that mass appeal was the main factor behind the decision to add a speaker to the Wii-wand. “We introduced it fairly recently,” he said. “Households sporting 5.1 channel speakers will certainly be able to enjoy realistic sound, yet not all homes have such audio equipment.”

Potential Wii-owners will likely be most interested in Iwata’s comments on WiiConnect24, the Wii’s online network. Unlike Xbox Live, which makes users download demos, WiiConnect24 will automatically deliver Wii and DS demos to any connected console–presumably at the user’s discretion

“Let’s say your Wii is connected to the Internet in a mode that allows activation on a 24-hour basis,” explains Iwata. “This would allow Nintendo to send monthly promotional demos for the DS, during the night, to the Wii consoles in each household. Users would wake up each morning, find the LED lamp on their Wii flashing, and know that Nintendo has sent them something. They would then be able to download the promotional demo from their Wiis to their Nintendo DSes.”

As the creators of the Call of Duty franchise, developer Infinity Ward has been lauded for making one of the most intense, cinematic WWII first-person shooters ever. The game took the world by storm, as did the sequel that was released on the PC and Xbox 360 last year. When it was announced that Call of Duty 3 would be released this holiday season on virtually every platform except the PC, many gamers were up in arms. Why had Infinity Ward forsaken them? Would the series be leaving the PC world for good? Once we found out that the game would be developed instead by Treyarch (the team responsible for the other console-only entries in the series), everything became crystal clear. With Infinity Ward hard at work on what we can only assume is Call of Duty 4, could their “minor league team” (as some have called the company) make a next-gen game worthy of the CoD name?

 Like the other games in the franchise, Call of Duty 3 presents the battles of the Big One from a number of different perspectives. This time out, you’ll play as an American soldier, a British commando, a member of a Polish armored division, and a Canadian highlander. The action takes place during the Normandy Breakout, the operation that took place just after D-day and led to the liberation of Paris. While it’s tough to say that the game is story-driven, you do meet a few memorable characters as you progress, and you’ll see them change during their ordeals. The dialogue is actually pretty sharp, too, as certain nationalities make clear their dislike of others (i.e. the Brits make fun of the French for their tendency to surrender). Still, the narrative’s main purpose is largely to drive the action from one battle sequence to another, something it does quite well.

Basically, if you’ve played any of the other Call of Duty games, you know exactly what to expect here (although there are a few gameplay additions). The action is intense from beginning to end, and the grand set pieces are almost cinematic in their presentation. You’ll be tasked with one objective after another, and each will be indicated on your on-screen compass, which also shows you the position of your friends and foes. While most of the objectives involve your character fighting his way from location to location, you’ll also be asked to take out mortar teams, spot MG nests for tanks, and mark enemy tanks for your big guns to obliterate. Just like the previous games, Call of Duty 3 perfectly conveys the chaos found on the battlefield, particularly when you’re frantically trying to find cover from enemy gunfire. 

Since the folks at Treyarch undoubtedly know that the WWII shooter genre is quickly becoming stale (or already is, depending on who you ask), they’ve added a few new wrinkles in an attempt to keep things interesting. Every so often, you’ll take part in a “Battle Action,” which is essentially a mini-game that must be completed to progress. They range from hand-to-hand combat with an enemy to placing an explosive, and they all involve pressing whatever button flashes onscreen or rotating the analog stick in a certain direction or rhythmically tapping the triggers. While these are a nice little distraction at first, by the end they start to get repetitive.Call of Duty 3 also features a few in-vehicle sequences, something that Treyarch brought to the table while developing the current-gen iterations in the series. During some of the missions, you’ll be tasked with driving from point to point while one of your squadmates handles the mounted weapon. These segments aren’t particularly challenging (unless you’re counting the handling, which feels a bit off), but they do keep the action feeling fresh. The tank sequences are enjoyable, too, and they feel a lot more authentic than the ones in Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360. 

The area that sees the biggest change is the revamped multiplayer mode, which has evolved to become an experience that’s more Battlefield 1942 than Call of Duty 2. Up to 24 players will be able to hop on Xbox Live (the game also supports 4 player split-screen and system link options) for some intensely addictive action. Unlike the previous console game, Call of Duty 3 supports vehicles, so you’ll likely spend much of your time zipping around the expansive maps on a motorcycle, in a tank, or carrying your pals around in a truck. In addition to old favorites like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag, the game has an extremely enjoyable gametype simply called War, in which your team must capture and hold a random area for as long as possible. The game seems to run very well on Xbox Live, although we did notice an occasional hiccup here and there.The best element of the multiplayer mode is the fact that it now features class-based gameplay, meaning you can choose to be everything from a heavy gunner to a support man, and it seems like each and every one of them is perfectly balanced. For instance, if you fall in combat, you can call out to a medic, who can then (if he or she so chooses) come over to heal you. All of your stats will be tracked, and you can gradually make your way up the “chain of command” by doing everything from killing foes to healing friends to capturing flags. We were very happy to see that, unlike last year’s Call of Duty 2, players won’t be kicked out to the lobby at the end of every match. Finally, you and your friends can spend the whole night together on the battlefield!

