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

[JEMC]

Here come the Monday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Meccha Chameleon proves an explosive hit with over 10 million copies sold
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/meccha-chameleon-proves-an-explosive-hit-with-over-10-million-copies-sold/
I was blown away when Meccha Chameleon, the friendsloppish PvP hit where you paint your body in an expressive game of hide-and-seek, sold a million copies in a few days. Here I am blown away again as the novelty refuses to wear off: less than a month after release, the game has sold a whopping 10 million copies, according to a Steam community news post. The proof is in the pudding—as I write this, the game has nearly 200,000 concurrent players, according to SteamDB.
This success feels like the perfect storm of a few different things. Hide-and-seek is a pretty timeless form of uncomplicated joy, as proven by long-lived games like Dead by Daylight and evergreen custom modes like prop hunt. Meccha Chameleon also feels adjacent to the friendslop craze despite its team-based format, seizing on a moment when inexpensive, low-spec multiplayer games are selling like hot cakes.

The Binding of Isaac hits new all-time concurrent player count peak on Steam 12 years after release
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/the-binding-of-isaac-hits-new-all-time-concurrent-player-count-peak-on-steam-12-years-after-release/
Mewgenics might be the hottest Edmund McMillen roguelike in town, but stone cold classic The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is no worse off. In fact, more abandoned children are fending off malformed horrors in their mother's basement than ever—the game reached a new all-time concurrent player count peak on Steam today.
The new big number is a whopping 123,429. It's simmered down a bit as I write this, but it's still comfortably in six figures territory. Not bad for a game that first released in 2014, effectively supplanting the Flash original.

Humble Bundle presents the Arc System Works: Evo Collection, featuring up to 16 items to get (11 games + 5 coupons) during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/arc-system-works-evo-collection

Fanatical has a new Star Deal: DOOM: The Dark Ages, that will be 71% off during 48 hours or until they run out of keys: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/doom-the-dark-ages

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Nothing for today-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Shader Injector Mod Released, Improving Lighting & Shadows
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-shader-injector-mod-released-improving-lighting-shadows/
Earlier this week, I informed you about a mod that aimed to add screen-space ray-traced shadows to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Well, the good news is that the mod is now out. The bad news is that it does not add screen-space ray-traced shadows. Instead, it adds support for contact shadows.
Going into more detail, Shader Injector is a DirectX 12 (D3D12) mod that intercepts the game’s rendering calls. This allows it to replace the game’s original shaders with modified versions while the game is running. The mod includes two custom lighting shaders that improve lighting and shadow quality. Best of all, these visual upgrades have only a small impact on performance.
My guess is that in the initial video, the modder mentioned screen-space ray-traced shadows by mistake. He most likely meant contact shadows instead. Even so, contact shadows are a welcome addition. As you will see, they can greatly improve the game’s image quality.
Right now, Shader Injector comes with a modified Directional Light Pass shader and a Local Light Pass shader that add contact shadows, micro shadows, and an upgraded Diffuse BRDF.
You can go ahead and download the mod from this link. At the end of the article, you can also find an installation guide for it.
>> The article also has an over 4 minutes video.

