Improving game's look

[Gokanma]

These are my settings (note all changes here make no difference)

[Gokanma]

These are my settings (note all changes here make no difference)

Here is what the game looks like

[vsub]

I'm not sure if this is the case(because I've seen a problem like that long ago)but try hitting ok,restart pcsx2 and try the game again

For some reason on some older pcsx2 version(I don't know which one)I've see it that changing the resolution during gameplay does nothing until you switch between HW=>SW=>HW mode or restart pcsx2

Edit:Hmm,why do I have a feeling that I've seen such image on some game and there was again some problem and also on that image you are using Software mode which is the native resolution(looking bad)

Edit2:If the background is not textures but an image(walking over images like it is on some older games),increasing the scaling will not do much,only the character will look better

[refraction]

I wouldn't use Native x8 on a 660 Ti card, try to stick around x2 or x3 on that, maybe x4 at a push.

is everything black if you use OpenGL Hardware as well?

[Ryudo]

Here is what the game looks like

You're running in Software mode on that screenshot.

[lokifire90]

Use the OpenGL render with effects turns up (it mentions needing a high end PC and being slow) not found that to be the case with anything i tried on it but i do have a monster for a PC in comparison though.

Direct X looks really bad in comparison.

[Gokanma]

Thanks for everyone's input.

So I switched to openGL hardware (not sure what this means) and graphics sharpened considerable at 6xnative and above...but game was slowed down remarkably. At Native 3x it was fast but much poorer. Also the black screen went away. So it turns out I was auto switching to software by pressing f9 all that time.
Switching the BIOS SSE2,3,4 made no difference to speed or resolution. 

In conclusion then my PC hardware is just not able to handle this game at a decent resolution and speed?

[refraction]

I don't know what cpu you have, but judging by the age of you graphics card, possibly not fantastic

[tsunami2311]

I don't know what cpu you have, but judging by the age of you graphics card, possibly not fantastic

you never know i have 660gtx but 6700k. but the possibility is there

[Aggressor22]

Geforce 600 series date from 2012, then we had ivy bridge, top end was i7 3770k. An i5 3570k was common. Those CPU's are quit good, around 2000 points in single thread performance (i7 kaby about >2500). Especially OCed, should handle most games in PCSX2.
2011 saw the arrival of sandy (i7 2600k/i5 2500k).

Besides an 660Ti is strong enough for most games (dunno PCSX2 though), many have it in their gaming systems. Im having a pc with a 670 still playing BF4 on ultra >60fps @ 1920x1080.

But offcourse a skylake or kaybe would be much better for PCSX2....