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

[JEMC]

Here come the Monday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam has three deals for us:

• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R, that has a demo, will be 70% off until September 15: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1372110/JoJos_Bizarre_Adventure_AllStar_Battle_R/
• Mark of the Ninja: Remastered also gets a 70% discount until the 15th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/860950/Mark_of_the_Ninja_Remastered/
• And Eco, still in Early Access, has a 25% deal until September, 22nd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/382310/Eco/

The Humble Store brings the Immersive Sim Masters Sale, with up to 95% discounts during 3 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/immersive-sim-masters-sale/.

Fanatical has several new deals, and a new BundleFest:

• The new Star Deal is Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, 65% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/dying-light-2-stay-human
• Publisher Hooded Horse puts its games up to 35% off during 6 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/hooded-horse
• Frontier Developments also puts its gams on sale with up to 83% deal during 6 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/frontier-developments
• And the first bundle of this BundleFest is the BYO Special Editions Bundle (Fall 2024), featuring 17 games to choose from for your 2+, 3+ or 5+ bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-special-editions-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

INTEL Arc Graphics 32.0.101.5989 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/intel-arc-graphics-32-0-101-5989
Highlights
Intel® Game On Driver support on Intel® Arc™ A-series Graphics GPUs for:

• Arena Breakout: Infinite
• Deadlock
• NBA 2K25
• Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Intel® Game On Driver support on Intel® Core™ Ultra with built-in Intel® Arc™ GPUs for:

• Deadlock
• NBA 2K25
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Game performance improvements on Intel® Arc™ A-Series Graphics Products versus Intel® 31.0.101.5972 software driver for:

• Deadlock (DX11)
  • Up to 17% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Best Looking settings
  • Up to 13% average FPS uplift at 1440p with Best Looking settings
• Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown (DX12)
  • Up to 19% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings
  • Up to 19% average FPS uplift at 1440p with High settings
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (DX12)
  • Up to 7% average FPS uplift at 1080p with Ultra settings
  • Up to 8% average FPS uplift at 1440p with Ultra settings

AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 24.9.1 driver download WHQL
https://www.guru3d.com/download/amd-radeon-software-adrenalin-2491-driver-download/
Mind you, AMD's press release mentions Radeon Software Adrenalin 24.9.1 specifically, however this seems to be a sidetrack 24.10.37.10 Preview Driver.
Highlights
AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2 Vulkan® Support forCounter-Strike 2

• AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2 now supports the Vulkan® API, offering additional responsive gaming options. AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2 introduces an in-game option to optimally pace frames, further reducing input lag on AMD RDNA ;architecture-based graphics products.
  • Users looking for a way to measure response time can use our Frame Latency Meter (FLM) or the built-in latency monitor in AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2.
    • Use the ALT+SHIFT+L hotkey to enable the Radeon Anti-Lag 2 Latency Monitor. Once activated, a small white chevron will appear in the top left corner of your display indicating that it is enabled.
    • Use ALT+SHIFT+L again to cycle through the following Latency Monitor display options: No metrics, FPS only, FPS and latency (in ms), FPS and latency (in ms and frames), FPS and latency (in ms and frames) with a legend.
  • To compare the difference between Anti-Lag 2 On and Anti-Lag Off, hold the right CTRL key.

Fixed Issues and Improvements

• Perfromance improvements for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
• Intermittent driver timeout or application crash while playing Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
• Overly dark shadows or desaturated colors may be observed while playing Black Myth: Wukong when Global Illumination is to Medium or higher.

>> VGChartz only made an article about the AFMF 2 part, but didn’t have the links to get the drivers.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Play as Kratos, Son Goku, 2B, Deadpool, Darth Maul & more in Black Myth: Wukong
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/play-as-kratos-son-goku-2b-deadpool-darthmaul-more-in-black-myth-wukong/
Over the past couple of weeks, a lot of character swap mods have surfaced for Black Myth: Wukong. As such, I’ve decided to collect and share the best of them in one big article. So, let’s take a look at them.
As the title suggests, PC gamers can now play as Kratos, Son Goku, 2B, Deadpool, and Darthmaul in this latest action title. There are also mods that allow you to become Donatello and Hellboy.
>> The article has five videos, showing 5 mods.