Although Call of Duty 3 feels exactly like the other games in the series, it’s definitely the best looking WWII game we’ve seen. There’s a ton of little details to help make the proceedings feel very realistic, from the depth of field blur that happens every time you use the iron sights on your weapon to the amazing smoke effects. The foliage looks great, too, especially the trees, which sway in the wind, and the grass, which actually gets matted down a bit as you and your squadmates trample over it. The game also features more destructible environments than the previous games, although we’re a bit perplexed as to why certain wooden objects splinter and explode, while others can be used for cover. Hopefully, that’s something that’ll be answered with the inevitable Call of Duty 4.

As was the case with the previous games in the series, Call of Duty 3’s audio is excellent. You can hear each and every bullet whiz by your ear, and the effect when a grenade goes off near your position will have you running for cover. The score is awesome, too, crafted by Joel Goldsmith, the son of legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith. There are some sweeping orchestral movements that only help to make the game feel more cinematic. Our only big qualm with the audio portion of the game is the voiceover work, which occasionally moves into the realm of stereotypical banter. You’ll probably notice a bit of repetition from time to time, too, particularly during combat.

While the action in Call of Duty 3 feels a bit stale (but really, can anyone make a totally original WWII shooter?), this is another great entry in an excellent series. The graphics and audio work are both top-notch, and the multiplayer should stay fresh and exciting for months to come. Still, we can’t help but wonder how many more games we’ll see in the Call of Duty series. Will we be seeing a new theater of war in the next game? How about a different war altogether? Maybe an alternate universe in which the Nazis invaded the United States is the shot in the arm the series needs. No matter what the future holds, this is one game that fans of the genre should definitely pick up. 

Sony Computer Entertainment Studio Santa Monica’s God of War brings something the PS2 needs. With a library of games saturated with sequels and ‘me-too’ titles, God of War is a refreshing change. But it is surprising to find it from the studio that created Kinetica. Nonetheless, the studio atones for its past mistake by giving PS2 owners something new and satisfying.

God of War is well crafted game because it has a little bit of everything an action fan could want. You will guide Kratos through enormous levels, cleverly designed puzzles, a large number of enemies, and a simple but deep combat system. The levels are huge and varied, with areas designed with platforming and/or fighting. The platforming is designed well in most areas, requiring the player to traverse narrow beams, jump about solid ground, or cross using ropes. To compliment the (usually) well designed levels, the developers included some decent puzzles. Sadly, most of the puzzles are simple tasks- many of which ask Kratos to pushing blocks around to fill in gaps or create a path. There are a number of unique enemies, all of which lead to some interesting fights. The game boosts an excellent combat system. Kratos starts out with one weapon which will educate the player about the simply complex (excuse the oxymoron) combo system. It is rather hard to explain but definitely easy to pick up. Kratos starts out with some simple moves and combos. Some moves can be combined into combos if used consecutively. Not very interesting is it? No, but there’s more. The number of hits you can get in a combo is limitless, until you run out of enemies. If you’re hit in the middle of a combo, you lose your hit count. You can counter that by blocking an oncoming attack (even if in mid-combo) and then continue where you left off. Kratos can also air juggle enemies and then come back down to continue on to more combos. Magic can also be used in combos to multiply the number of hits. So what’s the point of earning high hit combos? All of Kratos’ weapons and magic are upgradeable to increase power, range, or learn new moves. And with new moves, you can do more combos. More moves and combos lead to some painful execution of enemies. With everything this game has going for it, there are many shortfalls. The camera is usually perfect… however it does not always provide the best view in terms of gameplay. Most of the levels are respectably done, but there are a few parts of the game that are more of a nuisance more than anything. One example of the two abovementioned problems would be the Hades level. In an awe-inspiring level, you will be forced to navigate rotating beams while the camera, rather than stay fixed in one position, will slowly move around. The camera makes some parts very hard to complete because it fails to give the player the best viewpoint, gameplay-wise. When there are different types of enemies, the combat is faultless… The problem is that most of the time you will only face one type of enemy (in large numbers), which is fine at first but later becomes boring. The boss fights are extraordinary but there are little boss fights, only half a dozen or so.
God of War is a fair challenge and consistent with the difficulty. There are some hard parts and some irritating parts but luckily, the generously placed checkpoints will reduce the frustration. The game ends rather quickly; the average player will be able to finish the main adventure under 10 hours without much of an effort. After beating the game, a new difficulty setting and a new gameplay mode is unlocked. God Mode (or super hard) difficulty will only appeal to those who want to replay through the single player game. The Challenge Mode pits the player with… challenges, in one level after another. In order to continue, you must accomplish the task within the given limits. Also, a number of videos and non-playable extras will be unlocked (after beating the game) which are ok but fail to add replay value to the game.