shadPS4 Will Soon Let You Play Online Multiplayer Games Without PlayStation Network
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/shadps4-will-soon-let-you-play-online-multiplayer-games-without-playstation-network/
The team behind the best PlayStation 4 emulator for PC, shadPS4, has announced shadNet. ShadNet is going to offer shadPS4 users a way to connect and play online games together. Its key feature is that it will not require PlayStation Network. Instead, PC gamers will be able to play the PS4 games online without it.
ShadNet is still in development, and there is still a lot to be done. Right now, it can only track scores and nothing more. Also, even though you can register, you still cannot input your details in the shadQtLauncher. Still, PC gamers can register and try it out.
The latest version of shadPS4 is v0.16.0. That update introduced the foundation of a new configuration system. The new system makes settings easier to manage, improves game-specific options, and prepares the emulator for future features.
Version 0.16.0 also added a new OpenAL-based audio backend. This gives the emulator a more flexible audio system and improves support for PlayStation 4 audio features.
Another new feature is early PlayStation Camera emulation. This brings shadPS4 one step closer to supporting games and apps that require the PlayStation Camera.
The update also added local multiplayer support. Players can now enjoy supported games together through the emulator’s new local multiplayer system.
The team has also made numerous graphics improvements. The update includes a large number of Vulkan fixes that solve validation errors, synchronization problems, resource handling issues, swapchain bugs, and presentation stability problems. These changes reduce crashes and improve reliability on a wide range of GPUs.
In addition, the team fixed several GPU synchronization issues, memory handling bugs, image layout problems, and memory protection updates. Together, these changes improve rendering accuracy and reduce visual glitches.
Version 0.16.0 also included many mipmapping fixes that improve texture quality and remove rendering artifacts in several games. Support has been expanded for more advanced graphics pipelines, including extra tessellation and geometry shader combinations used by modern PS4 games.
Finally, the team upgraded the shader recompiler and the GCN decoder. These improvements should benefit games that make heavy use of PlayStation 4 Pro (“Neo”) GPU features.
You can download shadPS4 v0.16.0 from this link. Below, you can also find a video from the v0.16.1 night version. This version is not yet available to the public.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered Will Get an Unofficial Multiplayer Mode on PC in September 2026
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-last-of-us-part-2-remastered-will-get-an-unofficial-multiplayer-mode-on-pc-in-september-2026/
Now here is something really cool. A team of modders is working on an unofficial multiplayer mode for The Last of Us Part 2. This multiplayer mode will be made available in September 2026, and below you can find a 25-minute gameplay video for it.
As you will see, this multiplayer mode is still in an early development phase. Right now, there are a lot of placeholder graphics. However, its core gameplay mechanics appear to be working fine.
What’s funny here is that the first The Last of Us game featured a 4v4 multiplayer mode, called Factions. However, Naughty Dog decided to remove that mode from its sequel. And, in a strange turn of events, PC gamers will be able to experience it on PC really soon.
Modder Speclizer plans to release this Multiplayer Mod for The Last of Us Part 2 in September 2026. It’s worth noting that all the other mods from Speclizer are behind a Patreon wall. So, I don’t know whether this will also be a pay-to-play mod. I hope not, as this would kill all momentum for it.
>> There is an over 25 minutes video in the article.

Cyberpunk 2077 Got a True First Person Camera 2.0 Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/cyberpunk-2077-got-a-true-first-person-camera-2-0-mod/
Modder ‘DigitalVixen’ has released a new cool mod for Cyberpunk 2077, called True First Person Camera 2.0. This mod aims to overhaul the game’s first-person perspective. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
True First Person Camera 2.0 improves the game’s first-person camera in several ways. For example, it lets you adjust the camera’s height and depth to better match your preferences. It also adds a more immersive view when you look down at your character.
The mod introduces a free-look mode, allowing you to walk forward while looking around. It also adds a weapon IK system that lets your weapons sit at a more natural camera height, or keeps the original behavior if you prefer. In addition, the mod includes a new vehicle camera, bike leaning, an ammo inspection camera, and improved first-person views for weapon equip animations.
According to the modder, the biggest new feature in Version 2.0 is its built-in configuration menu.
You can open the menu at any time with a hotkey, so there is no need to switch between different menus. Every option and setting is available in one simple popup, making it easy to adjust the mod while the game is paused.
The update also adds a first-person camera tuning system for each vehicle. Players can choose from three cornering camera profiles and three bike leaning profiles. All six profiles can be adjusted directly in the game.
Furthermore, there’s a First Equip animation system. This system lets you set when the animations can play and what their likeliness is. You can also set different animation settings for melee, guns and cyberware.
Finally, the mod also features a system to display the head on the player’s body. If you play with Ray Tracing or Path Tracing and you have enabled player reflections, you can now also see your head in reflections. The head is hidden when you bring out a weapon and in some other situations.
All in all, this is a really cool mod for those who want to replay CP2077. If you are one of them, you can go ahead and download it from this link. At the end of the article, you can also find a few videos for it.

