Carzy Zarx’s PC Gaming Emporium - Catch Up on All the Latest PC Gaming Related News

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The Monday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Half-Life 2 community gets highest amount of concurrent players since literal records began
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/half-life-2-community-gets-highest-amount-of-concurrent-players-since-literal-records-began/
In an event called "Breaking the Bar", the Half-Life community decided to rally together and get as many concurrent players together as possible. The rules were simple: starting at 3pm UTC, everyone who wanted to take part simply had to run (and ideally play) Half-Life 2, while prominent streamers would be playing the game to raise attention. The reasoning is maybe a little more ambiguous, but sometimes you simply have to rally behind something—and they did it, hitting a peak of 16,101 concurrent players at exactly 3.30pm, with an additional 8,630 viewers on Twitch.
>> I'm going to guess that there were more than 16K simultaneous players back when the game launched.

Oh hell yeah, get almost all the Jackbox games for $20
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/oh-hell-yeah-get-almost-all-the-jackbox-games-for-dollar20/
No one seems to be able to agree on the best Jackbox Party Pack. Each collection has at least one gem (and at least one stinker). (...)
(...) The point is, it's really hard to recommend one Jackbox game to buy, so this Humble Bundle is a real treat—I can just say buy 'em all.
The 18-item Jackbox Summer Party Bundle contains six Jackbox Party Packs for $20, which is a steal considering they typically sell for $25 or $30 each. It also includes a bunch of You Don't Know Jack trivia games and the Jackbox spin-off games Drawful 2, Fibbage XL, and Quiplash. The final item is a 40% off coupon for the most recent Party Pack 7.
>> Besides this bundle, that will be available from another 11 days, there are 5 more sales at the Humble Store:

• The Goblinz Publishers Sale brings up to 75% discounts during the next 4 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/goblinz-publishing-sale/
• The Iceberg Interactive Publisher Sale comes with up to 80% discounts during the next 4 days. All the keys are for Steam, except for one that also for GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/iceberg-interactive-publisher-sale/
• The Co-op Sale brings up to 90% discounts during the next 4 days. There are keys for Steam and GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/coop-sale/
• Publisher Herocraft puts its games up to 90% off during the next 4 days. There are keys for Steam and GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/herocraft-publisher-sale/
• And Fellow Travelers puts its games also 90% off during the next 4 days. The keys are for Steam and GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/fellow-traveller-publisher-sale/

GOG has three sales for us:

• There's a Special GOG Mix Sale with games for every taste up to 90% off during the next 3 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20210816_gog_mix
• There's a Special Sale with publisher Sekai Project, with up to 80% discounts: https://www.gog.com/promo/sekai_project_sale
• And the QuakeCon Sale and its up to 85% discounts will another 7 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/quakecon_2021

Steam has two new daily deals:

• The Early Access title Roboquest is 30% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/692890/Roboquest/
• And Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition is 70% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1042550/Digimon_Story_Cyber_Sleuth_Complete_Edition/

And Fanatical has a new deal:

• The new Star Deal is Unrailed, 70% off during the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/unrailed
• Also, the Summer Sale enters its Encore mode, meaning that it's about to end. Here you'll find the top picks you can still get: https://www.fanatical.com/en/blog/summer-sale-encore-last-chance-save-red-hot-game-deals

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Security flaw for unlimited Steam Wallet funds found, fixed
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/security-flaw-for-unlimited-steam-wallet-funds-found-fixed/
With the help of a security researcher, Valve has found and fixed an exploit that would have allowed a user to falsify the value of deposits to their Steam wallet. The exploit worked by—for example—turning a $1 deposit into a $100 deposit. It was accomplished by changing the account's email address to one including "amount100," then intercepting a message to a payment company API.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Final version of the AI-upscaled HD Texture Pack for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas released
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/final-version-of-the-ai-upscaled-hd-texture-pack-for-grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-released/
Back in July, we informed you about an AI-upscaled HD Texture Pack for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. Created by modder ‘flyaway888’, this pack aimed to overhaul all of the game’s textures. And today, we are happy to report that its final version is available for download. This final version comes with enhanced and more detailed textures, as well as more illuminated textures for better definition. It also raises the digital
>> Available from ModDB.