The visuals in God of War are marvelous. The majestic levels and monsters look like they were pulled straight out of Greek myths. The wondrous levels are full of huge statues and objects and beautifully designed buildings. All of the monsters and creatures look fine, full of detail and excellent design. The cool effects and freeze sequences fit terrifically. The FMVs and realtime cut-scenes are well crafted. Everything in the game flows effortlessly without the slightest flaw. And the widescreen and progressive scan are definitely welcome. Without a doubt, God of War is the most amazing looking creation on the Playstation 2.
Anything and everything that comes out of your speakers (hopefully, quality ProLogic II capable speakers) sound remarkable. The sound effects are loud and clear. Each orchestrated piece of the soundtrack does a fine job accompanying the gameplay. The music in the game, simply put, is just plain good. Not only are the sound effects and music pleasant, but so is the voice acting. The nicely written dialogue does a superb job representing each character. It is hard to not appreciate the sound of this game.

A tale about the quest for power and the desire for revenge is no stranger to Greek myths. But Kratos’ tale about power and revenge is completely original. Kratos was an unstoppable warrior on a conquest for power. But in the face of doom, he is saved by Ares and made into the ultimate warrior. But for his assistance, Ares destines Kratos to commit the ultimate crime. Kratos, raged by Ares, sets out to accomplish what no mortal ever has… to kill a god. The story of God of War is high quality stuff and definitely enjoyable.

For all its shortcomings, God of War is still a great game. The graphics are easily the best on the system and the sound stands alongside the finest sounding games the system has to offer. The handful of gameplay annoyances hurt an otherwise excellent playing game. Due to the short length, it is hard to call the game a must buy… but make no mistake, you must play this game.

Final words: Besides some small imperfections, God of War embodies the level of excellence that other developers dream of reaching.

I’ve been puzzled for a while, why game reviewers generally shun comparing a game across different formats. And now I perhaps have discovered one reason for this apparent oversight.

Eurogamer have conducted an in-depth review of both Ps2 and xbox 360 versions of PES6 and the news is not all that encouraging for Xbox 360 owners. Xbox 360 the next generation console, the console of choice for the next geneation ….cough!….. sports fewer multiplayers, fewer stadiums (8 compared to PS2’s 33), no shop options, no replay saves. Rushed release? I didnt’ say that!

“With so many features missing, a poor online implementation and a tragic unwillingness to treat this as a next generation project, Konami has taken a hefty gamble with PES6 on the 360.”

Notwithstanding that the game received a score of 80%, though you might want to bypass the xbox 360 section in your local game shop. Out in Europe due for release in US January 2007

The world’s most famous emulator is without a doubt MAME! Just imagine that it plays more or less around 3000 games and it keeps going! With it you can play the most classic games that you loved so long ago.
Below you can find the command line version of MAME along with one of the best frontends(use it only if you like frontends) or you can always use MAME32! MAME32 has an intergrated frontend and it’s much easier to use.
Whether you like emulators or not if you are a fan of all those old games then MAME might be your last chance to play them again.

PCSX2 0.9.2 R2 is now available

This fixes an assortment of issues found briefly after 0.9.2’s original launch. It is strongly advised that people get this build of 0.9.2 over the initial release.

• Compatibility regression with Vampire Night resolved.
• Final Fantasy X now works for most regions.
• Fixes Crash when using config>patches
• Frame Limiting is now more accurate.
• Improved zeroGS, Disgaea 2 menus are now solid.
• P.E.Op.S SPU2 updated to include threaded mode (usefull for video recording).
• Screen Saver / Power Saving now disabled when running PCSX2.

Just to cure our collective headaches “warnings about default.xml” being blank, or “patches not found”, are mearly information, they do not in any way effect PCSX2’s compatibility or performance.