New Red Dead Redemption 2 mods overhaul its police system and its Euphoria physics
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-red-dead-redemption-2-mods-overhaul-its-police-system-and-its-euphoria-physics/
Last month, two interesting mods for Red Dead Redemption 2 surfaced online. And since they passed under my radar, I’ve decided to share them with you today. So, let’s see what’s in store for you.
The first mod attempts to overhaul the game’s police and guard response systems. As its creator noted, the mod focuses on stealth and evidence-based responses.
(...)
The second mod brings you some cool Max Payne 3-inspired shot and burning reactions. The shot reactions are written from scratch and shouldn’t really brake the immersion of RDR2.
Do note that this mod is not compatible with the other Euphoria mod we’ve shared. So no, you can’t use it with the D.R.O (DRAMATIC RAGDOLL OVERHAUL) Mod.
>> The article has one video. For which mod? You’ll have to find out by yourselves.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 just got a new custom Assassin vocation/class
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/dragons-dogma-2-just-got-a-new-custom-assassin-vocation-class/
Remember the Samurai/Ninja class mod for Dragon’s Dogma 2, inspired by Final Fantasy and Ghost of Tsushima? Well, good news everyone. Its creator has now released a new mod that introduces an Assassin class. So, let’s take a look at it.
The skills in this vocation are reimagined with the available skills/assets found in Dragon’s Dogma 2, using Skill Maker by alphaZomega.
As the modder noted, this new class has three main fighting techniques. These are the Samurai Techniques, the Ninja Techniques and the Forbidden Arts.
This class is designed to be fast, flexible, and adaptable in combat. Do note though that some skills can deal area damage, which might hit nearby teammates. The modder also suggests using one-handed swords for this class, either with or without a shield.
>> You’ll find two videos in the article.

New Starfield Mod Overhauls Interior Lighting & Ambient Light
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-starfield-mod-overhauls-interior-lighting-ambient-light/
Modder ‘anamorfus’ has released a new cool mod for Starfield that improves the interior lighting. The mod removes some of the old lights and adds new ones, making the areas look completely different. Do note that this isn’t a Reshade Mod. This is a proper lighting overhaul mod. So, let’s see what it does.
Enhanced Lights and FX has the goal to create a more atmospheric and realistic lighting. It overhauls the interior lighting, effects, ambient light and creates a new mood.
This mod makes all indoor light sources actually give off light. It also removes any lights that came from places where there wasn’t really a light source. The mod also boosts the use of reflection probes, making reflections and indirect lighting look better. Plus, it adjusts the fog, making indoor areas less foggy, and changes the color filters to be less intense. Additionally, it doubles the range of the flashlight and headlamp and adjusts how bright they are.
The result is a game that can look completely different from its original version. Thus, some of you may love it, while others may hate it.
>> Instead of a video, the article has some comparison screenshots, but they do a great job showing how different (better?) the game will look.

Just a few days in and people have already installed millions of mods for Baldur's Gate 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/just-a-few-days-in-and-people-have-already-installed-millions-of-mods-for-baldurs-gate-3/
Baldur's Gate 3's patch 7 released this week, bringing with it a host of changes including new evil endings, new honor mode actions to fear, and the much-anticipated in-game mod browser for official modding support. Mods made via BG3's official toolkit can now be managed and downloaded by an in-game browser, which will let you install and manage them both for yourself and across a multiplayer group.
As reported by Eurogamer, Larian boss Swen Vincke posted just this morning that mod installs for Baldur's Gate 3 were already at more than a million mods and counting. Just a few hours later mod.io and ModDB founder Scott Reismanis chimed in saying that they'd "Just ticked over 3m installs and accelerating."
"Modding is pretty big," said Vincke in a masterful deployment of what I believe is the classic and timeless rehtorical technique called understatement.

It only took two days for someone to unlock a developer mode in Baldur's Gate 3's modding tools, opening up the possibility of custom levels and campaigns
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/it-only-took-two-days-for-someone-to-unlock-a-developer-mode-in-baldur-s-gate-3-s-mod-toolset-opening-up-the-possibility-of-custom-levels-and-campaigns/
Just two days after Larian released Patch 7 for Baldur's Gate 3, a massive update that included official mod tools and an in-game mod browser, modder Siegfre on the Nexus uploaded BG3 Toolkit Unlocked. This mod reactivates disabled features of the toolkit, including a full level editor. It's early days yet, but this could open the possibility for custom areas or even standalone campaigns made using Baldur's Gate 3's engine.

GAMING NEWS

Silent Hill 2 Remake vs Original In-Game Graphics Comparison
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/silent-hill-2-remake-vs-original-in-game-graphics-comparison/
YouTube’s ‘Cycu1’ has shared a new video comparison between the original version and the upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2. This video will give you an idea of how close to the original material the remake will be. So, go ahead and take a look at it.

Leaked gameplay from Crazy Taxi Remake & Shinobi Remake
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/leaked-gameplay-from-crazy-taxi-remake-shinobi-remake/
In case you did not know, SEGA is working on official remakes of some of its classic games, including Crazy Taxi and Shinobi. And, from the looks of it, some gameplay footage from both of them has surfaced online.