28 Years Later-Inspired Mod Released for Fallout 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/28-years-later-inspired-mod-released-for-fallout-4/
Modder ‘Anderson2888’ has released a new mod for Fallout 4 that is inspired by the 28 Years Later movie. So, if you are a fan of it, you may want to try it out.
Going into more details, the mod adds film-accurate recreations of the infected from 28 Years Later. These are the Alphas, the common infected, and the first generations. The mod also has custom sounds siphoned directly from the movie to make them feel more like their film counterparts. These new variants will spawn alongside ferals.
Do note that the mod does not add any missions from the movie. It will only add the three variants I mentioned above. Also, since this is Fallout 4 we’re talking about, its graphics look kind of meh. So, be sure to keep your expectations in check.
You can download the mod from this link. At the end of the article, you can also find the three variants that are added to the game.

New Red Dead Redemption 2 Mod Adds Even More Random World Encounters
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-red-dead-redemption-2-mod-adds-even-more-random-world-encounters/
Modder ‘knoxien’ has released a pretty cool mod for Red Dead Redemption 2. Titled Random Events, this mod adds a variety of ambient encounters to RDR2 Story Mode. These include predator attacks, runaway wagons, public hangings, drunken townsfolk, and bounty hunter pursuits.
In a way, this feels like a more polished version of a similar mod we shared in November 2023. That mod offered three random world events, whereas this one has five. As such, I suggest switching to this new version (if you’ve been using the old mod).
As I said, the Random Events Mod brings five world encounters. Events fire on their own as you explore the game’s world. Each one is announced with a subtle on-screen line and a vanilla-style minimap blip so you can choose to ride over and get involved or just keep moving. Everything is controlled from a single in-game menu, so you decide which events happen, how often, and how close.
The five world events that can occur are the following ones.

• Predator Attack – a wild animal ambushes you out in the wilds.
• Runaway Wagon – a driverless-looking team of horses bolts down the road hauling a wagon; chase it down if you can.
• Public Hanging – outlaws drag a captive to a tree and string him up by the neck. Shoot the rope to cut him loose before he chokes, gun down the executioners.
• Drunken Folk – rowdy drunks stagger around and brawl with each other near settlements (at nighttime).
• Bounty Hunters – armed hunters and their scent hounds track you down and attack.

Those interested can go ahead and download the mod from this link.
>> The article has an over 5 minutes video.

GTA 4 RTX Remix Path Tracing Gets New 4K High-Polygon Models
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/gta-4-rtx-remix-path-tracing-gets-new-4k-high-polygon-models/
Modder ‘kapibos’ has released a new version of his 4K High-Polygon Models pack for Grand Theft Auto 4 RTX Remix. This mod adds new highly detailed 3D objects to the game. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
This latest version of the mod replaces 30 props/objects. All of them were remodeled to high-poly and retextured to 4K by the modder using Blender and Substance 3D Painter.
To showcase the visual improvements, kapibos shared a comparison video, which you can find at the end of the article. This video will give you a pretty good idea of the visual improvements. So, be sure to watch it.
The bad news is that the pack does not cover all of the game’s props/objects. As such, it can feel a bit inconsistent. At one time, you will see a highly detailed 3D object, and when you turn the camera, you will see an ugly vanilla prop. I’m not complaining here, just stating the obvious fact.
Those interested can download the mod from this link. This mod is only for the RTX Remix Mod of GTA 4. It may also be compatible with the HD Texture Packs I shared for it. Right now, there are two covering the South Bohan Apartment area. One is created by Wallaco, and the other is created by DarkoRTX. You can download them from here and here.

Web port wizards produce browser versions of Half-Life 2 and Portal
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/web-port-wizards-produce-browser-versions-of-half-life-2-and-portal/
It's been established that Doom can run on produce, but porting wizardry doesn't start and end with blasting cacodemons on increasingly ludicrous hardware setups. It's sometimes the simple things that stick out most, like this web browser port of Half-Life 2. Not as silly as potatoes, but impressive all the same.
It's got some kinks—my frames are a mite inconsistent and certain animations seem to be broken—but it is, in fact, Half-Life 2 in the browser. You can play the game as normal, use console commands, and send your working hours down the drain with a spot of entertainment slightly more sophisticated than the average Flash game.
The project has garnered lots of attention thanks to a post on X from Gabe Follower, which states it was "created by Slqnt and 98006 in just three months." A follow-up post shared that the project was based on a similar browser port of the original Portal, just in case you don't have enough browser-based Valve gaming in your life yet. Maybe try and get through these while waiting to respawn in Deadlock.
>> The article doesn’t have any media, but it has the link to this port.