Next Crysis Enhanced Edition Update will improve graphics, new screenshots
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/next-crysis-enhanced-edition-update-will-improve-graphics-new-screenshots/
The team behind one of the best graphical mods for the original Crysis, Crysis Enhanced Edition, has detailed its next update. In addition, the team has shared some new screenshots that you can view below.
According to the team, its next big update aims to “make the visuals reach another step forward. ” This update will come with reworked TOD on almost every map, as well as thousands of extremely high-quality decals placed on almost every map (to bring more variety and life).

Here's some sick Doom armor modded into Fallout 4
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/heres-some-sick-doom-armor-modded-into-fallout-4/
If you want to do some Bethesda crossover cosplay in Fallout 4, or just want to look like a complete badass, now you can rip and tear your way through the Commonweath dressed as Doomguy. Hell, yeah.
I guess we're actually supposed to call him The Slayer or Doom Slayer these days, but to me he's always been Doomguy, and this Doom Guy armor set by modder AthenaX looks fantastic, especially when paired with a big ol' shotgun. Those mole rats aren't gonna know what hit 'em.

GAMING NEWS

PC classic Blade of Darkness to be re-released in October, won’t have any graphical enhancements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/pc-classic-blade-of-darkness-to-be-re-released-in-october-wont-have-any-graphical-enhancements/
SNEG has announced that the action-adventure classic, Blade of Darkness, will make its way to PC via Steam and GOG.com this October.
(...)
This updated version will support widescreen monitors and up to 4K resolution. It will also have new display settings, and stability improvements. And… well… that’s it. Don’t expect any Ray Tracing effects or new HD textures.

First gameplay footage for Abandoned will surprise you, and it’s not Metal Gear Solid or Silent Hill
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-footage-for-abandoned-is-a-5-seconds-gif/
Abandoned is the gift that keeps on giving. After numerous delays, Blue Box Game Studios issued a patch for Abandoned that introduces a… 5 seconds GIF. And that’s it.
>> I'm starting to get tired of this game and what they're doing to promote it. I may very well stop posting anything about it until they actually show a proper trailer or gameplay from it.

Nightdive Studios has announced Powerslave: Exhumed HD Remaster
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nightdive-studios-has-announced-powerslave-exhumed-hd-remaster/
In 2018, we informed you about Nightdive Studios trademarking Powerslave: Exhumed. And today, the team announced that an HD Remaster of this classic FPS game is currently in development.
>> There's a video showcasing the improvements.

Compound Fracture is a retro first-person “Dino Crisis” game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/compound-fracture-is-a-retro-first-person-dino-crisis-game/
Iteria Games has released the debut trailer for its upcoming action survival horror game, Compound Fracture. Compound Fracture is basically a first-person game that is heavily inspired by the classic Capcom game, Dino Crisis.
>> They say retro because it looks like a late PS1 or early PS2 game, with a 4:3 screen ratio and all that.

CULTIC is a new FPS inspired by Blood, and you can download its demo now
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cultic-is-a-new-fps-inspired-by-blood-and-you-can-download-its-demo-now/
During its Realms Deep 2021 event, 3D Realms revealed a new retro FPS that is heavily inspired by Blood, CULTIC. Created by Jason Smith, CULTIC looks and feels similar to Monolith’s Blood, and you can download its demo right now.
>> You'll find the demo at Steam.

3D Realms has shown over 80 game trailers and you can watch them below
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/3d-realms-has-shown-over-80-game-trailers-and-you-can-watch-them-below/
3D Realms has shown over 80 game trailers during its Realms Deep 2021 event. This event lasted 4 hours, during which 3D Realms has bombarded us with lots of game trailers. So, instead of sharing 80 videos in one article, we’ve decided to share the entire event.

BloodRayne Betrayal Remaster slightly delayed, releases on September 9th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/bloodrayne-betrayal-remaster-slightly-delayed-releases-on-september-9th/
Ziggurat Interactive has announced that the BloodRayne Betrayal Remaster, BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites, will release on September 9th. In order to celebrate this announcement, the publisher has also released a new trailer that you can find below.

Agony-spinoff, SUCCUBUS, delayed until October 5th, gets story trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/agony-spinoff-succubus-delayed-until-october-5th-gets-story-trailer/
Madmind Studio has announced that its Agony-spinoff, SUCCUBUS, has been delayed until October 5th. The game was originally targeting a July 21st release date. Moreover, the team released a new story trailer that you can find below.