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

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And here’s part three:

My favorite horror game of 2025 sounds like a literal nightmare because its composer sampled the creaking of an old house and a metal saw scraping 'an instrument that sounded horrifying yet could have been made in feudal Japan'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/my-favorite-horror-game-of-2025-sounds-like-a-literal-nightmare-because-its-composer-sampled-the-creaking-of-an-old-house-and-a-metal-saw-scraping-an-instrument-that-sounded-horrifying-yet-could-have-been-made-in-feudal-japan/
Labyrinth of the Demon King is one of my top games of the year, a first person survival horror delve into Feudal Japan. Part of its appeal lies in the oppressive, stressful music and sound design by composer Remu Daifuku: This game has the worst, most disconcerting collection of gurgles, slurps, crunches, screeches, creaky floorboards, and haunting biwa string solos I ever done heard. I love it so much.
Demon King producer Andy Han got me in touch with Daifuku so I could find out how you make a game that sounds like literal hell. The answer, it seems, is some incredibly creative (and occasionally painful) sample work.

Legendary game designer, programmer, Space Invaders champion, and LGBTQ trailblazer Rebecca Heineman has died
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/legendary-game-designer-programmer-space-invaders-champion-and-lgbtq-trailblazer-rebecca-heineman-has-died/
Game developer Rebecca Heineman has died after being diagnosed with cancer last month. The news was shared to Bluesky by Heineman's friend, Heidi McDonald, while the most recent post on Heineman's GoFundMe is a goodbye message stating that her health was rapidly deteriorating, and she was entering palliative care. Heineman was 62, and the GoFundMe will remain live to help her family make final arrangements.

There is no glitch—turns out, you need more than just heroic dialogue choices to get Dispatch's best ending, you've gotta be good at your job, too
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/there-is-no-glitch-turns-out-you-need-more-than-just-heroic-dialogue-choices-to-get-dispatchs-best-ending-youve-gotta-be-good-at-your-job-too/
I've thoroughly enjoyed Dispatch—both the excellent story and the superhero radio dispatch simulator strapped to its underbelly. However, during my time playing those latter segments, I'd occasionally find myself wondering whether the game would've been a stronger TV show, and whether any of my choices made were actually factoring into the wider story.
Turns out, yes, yes they are, and not just in the obvious ways. I'm going to be getting into spoilers for Dispatch's ending, here. You've been warned.

Ex-Square Enix suit says you can whine all you like, but 'Gen Z loves AI slop' and everyone and their grandma is already using it
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/ex-square-enix-suit-says-you-can-whine-all-you-like-but-gen-z-loves-ai-slop-and-everyone-and-their-grandma-is-already-using-it/
Dismayed by the profusion of AI-generated slop in videogames? No, you aren't. Or if you are, then you aren't representative of the broad gaming audience. That's my takeaway from recent remarks by Jacob Navok, former director of business at Square Enix and current CEO at Genvid—a media company specialising in "a unique mix of a streaming show and video game"—on X (via GamesRadar).

Arc Raiders players decided to test who was friendlier, PC or console players: 'I am never playing the game on cross-play ever again'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-players-decided-to-test-who-was-friendlier-pc-or-console-players-i-am-never-playing-the-game-on-cross-play-ever-again/
It never ceases to amaze me just how friendly everyone in Arc Raiders is. I've not yet come across someone truly evil while playing solos. Sure, I've been shot at, but I've either won the fight or talked the aggressor out of attacking me. But I primarily play against other PC players. I haven't turned cross-play on yet, and by the sounds of things, I probably shouldn't.
>> Also, the new Deadline mine is very effective (link).

Staring down the barrel of a rough 2026, Ubisoft's UK arm says we're less interested in 'one time purchase' games and all about that live service dripfeed
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/staring-down-the-barrel-of-a-rough-2026-ubisofts-uk-arm-says-were-less-interested-in-one-time-purchase-games-and-all-about-that-live-service-dripfeed/
Ubisoft has decreed that fully-priced games you pay for once are no longer sure bets—and by "decreed", I mean stated as much in a sales warning offered by its division here in the UK. It's important to note that the arm in question, Ubisoft Limited, is mainly concerned with "wholesale publishing and distribution of games", rather than development.

Russia just added Stalker dev GSC to its no-no list of 'undesirable organisations', sobs that Stalker 2 promoted 'Ukrainian narratives' and 'aggressive Russophobic content'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/russia-just-added-stalker-dev-gsc-to-its-no-no-list-of-undesirable-organisations-sobs-that-stalker-2-promoted-ukrainian-narratives-and-aggressive-russophobic-content/
Stalker developer GSC Game World has been added to the Russian government's list of "undesirable organisations," per a press release from the country's Prosecutor General's Office. In other words, it's been deemed a threat to the "foundations of Russia's constitutional order, defensive capacity and security," and anyone in Russia maintaining ties to the studio could face punishment.
>> I’d consider that something to be proud of.