Nightdive says compatibility with fan missions was a big priority for Thief Remastered, and there's one massive mod in particular it knew it had to get working
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/nightdive-says-compatibility-with-fan-missions-was-a-big-priority-for-thief-remastered-and-theres-one-massive-mod-in-particular-it-knew-it-had-to-get-working/
Thief: The Dark Project is a brilliant game for many reasons, among which is that it has one of the best mapping communities of any game. While the Doom and Quake mapping scenes are larger and more prolific, Thief's mappers consistently punch so far above their weight they should probably get into boxing sims rather than stealth games. They regularly deliver maps, missions and entire campaigns that are orders of magnitude more ambitious than what exists in the base game.
Hence, any remaster of Thief worth its salt would ensure the fan mission scene is well supported, and that's exactly what Nightdive plans to do with Thief: The Dark Project Remastered. Speaking on Nightdive's Deep Dive podcast, producer Daniel Grayshon delved into the significance of community creations for the remaster:
"There's been a very dedicated community that has created all sorts of wonderful additions to the game, and a lot of that has not gone unnoticed, " Grayshon explained. "Compatibility with those is extremely important, and that's what we're working on very heavily to ensure that when you buy a copy of the game on PC, you'll be able to very easily and very quickly get set up with whatever fan mission you would like to play."
Given the number of fan missions that are out there, this is pretty ambitious, and Grayshon does say that, while they want to support as many FMs as they can, Nightdive's resources are not unlimited. "We're doing our best to make sure that we have a good compatibility across the board with everything that we can test given the time that we have. There's a lot of content out there, but we're doing our best."
>> If you don’t want to click the link to the Deep Dive, it’s also included in the article.

First Look at Upcoming Multiplayer Co-Op Mod for Alien: Isolation
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-look-at-upcoming-multiplayer-co-op-mod-for-alien-isolation/
Now here is something cool for our Alien fans. Reddit’s member ‘Dropper7894’ is currently working on a multiplayer co-op mod for Alien: Isolation. And while there is no ETA for when it will come out, the modder shared the first gameplay video for it.
Dropper7894 has been working on this mod for the past few weeks. The goal is to turn Survivor Mode into a co-op experience. This means that you will be able to play that mode with a friend.
For those who do not know, Survivor Mode is a tense single-player challenge mode with specific objectives. Players must escape from small, enclosed areas inside Sevastopol Station as quickly as possible. Along the way, they must avoid a relentless Xenomorph that is always hunting them, making every run feel tense and unpredictable.
As I said, there is currently no ETA for when the mod will be released. We also don’t know whether the modder will be able to get it working in Campaign Mode. For now, the co-op mod will be available only in Survivor Mode.
>> The article has a less than 2 minutes video.

GAMING NEWS

Resident Evil Requiem June 25 Patch Released & Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/resident-evil-requiem-june-25-patch-released-detailed/
Yesterday, Capcom released a brand new update for its latest Resident Evil game, Resident Evil Requiem. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table.

Here Are 49 Minutes of Gameplay From the Open-World Action-Driving Game, CLUTCH
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-49-minutes-of-gameplay-from-the-open-world-action-driving-game-clutch/
Maverick Games has presented 49 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from its open-world action-driving game, CLUTCH. This video shows a lot of new stuff. Moreover, it confirms that the game will be using Unreal Engine 5 and that it will take advantage of Lumen. So, if you are a racing fan, you should definitely watch it.

First 30 Minutes of Gameplay From Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Leaked Online
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-30-minutes-of-gameplay-from-assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-leaked-online/
It appears that someone has shared a video on Bilibili, leaking 30 minutes of gameplay from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. This video features the first 30 minutes of the game. The bad news is that of really low quality.